Kyrie Irving reportedly requests trade from Nets

BOSTON -- It didn't seem like Kyrie Irving wanted to be back in Brooklyn during the offseason, but ultimately opted in for another go with the Nets. Now, with the NBA trade deadline less than a week away, he wants out of Brooklyn.

The mercurial guard has requested a trade from the Nets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Irving has informed the team that he wants to be moved ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline, or he'll leave this summer via free agency.

Irving is having another stellar season, averaging 27.1 points and 5.3 assists per game for Brooklyn. He averaged 29.5 points for the month of January, leading the charge for the Nets while Kevin Durant missed time with a right knee sprain.

Brooklyn went 13-1 in December to get back into the playoff mix, but the Nets have gone just 7-7 since the start of January. They are currently 31-20, good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

The first-place Celtics -- another team Irving spurned in the past -- handed the Nets their most recent (and most lopsided) loss of the season, pounding Brooklyn 139-96 on Wednesday night at TD Garden. Irving spoke highly of his former team after the defeat.

"They have a chip on their shoulder," he said of the Celtics. "It's clear as day that they want to win a championship and they're not wasting any time during the season."

Two days later, he's now requested a trade from Brooklyn.

Maybe this is just a little contract posturing from Irving, after contract talks with Brooklyn reportedly went downhill. It puts some pressure on the Nets, and could potentially derail what was a promising season.

It's unclear what the Nets will want in return for Irving if they opt to trade him -- or what other teams will be willing to pony up for the moody All-Star. But his trade request will certainly make the NBA trade season a lot more interesting.