In an appearance on ESPN on Friday, Adrian Wojnarowski said talks about the contract between Kyrie Irving and the Nets have become “acrid” as the two sides continue to look for common ground on where Irving will play next season.
Woj also said that while Irving has given the Nets six NBA destinations, he would prefer if there is no agreement, there is limited interest in him with the most money. ESPN source said the only team with any real interest is the Lakers. Still, he argued, it seems unlikely he will get Irving a contract that pays more than $ 6.3 million (the MLE of taxpayers).
“This is becoming sour,” Woj told a panel of ESPN NBA analysts. “And I think that’s the concern when you look at not only Kyrie’s future in Brooklyn, but also Kevin Durant’s future and whether they can keep that together.”
As SNY’s Ian Begley reported Thursday, owner Joe Tsai and Sean Marks are in the spotlight for negotiations.
Woj was also clear that with some of Irving’s six landing points, not all of them correspond.
“Interest is not mutual in several of these places,” Woj said. “Obviously the Lakers are the ones to be seen. And Kyrie Irving will move away from a $ 36.9 million player option he can opt for and have that money guaranteed, especially after a year in which he goes losing about $ 17 million from not being vaccinated last year and not saying more with a sneaker deal that isn’t it? It will be there again, no doubt at the level it was. “
Nike with whom Irving had a stormy relationship in recent years, has informed him that their relationship is over, at least on a lucrative level. Woj said that even if LA wants to arrange a meeting with LeBron, it has little hope of making any kind of agreement other than the TJ, the report could also be an attempt by one side or the other. another to indicate that now is the time to get things done. made between the Nets and Irving. This seems unlikely at this time.
“Except they go out and do creative things financially, they can’t pay you more than $ 6 million next season. Now they could clean up some space and sign it for an extension on the road, but you’re basically looking for a reduction. $ 30 million to get away from this Brooklyn team to turn it off.As Bobby (Marks, ESPN chief) said, just opting to get a sign and trade somewhere is a very complicated scenario “.
It is unclear where the Nets are in Irving. Woj hinted the other day that it could be two years and $ 84 million, a far cry from the five-year, $ 245.6 million that Irving is said to want. And that would be higher than what Kristian Winfield suggested this week was his initial offer: to opt for $ 36.9 million this coming season and then return to negotiations next July.
Irving has until next Wednesday to solve the problem before the free agency. But you can stretch things by choosing not to and then measure the market in early July. During that time, the Nets will also have to fill out their roster and decide on their other eight free agents, including Bruce Brown and Nic Claxton. In case they receive offers from other teams, the ownership and management of Nets should decide if they match. Not knowing Irving’s status (or KD) would complicate things.