The NBA is a lot about talent but as much about “fit” — a talented player who doesn’t work somewhere will suddenly blossom as a good fit in a new system.
Look at Julius Randle fitting in New York after finding no room at the Lakers. Look at Andrew Wiggins fitting beautifully into the Golden State Warriors plans after being (unfairly) tagged as an underachiever in Minnesota.
Some players — like some people in regular life — are always looking for a new fit, even if they appear to be thriving where they are. In the NBA, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving would seem to top that list.
Irving was not content in Cleveland despite winning a title there with LeBron James. He was less content in Boston, despite a pledge to stick around. And his stay in Brooklyn, marked by controversy, has finally resulted in yet another Irving declaration of discontent.
Irving wants out. To be traded. Within the week. (That’s when the trade deadline arrives.)
People aren’t surprised, if only because nothing Irving does can surprise anymore. He is mercurial and unpredictable — it’s one of his strengths — and has his own drummers to listen to.
All that’s certain now — besides hot pursuit of Irving by the Lakers, Mavericks and others — is that the Nets and Irving finally agree on something: three months ago the franchise declared Irving “unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets” after he struck an anti-semitic stance that even Nike couldn’t countenance (they cancelled his shoe deal).
Now Irving, in his trade request, declares he is in agreement with the Nets about his fit with the team — it’s not a good one and he wants out. The two parties, Irving and the Nets, have different reasons for coming to their respective conclusions, but the end result is the same: the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving are not a fit.
At least today. Tomorrow is another day. And maybe a new drummer.
