LAS VEGAS — The Nets fully expect to have all of their Big 3 signed to contract extensions before training camp starts.
General manager Sean Marks said as much Wednesday before their summer league game against the Bucks. Kevin Durant already has been extended, and Marks confirmed long-term deals for the Nets’ other superstars, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, shouldn’t be far off.
“As it pertains to Ky and James, we’re having those conversations with them,” Marks said. “I think there’s no immediate hurry to get any of these guys done in terms of the first day of free agency. These are opportunities for us to sit down, break bread together, meet with [Nets owner] Joe Tsai and really get on the same page.
“But I feel very confident that first day of training camp we’ll be looking at those three in particular, being signed, sealed, delivered and being a part of the Brooklyn Nets for a long time to come.”
To make that happen would require Tsai to sign off on more than a half-billion dollars in contracts. But it‘s a half-billion he’ll happily spend.
Kyrie Irving (l), James Harden (c) and Kevin Durant Charles Wenzelberg/New York PostHarden can sign for up to three years and $161.1 million, while Irving can net a deal for four years and $181.6 million. It’s noteworthy that Irving could actually make more by eschewing an extension now and becoming eligible for a huge five-year, $235 million max contract as a restricted free agent next summer.
But Marks implied that’s not the plan, yet another auspicious sign for the Nets, underscoring that Irving is all-in with the team.
If the Big 3 all re-sign now, the Nets could end up owing $540 million in salary for a trio that missed 84 games last season. Durant — who is arguably the best player in the world, and just led Team USA to Olympic gold — on Sunday signed a four-year, $198 million extension to stay with the Nets through 2026.
Marks said Durant was intent on getting the process over quickly, recovering from the Tokyo Olympics and preparing for the season, to complete the unfinished business of bringing an NBA championship to Brooklyn.
“I think that they’re all individuals in regards to what they’re looking for in the future and their timing for this,” Marks said. “We have definitely had conversations with all three of them. Kevin was honestly extremely straightforward, and very upfront about, ‘I want to be here, this is it, get it done, and I want to get it done immediately.’ And I don’t blame him.
“Again, he’s coming off a gold medal and wanting to really focus on first and foremost, probably recovery and getting himself ready for the season, which will take a little bit. So I think from him from peace of mind standpoint, just putting that aside. And it was obviously very important for us. I can’t tell you how important it was, and this is franchise-changing when you can lock a person like Kevin up and he wants to commit to being here for the foreseeable future.”







