Assembling the trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan proved a salary cap challenge for the Brooklyn Nets. The team had to employ creative payment schemes to ensure they operate within the cap and land the three players at the same time. On Irving, the Nets inserted incentives that would shave off a million from his annual pay.
The tweak, according to ESPN, provided the space to beef up the Nets lineup, which now counts Jordan and draft pick Nicolas Claxton. That's because the Nets' super-max deal with Irving classified his performance bonus as unlikely, meaning the incentive will not be counted against his official pay per season.
The same report said the Nets laid out eight specific conditions that would allow Irving to collect incentives that would total to $1 million per season. If he falls short, Irving's pay would be a million below his maximum, in which case the team is afforded the needed space for recruitment.
So thanks to the unique Irving contract, the Nets had the room to in an agreement with Jordan, who was given a four-year deal with pay that slightly fluctuates over the course of the contract.
As for Durant, his contract incentives are likely to be realized but have been configured to remain within the cap. The maneuverings made by Brooklyn allowed for the finalization of the deal that saw KD transferring from the Golden States Warriors and Irving moving out of Boston to be with the Nets.
And speaking of Irving's exit from the Celtics, it would seem his departure is entirely different from KD's decision to leave the Warriors. Durant, no doubt, will be missed by Golden State where he played for three seasons and won two NBA rings.
Irving did not relish the same narrative with his Boston stint. He failed to replicate the feat he had with the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Celtics failed to on its campaign to reach the NBA Finals with Irving on the roster, and for two straight years.
Part of the blame why Boston did not shine too much with Irving was the All-Star's "tumultuous leadership style, according to Bleacher Report. In a way, Irving will not be missed in Boston as in his stead the team now has Kemba Walker, who was acquired from the Charlotte Hornets.
"Everybody is going to love Kemba here. He's a great leader. Everybody wants to be around him. He's just a good dude to be around," the same report quoted Chis Forsberg of NBC Sports as saying.
In fact, if there is one player that the Boston Celtics would miss it has to be Al Horford and not Irving, the report stated. Starting next season, Horford will be suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers.
