“He wants to do what he wants to do, when he wants to do it… We are peons, his intellect is so far beyond anything that we could possibly comprehend” - NBA analyst says there’s "no way in hell" the Nets can give Kyrie Irving a long-term deal
Brooklyn Nets superstar point guard Kyrie Irving has been in the news lately.
At the heart of the issues for Brooklyn's disappointing season was Irving, who refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Irving is now has an important make a decison on this summer. The guard was expected to sign an extension, but recent reports have suggested that might not be a sure thing.
On ESPN's "First Take," Stephen A. Smith said there's no way Brooklyn can invest in Irving long term, especially after his recent history off the court:
"There's no way in hell you can do that. If you're running a business, you cannot invest long term with Kyrie Irving in terms of guarantees. I have no problem, and I've been on the record ... Kyrie Irving is not good, he's not just great, he's spectacular. This brother, to me, is somebody you walk through the turnstiles to see.
"I got no problem that somebody said to me right now, 'I'm giving Kyrie Irving 50 million a year.' I don't blink until they tell me it's more than one year at a time."
Smith said that any contract for Irving should allow teams the opportunity to back out of the contract at any time. He detailed how Irving doesn't follow the rules and how he wants to do "what he wants to do."
"He wants to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. And myself, or anybody else that challenges him on that theory. You see, we are peons. See, his intellect is so far beyond anything that we could possibly comprehend that we just can't, we just can't grasp where he's coming from."
Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets prepare for crucial offseason
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is one of the NBA's most talented point guards. But despite being one of the league's most dangerous offensive players, his off-the-court issues have been problematic over the years.
Irving was in and out of the lineup this year after refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Finally allowed to play full time in late March, it was too little too late as the Nets struggled to generate any momentum in the Eastern Conference.
Sources: NBA teams believe Nets would be open to Kyrie Irving sign-and-trade if he opts out
sny.tv/articles/kyrie… via @SNYtv
After Brooklyn was eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs, there could be a questionable future for Irving and the Brooklyn Nets. The guard has a player option for north of $35.0 million to make a decision on this summer. But recent reports suggest the Nets will not extend a contract extension to Irving.