Kyrie Irving asks fans and reporters to ‘respectfully’ back off while he decides his future: ‘I am in no rush’ – Basketball Insiders

Ever since the season ended for the Dallas Mavericks, the trade speculation surrounding Kyrie Irving‘s pending free agency has been a top subject for many news media reporters. However, it seems as the basketball star is fed up with all the talk about his future and decided to address it through an Instagram Live. 

The eight-time NBA All-Star decided to clear the air on his personal social media account and asked fans and sport analysts to give him some time while me makes the best decision for his NBA career.

“I’m a free agent this summer, but I am in no rush to make a decision,” he said.

One of the most important things that Irving wanted to get through the fans is that any media discourse that implied a connection with another NBA team besides the Mavs should not be taken seriously.

“The speculation around my name from all these individuals who be on TV and have these personalities, all these people that have platforms,” he expressed. “When they speak on my name and they’re talking about potential teams that I’m going to, can you all please, respectfully, stop paying attention to that.”

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old knows he needs to decide but is clear that he has all summer to make sure he chooses the correct path.

“I am in no rush to make a decision. I know what’s ahead of me for the rest of my career,” he insisted.

Up to this point, the point-guard has been linked primarily to the Lakers, especially as the Los Angeles team reportedly attempted to acquire him before the Nets sent him to Texas.

Also, not too long ago, Kyrie appeared at the Crypto.com Arena in California to support the purple and gold in one of their recent playoff clashes.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes that all the media speculation is nothing more than ‘one-giant leverage play’

NBA insider Brian Windhorst suggests that the media circus around the rumors will keep adding more and more fuel throughout the summer, as this is a strategy to get the best offer out of Dallas.

“And I think that Kyrie could be doing the same exact thing [with the Mavericks],” the ESPN reporter said. “Just doing all of this, and whatever he may do between now and free agency to try to get the juiciest offer he can from the team he’s on. Cause [the Mavericks] face the most damage from losing those guys.”

Take a look on how the press is insisting on Kyrie being tied to the Lakers:

“I also think that both of them, Kyrie showing up to Laker games, James Harden being rumored to be attached to the Rockets, I still think/suspect all of that is one giant leverage play,” the journalist explained, knowing that before making any decision, Irving wants to see if he can get a max contract out of the Mavericks.

“Whatever the number of money is, for as long as many years as he can get. And that this slow dance for months and these rumors are all sort of tied to that.”