NBA News Roundup: Nikola Jokic signs biggest contract in league history, former NBA champion calls out Kyrie Irving for Nets disaster, and more | July 1st, 2022
The 2022 NBA free agency is underway and plenty of moves have already taken place.
Some of the new deals and extensions that have been announced are simply staggering. Nikola Jokic and Bradley Beal have signed contract extensions worth over a quarter of a billion. Meanwhile, teams across the league have committed a combined $1 billion in salaries on the first day of free agency.
The biggest story that broke out once the free agency period opened involved the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant has reportedly demanded a trade request, and Kyrie Irving is also likely to leave Brooklyn this offseason.
Let's look at the buzzing stories around the NBA as of July 1st, 2022.
Nikola Jokic signs biggest contract in NBA history
Reigning two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a supermax contract to extend his stay with the Denver Nuggets. The deal is reportedly worth $264 million, making it the richest agreement in league history.
Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264M supermax with the Nuggets, per @ShamsCharania
The richest deal in NBA history 💰 https://t.co/HR6UsKX5Mm
Jokic will have a player option for the 2027-28 season worth $60 million. The Serbian has led the league in player efficiency over his last two MVP-winning seasons.
He has been remarkable in helping the Nuggets contend for the playoffs without an All-Star presence next to him, bolstering his MVP stock.
Matt Barnes blasts Kyrie Irving for Brooklyn Nets’ current state
The Brooklyn Nets' "Seven-Eleven Era" with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as their leading superstars could be ending. As per NBA rumors, Durant has requested the Nets for a trade.
Several members of the NBA fraternity have blamed Irving for the Nets' current state. Former champion Matt Barnes was among them. Here's what he tweeted after news regarding Durant's trade request broke:
"Whether this actually comes out his mouth or not KD was tired of Kyries Bullshit! Obviously the Nets were too.. KD most likely will take a lot of heat for this move but I don't blame him. This is all Kyries fault!! In the words of @Kendrick Perkins carry the hell on...."
Whether this actually comes out his mouth or not KD was tired of Kyries Bullshit! Obviously the Nets were too..
KD most likely will take a lot of heat for this move but I don’t blame him. This is all Kyries fault!! In the words of @KendrickPerkins carry the hell on….
Brooklyn built a championship-contending roster that was considered the favorite to win the title the last two seasons. However, they have only won one playoff series during this stretch. Irving hasn't been reliable in showing up to games, which led to the Nets' front office's hesitance in offering him a long-term contract.
Rumors about Irving wanting to leave Brooklyn emerged in late June, sparking questions about Durant's future with the team. Despite the former opting into his player option for next season, reports suggesting that KD has demanded a trade have now come up.
Free agency starts with a bang as teams commit roughly $1.5 billion in salaries and extensions
The 2022 NBA free agency is as exciting as it could ever get.
Several impactful role players were hitting the market, leaving fans curious about which team would make the scoop for them to secure their services. Meanwhile, rookie max and veteran player extensions were also a few key talking points ahead of the opening of the free agency window.
Fun little tracker from our wizards on @spotrac:
spotrac.com/nba/offseason/…
Almost $1.5B (BILLION!) agreed to in new money so far this offseason between new deals and extensions. 40 total new deals agreed to so far!
Teams splurged money on opening day with contracts roughly worth $1.5 billion. Nikola Jokic, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns signed deals valued at over $200 million.
Draymond Green admits he was wrong for calling Kendrick Perkins a “coon”
Draymond Green has been in the limelight lately due to his infamous rant against basketball analysts on his podcast. The Warriors forward picked on Kendrick Perkins exclusively for a brief segment and called him a "coon."
Perkins responded to the podcast through a post on his social media. He later had to take it down because of the harsh language he believed he used while recording.
Green then admitted that he shouldn't have used the word "coon" on his most recent podcast episode, saying:
"I can admit right here that I was wrong and regardless of how I may use the word with my friends or how you know the word may be perceived anywhere else in the world, it was wrong here and that I will acknowledge."
Skip Bayless says Kevin Durant forcing a trade with 4 years left on his contract is not good for NBA’s image
NBA analyst Skip Bayless believes Kevin Durant asking for a trade despite having four years left on his Brooklyn Nets contract isn't good for the league's image. Bayless claimed that this is the kind of incident that keeps the NBA behind the NFL in terms of popularity.
He tweeted:
"It's not good for the NBA's image (and ratings) that superstars can force trades even when they have 4 YEARS LEFT ON A CONTRACT, as Kevin Durant does. But this is now the way business is done in the NBA - and why the NFL is still so much more popular."
It's not good for the NBA's image (and ratings) that superstars can force trades even when they have 4 YEARS LEFT ON A CONTRACT, as Kevin Durant does. But this is now the way business is done in the NBA - and why the NFL is still so much more popular.
The NBA has seen player empowerment take center stage in recent years. However, there is no concrete proof that it has hurt the league's image. If anything, it has generated more curiosity among basketball fans about their favorite players and their next move.