The Brooklyn Nets made a significant trade on Thursday that seems to be aimed at clearing salary cap space to make a run at free agents, and there is one in particular to whom they have been connected.
Kyrie Irving is expected to explore leaving the Boston Celtics this offseason and has serious interest in the Nets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Kyrie Irving is serious about the Nets — and the Nets are serious about beating the Knicks — and rest of league — to the biggest free agents in the marketplace, per league sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 6, 2019
There has been chatter the last few weeks that Irving is interested in the Nets. Trades like this that help prepare them for free agency will only increase that line of thinking.
Brooklyn traded two first-round draft picks to Atlanta so they would absorb Allen Crabbe and the $18.5 million he is owed for next season. They are getting Taurean Prince and a future second-round pick back in return.
The Nets now have only around $35 million in salary cap commitments for next season, though they still need to retain restricted free agent D’Angelo Russell.
