The Brooklyn Nets had a difficult season to navigate, to say the least. They dealt with roster changes nearly every game because of Kyrie Irving's vaccination status. Not to mention, they lost James Harden and Paul Millsap while adding three more players to the squad in their trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in February.
The Nets‘ season came to an end in the first round. They were eliminated from the 2022 NBA Playoffs in four straight losses to the Boston Celtics. Now, the water is finally settling, and the Brooklyn franchise can start to figure out what their team will look like for the 2022-2023 season.
According to Nets general manager Sean Marks, Irving isn't guaranteed a spot. He discussed the guard's future at a press conference on Wednesday. NBA writer Brian Mahoney tweeted the news:
Sean Marks non-committal on Kyrie Irving's future. Says the Nets want a player who will be available, among other things.
— Brian Mahoney (@briancmahoney) May 11, 2022
He also said, per Nets reporter Brian Lewis, that the team has been discussing Irving's long-term future. “That's something we've been discussing and we'll continue to debrief on and discuss throughout this offseason,” Marks said.
Sean Marks on if the #Nets are committed to Kyrie Irving long-term: "Thats something we've been discussing and we'll continue to debrief on & discuss throughout this offseason." Adds he made a mistake in predicting Irving would sign last year & the player has decisions too. #Nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) May 11, 2022
The Nets GM also mentioned the importance of availability and selflessness amongst his players. He said that the team won't get anywhere without these traits. Lewis tweeted Marks' hard-hitting quote Wednesday afternoon:
Sean Marks: "We need people here that want to be here. they're selfless that want to be part of something bigger than themselves. and there's an objective and there's a goal at stake here. And in order to do that, we're gonna need availability from everybody." #Nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) May 11, 2022
The way Marks spoke on Wednesday, Irving's future with the Nets doesn't seem too promising. Despite this, Irving has made it very clear that he wants to build a strong, winning team in Brooklyn. Kevin Durant has also voiced his support for Irving, so the assumption is he will be back.
Irving has a player option for next season, but there is also the possibility of a new contract.
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