NBA

NBA Executive on Kyrie Irving: �Every front office and coaching staff is scared to death of him�

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after being called for a foul against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on June 07, 2021 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)

While he hasn’t played a game this season, Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been in the news as much as anyone. With the 2021-22 season over a few weeks in, an NBA executive chimed in on the controversial Irving,�per Michael Scotto�

“For the most part, every front office and coaching staff is scared to death of him and doesn’t want to touch him.”

NBA Executive

Unfortunately, the anonymous NBA executive isn’t the first person to express skepticism over Irving. Whether it be his flat-earth theory, refusal to get vaccinated, or sour departures from Cleveland and Boston, Irving’s recent actions have been the subject of plenty of criticism.

While his smooth handle and crafty scoring captivate viewers in incredible ways, Irving’s off-court antics often overshadow his on-court talent. After all, he hasn’t played over 70 games in a season since 2016-17.

Nonetheless, teams have reached out to the Nets on the prospect of trading for Irving,�per Adrian Wojnarowski�of ESPN. But as another anonymous executive also�alluded to, opposing front offices will be reluctant to pull the trigger on an Irving deal.

“He’s a max player, who people would not give up assets you’d traditionally give up. There’s so much risk associated with him that I think most teams wouldn’t pay in a trade what you’d expect someone to pay given his skill level when he’s at his best.”

NBA Executive

What the future holds

Unfortunately for Irving and the Nets, it doesn’t appear that the star guard will take the floor anytime soon. With New York City mayor-elect Eric Adams announcing he won’t change the city’s vaccine mandate, an unvaccinated Irving will continue spending the 2021-22 season on the bench.

In the meantime, Irving’s Nets have experienced mixed results in his absence. After assembling three of the best scorers of this generation, Brooklyn sits at sixth in the east. They own a 7-4 record with the league’s seventh-best net rating.

Despite playing on the same roster for nearly a calendar year, the star trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Irving has appeared on the court together for just 14 games. The Nets have more than enough talent to capture multiple championships. But their inability to keep each star on the court simultaneously has proven to be their biggest flaw. Given Irving’s strong stance against the COVID-19 vaccine, that flaw should continue.

The Nets continue their season without Irving tomorrow in a road matchup versus the Orlando Magic.

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