Getty Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets
Since he signed his three-year max deal with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, All-Star guard Kyrie Irving has only played in 103 of a possible 236 regular-season games. Some of it has been due to injury, but a lot of it has been due to other things beyond basketball. And after their season ended with a sweep by the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics in the first round, Kyrie’s future with the Nets has come into question.
Time is ticking for the two sides to agree on the terms of a deal for next season. If not, Irving will become a free agent on June 30, which will allow him to explore his options with other teams. Internally, the Nets have already permitted him to seek a sign and trade, per Kristian Winfield of the “New York Daily News”.
“Kyrie Irving has requested and received permission from the Nets to find sign-and-trade offers from other teams. Kevin Durant still hasn’t spoken to [the] Nets front office,” Winfield said via his Twitter on June 27.
Sources: Kyrie Irving has requested and received permission from the Nets to find sign-and-trade offers from other teams. Kevin Durant still hasn’t spoken to Nets front office. Russell Westbrook to Brooklyn remains unlikely. More for @NYDNSports
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Nets Won’t Offer Kyrie a Max Deal
The final straw with Irving’s unexcused absences, appears to be his decision to remain unvaccinated during the 2021-22 NBA season. Because of that choice, he only played in 29 games, which took the Nets from being a title favorite to having to win a game in the play-in tournament. NBA insider Zach Lowe says that the Nets front office has decided they are not going to offer him a max deal.
“The max deal, everything I’ve heard, is not coming [for Kyrie Irving],” Lowe said during the airing of ESPN “Get Up!” on June 27. “The Nets are not going to be held hostage by the threat of Kyrie & then Kevin Durant following them out the door.”
“The max deal, everything I’ve heard, is not coming [for Kyrie Irving]. The Nets are not going to be held hostage by the threat of Kyrie & then Kevin Durant following them out the door.”
— Zach Lowe
Lowe: Chances That Nets Trade Durant ‘Not Zero’
One interesting wrinkle in Kyrie Irving’s continued saga with the Nets is that there is a possibility it is connected with All-Star forward Kevin Durant’s future with the franchise as well. Durant and Kyrie joined the Nets in 2019 with the notion that they would be a duo for years to come. But with the increasing likelihood of Irving’s departure this summer, Durant’s committment to the Nets is also being examined.
ESPN NBA insider Zach Lowe says that although Durant is likely to still be with the Nets at the start of next season, it is not necessarily a guarantee.
“I’m not gonna put a percentage number on it but it’s not zero and it might be significantly higher than zero depending on how this Kyrie thing unfolds,” Lowe said of the chances that Durant is with the Nets next season on “Get Up!”
“I’m not gonna put a percentage number on it but it’s not zero and it might be significantly higher than zero depending on how this Kyrie thing unfolds”
— Zach Lowe on the chances Kevin Durant isn’t on the Nets roster in 2022-23
Irving has until June 29 to opt into the final year of his deal with the Nets for next season. Brooklyn faces a grim decision in the coming days as it pertains to his future as their franchise player.
But more importantly than that, Irving’s decision could decide if the Nets will continue to be contenders in an Eastern Conference loaded with talent. As quickly as their championship window opened, is as soon as it could be closing.
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