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MILWAUKEE — In August, Nets common supervisor Sean Marks signed Kevin Durant to a four-year contract extension price $198 million and predicted that he would signal James Harden and Kyrie Irving to extensions in coaching camp. However the deadline for these extensions handed at midnight Monday with out a deal for both participant.
Irving clearly isn’t with the Nets as a result of he has refused to adjust to New York Metropolis’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, however Harden beforehand has indicated he want to stay with the Nets. Nonetheless, it made monetary sense for him to attend to signal an extension subsequent summer season as a free agent when he will probably be eligible for a report four-year deal price $227 million.
In a latest interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Harden mentioned he’s trying ahead to free company. “Over the course of my profession, I’ve by no means been a free agent earlier than,” Harden mentioned. “I’ve all the time simply been loyal, simply signing a contract extension and being there. I simply need to take my time with it . . . I believe this season, I simply need to concentrate on successful a championship, and every thing else will work itself out.”
Earlier than the opener in opposition to the defending champion Bucks Tuesday evening in Milwaukee, Nets coach Steve Nash was requested in regards to the failure to signal Harden and what that claims about his future. “The truth is I haven’t thought that a lot about it as a result of James loves it right here,” Nash mentioned. “Whereas we’d have cherished to have signed him earlier than the deadline, it was James prerogative when he re-signs, and we all know that he’s glad right here, he’s having fun with it, and we love having him right here.
“So there’s no distraction to the extent that it actually didn’t cross my thoughts someway. We love working with him every single day, he’s an excellent teammate {and professional} . . .I do know he’s excited and he loves being right here, so I’ve by no means had an inclination that he had completely different ideas about [leaving].”
Greg Logan has labored for Newsday since 1982 protecting a wide selection of sports activities and occasions, at present together with the Brooklyn Nets beat.
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