“Kyrie Irving wants the same uniform as Kobe Bryant once wore”: Stephen A. Smith says Nets star ruined his franchise to join Lakers, who’d have $80 million in cap space next summer

Kyrie Irving looking to play alongside LeBron James, is the reason why Kevin Durant wants out of Brooklyn.

Superstars of an NBA team have never been as dynamic as they have been in the past 4-5 years. Thanks to Anthony Davis, maybe? He showed them how to leverage a trade even without hitting free agency, unlike his teammate LeBron James who can be called The King of free agency if nothing else.

Well, that’s what Kevin Durant will be doing now that he has requested a trade to the higher authorities in Brooklyn. No one will be surprised if he chooses to do it like AD, James Harden, or the most recent star, Ben Simmons.

In fact, the Nets will be surprised if they wouldn’t find a deal for their $194 million, four years contract-bound man in time, and he would show up to training camp and for the start of the 2022-23 season. That’s not how it works in the NBA these days, and KD, for one, can not be the man who would do that.

Kyrie Irving is undoubtedly not the one who would do that, which might be why his fellow teammate is leaving him even after he opted in for his final year of the contract. If Stephen A. Smith is to be believed, that’s THE reason why Durant wants out.

Also read: “Who is this white boy?”: When Kobe Bryant was in awe with Manu Ginobili during their first-ever meeting

Kyrie Irving is telling around the league that he wants to play in the uniform Kobe Bryant once played

In a recent Sportscenter segment about KD’s trade request, the ESPN’s main started with how the face of the franchise failed to keep Kyrie in check and be a leader that would see success despite his off-court antics that was pretty much known when the point guard came to Brooklyn from Boston.

He went on to say that the 2x Finals MVP is now in a tough spot with Irving making a buzz around the league that he will be in LA at the end of the year and wear the Purple and Gold that his idol Kobe Bryant wore.

I feel that Kyrie Irving ruined the franchise. pic.twitter.com/0aYmwrfBBB

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 30, 2022

Having idolized “The Mamba” since his childhood, the 30-year-old would surely like to mesmerize fans of LA, so this story by Smith might actually be true. So now it makes sense for the 33-year-old Kevin, who might well be in his last big contract to not risk one year for Irving, however great their friendship might be.

Also read: “Ayo Celtics! Do NOT trade for Kevin Durant if it means losing Jaylen Brown”: Fans would rather have Jay’s running the show in Boston than risking it all for Nets’ $194 million star

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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