Irving decides to stay with Nets
The latest episode of Kyrie Irving’s tenure with the Brooklyn Nets has reached a conclusion for the moment.
Irving has decided to opt into the final year of his four-year contract with the Nets before Wednesday’s deadline, his stepmother and agent, Shetellia Riley Irving, told The New York Times.
Irving will earn US$36.5 million next season.
“Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow,” Kyrie Irving said in a statement to The Athletic, which first reported Irving’s decision.
“I’ve made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall.”
Once Irving officially opts into his contract for the 2022-23 season, the two sides will have until the end of June 2023 to negotiate an extension that can be worth near the maximum salary for a veteran player. The Nets will also be able to trade Irving once he formally opts in.
When the season ended, Irving affirmed his commitment to the Nets and to Kevin Durant.
Irving was eligible for a maximum contract extension this season, but he and the Nets did not reach an agreement on one.
Irving returns to join Durant, a 12-time All-Star and winner of the league’s MVP award in 2014.
“When I say I’m here with Kev, I think that really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe and Sean,” Irving said, referring to the team’s owner, Joe Tsai, after the Nets had been swept by the Boston Celtics in April in the first round of the play-offs.
Heading into the 2021-22 season, Irving chose not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, despite a New York City ordinance that would prevent him from playing in Brooklyn without the shot. The NBA required that teams comply with local rules about vaccines.
The Nets initially said he would not be allowed to play until he was eligible for all games. Seeing the toll that was taking on their record, they changed course and allowed Irving to play in arenas where he was eligible. He made his season debut on Jan 5.
In March, New York mayor Eric Adams of New York altered the city ordinance that had barred Irving from playing in Brooklyn, just in time for baseball season, creating an exception for professional athletes and entertainers. Irving made his home debut on March 27.
In all, Irving played in 29 regularseason games last season.
When he played, he showed glimpses of the kind of brilliance that made him a coveted player in the past. He scored 60 points in a March 15 win at Orlando, 50 points in a March 8 win in Charlotte and 43 points in a March 23 win in Memphis.
But his return did not come soon enough to give the Nets the chemistry they needed to succeed in the playoffs.