Kyrie Irving has been at the center of numerous stories that have nothing to do with basketball since the Brooklyn Nets signed him three years ago. If you want to know the type of toll that has taken on the franchise, the latest comments from general manager Sean Marks provided a strong hint.
Marks met with reporters on Wednesday to discuss the future of the Nets. He was asked if the Nets are committed to Irving, who has a player option for the 2022-23 season. Marks made it clear he was talking about not just Kyrie but all of the team’s soon-to-be free agents, but his response was quite telling.
“To be quite frank, he has some decisions to make on his own. … I think we know what we’re looking for,” Marks said. “We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, be selfless, play team basketball and be available. That goes for not only Kyrie but everybody here.”
Marks also spoke about wanting to commit to players who are not “motivated by something that’s not good for the whole team.” He was speaking generally, but it is not a stretch to assume the remarks were directed at Irving and Ben Simmons.
Irving could not play in home games for much of this season due to his vaccination status. The year before, he was away from the Nets for a while for personal reasons. Both of those situations were distractions that Marks had to address regularly.
You never know when Irving is going to decide that basketball is not his top priority. That is something the Nets have been dealing with since they signed him. We doubt they will let him walk, but perhaps Marks’ comments were meant to send a message to the star point guard.
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