"You could be $30 mad at somebody, you could be $3000 mad at somebody… You cannot be $30 million mad" - NBA analyst says he wasn’t buying Kyrie Irving going to LA and being paid as much as a ‘high-end dentist’
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has decided to opt into his $37 million player option, per Shams Charania.
The announcement came after rumors and reports suggested that Irving was interested in leaving the Nets and joining the LA Lakers.
Irving was reportedly up to scratch with the idea of losing out on $30 million, to sign with the Lakers on a mid-level exception contract worth just $6 million. This would've seen him leave the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant’s partnership behind to reunite with LeBron James.
However, he is now set to spend at least one more season in Brooklyn.
"You can be $30 mad at someone. You can be $3,000 mad at someone. You can even be $30,000 mad at someone. But you cannot be $30M mad at someone. The idea that Kyrie was going to go to LA & get a check that was the same as a high-end dentist, I wasn't buying it." — @kevinwildes https://t.co/n4C8Iu4ZzH
While some may have been keen to see a possible reunion between Irving and James, Kevin Wildes of “First Things First” never saw it happening. He said:
“That was never going to happen. You could be $30 mad at somebody. You could be $3,000 mad at somebody. You could even be $30,000 mad at somebody. You cannot be $30 million mad at someone. It just doesn’t exist.”
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant teamed up in Brooklyn in 2019, but haven’t really brought the success they were anticipated to bring. Injuries and regulations meant they got very little playing time together. The duo have played only 44 regular-season games together in three years.
The preference for everyone -- the Nets, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving, too -- is to get a deal done.
Full story from @wojespn on @ESPNPlus ✍️ es.pn/3OjHXSn https://t.co/HXQMYp7EAr
The LA Lakers were reportedly the only team interested in acquiring the services of Kyrie Irving, despite the guard's described curiosity in other teams. Wildes went on to highlight the lack of leverage on Irving’s side, as he said:
“So, the idea that he was going to go to LA and deal with those frisky; pesky California taxes – and get his check that was going to be an amount, as like a high-end dentist. I just was not buying it at all.”
The analyst added:
“Yes, the Nets held their ground. But this wasn’t, you know, the Cuban missile crisis. There wasn’t a lot of leverage on Kyrie’s side.”
Irving played just 29 regular-season games last season due to vaccine mandate restrictions until early January. After returning to the fold, the 30-year-old quickly found his groove, averaging 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists.
Kyrie Irving will look to improve his contribution in 4th year with the Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving signed with the Nets in 2019, but has played in just 103 games over the last three seasons. A couple of these seasons were shortened, but Irving was unable to provide his services due to some injuries. A shoulder injury, back issues, and the COVID-19 regulations forced him to the sidelines.
Keeping these setbacks in mind, Irving will hope for a much better 2022-23 season. He is still an incredible player as he displayed during his shortened 2021-22 season. Irving scored 40 points or more on four occasions, including a 60-point and 50-point performance.
The former was a career-high night for him, as he scored 20 field goals. Irving shot 64.5%, including 66.7% from deep, to put the Orlando Magic to the sword.
CAREER HIGH.
FRANCHISE RECORD.
60 POINTS FOR KYRIE IRVING.
History on League Pass: app.link.nba.com/e/stream https://t.co/13YUinojIQ
However, Kyrie Irving put in some lacklustre displays in the playoffs this year, barring a 39-point outing in Game 1 against the Boston Celtics. The sweep at the hands of Boston in the first round could fuel him to initiate a strong comeback.
It will be exciting to see how the duo of Irving and Durant fare together in the upcoming season.