Marc Stein: Expect Nets to ‘aim as high as possible,’ like Kyrie Irving high

Okay, now that you’ve had your David Aldridge fill on the Nets and Kawhi Leonard, let’s move on to what Marc Stein thinks about the Nets and that other free agent whose first name begins with “K” ... Kyrie Irving.

Here’s what Steiny had to say in his weekly newsletter... like Aldridge in response to a question posed by a Nets fan...

Kyrie Irving’s intentions are not at all clear at this point. There have been no firm indications from Irving or his camp that the All-Star guard is eyeing an exit from Boston next summer or that he’s angling to go to New York — as is often speculated.

But there are nonetheless credible rumblings in circulation that the Nets plan to pursue Irving, right alongside the Knicks, should he become a free agent on July 1, 2019.

In short: I expect Brooklyn to aim as high as possible in free agency while reserving the right to stay conservative if the Nets can’t convince top-tier free agents to take their money.

K and K? Okay! This is the kind of speculation you get when you could have enough cap room for two max free agents.

The Nets connections to Irving rest with his upbringing. The 26-year-old was born in Melbourne, Australia, but grew up in West Orange, N.J. as a fan of the New Jersey Nets and his idol, Jason Kidd, going to games at the Continental Airlines Arena with his dad.

All this speculation about free agents leaves us with two thoughts: 1) the Nets are planning on being a player and 2) barring big issues this season, expect to do well. You don’t do all that the Nets did this summer without a plan.

And let’s not talk (yet) about how Irving could play next to D’Angelo Russell or Caris LeVert, etc., etc.

• Summer of the Phenomenon - Marc Stein - New York Times