Kyrie Irving has opted in to his contract with the Brooklyn Nets, ending the speculation regarding his future with the franchise. Amid rumors of a potential sign-and-trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, Irving put the talks to rest by agreeing to return to Brooklyn, where he'll earn $36.5 million in 2022-23.

This is certainly good news for the franchise, who were at risk of losing Irving in the offseason, and by extension, were at risk of losing Kevin Durant. After signing his new deal, Irving broke his silence on the situation via Twitter. 

Irving posted that GIF to the social media platform after the news broke that he'd be staying in Brooklyn, which had Nets fans fired up. That's not all he had to say, however.

Via Shams Charania, Irving had a rather bizarre comment about his contract, saying, “Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I've made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall. A11even.”

Rumors had been swirling that Irving was considering taking a pay cut worth as much as $30 million in order to opt out of his deal with the Nets and join the Lakers on the taxpayer mid-level exception worth $6 million. Despite all that, Irving has emphatically agreed to remain in Brooklyn for the final season of his four-year contract.

Irving will hit unrestricted free agency next season, unless he signs an extension with the organization before June 30, 2023.

Irving featured in 29 games during the regular season for the Nets last season. When available, he averaged 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game while shooting at a 41.8% clip from 3-point range.