Kyrie Irving wants to make Brooklyn ‘home,’ but ‘ball is in Nets’ court’
Kyrie Irving would like a long-term extension with the Nets, but the team hasn’t engaged their star point guard as of yet.
“Around Kyrie and staying with the Nets? I have reached out to the Nets regarding this,” his agent Shetellia Irving told Bleacher Report. “We have had no significant conversations to date. The desire is to make Brooklyn home, with the right type of extension, which means the ball is in the Nets’ court to communicate now if their desire is the same.”
Irving, the 30-year-old former St. Patrick High School star, is in the final year of his deal with Brooklyn and would become an unrestricted free agent after the season if no deal is struck. He would be eligible for a four-year extension worth roughly $200 million.
Although Irving carries baggage due to his controversial off-court antics, he is one of the most talented players in the league -- he’s about to play in his eighth All-Star Game -- and would likely have some suitors around the NBA.
“Every team knows he is going to bring baggage,” one NBA executive told NJ Advance Media earlier this month. “My guess is he heads to the Lakers this summer.”
Still, ESPN NBA insider Bobby Marks believes his stellar play on the court, and his relatively low profile off it recently, means the Nets will want to bring him back.
“I think he’s helped himself with Brooklyn on returning next year,” Marks told NJ Advance Media by text earlier this month.
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“I’m still hesitant a team is willing to sign him to a 3 or 4 year max [extension].”
He added: “It’s hard to walk away from Irving based on the success of the team. He’s a big part of their success right now.”
Irving is averaging 26.8 points, 5.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds for the Nets. In Wednesday’s 137-133 loss in Philadelphia, he went for 30 points and 10 assists, his fourth straight game of 30 or more. All came with Kevin Durant sidelined with an MCL injury.
Earlier this season, Irving was suspended by the Nets for eight games for and his future was beyond cloudy. ESPN’s Bomani Jones said he thought Irving would never play in the NBA again. The suspension cost him more than $1 million in salary.
And Irving lost $17-18 million in salary last season due to missing 53 games after he failed to get vaccinated for COVID-19. In the wake of last season, Nets GM Sean Marks did not give Irving an extension worth roughly $190 million.
“I gave up four years, $100-something million deciding to be unvaccinated,” Irving said in September at media day. “That was the decision, [sign a] contract, get vaccinated or be unvaccinated and there’s a level of uncertainty of your future, whether you’re going to be in this league, whether you’re going to be on this team ...”
Of course, it will all come down to the postseason for the Nets, now listed among the favorites to win the NBA title, along with the Bucks and Celtics.
If the Nets collapse again in the postseason -- or if Irving causes another off-court distraction -- it could certainly impact his free agency situation.
