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Kyrie Irving's future with the Brooklyn Nets remain uncertain, though Charles Barkley is predicting he'll pick up his player option.
The veteran guard could opt into the final year of his contract with the Nets worth $37 million, but there have been talks that he's seeking a long-term extension that would pay him $245 million over five years. Unfortunately, Brooklyn is said to be unwilling to extend Irving due to questions about his commitment to the team after the messy 2021-22 season they just had.
For Barkley, Irving doesn't have much of a choice. He explained that if he were the Nets, he won't pay Irving until he proves he can commit and deserve the money they could give him.
“He’s got one year left with this option. He’s going to pick it up,” Barkley predicts, per New York Daily News. “And we’re going to see how he behaves next year.”
“If it was me, I would say, ‘Hey guy, we can’t trust you. We don’t know what you’re going to do. We’re going to pay you that $40 million next year to see if you’re going to act right. Because if you don’t act right with $40 million, you’re definitely not going to act right with $240 million. So I’m not giving you a four year extension for $200 million because we can’t count on you.'”
Charles Barkley makes a good point for sure. Kyrie Irving himself knows he was a major reason why the Nets failed to build chemistry and consistency in 2021-22, and it'll be hard for Brooklyn to trust him after that.
There is no doubt that Irving is a game-changer for the Nets, but he need to erase the team's doubts on him first. If not, it's hard to see Brooklyn keeping him long-term even if he wants to stay with them.
