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Brooklyn Nets All-Star guard Kyrie Irving only played 29 games for the franchise this past season. In his three years in Brooklyn, Irving has yet to play a full season with the Nets. During that span, the team has failed to make it past the second-round of the playoffs. Irving’s reoccurring absences, in concordance with the Nets’ lack of on-court success, have all been factors in Brooklyn’s reluctance to offer the New Jersey Native a long-term extension. This summer, Irving can opt out of the final year of his deal, and Ian Begley of SNY notes that if that does happen, the Nets would be open to a sign and trade. If the Nets are to move on from Kyrie, Grant Hughes of “Bleacher Report”, has the Los Angeles Clippers as a viable trade partner.
“The Clips need an upgrade at the point and have ample mid-tier salaries to throw together, which should appeal to a Nets team that needs size and depth. Norman Powell, Marcus Morris Sr., Ivica Zubac, Reggie Jackson, and Luke Kennard should all be on the table for a player of Irving’s caliber. And we know the Clippers couldn’t care less about their tax bill. Every move they’ve made over the last year indicates that money isn’t a concern,” Hughes writes per “Bleacher Report”.
“Irving sliding into a third max slot probably wouldn’t cause team governor Steve Ballmer to blink. If the Clippers are serious about making a championship run, they could be motivated to swing big on an ace offensive engine to operate alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.”
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Nets Rookie Receives High Praise From Nets Coach
The Nets have seven players on their roster who are scheduled to hit the free-agent market in 2022. And while it would be nice to keep all of the players that they have grown accustomed to, Brooklyn will have to make the tough decision of letting some of their key players walk.
One of those players could be Nets rookie standout David Duke Jr. Duke was signed to a two-way deal last season, where he spent time with the Brooklyn and Long Island Nets (The Nets’ G-League affiliate). Long Island Nets head coach Adam Caporn had nothing but high praise when talking about the Nets’ rookie.
“His versatility is just such a luxury. It’s always such a valued thing in the NBA. Because he plays bigger than he is, because of his athleticism, his strength and willingness to do the dirty work, rebounding, and just general competitiveness, he’s a warrior,” Caporn said of Duke to Alec Sturm of NetsDaily.
“He’s gonna be very successful. And like all young [players], you’re just learning to make better decisions at greater speed against greater length and I really enjoyed his growth there. And that’s why we put the ball in his hands and he made some big shots down the stretch.”
Caporn ‘Not Suprised’ About Kessler Edwards New Deal
Nets’ rookie Kessler Edwards had a rough stretch of games during the regular season, which led to him falling out of head coach Steve Nash’s rotation. But Edwards’ work ethic remained constant despite being benched. He stayed ready for his next opportunity, and ultimately it paid off for him in a big way. His two-way deal was converted to a standard contract for the rest of the season. The decision by the Nets to give Edwards a standard NBA deal came as a shock to many, but not coach Caporn.
“I’m not surprised. I was hoping and waiting for it to happen. And we’re all seeing how much he was playing in Brooklyn. And he was playing so well, finished shooting 40 percent (actually 35.3) from three in the NBA and guarding some very good offensive players on the other team,” Caporn said of Edwards per NetsDaily.
“So, it was great to see him, to congratulate him, and it was great to see him after he got converted and congratulate him and, yeah, I’m happy for him. Totally deserved.”
With a bevy of players from last year’s squad set to hit free agency this summer, the Nets will have to make tough decisions. Their roster coming into next season could look completely different from 2022.
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