NBA free agent No. 1: Kyrie Irving
Now, the offseason for Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets could be much simpler than it seems. Sean Marks and company could easily decide to run it back, adding appropriate wing defenders and shooters to complement their two stars, and look to make a run at a championship.
Even after being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round, the duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant is the most dynamic in the league. They were seemingly caught off guard by a hungry Boston team, and could not recover from an extremely turbulent season (in part due to Kyrie).
Irving has been committed to this Nets team through all the ups and downs. The real question: are the Nest committed to him? It’s no secret that Kyrie is a polarizing figure that can translate to distractions on the basketball court, whether it’s relating to the vaccine mandate or other issues. However, talent-wise, his skill is unquestionably some of the best we’ve ever seen.
With a player option for the 2022-23 season, Irving can choose to either opt-in and hit true free agency next summer, or opt-out and either look for a longer extension with Brooklyn or a contract with another team. If the Nets are not committed to Irving in the long term, wanting to see the superstar point guard have a relatively quiet season off the court, they could agree on a 1+1 deal, or just accept his player option.
If not, the Nets’ front office could give him a max extension, which Irving would likely accept. Considering Sean Marks’ comments, he seems hesitant to go down that road without seeing it first.
All in all, unless the sides agree on a trade, Kyrie will most likely stay in Brooklyn for at least next season. The question is, how long will he be signed for?