With the Nets set to face Kyrie Irving on Friday for the first time since trading him at last season’s deadline, here is a look back at some key moments from Irving’s chaotic tenure with Brooklyn:
Signing and debut
Irving signed a four-year, $141 million with the Nets on June 30, 2019, and his arrival paved the way for Kevin Durant ending up in Brooklyn.
Irving made his Nets debut on Oct. 23 with one of the most spectacular openers in NBA history.
He scored 50 points and added eight rebounds and seven assists against Minnesota, although — somewhat fittingly — it came in an overtime loss.
Injuries
One of the many reasons Irving’s playing time was limited with the Nets was an array of injuries, the first — a right shoulder injury in his first season — cost him 26 games.
First coach to go
Kenny Atkinson was fired as the head coach on March 7, 2020, with Irving and Durant believed to be behind the move.
Jacque Vaughn became the interim coach and finished the season.
COVID chaos
In his lone season as an All-Star with the Nets, Irving stirred up controversy when he missed a game on Jan. 7, 2021, for what the team called “personal reasons.”
Then video leaked of Irving breaking COVID protocols by being maskless at his sister’s birthday party.
Two weeks later, the Nets traded for James Harden, forming what was expected to be a championship-contending team, but Harden and Irving both got hurt in the playoffs.
More COVID controversy
On Oct. 12, 2021, Irving was ruled out by the Nets indefinitely because he didn’t receive the COVID-19 vaccine, making him ineligible to play home games due to New York’s COVID laws at the time.
Two months later, with the team slumping, the Nets reversed course and allowed Irving to play road games.
He ended up missing the first 35 games of the season and the Nets didn’t offer him a full max contract the following offseason.
Scoring outburst
Irving scored a franchise-record 60 points on March 15, 2022, against Orlando after putting up 50 a week prior versus Charlotte.
First trade request
Irving opts into his contract, but requests a trade on July 2, 2022.
Steve Nash canned
In the midst of a poor start to the 2022-23 season, the Nets and Nash agreed to part ways just over two years after he was hired.
The Post reported in the aftermath of Nash’s dismissal that an NBA scout saw Irving ignore Nash’s play calls during games.
Anti-Semitic ties
Irving was suspended for what the Nets said would be “at least five games” on Nov. 3, 2022, after he shared a link to an anti-Semitic film on Instagram and Twitter and initially refused to apologize.
Second trade request and trade
The Irving Era in Brooklyn came to an end in February, when he requested a trade after the two sides couldn’t agree to a new deal.
He was sent to Dallas on Feb. 6 in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, as well as second-round picks in 2027 and 2029.
