Kyrie Irving is one of the most notable free agents on the market this summer and there have been rumblings that Brooklyn is hesitant to bring back the point guard due to everything that transpired over the past few years.
Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News provides a glimpse into the situation from “a source familiar with the Nets’ thought process.”
The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly ‘unwilling’ to give Kyrie Irving a long-term extension due to his personal decision to not get vaccinated and unpredictable injury history, per @Krisplashed pic.twitter.com/zsDNLjT1qL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 25, 2022
Brooklyn appears to be willing to offer Irving a shorter contract, though it seems unlikely that Irving would be willing to accept a one-year deal.
The Kevin Durant Factor
According to Winfield, the Nets and Kevin Durant haven’t had communication since the season ended and it’s possible that if Irving departs, Durant could become disgruntled.
In layman’s terms, if Irving leaves the Nets, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Durant becomes frustrated with the organization’s ability to put championship pieces around him. They failed to do so at the beginning of last season, with none of their top offseason acquisitions — James Johnson, DeAndre Bembry or Jevon Carter — finishing the year in Brooklyn.
If Irving were to leave in free agency, Brooklyn wouldn’t have significant cap room to make another signing given they are operating as a team over the salary cap.
