Kyrie Irving’s tenure with the Brooklyn Nets receives scathing revelation from the now-Dallas Mavericks star.
When Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant joined forces on the Brooklyn Nets, the expectation from the duo was to deliver an NBA Championship.
The expectations became more concrete once James Harden was traded to the Nets. However, the Big 3 failed after playing just 16 games together.
A key reason behind the fallout was Irving getting suspended during the 2022-23 NBA season. It included his stance against getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty ImagesKyrie Irving wanted to leave after the Brooklyn Nets suspended him
Aside from Irving’s suspension during the 2022-23 NBA season, the veteran guard also faced a huge challenge during the 2021-22 NBA season.
He was ineligible to play in the team’s home games due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Fast forward to 2025, and the current Dallas Mavericks star has made some scathing revelations about his tenure in Brooklyn.
“Even the people I was in business with were pro-vaccine and I’m like, ‘Okay, look, that’s fine, but leave me the f__ out of this and let me go somewhere else.’ I even told the Nets to release me,” Irving said on a live stream (h/t NBA Central).
He added: “I said, ‘Yo, can you please just release me’… I’m f______ Kyrie. I say that as very aware of my position, but they weren’t just going to let me rock out and go anywhere.”
At the end of the day, the Nets didn’t want to budge from their stance, as it only made things worse between the two sides. However, the COVID-19 vaccine fiasco was only the tip of the iceberg.
Kyrie Irving says the Brooklyn Nets preferred Kevin Durant over him
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline ultimately led to Irving and Durant’s departure from the Nets. However, Kai believes the Nets never truly wanted him.
In fact, he made a major revelation about his relationship with the Nets and how they treated Durant better than him.
“I didn’t meet with the Nets front office one time. I didn’t meet with the GM one time, the assistant GM one time. Literally.
“When I look back at that decision, I’m like, man, I should’ve taken some more time to delegate and figure out what’s best for me,” Irving said of his free agency decision in 2019 (h/t Stunna).
The 2016 NBA champ wasn’t done as he added: “I wish that we got a chance to get to know them beforehand because they weren’t f______ with me like that. And that’s just me.
“That’s my perspective. Now, did they want me on the team? Sure, you could say that, but Kenny Atkinson wasn’t f______ with me like that, bro. The Nets didn’t want me like that. They wanted KD.”
Kyrie talks about not talking with Brooklyns front office prior to signing with them and how he was waiting on Kevin Durant to return from Achilles pic.twitter.com/t5sErsuBqK
— 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘢☆ (@Stunna999_) July 23, 2025
View Tweet
All things considered, it simply means that Irving rushed his decision to join the Nets in 2019. If he had taken his time, he might never have joined the Slim Reaper on the Nets.
Right now, Irving is healing from a torn ACL injury as he is set to miss the majority of the 2025-26 NBA season with the Mavericks.