The Day After: How Nets Feel About Kyrie Irving's Trade Request
The Nets are preparing for life without guard Kyrie Irving, and it didn't take long for that to become a reality.
A day after the Nets guard demanded to be dealt before the Feb. 9 NBA Trade Deadline, Irving wasn't present at the team's walkthrough on Saturday. It's unclear whether he will be present for the matchup vs. the Washington Wizards at Barclays Center, and in the near future. The guard, who was initially available to play, was downgraded to out because of right calf soreness.
"I think you have the responsibility as a basketball player, like I do as a coach. I show up, I do my job every single day.," head coach Jacque Vaughn said pregame. 'That's what I signed up for, and that's my expectation for 1-through-17."
The Nets head coach spoke with Irving after he told the organization he no longer wants to be in the borough. Vaughn did not talk to him about why he made the trade request. He's leaving that to General Manager Sean Marks and the front office.
"I didn't ask those questions [about why he wanted to leave]. There's a business side to this thing and there's the human side to this thing. I elected to touch on the human side and check on him as an individual," Vaughn said. "I'll leave the business side to Sean [Marks] and that side of the group."
Irving's ongoing trade demand will certainly leave a trail of distractions until finalized or after 5:00 p.m. ET on Feb. 9 strikes. In the eyes of Vaughn, he wants his team to solely focus on doing their job and leaving Barclays Center with a victory.
"I said to them, we're not gonna make this weird," he said. "We're here to play, we're here to do a job, show up and do your job. I said you've done the first step of this thing. Let's do the work and get a win tonight."
In wake of Irving's stunning trade request - a demand Vaughn doesn't know the motive of - the head coach also spoke to each of his players on Friday. Brooklyn held a 'Get What You Need Day' and that's when Vaughn chatted with his players about the situation at hand. Those conversations were more than just basketball.
"I talked to them. We were there in the morning so over the course of the day, I just got a chance to hit everybody," Vaughn stated. "Our conversations were more than basketball, life, checking in on ‘em. I never wanna speculate what a player feels inside. Their feelings are their feelings, and I’ll always validate that for the sake of they earn it. So I won’t speculate."
The only Nets player to talk to reporters pregame was fourth-year big Nic Claxton. He stated that he spoke with the disgruntled guard on Friday. In those talks, Claxton didn't believe it was his place to convince Irving into rescinding his trade demand. He stands with his teammate's decision and added that he found out about the trade request after waking up from a nap.
"We're just like everybody else, we were caught off guard, but I can't judge a grown man for his decisions," Claxton said. "At the end of the day, he's doing what's best for him. I stand by him and I stand with my teammates here in this locker room."
There is no secret when one of a team's biggest players makes a trade request public, the ripple effects can go in all sorts of directions. Until Irving's dillema gets resolved, he's committed to being honest with his players during this time and doesn't want his players to hesitate to ask him for clarity if needed.
"You make this as simple as possible. You're extremely honest with these guys [the team]," Vaughn said. "They get their news the way they want to. They can talk about it. They can always talk to me about it if they have any lack of clarity of what's going on.
"I think that's the approach with this group; focus on today. That doesn't change. We've been really good at just locking in and doing our jobs. Don't forget that piece of it. Continue to show up and if you do have some form of lack of clarity then come to me."
