The Brooklyn Nets have been in a state of perpetual rebuilding since they became the new team in New York. Now, with Kyrie Irving off the table, what are the next steps for the Nets?
The where is kyrie irving from is a question that has been asked many times in the past. It’s not surprising to see this question come up again when Kyrie Irving was traded for Isaiah Thomas. What now for the Nets?
Kevin Durant was once signed to a long-term contract by a Nets general manager, keeping him in Brooklyn. Soon after that was completed, he made the bold prediction that James Harden and Kyrie Irving will be extended as well. So far, things haven’t gone as planned.
Even if he was officially given an extension, James Harden has a slew of reasons not to accept it (we can infer it most certainly has been). He recently said that he has never had the opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent. He has just a few days to sign his, since the deadline is October 18th. The most likely scenario is that Harden does not sign an extension this summer, but instead signs a five-year contract that will set a new record. Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, could sign a contract extension at any point this season if the club was prepared to give one. Since it has become apparent that he is (now) reluctant to get vaccinated, it seems that what was previously just a formality is now off the agenda.
The latest from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, as heard on The Glue Guys podcast:
@ShamsCharania reveals that Kyrie will not be given a contract extension through the @BKGlueGuys:
“At the end of the day, he was prepared to forego 16 million dollars in pay this year and 186 million dollars in extension money that he will not be given today.”
October 13, 2021 — Alec Sturm (@Alec Sturm)
Irving will not be able to play for the Nets at home if he is not immunized. And since the club doesn’t want him to be a part-time player, he won’t be allowed to participate in away games. And now they’ve gone so far as to remove his ability to sign a four-year, $186 million contract.
There’s a sanctioning dynamic at work here. Play ball after being immunized. With your teams and friends, compete for a championship. Make a fortune in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Alternatively, you may choose not to be vaccinated, miss the year, lose roughly half of your yearly income, expose yourself to potential risks, and forego long-term security by extending your contract. It’s all up to you. We understand why you didn’t take the shot. Hopefully, you understand why we didn’t let you play and why we didn’t give you the huge money. To get one shot, that’s a lot of pressure.
Charania recently made news for implying the actual reason Irving hasn’t been immunized.
According to Shams:
“Several individuals familiar with Irving’s decision have informed The Athletic that Irving is not anti-vaccine and that his position is that he is unhappy that people are losing employment as a result of vaccination requirements. Irving has expressed his position to close teammates. According to individuals familiar with Irving’s thinking, this is about a bigger battle than the one on the court, and Irving is fighting a perceived control over society and people’s livelihood. Given his present life circumstances, he feels he is capable of making this choice. One insider stated, “Kyrie wants to be a voice for the voiceless.”
Marks said he’d have the big three signed, sealed, and delivered many years ago, and it seems like yesterday. This simply kept devolving at a breakneck pace. In retrospect, I believe the Nets just assumed Irving would ultimately comply. And it’s possible they still believe he will. But with all of the hardball they’ve been playing, like not allowing him to play in road games he’d otherwise be eligible for and cancelling possible max-extensions, it wasn’t simple to see how things would end up this way.
On September 23rd, I predicted that Irving missing time due to his vax status would be the worst-case situation for the Nets. But even back then, I didn’t completely see the gravity of the situation. What’s even more bizarre is that I’d be equally unsurprised if any of the following occurred: a) Irving lost some time before being vaccinated, during which time the Nets blitzed the league and won a championship; b) the Nets moved Irving; c) Irving retired. That’s the degree of craziness we’ve reached right now!
Would Durant, who has a strong relationship with Irving, convince the Nets to wait and see if he can reach Irving? Or would he say, “Forget about it, I appreciate his stance as a buddy, but I need to win another championship, so let’s trade him?” Is it possible for the Nets to convince Irving to play for another team if they decide to pursue a trade, or would he just retire?
Would another club be willing to pay a fair price for a volatile player with such a tumultuous contract? The wisest course of action for the Nets may be to wait. There don’t seem to be any deals that will blow your socks off.
The team’s hardball attitude is maintained by not providing a maximum extension. The challenge has been hurled, and the message has been received. Either you’re all in or you’re out. Irving, who has yet to express a position on vaccinations, seems to be the next target. But, given the Nets’ current situation, is Irving less likely to cooperate and commit to the team for the long haul? Is it possible that this may come across as a lack of support, prompting him to retreat even more? Perhaps the Nets’ bet will pay off. It’s possible that it will backfire. Or maybe they’re dealing with such a one-of-a-kind person that it doesn’t matter what they do.
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