NBA
Posted June 7, 2024 at 9:30 pm Eastern Time
BOSTON – With Kyrie Irving’s redemption tour becoming the focus of the NBA Finals, the Nets appear to have blown an opportunity, both because of their former player’s success and their own failures since trading him.
Although Irving has only alluded to feeling “disrespected” by the Nets, his teammate explained it further in an interview with The Post.
“The time came to renew their contract, the two parties did not meet, the companies got involved and that is what happened. That’s the way it is,” said Markieff Morris, who was traded with Irving from Brooklyn to Dallas last year. “I think Kyrie was averaging about 27 (points) at the time. I think we won 18 out of 20 and suddenly the business became involved. That’s how it happens sometimes. A guy of Kyrie’s stature, I wouldn’t tolerate that either. Get me out of there.”
The Nets, as Brian Lewis of The Post reported, offered Irving a short-term, incentive-laden extension due to his unreliability.
This followed a series of controversies and lost games for Irving, notably his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine and his promotion of an anti-Semitic film on Twitter.
Kyrie Irving heads to the bench during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. KeynoteUSA
Still, Irving was playing exceptionally heading into the 2023 trade deadline, leading the Nets through a stretch that included 18 wins in 20 games.
He hoped that would translate into a payday.
But Joe Tsai and Sean Marks maintained their negotiating stance and Irving requested a trade.
The deal was Irving and Morris for Dorian-Finney Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks.
Irving then re-signed with the Mavericks for three years and $121 million with a player option.
He and Luka Doncic became the most powerful offensive perimeter in the NBA this season.
Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball in front of Markieff Morris. fake images
“(The Nets) didn’t want to pay him. So what are you playing for? “If you’re not trying to pay him in a contract year with this good team, and everyone else gets paid, (Kevin Durant) gets paid (with a max extension),” Morris said. “Kyrie did everything that needed to be done. …So go to another team. And now we are in the final.”
In retrospect, the trade was terrible for the Nets, who fell to 11th in the East last season and just hired their fourth coach in about four years.
Dinwiddie is gone and Finney-Smith is a role player who averaged 8.5 points last season on 42 percent shooting.
But the Nets also didn’t get consistency from Irving.
Kyrie Irving brings the ball up the court during the fourth quarter of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center on Nov. 1, 2022. /Keynote USA/Getty Images
Between licenses, injuries, suspensions and vaccine mandates, the point guard missed approximately half of his games after signing as a free agent in 2019.
The vaccine mandate kept Irving out of most of the 2021-22 season and deeply cut his salary.
Morris sympathized with Irving’s stance on vaccines and indicated that most felt the same way.
“Everyone had their own beliefs. “I’m angry that I was given that opportunity,” Morris said. “I didn’t want to have that shit either. Nobody, who wanted to get that? “Nobody wanted to get that.”
The highlight of Irving’s tenure was the 2021 run to the conference semifinals, where the Nets had home-field advantage and a 2-0 lead against the Bucks.
Irving then sprained his ankle on Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 3, and the Nets lost a heartbreaking series.
The Bucks won the title.
“If Giannis hadn’t put his foot under (Irving), they would have had a championship,” said Morris, who was playing for the Lakers at the time. “Milwaukee would still be without a championship.
“I know. They were going to get swept. They know it. You can ask anyone on their team,” Morris added, noting that former Bucks guard Jeff Teague said the same thing on his podcast.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday controls the ball against the Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving in the third quarter during Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. David Butler II-KeynoteUSA Sports
Now Irving is healthy and in the Finals, but this time in Dallas, and trying to bounce back from a disappointing Game 1 loss in Boston.
“He’s in a place where he feels like he can thrive,” Morris said. “Everyone is on the same page. There are no hidden agendas. It is in its thirteenth year. And I can talk about that. I’m also in my 13th year and you want to be somewhere where people love you and it’s more than just a business. Finish your career in a comfortable place.”
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