Nets not offering Irving extension amid vax standoff?

The Nets won't be offering Irving a contract extension during this standoff. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Nets not offering Kyrie Irving contract extension amid COVID-19 vaccination standoff?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 10/13/21

While speaking with reporters Wednesday, both Brooklyn Nets superstar guard James Harden and head coach Steve Nash seemingly left the door open for All-Star Kyrie Irving to return to the organization roughly 24 hours after Irving was banished from team activities for refusing to comply with the New York City mandate that requires NBA personnel to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or show proof of an approved medical or religious exemption to enter arenas such as Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

It appears not everybody within the Nets is keen on Irving remaining attached to the club.

Per Alec Sturm of Nets Daily (h/t Bleacher Report), NBA insider Shams Charania explained on "The Glue Guys" podcast the Nets won't be offering Irving a contract extension during this standoff:

To be fair -- there's a chance Shams just mean "offered now", as long as he stays unvaccinated. I don't know. I'm just sharing the quotes.
— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) October 13, 2021

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Tuesday the Philadelphia 76ers have "no interest in Irving at the moment" amid suggestions Philadelphia could send disgruntled All-Star guard Ben Simmons to Brooklyn in a deal for the one-time NBA champion. An alleged reason for Philadelphia's stance is that Irving's current contract has a player option that could let him hit free agency as soon as next summer, something an extension would eliminate.

Can confirm that the #Nets haven’t had any contract extension talks with Kyrie Irving and his camp for some time, according to a source close to the player. #nba
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 13, 2021

What's clear today is that neither the Nets nor Irving are backing down as New York's mandate seems set in place for the foreseeable future.

Zac Wassink is a football and futbol aficionado who is a PFWA member and is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. Erik Lamela and Eli Manning apologist. Chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. Whoops. You can find him on Twitter at @ZacWassink.

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