It looks as if the Brooklyn Nets will be welcoming Kyrie Irving back to the team, according to reports.
The New York Post’s Brian Lewis said as much on Tuesday, reporting that sources on both sides have said they’re likely to come to an agreement.
All signs pointing to Kyrie Irving returning to #Nets, and the Post talks to #NBA sources about what a Brooklyn contract could look like. https://t.co/5RyFA1yZju via @nypostsports
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) June 7, 2022
Irving has until the end of June to decide whether or not he will opt out of his contract, which is worth nearly $40 million per year.
The thought around the league is that Irving will re-sign despite his off-the-court issues, which lead to him missing several home games this past season. It may also shut down rumors that Irving might be traded if the two parties can’t resolve their issues.
NBA teams around the league reportedly think the Brooklyn Nets are open to a Kyrie Irving sign-and-trade.https://t.co/qFBBXwiFRL pic.twitter.com/rzaZ8EqfRn
— NESN (@NESN) May 31, 2022
“I agree most [likely] he comes back,” a league source told the Post. “As for a contract, I’d probably try to get him back at an annual rate at what he is currently making. They could give him a contract below the max with unlikely incentives that allows him to reach the max. Unlikely incentives are capped at 15 percent of a player’s salary in a given year. So they can make his salary 15 percent less than the max, then give incentives to allow him to get the full max. He would have to opt out and negotiate a new contract with those new incentives.”
NBA insider on a potential Kyrie Irving-Russell Westbrook trade
“From a logical standpoint it makes sense. From a logical standpoint, the Nets are absolutely sick of the Kyrie Irving experience. The Lakers are sick of the Russell Westbrook experience.”https://t.co/UIknzClnLx
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 6, 2022
Irving could still leave the team and go elsewhere. There are no guarantees that he will sign at the moment, only hope that he will return.