Kyrie Irving wants out of Brooklyn, but does anyone want him?

For what feels like five straight years, Kyrie Irving has had rumors surrounding his desire to stay with his team. Just two years ago, Kyrie forced himself away from the Boston Celtics to the Brooklyn Nets to play with Kevin Durant. Now, Irving appears to be on the move again.

No one can doubt Kyrie’s talent. When he is focused and engaged, he is one of the most skilful players in the NBA. He has hit clutch shots in the past and is well respected amongst other players. However, he has refused to play basketball for many reasons over the past couple of seasons and his unreliability has affected his public image.

After sitting out the NBA bubble in Orlando, Kyrie refused to get vaccinated last season and was only able to play in 29 games. Questions about his commitment to basketball are being asked, and not unfairly so. It’s unclear how many teams would be willing to put up with Kyrie and whether they want to commit money to a player who has sat out more games than he has played in the past three seasons.

There are a couple of ways this can play out in the coming weeks. Kyrie could decline his player option and sign with any team. The other thing he can do is re-sign with the Nets and pressure them to trade him. Kyrie is opting for the second choice as he can make more money, but the issue is, the trade market isn’t really there.

It’s crazy that a player of Kyrie’s talents has such a low value on the open market, but that’s where we are. He has somewhat done this to himself – for while his talent is undeniable, the headache just may not be worth it. The Nets are scrambling and they mortgaged their future for Irving, Durant and James Harden. They have already traded Harden. If Kyrie leaves, who knows what Durant will do?

The Nets’ odds to win the next NBA Finals are at +900, and that may be the worst bet you could place. The Nets are almost guaranteed to lose some stars before next season, and even with Durant and Kyrie, they were swept in the first round of the playoffs this year. It makes zero sense they would hold odds this low.

Now, the odds for Kyrie’s next team are a little more interesting. According to the top betting sites, he is favored to go to the Los Angeles Lakers at +175. He has played with LeBron James in the past and the King may be the only player in the league who could get Kyrie motivated. The issue is, the Lakers do not have trade assets, so Kyrie would have to put up a real stink to force a trade to the Lakers. He is certainly capable of doing that, but it would be surprising to see the Nets oblige. At this number, we recommend staying away.

The next biggest favorite is the Miami Heat at +300. Simply put, he will not go there. The Heat are a culture-based organization and Kyrie is the opposite of what they are trying to build.

Up next is the New York Knicks at +400. Of all the teams, this is the best bet. The Knicks are always looking to make a splash and they would be one of the few teams willing to risk their future for Kyrie. The Knicks have made a lot of notorious mistakes in the past and it looks like this could be their next one. New York don’t have a ton of talent, but Kyrie would at least make them interesting. For a massive media market, that may be worth it for the Knicks’ brass.

At +400 with Bovada, Kyrie to the Knicks is the only bet we can recommend in this market. But, as Kyrie has proven, he’s as unpredictable as they come. Bet at your own caution with him.

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