clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

IT’S OFFICIAL: Kyrie Irving signs 4-year, $141 million deal with Nets

By Net Income

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

A week after word leaked that Kyrie Irving —along with Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan— would be joining the Nets, the team made it official. Irving has signed with the team, reportedly for $141 million over four years. The Nets announced it in a tweet and press release...

The team also tweeted out an image of Irving signing his contract on a table set up in the gym at Roosevelt Middle School in West Orange, NJ, his hometown.

RocNation Sports also tweeted out a video announcement...

And later provided an image for the agency’s two big stars on the Nets...

Wilson Chandler, also expected to sign with the Nets Sunday, is also a RocNation client.

“Kyrie is one of the NBA’s elite guards and has won at the highest level,” said Sean Marks. “His championship pedigree, coupled with his gifted scoring and playmaking abilities, will make him an outstanding addition to our team. We’re very excited to welcome Kyrie and his family to Brooklyn.”

“The entire coaching staff is excited to have the opportunity to coach a player of Kyrie’s caliber,” added Kenny Atkinson in the team’s official press release. “He is as talented and accomplished as any point guard in our game and we are enthusiastic about integrating him and our other new roster additions into our returning core.”

The signing is by far the biggest in team history (and it’s likely to surpassed in the next few hours by Kevin Durant’s.) Before Saturday, when DeAndre Jordan signed for $40 million over four years, the biggest outright signing ever by the Nets was the three-year, $36 million deal given Jeremy Lin.

Although the Nets have gotten bigger stars like Jason Kidd and Deron WIlliams in trades, Irving, a Nets fan as a child in New Jersey, is the first All-NBA player who chose to sign with the Nets since Alonzo Mourning in 2003, before his kidney transplant.

The 27-year-old made second team All-NBA last season. He had previously made the third team All-NBA in 2015. Here’s his resume, from the Nets press release.

Irving (6’3, 195) joins the Nets after spending the last two seasons (2017-19) with the Boston Celtics and six seasons prior (2011-17) with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He earned All-NBA Second Team honors for his play during the 2018-19 campaign, when the 27-year-old averaged 23.8 points, a career-high 5.0 rebounds, a career-high 6.9 assists and a career-high-tying 1.5 steals in 33.0 minutes per game in 67 appearances (all starts).

Over eight seasons with Boston and Cleveland, Irving has appeared in and started 508 career games, recording averages of 22.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.8 minutes per contest while shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 39.0 percent from 3-point range and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line. He has also appeared in and started 61 career playoff games over four postseason appearances, averaging 23.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 36.4 minutes per game. The six-time NBA All-Star (2013-15, 2017-19) helped lead Cleveland to its first NBA title in 2016, registering postseason averages of 25.2 points (47.5 percent from the field, 44.0 percent from 3-point range), 3.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 36.9 minutes per game. He also won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as a member of the U.S. men’s national team.

Irving earned All-NBA Third Team honors following his 2014-15 season in Cleveland and was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2011-12 following his debut season with the Cavs. Prior to being selected by Cleveland with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the New Jersey native played one collegiate season (2010-11) at Duke.

In addition, Irving won the gold medal for the United States in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He was also selected the tournament’s most valuable player.

The Nets tweeted out a video of a rack of Irving jerseys — with the No. 11 last worn by Brook Lopez— rolling into the Nets Swag Shop, which is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

It had been anticipated by many fans that No. 11 would be retired. Irving has worn both Nos. 11 and 2 during his career.

No word yet on the team’s press conference to introduce Irving and Durant and perhaps the team’s other new players.

More From NetsDaily