It doesn't sound like Kyrie Irving intends to leave the Nets in free agency.
Ahead of Brooklyn's matchup with Miami on March 26, Irving discussed his future with the Nets and indicated that he plans to re-sign with the franchise in the offseason.
"For me, it has always been about being comfortable and loving where I'm at. I love it here. Once that summer time hits, I know we'll have some conversations, but there's no way I could leave my man 7 anywhere," Irving said, referring to Kevin Durant and his jersey number.
Irving joined the Nets in 2019. He's appeared in 94 games over the last three seasons, posting averages of 27.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
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Irving has only been eligible to play in road games this season because of a local mandate that prevented athletes unvaccinated against COVID-19 from playing in New York City. That mandate has since been lifted, clearing him to play in Brooklyn's home games the rest of the way.
Prior to the 2018-19 season, Irving famously told Celtics fans that he planned on re-signing with Boston in free agency. He then chose to leave the Celtics for the Nets at the end of the season for a number of reasons, including his desire to return closer to his New Jersey home that was influenced by the passing of his grandfather.
"For me, our team sentiment is we want to build a legacy here and have something sustainable," Irving continued on Saturday. "Not just put this together real quick and then see what happens. But we're going to do our best."
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Kyrie Irving contract details
Irving signed a four-year, $136.5 million contract with the Nets in 2019 that includes a player option worth $36.9 million for the 2022-23 season. If he doesn't pick up his player option, he'll be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, allowing him to sign with any team in the league.
Durant signed a four-year, $198 million extension with the Nets before the 2021-22 season that doesn't include a player or team option, keeping him under contract through the 2025-26 season.
Kyrie Irving free agency 2022: What contract can he sign with Nets?
Irving will be eligible for a five-year, $245.6 million deal with the Nets if doesn't pick up his player option for the 2022-23 season, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Another option for Irving is opting out of his contract and signing a four-year, $189.7 million extension with the Nets that would begin in 2022-23. He could also pick up his $36.9 million player option for 2022-23 and sign a three-year extension or four-year extension that would begin in 2023-24, but that would cost him some money next season.
If Irving chooses to leave the Nets, he could join another team on a four-year, $182.1 million contract, per Smith.
