For the last couple of weeks, many around the NBA believe Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets would be the perfect match. Not so fast, though.
According to the New York Post, the Nets are having an 'internal debate' to whether they want to sign Irving if he isn't going to be paired with Kevin Durant this offseason.
Signing Irving would almost definitely mean that restricted free agent D'Angelo Russell is going to end up elsewhere. Signing both Irving and Durant means Russell is definitely going elsewhere. Having both Irving and Russell wouldn't make much sense, considering they both are natual point guards. It's impossible to see them move one of them to the two-guard.
The Nets are in a difficult position now. With Durant out all of next season as he recovers from a ruptured achilles, would they still be all-in on signing him to a max contract and get three potential good years out of him after he sits out next season? Also, does it make sense to sign Irving when Russell is coming off a career-best season and will cost you less than Irving would?
It seems other teams are backing off their pursuit a bit of Irving due to how things went awry in Boston with the Celtics. With those concerns mixed with past injury issues, do the Nets want to take the gamble? When he's on, he's certainly right there as one of the best players in the NBA.
A max deal for Iving would cost the Nets $141 million for four years. A max deal for four years for Russell would cost the Nets $117 million, because he's just coming off his rookie deal. That $6 million a year difference could give the Nets more money to add around Russell and another max-player. It's going to be very intriguing to see what direction the Nets will go here with their available cap space.
