After not agreeing to terms of a max contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets last offseason, Kyrie Irving will soon be an unrestricted free agent.
His agent and stepmother Shetellia Riley-Irving recently said she has reached out to the Nets around Irving staying and that they have “had no significant conversations to date”.
“The desire is to make Brooklyn home, with the right type of extension, which means the ball is in the Nets’ court to communicate now if their desire is the same,” she said.
However, despite Irving’s star power, NBA Insider Marc Stein says the team is taking its time with a long-term deal for the eight time All-Star.
“Some league observers have posited that this could be by design on Brooklyn’s part, with the Nets apparently convinced that they are under no pressure to move swiftly on the extension front when Irving would likely need their help via sign-and-trade to relocate in the offseason to any other team he likes,” Stein wrote.
“The Nets were on a stunning 18-2 surge when Kevin Durant was sidelined by a knee sprain on Jan. 8 and have gone 4-6 with Irving as their solo scoring force.”
This season, Irving is averaging 27.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists, and 5.1 per game. He has played in 39 of the Nets’ 50 games so far and has scored the most fourth quarter points (361) of any player in the league.