Three years have passed since the Brooklyn Nets’ dream summer – in which they managed in one night to sign two of the most sought-after free agents in the NBA – Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The Boston quarterback and then-Golden State forward, who was badly injured in the 2019 final against Toronto, came to a big apple and sparked hopes that the next dynasty in the NBA would arrive from Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, the project cannot be defined as a success. The Nets failed to reach a regional final, were defeated 4-0 by Boston in the first round of the last playoffs, and following the events of last season, question marks arose regarding Irving’s future. The quarterback who did not get vaccinated against Corona missed almost all of the home games this season in light of the New York City Mandate, which is just one of the reasons for Irving’s multiple absences in the last three years that have led to unrest at the club.
Nets’ “greatest vulnerability” is that if Kyrie leaves, Kevin Durant could request a trade, per wojespn pic.twitter.com/y2DDkyLQzy
— Bleacher Report (BleacherReport) June 22, 2022
The player’s contract has a player option for next season, and meanwhile the parties are having a hard time reaching an agreement on a new contract. The player insists on a long-term contract, while the Nets are not interested in committing to such an agreement. Meanwhile, negotiations are at a dead end, and if the parties do not reach a compromise, there is a fear that Irving will move to another group. However, the guard’s power in negotiating with the Nets is linked to another concern, the club’s biggest fear – if he leaves, Kevin Durant could seek a trade.
According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the connection between the two stars is so deep that leaving the center could lead to a domino effect that will also have an impact on the future of the veteran forward. By the way, Mark Stein reports that none other than LeBron James recently contacted Kyrie and discussed with him a possible reunion between the two, which led Cleveland to a memorable championship. This deal may be very winking at the Lakers, who recorded a very disappointing season last year, yet they will have to find a creative way to get rid of Russell Westbrook who plays in Kyrie’s position and of course takes up a lot of space on the salary cap of the team also starring Anthony Davis.
There are a number of teams across the league that want Irving to leave because they believe it will give them a chance to compete for bringing Durant into the trade, if of course he demands to leave. The veteran forward has four more seasons left on his Brooklyn contract, so even if he wants the Nets to come to him regarding his next goal, he has very little influence on the selection and the identity of the next teams.
However, it is important to note that the preference of all parties – the Hunts, Durant and Irving – is to find a solution and for the guard to sign a new contract. Along with Ben Simmons, who is due to return to fitness at the start of the season, the Nets are not giving up on the project they built and intend to try to get further in the playoffs.