Sources: NBA teams believe Nets would be open to Kyrie Irving sign-and-trade if he opts out

A few notes on the Nets as teams prepare for the NBA Draft and free agency:

FOCUS ON CHARACTER

In remarks to the media, Nets GM Sean Marks said the club is looking for players this offseason who are "here for something bigger than themselves.”

“We want to avoid the drama, we want to avoid the distractions,” Marks said in an interview with the YES Network earlier this month.

That public message has been echoed during the Nets’ conversations over the past few weeks.

In recent conversations with people outside the organization, Brooklyn has made it known that adding high-character players is a focus this offseason. “It’s a clear priority,” one person in touch with the club said.

The Nets have access to the $6.3 million tax mid-level exception in the offseason. Brooklyn’s luxury tax bill for the 2021-2022 season was the second-highest in the NBA, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

The bill will likely increase if Brooklyn uses the tax payer exception.

The Nets can also add players via the veteran’s minimum exception and, obviously, via trade. But their options are limited.

KYRIE’S FUTURE

In his remarks to the media, Marks has also declined to fully commit to signing Kyrie Irving to another contract. Irving, who has a player option for the 2022-23 season, has said several times that he wants to remain with the Nets. I think Marks is being cautious with his public comments because he’d previously said Irving, former Net James Harden and current Net Kevin Durant would all be signed to extensions prior to the 2021-22 season.

But Marks didn’t hold back when he was asked about the importance of Irving’s availability moving forward. This has led to speculation among some opposing teams about Irving’s future with the Nets.

The club doesn’t have many options if it decided to move on from Irving this offseason. Several teams planning for the offseason expect Irving to ultimately remain in Brooklyn.

But if Irving opts out of his $37.5 million option for next season, the contract negotiations between Irving and the Nets will be interesting.

The New York Daily News reported on Wednesday that the Nets were unwilling to offer Irving a long-term contract. SNY has not independently confirmed that report. But if Irving opts out and the Nets have trouble finding common ground with the seven-time All-Star, opposing teams believe the club will be open to exploring trades of Irving.

It makes sense for Brooklyn to keep all of its options open on Irving and all other players on the roster outside of Durant.

Still, if Irving opts out, logic says that the most likely outcome is that he returns to the Nets with a new contract. Irving would have to agree to a sign-and-trade and the Nets would have to feel that the return on the trade made sense for them. They’d also have to take back a significant amount of salary.

So the smart money says Irving remains with the Nets. But every decision the Nets make – from Irving’s next contract to free agency for Bruce Brown and Nic Claxton – will be crucial.

As Marks noted in an interview with the YES Network, the Nets’ title window with Durant - and, presumably, Irving - won’t be open forever.

“The window, it’s there and it’s closing. Every game that goes by, every season that goes by – this era sort of closes,” Marks said. “It’s about how do we prolong it, how do we make the most of it and how do we reach our ultimate goal? And the ultimate goal hasn’t changed, and that’s to be the last team standing.”