Welp, that wasn't how we wanted things to go. Scary hours long in the rearview, James Harden long gone. Nets fans dreams of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, Seth Curry, and Patty Mills flying up and down the court spotting up and bombing threes after Ben Simmons gets a big steal and kicks it out. Endless, endless wondering about vaccine mandates and changes from the Mayor. The Nets have been eliminated at the hands of Kyrie Irving's former team. That scorned ex-girlfriend still wondering why he left them got some sweet revenge.
So where does Irving go from here? We spent a lot of time wondering if he never got vaccinated, would the Nets want to extend his contract? They actually made him a max extension offer then pulled it back when he was declared as out indefinitely, ineligible to play in Brooklyn. There was even a time we even wondered if they'd build around Harden and instead sign-and-trade Irving if he never got to play full-time. He has an option that he would be better off avoiding. He could make a heck of a lot more money by opting out then signing a five-year max to stay alongside Kevin Durant and continue to pursue a title here. Will he?
Kyrie addressed that after a heartbreaking series.
"I don't really plan on going anywhere…. when I say I'm here with Kev [Durant] I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks]… we're cornerstones here but we have Ben, we have a few other guys…"
-Kyrie Irving on FA pic.twitter.com/ulk86MzHTK
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) April 26, 2022
“Aw s–t. Aww man,” Irving groaned, when the topic came up, perhaps an indication he felt he'd get another few minutes to digest the loss before being asked about his long-term future. “In terms of my extension, I don't really plan on going anywhere so like I said, this is added motivation for our franchise to be at the top of the league for the next few years and I'm just looking forward to the summer, building with our guys here.”
Irving played in 33 games this year, 29 regular season, one Play-In, and four playoff games. In the end, after exploding in Game 1 of the series for 39 points, in a devastating one point loss, the Celtics held him in check the rest of the way. He finished with point totals of just 10, 16, and 2o over the final three games. He'd never admit it, but you have to wonder if fasting for Ramadan took its toll.
He was going without food or water for lengthy periods of the day and waking up at 5:30 in the morning to pray. It can't be easy to do all of that and also at the top of your game in terms of athletics. And he hasn't been doing this for his whole life. Maybe it takes some getting used to?
But he isn't planning on bailing anytime soon. He has unfinished business. And he's using all the hate as fuel.
“When I say I'm here with Kev [Durant] I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks] just our group of family members that we have in our locker room in our organization. So it's not just about me and Kev, I don't want to make it just about that we're cornerstones here but we have Ben, we have a few other guys that are on contract. I think we just gotta make some moves this offseason, really talk about it and really be intentional about what we're building.”
That talk about planting his flag with the team owner Joe Tsai and GM Sean Marks really enforces his point that he's in this for the long haul. He currently resides in New Jersey, not far from where he grew up. So many members of his immediate and extended family are lifelong Nets fans. All indications have been that he feels quite at home.
“I think it was just really heavy emotionally this season,” Irving continued. “We all felt it. I felt like I was letting the team down at a point where I wasn't able to play. We were trying to exercise every option for me to play but I never just wanted it to be about me. And I think it became a distraction at times.”
Irving is 30 years-old. His birthday was in March. If he signs a five year max it would keep him in Brooklyn one year longer than Durant. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski hopped on NBA Countdown to talk about Irving's options for long-term deals and the draft picks they got from the Sixers and what they may be thinking there.
Kyrie Irving could perhaps sense fans heart break at postgame. He didn't feel the need to leave them hanging and hoping and worrying. For the Nets fans who rocked with him through this tough season, and his whole vaccine issue, it seems he's happy to keep grinding with ya'll too.
“There's no question about where I'm going and how this is gonna happen,” Irving said. “I'm here with Seven [Durant's jersey number] but also I'm here to build a great team.”
So Joe Tsai, you may want to back up the brinks trucks for this provocative superstar. He's worth the price.
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