NEW YORK _ Kyrie Irving is Brooklyn-bound.
The point guard will meet with the Nets in Biggie's borough once free agency begins Sunday evening, a source confirmed, and ESPN reported it's with the intention of agreeing to a four-year, $141 million deal.
The move, if completed, will give the Nets a marquee name and elite talent, but also some baggage after a troubling last season with the Celtics. It's Brooklyn's hope to pair Irving with his good buddy Kevin Durant, who will hit the market Sunday and is weighing options on both coasts.
If not, they have a second max slot and there's mutual interest with forward Tobias Harris. At this point, though, a source said Harris is more likely to re-sign with the Sixers, who can offer him the most money.
Irving's arrival will end D'Angelo Russell's tenure with the Nets, with the expectation that his rights are renounced and he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Russell developed into an All-Star last season and is in line for a max deal _ or something close to it _ with the Lakers, Jazz, Pacers and Timberwolves showing interest. The Nets can also retain Russell's rights in order to facilitate a sign-and-trade with a team that doesn't have the requisite cap space (like the Timberwolves).
According to scouts, Russell and Irving are not a good fit together as ball-dominant point guards who sometimes view defense as optional. The Nets are also very guard-heavy with Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie on the roster. Hence the decision to let Russell walk once Irving is aboard.
Irving, 27, was a top Knicks target but it appears he won't even grant the Manhattan team a meeting. The same is true for Kemba Walker, a Bronx native who is reportedly signing with the Celtics without considering the Knicks. Walker, according to a source familiar with the point guard's thinking, had no interest in the Knicks.
The Nets, despite being new to NYC and stunted by a disastrous 2013 trade with the Celtics, have quickly turned into a desirable destination under GM Sean Marks. The attraction is to the market, coach Kenny Atkinson, the culture, a top-flight medical/performance team and the convenience of a training facility located in Brooklyn. (The Knicks practice facility is near Westchester.) They also have a Taiwanese owner, Joe Tsai, who can help with exposure in lucrative Asian markets. Tsai is the co-founder of Alibaba, roughly the Chinese version of Amazon.
Irving grew up in West Orange, N.J., as a fan of the New Jersey Nets.
Irving is an upgrade over Russell, but won't catapult the Nets into championship contention by himself. He won a title with LeBron James, but then requested a trade from Cleveland and soured in Boston. He was labeled a locker room cancer and a culture killer, but the Celtics' issues last season went well beyond Irving.
In Brooklyn, he'll have a coach known for getting the most out of his point guards. And if he indeed commits early, Irving can serve as a recruiter to Durant, who is expected to meet with the Knicks, Nets, Warriors and Clippers.
