Cryrie at impasse with Nets, could test open market

[ozgod]

From Shams in the Athletic.

But one of the most anticipated free-agency situations involves Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving, who has a June 29 deadline on his $36.9 million player option for the 2022-23 season. However, multiple sources tell The Athletic that conversations about Irving’s future have gone stagnant between him and the Nets. An impasse currently exists among the parties that clears the way for the seven-time All-Star to consider the open marketplace, those sources said.

Irving joined the Nets along with Kevin Durant in the summer of 2019, though Durant missed their first season together as he recovered from a torn Achilles tendon. Irving made the All-Star team in 2020-21 and helped lead the franchise to the Eastern Conference semifinals alongside Durant and James Harden before suffering an ankle injury in Game 4 against the Bucks. After the past season, in which he played just 29 games and missed most of the season’s home games because of his decision not to comply with New York City’s vaccine mandate, Irving made clear that he intended to return to the Nets in the summer and continue to build with Durant and newcomer Ben Simmons. He has averaged 27.2 points, 6.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game and made 40.4 percent of his 3-point attempts in three seasons with Brooklyn, but he has appeared in 103 of 216 regular-season games.

“I don’t really plan on going anywhere,” Irving said on April 25 after the Nets’ season-ending sweep to the Celtics in the first round of the East playoffs.

Nearly two months later, it appears both sides have serious work to do in order to find a resolution that brings Irving back to Brooklyn and his co-star in Durant, who is under contract with the Nets through 2025-26. Several teams across the league have kept tabs on the situation, wondering about the future of Irving and Brooklyn.

The Lakers, Knicks and Clippers are expected to be among the interested suitors if Irving heads elsewhere, multiple sources tell The Athletic.

https://theathletic.com/3373269/2022/06/20/nets-kyrie-irving-nba-news/

[cons]

knicks seems like a natural fit

hahahahaha

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I'm starting to seriously think Durant is getting traded. He went there with a handshake agreement that he and others would have unprecedented player influence on roster construction. He knows this is falling apart and will want to go elsewhere.

I'm trying to think of a team that makes more sense for Durant than the Cs.

1. He was linked to them in the past
2. He has a relationship with Ime, Tatum, Brown, and Smart through team USA
3. They play excellent basketball and are contenders, but there is a clear need for a go-to guy in certain situations
4. The Cs have the salary fodder to make the trade

Obviously, there may be other teams out there that make more sense for the Nets to trade Durant to, but if Durant has the kind of agency I think he has, Brooklyn would have to listen and make the best of it.

I'm not sure how much Smart and Horford would bring to the Nets. With some clever moves, they could definitely get out of the tax and save some money this year by waiving Horford and trading one of Curry or Mills into our trade exception.

I think it makes more sense for Smart to go to a third team like the Wolves, with them sending Beasley, McDaniels, and a first back to the Nets.

Cs: Durant, Mills (or Curry)
Nets: Horford, Nesmith, Pritchard, McDaniels, 2 Cs 1sts, 2022 1st (19th) from Minny, Tax relief
Wolves: Smart

[johnnygreen]

Hey Brad, bring back Kyrie! Sign him to a two year $40M contract, with a player option for year two. Sell it to Kyrie as a prove the league is wrong about him type of contract. He can play on a loaded team that just made the Finals, and he is possibly the one missing piece. If he helps the C's win the title, it's open season for another max contract.

(I'll see myself out)

[Ed Monix]

Knicks seems like a natural fit.

hahahahaha

They’d have to sack Thibs first, because he would never tolerate Kyrie’s lazy, erratic defence.

Irving’s best role is as LeBron’s sidekick.

All the media attention is absorbed by LeBron, leaving Irving to just play basketball. Just think about it, no one outside of the Cavs knew how much of a nutcase Irving was…until he was traded to the Celtics, and that’s with 3 trips to the Finals.

[Vermont Green]

The quotes imply that Kyrie is going to decline his player option and "test the market".  There are very few teams that can sign him outright and no teams in my opinion that he would want to play for.  With permission, I guess his agent could try to find a team that he wants and that wants to trade for him.  That would come with him picking up his option and then the Nets trade him (so essentially a rental for 1 season).  That team could then resign him down the road but either party could back out of that.

The two logical places are Knicks (trade for Fournier and Rose) and the Lakers (trade for Westbrook although Nets would need to add in about $2M more salary to match Westbrook).  I don't see either as very likely.  I am not sure the deadline for Kyrie to pick up his option but he does not have a whole lot of time to shop himself around, I don't think.  The Clipps might be another option where Kyrie would go along with a trade but I am not sure how to make that work.  The Nets are not going to take back long term bad contracts and the Clipps can't give up useful players or the deal makes no sense for them.

My prediction is that no one is going to want to trade for him and no one is going to want to or be able to sign him (at least for he money he will want) so he will take the option at the last minute and spend the season at home waiting for the Nets to trade him to teams that don't want to give up anything of value for him.  So essentially pulling a Simmons.

The only other option is that he picks up the option, the Nets buy him out at or near full value, and then he can pick whatever team he wants and play for a min contract.  I bet he has already broached that with the Nets and they said no chance, pick up the option and we expect you to play, unless there is a trade deal that the Nets like already worked out.

[mef730]

I'm starting to seriously think Durant is getting traded. He went there with a handshake agreement that he and others would have unprecedented player influence on roster construction. He knows this is falling apart and will want to go elsewhere.

I'm trying to think of a team that makes more sense for Durant than the Cs.

1. He was linked to them in the past
2. He has a relationship with Ime, Tatum, Brown, and Smart through team USA
3. They play excellent basketball and are contenders, but there is a clear need for a go-to guy in certain situations
4. The Cs have the salary fodder to make the trade

Obviously, there may be other teams out there that make more sense for the Nets to trade Durant to, but if Durant has the kind of agency I think he has, Brooklyn would have to listen and make the best of it.

I'm not sure how much Smart and Horford would bring to the Nets. With some clever moves, they could definitely get out of the tax and save some money this year by waiving Horford and trading one of Curry or Mills into our trade exception.

I think it makes more sense for Smart to go to a third team like the Wolves, with them sending Beasley, McDaniels, and a first back to the Nets.

Cs: Durant, Mills (or Curry)
Nets: Horford, Nesmith, Pritchard, McDaniels, 2 Cs 1sts, 2022 1st (19th) from Minny, Tax relief
Wolves: Smart

I'd love to pick up Durant, but I don't see any scenario in which they trade him to us.

Mike

[86MaxwellSmart]

I'm starting to seriously think Durant is getting traded. He went there with a handshake agreement that he and others would have unprecedented player influence on roster construction. He knows this is falling apart and will want to go elsewhere.

I'm trying to think of a team that makes more sense for Durant than the Cs.

1. He was linked to them in the past
2. He has a relationship with Ime, Tatum, Brown, and Smart through team USA
3. They play excellent basketball and are contenders, but there is a clear need for a go-to guy in certain situations
4. The Cs have the salary fodder to make the trade

Obviously, there may be other teams out there that make more sense for the Nets to trade Durant to, but if Durant has the kind of agency I think he has, Brooklyn would have to listen and make the best of it.

I'm not sure how much Smart and Horford would bring to the Nets. With some clever moves, they could definitely get out of the tax and save some money this year by waiving Horford and trading one of Curry or Mills into our trade exception.

I think it makes more sense for Smart to go to a third team like the Wolves, with them sending Beasley, McDaniels, and a first back to the Nets.

Cs: Durant, Mills (or Curry)
Nets: Horford, Nesmith, Pritchard, McDaniels, 2 Cs 1sts, 2022 1st (19th) from Minny, Tax relief
Wolves: Smart

Yes, Durant should want to come here this time around.....we would be unstoppable.

[GreenlyGreeny]

I'm starting to seriously think Durant is getting traded. He went there with a handshake agreement that he and others would have unprecedented player influence on roster construction. He knows this is falling apart and will want to go elsewhere.

I'm trying to think of a team that makes more sense for Durant than the Cs.

1. He was linked to them in the past
2. He has a relationship with Ime, Tatum, Brown, and Smart through team USA
3. They play excellent basketball and are contenders, but there is a clear need for a go-to guy in certain situations
4. The Cs have the salary fodder to make the trade

Obviously, there may be other teams out there that make more sense for the Nets to trade Durant to, but if Durant has the kind of agency I think he has, Brooklyn would have to listen and make the best of it.

I'm not sure how much Smart and Horford would bring to the Nets. With some clever moves, they could definitely get out of the tax and save some money this year by waiving Horford and trading one of Curry or Mills into our trade exception.

I think it makes more sense for Smart to go to a third team like the Wolves, with them sending Beasley, McDaniels, and a first back to the Nets.

Cs: Durant, Mills (or Curry)
Nets: Horford, Nesmith, Pritchard, McDaniels, 2 Cs 1sts, 2022 1st (19th) from Minny, Tax relief
Wolves: Smart

Horford and KD are buddies. We’re not getting KD without keeping Horford. We want KD, Brown’s the man out. No way we get a transcendental talent like KD without giving up our top non-untouchable piece (only Tatum and Timelord are truly untouchable IMHO).

[SparzWizard]

I'm starting to seriously think Durant is getting traded. He went there with a handshake agreement that he and others would have unprecedented player influence on roster construction. He knows this is falling apart and will want to go elsewhere.

I'm trying to think of a team that makes more sense for Durant than the Cs.

1. He was linked to them in the past
2. He has a relationship with Ime, Tatum, Brown, and Smart through team USA
3. They play excellent basketball and are contenders, but there is a clear need for a go-to guy in certain situations
4. The Cs have the salary fodder to make the trade

Obviously, there may be other teams out there that make more sense for the Nets to trade Durant to, but if Durant has the kind of agency I think he has, Brooklyn would have to listen and make the best of it.

I'm not sure how much Smart and Horford would bring to the Nets. With some clever moves, they could definitely get out of the tax and save some money this year by waiving Horford and trading one of Curry or Mills into our trade exception.

I think it makes more sense for Smart to go to a third team like the Wolves, with them sending Beasley, McDaniels, and a first back to the Nets.

Cs: Durant, Mills (or Curry)
Nets: Horford, Nesmith, Pritchard, McDaniels, 2 Cs 1sts, 2022 1st (19th) from Minny, Tax relief
Wolves: Smart

Horford and KD are buddies. We’re not getting KD without keeping Horford. We want KD, Brown’s the man out. No way we get a transcendental talent like KD without giving up our top non-untouchable piece (only Tatum and Timelord are truly untouchable IMHO).

Then that's a deal that I'd do. The team that should have been assembled in 2016 with Horford...shall happen in 2022! 

[hpantazo]

I mean, you knew stuff like this would start coming out soon:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039275-espn-kyrie-irving-would-hold-his-own-practices-with-nets-after-steve-nashs-practice

Kyrie was holding his own practices following the Nets regular practices. The anti-AI. He doesn't play in actual games but undermines the coach by running extra practices 

[gouki88]

This is a nice palate cleanser after our Finals loss. Business as usual, Kyrie being a nutjob and sabotaging a team (that isn’t us this time!)

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Hey Brad, bring back Kyrie! Sign him to a two year $40M contract, with a player option for year two. Sell it to Kyrie as a prove the league is wrong about him type of contract. He can play on a loaded team that just made the Finals, and he is possibly the one missing piece. If he helps the C's win the title, it's open season for another max contract.

(I'll see myself out)
[/

lol

[ozgod]

Remember Cryrie's post series interview where he pontificated like he was the Director of Basketball Operations?

“When I say I’m here with Kev, I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside [owner] Joe [Tsai] and [general manager] Sean [Marks], and just our group of family members that we have in our locker room, in our organization,” Irving said.

Fans were surprised that Irving wants to help manage the Nets after not being part of the on-court leadership for most of the season. The seven-time All-Star missed a major chunk of the 2021–22 NBA season due to the vaccination requirement in Brooklyn. Irving is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2022/04/27/kyrie-irving-message-game-4-loss-nets-celtics-twitter-reaction

Maybe Sean Marks gently reminded him that he (Marks) runs the team off the court and Cryrie took offense to it.

[BMark]

How about Kyrie to Miami for Lowry, Herro and filler?

Looking at it from the Nets POV, Bringing Lowry and Herro in would probably entice Durant to stay with the Nets.  Butler, Bam and Kyrie would on paper make the Heat more dangerous.