The NBA is made up of a lot of moving pieces; there are many narratives constantly surrounding the league’s best franchises and its top stars. But there is only one thing most situations eventually boil down to, and that’s money. Franchises and players want to win, but winning brings money for both parties, and that aspect of the game simply can’t be ignored.
Kyrie Irving’s trade is an excellent example of this. At the same time, the franchise had issues with him and vice versa; the drastic step that both parties took came down to contract negotiations. Irving wanted a massive 4-year deal after his current contract expires in the offseason, and the Brooklyn Nets were not going to give him that without some stipulations he didn’t want to accept.
If Irving had been more consistent and less controversial, if the Nets weren’t so burned by his shenanigans, a deal might even have been worked out. Things looked to be on track for a championship run before this trade request came in. But it seems that in this instance, the situation had gone a step further, and Irving was done with the Nets even if they had given him what he wanted by the end.
Shams Charania Said Kyrie Irving Wouldn’t Accept A Huge Deal From The Nets
Many felt that the whole trade request was Kyrie Irving putting pressure on the Nets to give him a big extension. But Shams Charania recently said that Irving wouldn’t have taken the big deal even if the Nets were offering it to him.
“I think wherever this ended up during these contract negotiations, as the last couple of weeks went on, Kyrie Irving was out regardless. Whether the Nets had offered him a maximum contract extension, full 4 years guaranteed, he would have been out.
“I think they looked at this window of time right before the deadline. Him being a free agent at the end of year is leverage… You don’t want to lose a guy of that caliber for nothing. I think this was the moment that Kyrie Irving struck… So yes, even if the Nets had offered a 4-year/$198 million max contract, he would not have taken it.”
This is certainly interesting, and it goes to show how bad Irving’s relationships in Brooklyn had gotten. The Mavericks will have to decide how much they want to pay Irving and for how long, but they will likely take their time before they make any decisions on that front. It seems, despite everything that’s happened, though, that Kyrie Irving will secure another big bag for himself soon.
Source: fadeawayworld
