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Basketball

Kyrie Irving Exercising $37 Million Player Option To Stay with the Nets

After weeks of speculations about Kyrie Irving’s possible exit from the Brooklyn Nets, he finally confirmed his plans for the future. Irving is staying with the Nets for another season after deciding to opt into his $37 million player option. Rumors about Irving’s potential transfer have been circling around since the end of the season. He reportedly pursued a sign-and-trade deal with other teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, but he eventually decided to stay put and exercise his player option. "Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I've made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall. A11even," Irving told The Athletic. Irving’s decision is good news for the Nets because the team could’ve been in trouble if he decided to leave. Kevin Durant reportedly started weighing his own future and considered walking out if Irving left, after both joining the Nets in 2019. The Nets can still trade Irving and his expiring deal if they wanted to without his approval this offseason. If they want to keep him on board for longer, they have until June 30, 2023 to negotiate a long-term extension with Irving before he becomes a free agent.