The Brooklyn Nets are rapidly approaching a disastrous reality; Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant could be playing the 2022-23 NBA season on different teams. There has been an impasse in contract talks with Irving and the Nets due to the unwillingness to give him a fully guaranteed four-year, maximum contract extension.
During a live appearance on ESPN, Brian Windhorst explained the current situation that’s unraveling with the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving. He stated the signal is the team’s willingness to lose both Irving and Kevin Durant to avoid going through what they went through last season.
“They are prepared to lose both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant,” Windhorst said. “They would rather lose them both than go through what they went through last season, which was a miserable season unsettle situation that Kyrie Irving contributed to creating.”
Irving faces a $36.5M player option for the 2022-23 season that appears likely to be declined. He’s already been granted permission from the Brooklyn Nets organization to talk to rival teams to work out a potential sign-and-trade. Only the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in such a scenario, but they lack desirable trade assets.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Kevin Durant Losing Trust In Brooklyn Nets Amid Kyrie Irving Debacle?
If the Nets are unwilling to cooperate with Irving and the Lakers, he could decline his player option and sign for the $6.3M Taxpayer MLE barring any drastic changes to the roster to reduce shed salary. He’s reportedly willing to do this, but again, it would be a shock to see a player willingly lose over $30M just to switch teams.
The risk for the Nets by not getting a long-term deal done with Irving is that Kevin Durant will ultimately decide to request a trade. It wouldn’t be the worst outcome for Brooklyn considering they have Durant signed to a four-year deal. They’d be able to command a potentially historic trade return for the superstar.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Kevin Durant Losing Trust In Brooklyn Nets Amid Kyrie Irving Debacle?
There’s still a lot left to play out in the situation between the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant. One fact is clear, all sides are participating in high-stakes brinkmanship where trying to call the bluff of the other side appears to be the goal with media leaks in an attempt to gain leverage.
