Kyrie Irving is one of the best point guards in the NBA. He has a chance to maximize his earnings by following the blueprint Kawhi Leonard used to become one of the highest paid players in the league.
The where is kawhi leonard from is a question that has been asked since the Kawhi Leonard trade. Kyrie Irving can maximize his dollars by following the Kawhi Leonard Blueprint.
Kevin Durant has already locked up his next contract, agreeing to a four-year, $198 million deal this summer. That provides him the maximum money he can earn before the NBA’s contract age of 38 kicks in. Kyrie Irving, his All-Star teammate, is also extension-eligible, but his case may go in a different direction for the Nets. Irving may follow in the footsteps of Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Irving’s contract, which he signed in 2019 to move to Brooklyn, has two years remaining on it, with a player option for 2022–23 for $36.5 million. Durant’s decision to extend his contract this summer made sense since he was approaching the age of 38. Irving, on the other hand, is playing by a different set of rules.
Kyrie Irving’s timetable is better served by Kawhi Leonard’s choice.
If Kyrie Irving (R) follows Kawhi Leonard’s lead, he might be on his way to the highest salary possible. | Getty Images/Sarah Stier
Kawhi Leonard rejected his $36 million option for next season this summer. Then he re-signed with the Clippers on a four-year, $176.3 million contract. Kawhi was able to decline the option since he had surpassed the 10-year threshold in his career. As a result, he was eligible for the maximum wage limit of 35 percent.
Leonard received a good increase to $39.3 million for 2021–22, with $42.5 million arriving in 2022–23 and $45.6 million the following season, instead of $36 million this season and a maximum next summer. Then, in 2024–25, he has a player option for $48.8 million.
Leonard would have received another year at the top of the salary range if he had declined the offer. While Kyrie Irving’s schedule doesn’t allow him to get top money this season, he may up the ante substantially in 2022–23.
Irving isn’t nearly as good as Kawhi Leonard when it comes to scoring.
Kawhi Leonard may cash in on his 10-year status right now since he signed a three-year deal with the Clippers in 2019. Kyrie Irving’s four-year contract with the Nets prevented him from doing so.
However, as ESPN’s Windhorst, Brian previously noted on The Jump, Irving may position himself for a larger payout in the future. According to Windhorst, the 2011 first-overall selection can’t quite reach the top of the scale:
“He has a slew of incentives built into it,” says the narrator. As a result, he won’t be able to reach the entire maximum; nevertheless, he may get near. However, he must choose a choice.
“On paper, he could sit out this season and then sign a fresh new deal the following summer, guaranteeing himself a lot more money, similar to what Kawhi Leonard recently did with the Clippers. In terms of a straight ledger, it makes sense.”
Brian Windhorst
There are, however, conditions, as is usually often the case with Irving.
Kyrie Irving may not be a lifetime basketball player.
If the allegations are accurate, one thing is certain: Kyrie Irving is not interested in leaving Brooklyn. Irving’s representatives have indicated their client would retire rather than leave the Nets in a trade, according to Nick Wright of Fox Sports.
However, as Windhorst pointed out, the enigmatic Irving may not want to stay in the NBA for long.
Windhorst added, “I’m not sure whether Kyrie is thinking about locking himself in at 34, 35, or 36.” “He’s made it obvious that basketball isn’t his first priority all of the time. So I’m not sure how it fits into this. However, if you’re the Nets, you’ll want to lock him down because (A) because to the contract structure, it’s less than the entire maximum. And (B), you don’t want to be concerned about him maybe being a free agent.”
The Nets’ general manager has had two years to get used to managing a club that is susceptible to Irving’s whims. While Marks has said that he wants to resolve the Irving issue (along with a James Harden contract), all Brooklyn can do now is wait to see what Kyrie Irving does next.
Spotrac provided contract details.
RELATED: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving Should Take Major Responsibility For Their Nets Teammate’s Potential Departure From Brooklyn
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