After the Nets got swept out of the playoffs by the Celtics on Monday night, Kyrie Irving said he plans on remaining in Brooklyn. Irving can become an unrestricted free agent if he declines his $36.9MM option. Whether he opts in or negotiates a new free agent contract, Irving doesn’t see himself playing elsewhere, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
“In terms of my extension, man, I don’t really plan on going anywhere,” he said. “So this is just added motivation for our franchise to be at the top of the league for the next few years.”
Irving made an eyebrow-raising comment that he and Kevin Durant will essentially work in tandem with owner Joe Tsai and GM Sean Marks to improve the team, Scott Cacciola of the New York Times tweets.
“When I say I’m here with Kev, I think that really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe and Sean,” he said.
We have more on the Nets:
- Swingman Bruce Brown is heading toward unrestricted free agency and was noncommittal about his plans, Lewis tweets. The Nets hold his Bird rights. “The season just ended; I’m not thinking about it,” Brown said. “If there’s a chance to stay, we’ll talk about it. But we’ll see.”
- Ben Simmons wasn’t even at the arena when the Nets’ season ended. After promising reports that he’d make his team debut on Monday, Simmons didn’t play due to “physical and mental issues.” He wasn’t in the building due to his back ailment, Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated tweets.
- Some league executives are skeptical of Simmons’ mental health claims, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “To me, that’s the only untouchable excuse that they could have to get his money back (from the Sixers),” a source told Bulpett. There’s also skepticism that any head coach can get through to him. “He’s been enabled his entire life. He’s very aloof,” the source told Bulpett. “He’s a great player, but it’s all the extra stuff that no one’s held him accountable for, that’s just made it difficult.”
- The Nets hold the Sixers’ 2022 and 2027 first-round picks and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski believes there’s a good chance they’ll move them to upgrade the roster, NetsDaily.com relays. “Ultimately, they may never use a player from those draft picks. They’re going to be trade assets,” he said.
- Durant said coach Steve Nash remains the right man for the job, Lewis tweets. “Steve has been dealt a crazy hand the last two years, he’s been having to deal with so much stuff as a head coach for the first time, COVID, trades,” Durant said. “I’m proud of his passion for us.”
Exposed, just not that good of a team. Kyrie is delusional. There were times it looked liked KD didn’t care and times it looked like his teammates did not like him.
I think Durant’s criticism of teammates during the season took their toll. The Nets did not play together like they did earlier. In retrospect, at some point, Durant took on the appearance of being closer to the level of management than worker to teammates.
Irving’s comment and Durant’s disengagement confirms this.
Previously I posted than the Celtics were just better at playing together and so broke them down, which is not wrong, but is not a sweep either.
This is new to me, even though it has always seemed logical given the power and attitudes of KD & KI. Apparently they got by on their rebel image, a trendy power move nowadays. It was amazing at the time the Nets had hustle & teamwork. I commented on it but nobody seemed to agree, presumably bc it was doomed to exposure.
Irving talked like a checkbook guy… Ha.
Simmons wasn’t there because he’s a chicken sh it he’s a typical 20+ yr old who want to be paid big but not do a damn thing
Good luck next yr with those two cancers and a coach who doesn’t know defense Durant
Ok boomer
Tough guy huh? What do you do? And what makes you the judge?
By writing 20+ you are including every adult basically…
Irving and Durant to help the owner and GM. Durant believed Nash remains the right guy for the job. Did the inmates just take control of the asylum? They just got swept.
we like to be referred as patients, not inmates.
One way to tell: Can their parents pick them up & take them away?
Exactly!!! Players are GM’s now! They decide who they should play with, how much their buddies should get paid!! They don’t even need a coach no more!!
This league is turning into a circus!!! I’ve been watching all these clowns parading on sidelines with their extravagant outfits due to some mysterious injuries! If the CBA doesn’t fight the fight, this league will keep on crumbling.
The only way to put end to this madness is by getting rid of guaranteed contracts.
I meant to say owners not CBA
They’ll use the picks to dump Simmons and Harris.
I think they will trade Simmons too. Can’t have 2 headcases like Kyrie and Simmons on the same team. Simmons said before he wants to go to SacTown. maybe a 3 team deal with send him there. I don’t see anybody on the Kings roster that the Nets could want.
I bet Simmons miraculously recovers enough to go party on a yacht in the Bahamas some time in the next few weeks.
Can’t believe a team with Kevin Durant got swept in the first round. What a disgrace.
Kyrie is my favorite player to watch on court but off?… Has this guy EVER going to learn how to understand the moment and NOT say anything that IMMEDIATELY makes you scratch your head? This guy’s incapable of being self aware.
He might have amazing offensive talent but it doesnt mean anything if he cant win or apply himself. He hasnt given his very best for at least 4-5 yrs now especially at Brooklyn. What a shame.
I would be shocked if the nets don’t trade Simmons this off season to a west coast team.
I think at this point, they’d have to include picks and/or other assets to get rid of him. Dude has no value except to the most foolhardy of teams.
Yup I don’t see any team taking on that contract. The mental health holdout was bad enough—but the fact he suddenly has an apparently pretty serious back issue *after not playing all year* … I mean teams were hesitant to give up assets for him when they still thought he could play.
Nah there are teams that will take him.
Gobert for simmons? Or Westbrook for Simmons?
Gobert is so, so much more valuable than either Westbrook or Simmons it isn’t funny. Gobert actually serves a purpose on the court and provides value. Westbrook is at the point in his career where, unless he overhauls his game this offseason, he’s providing negative value. And Simmons could have some value if you can be assured that he’ll actually set foot on a basketball court ever again.
Most teams in the league would love to have Gobert. Almost no one wants Simmons and Westbrook is in danger of getting the John Wall treatment.
KD initially had winning intentions when he signed with Nets 3 yrs ago and he tried last yr. It’s obvious he gave up this postseason and now it will be about business only going forward. His best yrs are past him and the Nets have literally nothing to build upon.
“When I say I’m here with Kev, I think that really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe and Sean.” – This comment is everything that is wrong with the NBA. A player’s job is to play, not manage the team. As long as ownership/management allow this garbage to continue, you’ll get pathetic jokes like the Lakers and Nets.
Wrong! Did Kevin Durant end up in Golden State because of Management? No! Did Anthony Davis become a Laker because of Management? No! Kyrie and Kevin Durant will decide among themselves and their agents who to add from the Veteran Minimum guys (that is all they have cap space for). Kyrie and KD will do the recruiting. Joe and Sean will get the contracts ready and write the checks.
That worked out great for the Lakers and Westbrook/Lebron.
Had the Lakers stuck to the original plan and signed DeMar DeRozan ….. They would be getting ready to win another title. LeBron/DeMar would not be stopped this year. I didn’t say it always worked.
Your logic doesn’t follow, LeBron and Davis made the decision to trade for Westbrook…and we all know how that worked out.
@poppin
LBJ got AD to LA. We see how that worked out. A trophy.
I always thought LeBron had a good mind for understanding the game but I think Karma bite him in the ass with this last season.
@Gary
It’s almost unheard of for 2 players to meet and have a conversation prior to a trade happening. I have to believe that the purpose was to try and get Westbrook to adjust his style to fit in with the team plan. My guess is that LBJ was going to give up the rock somewhat to allow Westbrook to run the offense more. Somewhere that plan went sour. I think West was a big part of the problem but when AD got hurt then LBJ had to maybe take back some control. West just seemed to shrink in terms of being unsure at times.
AD became a Laker via trade, due to ‘management.’
“In terms of my extension, man, I don’t really plan on going anywhere,” he said. “So this is just added motivation for our franchise to be at the top of the league for the next few years.”
Unfortunately, Kyrie, this is paradoxical because you being on the team prevents that possibility.
Oh yeah how come?
It took a bunch of posts today, but finally the hate comments for Simmons is down to a trickle. I thought it was all click bait, but you were just letting these guys blow their load one more time before the off-season. Well done. It really looks like they needed it.
Imagine all that hate for someone when these fan boys can’t do a thing
Simmons and his claims of physical and mental health issues are solely in service of his grievance against the Sixers to recover his $20 million. He does not care about the Nets or his teammates. He just wants his Sixers money, even if it meant sitting out the whole season and the playoffs.
Oh yeah? What do you do that makes you the expert?
Why would I need to be an expert to see something that anyone with a functional brain can see? Do you think Ben Simmons would rather have played a few games at the end of the season or strengthen his grievance and his chances of recouping $20 million?
I don’t know about the functional brain part or whether he cares about his teammates or the legitimacy of the ailments… but definitely a possibility. $20 mil is alot of money to lose. He waan’t about to help the team win 4 games in a row against the Celtics. So why put $20 mil at further risk for a lost cause?
Kyrie plans on remaining in Brooklyn? Is his word any good?
Count Bruce Brown as another poachable PG. He got benched earlier and should get paid more. Not a typical PG stylewise; makes his own rules; a smaller Dray or bigger Alvarado.
The Nets Got swept by their own picks. Poetic Justice. KD is sinking fast as a player.
I don’t see the Nets winning one with Kyrie and KD. They both has listen to how great they are to long.
Why is no one congratulating Kyrie for actually appearing in the playoffs? Two years with the Celtics and last year with the Nets he was “injured” and didn’t play. The year he did play in playoffs for Celtics and this year with Nets he was basically a distraction and a mediocre player. My least favorite player in the NBA because of his rotten attitude. Such a talent, but what a waste.
Very simple, the best TEAM won,
I enjoyed all the games of this series, Too bad Nets didn’t win at least one to lengthen the series.. I think the Celtics are going to the finals. I didn’t get to watch all of the last game but I thought they looked like a team that didn’t want to try and win 4 in a row. But it was close in the end. Basically when they went down 0-3 in was over anyway. There is very much talent on the this team. Probably just a couple of defensive minded players away for being a contender. They need to resign Bruce Brown.
Sean Marks needs to trade or buyout diva Kyrie! Dude played 103 games in his last 3 seasons with Nets, averaging 34 game per season! Is this a joke! Seriously! And he wants to talk about extension! GTFO
The fragile model Simmons needs to be traded as well, can’t shoot the ball, can’t play and suddenly has mental issues. He’s been in league for 7 f*****g years and yet he can’t shoot a jumper or a free throw!
I blame all this on Adam Silver, he turned this league into a day care. He needs to be demoted and replaced ASAP! Worst all time commissioner !!
Time for Nash to resign and go back to whatever he was doing before stepping into this mess.
“When I say I’m here with Kev, I think that really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe and Sean,” he (Kyrie) said.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAJROFKSBWHXKNDD
In all seriousness, Bruce Brown is a solid role player.
@RJ Kyrie’s my favorite player to watch but when I heard/saw him say that I’m like wtf? Does this guy have any idea what’s going on right now? how he’s perceived? he seems oblivious to the situation sometimes.
Honestly sounds like Simmons is about ready to retire. Dunno what’s going on with him — no one does except him and his psychologist — but he clearly isn’t excited about playing in the NBA right now. Not every one who happens to be 6’11” tall and a gifted athlete is. Time to do something else. Still a young man.
I wouldn’t be shocked if he went the Larry Sanders route. Problem for Ben is he still seems to want all of his money and has I think 3 years left on his deal
Irving is a sidekick at best. The Cavaliers version of Irving is still the best version of Irving.
Durant can’t win without the Warriors lol.