Sixers’ Doc Rivers Reacts to Nets Trading Away Kyrie Irving

The Brooklyn Nets are making a major mid-season change to their roster. On Sunday afternoon, the Nets struck a deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sending their All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to the Western Conference.

Just two hours before the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks tip-off at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers reacted to the big news that could shake up the Eastern Conference standings.

“I don’t really know, honestly,” said Rivers when asked about his thoughts on the deal. “They told me when I was getting on the bus, and I said, ‘Wow, that’s interesting.’ Obviously, Kyrie is an amazing basketball player, and you’re putting him with another amazing basketball player we’ll see how that works, and we’ll see if it’s good for the Nets. I really don’t know, so we’ll wait and see.”

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t have much to say on the matter as well.

“You know, I think that would probably be a Nets question,” Thibodeau joked before ending his pregame press conference on Sunday night.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving and the veteran forward Markeiff Morris will join the Mavericks.

In return, the Nets will receive veterans Spencer Dinwiddie, and Dorian Finney-Smith, along with a 2029 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick.

While the move could certainly have an impact on playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference, neither the Sixers nor the Knicks have thought too much about it right now as they are both focused on their Sunday night matchup in the Big Apple.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.