ESPN’s Brian Windhorst breaks down possible contract options for the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving in the upcoming offseason
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The Brooklyn Nets entered the season as favorites to win the NBA championship. They had three of the best scorers in league history, and a great bench to support them. However, they received their first blow even before the season began. Kyrie Irving wasn’t allowed to play home games unless he got vaccinated.
Mid-December, due to the spike in cases of COVID-19, the Nets were short-staffed. They decided they’d allow Uncle Drew to play the road games. He joined the squad in early January. One expected the Nets to get even better(they were the #2 seed in the East) after Kyrie joined, however, the opposite happened. As the season progressed, their team started unraveling.
Kevin Durant got injured. Now with KD out and Kyrie only available for road games, James Harden decided he’s had enough and forced a trade to Philly. Things looked bad for the Nets, and it took a month of high-level basketball to keep them in the play-in bracket.
In the end, the Boston Celtics swept the Nets in the first round. This leaves us with a big question. What is next for Kyrie Irving?
Would the Nets give Kyrie Irving a 5-year, $248 million contract?
Back in 2019, Kyrie inked a 4-year, $136.5 million deal with the Nets. The deal had a player option worth $36.9 million for the 2022-23 season. Kyrie Irving recently shared that he’s planning to stay in BKN for many years to come.
“I don’t really plan on going anywhere”
– Kyrie Irving on a potential contract extension with the Nets pic.twitter.com/44THBQoHH5
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) April 26, 2022
Irving can demand a contract as big as 5-year, $248 million in June. However, that may not be what the Nets want. Kevin Durant inked a 4-year, $198 million extension with the team last year, putting him on contract till the 2025-26 season. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Nets might try to align Kyrie’s contract with KD’s. This way, they can get Kyrie to sign a 4-year deal in the range of $200 million.
Does Kevin Durant want Uncle Drew around?
Despite all that has happened this season, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are on the best of terms. KD backed Kyrie when he decided he’d be a part-time player. KD backed Harden’s trade request after the latter’s relation deteriorated with Uncle Drew.
After Monday’s loss, KD talked to Yahoo about his relationship with Ky and said,
“I would love for him to play more. Life is way more important to me than that. I can’t be pissed off. I can’t end the friendship based on something like that,” Durant told Yahoo. “Our friendship is based off who we are as human beings. The basketball adds to it. If we don’t get along on the basketball court, we can easily talk it out as friends.”
I guess the foundation is solid in Brooklyn. Hopefully, they can comeback better next season and redeem themselves.
