The drama surrounding the Brooklyn Nets didn't end with their season being swept at the hands of the Boston Celtics. Far from it, in fact. Kyrie Irving's decision to return to the public spotlight after the loss has given everyone a lot of weird quotes to ponder and try to get an idea. Ben Simmons underwent surgery for a herniated disc in his back, which is extremely concerning. And now we learn from beaten journalist Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News that a potential catastrophe is brewing.
Reviews:- official site Nets Facing Brewing Disaster Due to Kevin Durant's Affinity For Kyrie Irvi.
Winfield made two important points: The Nets no longer want to
give Irving a maximum contract extension, and Kevin Durant hasn't spoken to Brooklyn's front office since the Celtics sent him home for the summer.
Nugget n°1:
That's why, as I've written before, the Nets' championship hopes rest on an out-of-court settlement with Irving, whose personal decision not to get vaccinated and an unpredictable injury history has left the Nets faltering, and now, according to a source close to the Nets' thought process, frankly reluctant to give him a long-term extension.
And nugget n°2:
If Irving goes outright as a free agent this summer, unhappy with the Nets' tough stance on his availability, Brooklyn doesn't have the salary-cap space to replace him with a star, which means Durant, who enters at 16, I could play with a iffy Ben Simmons (back surgery) and a whole roster of RPGs.
It's a first-round exit at best, if Durant sticks around to see it, and according to multiple sources, Durant and the Nets front office haven't spoken since they were swept out of the first round.
Bottom line, if Irving leaves the Nets, it wouldn't be surprising if Durant became frustrated with the organization's ability to put championship pieces around him.
Winfield also accurately points out that Irving won't settle for some kind of short-term deal that pays him well and allows the Nets flexibility going forward. If he opts out of his player option this summer and moves into next year on an expiring contract, one misstep could lead to an injury that would affect his future earning potential. Irving's talent alone gives him the power to demand a more suitable fix, and now it looks like he has Durant to use as leverage, too. Which isn't necessarily new information, but it seems almost certain now that Durant's opinion of his Mercurial teammate hasn't changed enough to be open to a big change.
