The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
For future with team, Nets want more commitment from Irving
NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving may have to show the Brooklyn Nets he’s more than a great basketball player if he wants a future with the team.
General manager Sean Marks made clear Wednesday that Irving will have to prove a commitment to being available to his team that wasn’t there this season.
After Irving missed almost all the Nets’ home games because he refused to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, Marks said talks about a potential contract extension this summer will need to include an evaluation of his dedication to play unless he’s injured.
“I think those are going to be discussions,” Marks said. “It’s a team sport and you need everybody out there on the court.”
The Nets rarely had that during a disappointing season that saw an NBA championship favorite finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and get swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round.
They began the season playing without Irving, deciding they didn’t want him to be a part-time player. They eventually brought