Brooklyn Nets

Report: Kyrie Irving wanted his new deal to guarantee he wouldn’t have to play more than 60 games in a season and could sit out back-to-backs

Published by
Peter Dewey

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving reportedly had some interesting demands when attempting to negotiate a new deal with the team this offseason.

Irving didn’t come to terms on a long-term deal with the Nets, and he instead opted into the final year of his contract. According to Fox Sports’ Ric Bucher on his podcast, Irving wanted his new contract to guarantee he wouldn’t have to play more than 60 games in a season.

“[Nets governor] Joe Tsai has already shown he’s willing to play hardball with Kyrie by taking a max extension off the table almost immediately,” Bucher said. “Now, part of that may be Kyrie’s doing. I’m told he wanted his new contract to guarantee he wouldn’t have to play more than 60 games in a season and would not have to play any back-to-backs, which he apparently referred to as inhumane.”

Irving sat out a large chunk of the 2021-22 NBA season, as he was ineligible to play in home games for the Nets due to his decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. When New York City’s law around vaccinations changed, Irving was then able to return to playing in home games late in the season.

Still, he appeared in just 29 games during the 2021-22 regular season. Irving averaged 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc.

It appears the Nets weren’t willing to commit to Irving for the long term, and the former No. 1 overall pick’s demands may have been a reason why. As talented as he is, Irving has not been durable since joining the Nets. He has appeared in just 103 games over the last three seasons, failing to play at least 30 games in a season twice.

With Kevin Durant requesting a trade and Irving in the final season of his contract, the Nets may need to move both players in order to quickly rebuild their roster and contend for a playoff spot in the 2022-23 season and beyond.

Peter Dewey

Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball, football and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.

Published by
Peter Dewey

Recent Posts

Paul George: ‘Jared McCain can’t be our most consistent player’

Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Jared McCain has played as well as any first-year player so…

17 hours ago

Antonio Brown offering to play for Steelers ‘for free’ to finish 2024 season

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown enjoyed his golden years in the league while playing…

17 hours ago

Jemele Hill blasts X amid LeBron’s social media break: ‘Full of racists, conspiracy theorists and jerks’

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called out the amount of negativity in…

19 hours ago

Joel Embiid says ‘everything’ gets blown out of proportion with him: ‘I’m the reason for everything’

Following the Philadelphia 76ers' loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, the squad reportedly held…

21 hours ago

Ben Simmons’ agent dunks on media outlet that disrespected his client

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons laid an egg against the New York Knicks on Nov.…

2 days ago

Michael Jordan’s former teammate takes issue with G League plan for Bronny James

Former NFL safety Ryan Clark recently spoke critically of the fact that Los Angeles Lakers…

2 days ago