This comes after a rather disappointing season that started with them being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. They are the only team in the post-season that did not win a single game.
Several factors led to this sorry state for the Nets. It started with the force trade of James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving the Nets down a star player. Irving did not have much participation either. He was only 29 games this season, partly due to New York Citys vaccine mandates.
Adding to all this was Kevin Durant’s MCL injury. It forced Durant to miss more than a month and a half of games.
The New York Daily News reported that the Nets are now unwilling to grand Irving a long-term contract extension. The publication posted:
”…The Nets’ championship hopes hinge on an amicable solution with Irving, whose personal decision not to get vaccinated and unpredictable injury history have left the Nets hesitant, and now, according to a source familiar with the Nets’ thought process, outright unwilling to give him a long-term extension.”
This is a strong turnabout for a team who started the season with high hopes for their lineup. Sean Marks, general manager of the Nets, had even said that he was confident that both Irving and Harden would be signed to an extension.
It is reported that Irvings refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine and his injury-prone history has added to the teams reluctance to grant him a long-term extension.
Should the Nets fail to secure Irving, it may also have a ripple effect on Durant’s willingness to stay on the team. Irvings presence is one of the main reasons why Durant signed on in the first place. The New York Daily News also said that Durant has not talked to the teams management since the first round of the playoffs.
Both parties have roughly a month to decide if they should sign a contract to keep Irving or if they should part ways.