Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the second quarter of Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 20, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP
Kyrie Irving appears pointed toward free agency, and multiple books are envisioning a Hollywood ending to the latest expected act of the All-Star guard’s relocation plan.
Irving and the Brooklyn Nets have not ironed out a contract because talks are “at an impasse,” according to multiple reports. This follows the pointed season-ending assessment from general manager Sean Marks that Brooklyn would need Irving to be “all-in” to move forward.
Moving is nothing new to Irving, a seven-time All-Star who has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Nets since entering the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft.
Irving, 30, would need to decline a player option worth $36.9 million by June 29 to become a free agent.
PointsBet opened the “Irving’s next team” market on Monday with the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers as the prevailing favorites at +150. The implied odds represent a 33.3 percent chance for either team to land Irving.
Irving averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 29 starts this past season, but missed a significant number of home games due to his unvaccinated status.
With the Lakers, Irving would hook back up with LeBron James. The tandem helped the Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA championship. Adding Irving to James and Anthony Davis could push the Lakers toward contender status after missing the playoffs in 2021.
The Clippers posted a 42-40 record without Kawhi Leonard and big-spending owner Steve Ballmer is always interested in star power.
Behind the LA teams, the Miami Heat (+400) and New York Knicks (+400) odds represent roughly a 20 percent implied probability rate. The Chicago Bulls (+800) and New Orleans Pelicans (+1000) are also on the radar at PointsBet.