It took a long time, but Kyrie Irving eventually became available in a full-time role for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2021-22 NBA season. However, his long-awaited return may have cometoo late.
Even with Kyrie on the floor, the Netsbarely made the play-in tournament before they were swept by the Boston Celtics, who have crazy history with him. That terrible loss made a lot of noise, especially for Irving.
After the playoff elimination, he was once again blamed for missing most of the season. While his future seems unclear, Irving should pay attention toSean Marksā latest comments about the teamās expectations for next season.
Kyrie Irving receives clear message from Nets GM
Irvingās anti-vaxx stance cost him several months on the sidelines this season, somethingthe Nets wonāt let happen again. Or at least thatās what general manager Sean Marks told reporters on Wednesday.
āWe need people here that want to be here,ā Marks said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. āTheyāre selfless, that want to be part of something bigger than themselves, and thereās an objective and thereās a goal at stake here. And in order to do that, weāre gonna need availability from everybody.ā
That seems to be a clear message for Irving, whose commitment with the team has been questioned. Kyrie has a player option for next season but his future looks uncertain. When asked whether the Nets have long-term plans for Irving, Marks said:āThatās something weāve been discussing and weāll continue to debrief on & discuss throughout this offseason.ā Butthen he reiterated what the Nets will expect from Irving and every other player on the roster.
āI think we know what weāre looking for. Weāre looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves. Play selfless, play team basketball and be available ā and that goes not only for Kyrie but for everybody here.ā
