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Since the Brooklyn Nets were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs, Kyrie Irving’s future with the Nets has been a matter of debate. Remarks made by Nets general manager Sean Marks only added fuel to that fire when a majority of his comments were seemingly subtweets to Irving. There were layers of frustration in the comments Marks made often alluding to his decision to not get vaccinated and what it signifies to the team and how it affects roster decisions moving forward.
“I think we know what we’re looking for. We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, play selfless, play team basketball, and be available. That goes not only for Kyrie but for everybody here,” Marks said to reporters on May 11 per Kristian Winfield of the “New York Daily News”.
A few weeks later on May 24, it was reported that the Nets were “unwilling” to sign their All-Star point guard to a long-term extension due to some of the decisions Irving made this year.
“The Nets’ championship hopes hinge on an amicable solution with Irving, whose personal decision not to get vaccinated and unpredictable injury history have left the Nets hesitant, and now, according to a source familiar with the Nets’ thought process, outright unwilling to give him a long-term extension,” Winfield wrote in the New York Daily News.
Now other reports have surfaced, and many have the Nets starting the season with their current big-three intact. Before that it was reported just by the NetsDaily Twitter account citing sources close to the team. Now, we have names and comments from sources.
Updates on Possible Kyrie Irving Contract Negotiation
Brian Lewis of The New York Post reported on June 7, that all signs are pointing to Kyrie Irving returning to Brooklyn Next season. Quoted in the article was former Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks who agreed that Irving will likely return in October.
“I agree that he will be back,” current ESPN Insider and ex-Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks told The Post, suggesting, “A contract that includes games played doesn’t trigger every season as it relates to his salary,” per Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
How does a team factor games played into its contract language? Marks continued on how they could do so.
“I think it is best to use the three-year contract with the last year guaranteed if he plays in 65 games or more in 22/23 and 23/24,” Bobby Marks said.
Salary Cap Expert on Possible Irving Extension
Another source in Brian Lewis’s reporting in The New York Post went into detail on the possible points in which Brooklyn could negotiate in the possible Irving extension.
“I agree most [likely] he comes back,” a league-source well-versed in the salary cap told The Post. “As for a contract, I’d probably try to get him back at an annual rate at what he is currently making. They could give him a contract below the max with unlikely incentives that allows him to reach the max. Unlikely incentives are capped at 15 percent of a player’s salary in a given year. So they can make his salary 15 percent less than the max, then give incentives to allow him to get the full max.
However, before the Nets negotiate with Irving, the point guard would have to exercise his player option to opt-out of the final year of his contract. Irving opting out is something Marks gave comment to in his postseason presser as well.
“It’d be unfair for me to comment on how it looks with us and Kyrie, because to be quite frank he has some decisions to make on his own. So he has to look at what he’s going to do with his player option,” Nets GM Sean Marks said last month. “We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, play selfless, play team basketball, and be available.”
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