Kyrie Irving Thanks Nets Fans After Mavs Trade: 'Grateful I Got to Live out My Dream'

Kyrie Irving posted a farewell message to Brooklyn Nets fans after his reported trade to the Dallas Mavericks:

The Mavericks acquired Irving and Markieff Morris in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The move came after Irving requested a trade on Friday following failed negotiations for a contract extension, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Irving is set to become a free agent, but he had been seeking a new deal in the "neighborhood" of a four-year, $198.5 million maximum extension, per Wojnarowski. The Nets were unwilling to match the deal and instead traded away the point guard.

The move ends an up-and-down four-year run with Brooklyn after joining the team alongside Kevin Durant in 2019 with lofty expectations.

Irving only played 143 of 278 possible regular-season games across four seasons with the Nets, including just 74 with Durant, per Tom Haberstroh of Meadowlark Media. Despite seemingly entering each year as a title favorite, the squad won just won playoff series during this time.

The 30-year-old still impressed individually with two All-Star selections in four seasons, while his average 27.1 points per game in Brooklyn was easily the highest of any of his three NBA stops.

With eight All-Star selections, a Rookie of the Year award and one NBA title, Irving's resume makes him one of the best players of his generation.

He has still left three straight franchises on negative terms, though. He requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers while the team was a consistent title contender, and Boston Celtics fans certainly still aren't happy with the guard after his exit from the team in 2019.

Despite the recent post, Nets fans likely won't be happy with Irving's abrupt departure, either.