NBA Rumors: Brooklyn Nets 'Unwilling' to Commit to Kyrie Irving Long-Term?
The Brooklyn Nets entered the offseason much earlier than expected this year. Despite being one of the Eastern Conference favorites to make a run for the title, the Nets ended up in the Play-In Tournament at the end of the regular season.
Their status as a Play-In team ended early as a big win over the Cleveland Cavaliers allowed the Nets to lock up the seventh seed. But from then on, Brooklyn couldn’t get a win.
The Boston Celtics took care of business in four-straight matchups. With two wins in Boston and then two more in Brooklyn, the Nets’ postseason ended in a sweep. Now, there are significant question marks surrounding their stars.
For Ben Simmons, the three-time All-Star underwent back surgery at the start of the postseason. As he sat on the bench for every game since getting traded to Brooklyn from the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons’ fit with the Nets remains unknown going into next year.
As for Kevin Durant, he locked into a long-term extension with the Nets last offseason, but he’s reportedly been keeping his distance ever since the playoff run ended. Then, there is Kyrie Irving, who is rumored to be out of Brooklyn’s long-term plans, according to a report from Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
"The Nets' championship hopes hinge on an amicable solution with Irving, whose personal decision not to get vaccinated and unpredictable injury history have left the Nets hesitant, and now, according to a source familiar with the Nets' thought process, outright unwilling to give him a long-term extension."
The Irving-Durant-led Nets couldn’t get Brooklyn past the first round this year, but the star duo itself could still work with a much better supporting cast.
However, it seems the Nets aren’t too thrilled with the way everything transpired throughout the 2021-2022 season regarding Irving. As Irving’s first-half hiatus and second-half status as a part-time player caused a lot of issues for the championship-hopeful Nets, Brooklyn seems to be trending towards closing the book on Irving sooner than later.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
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