Although our eyes and attention is squarely fixed on the Chicago Bulls as free agency (very quickly) approaches, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has dropped major news about an hour before things actually open that we just can’t ignore.
Check it out:
Sources: Durant will sign a 4-year, $164M deal with the Nets; Irving will sign 4-years, $141M.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
HELLO.
Kevin Durant (four-years/$164 million) and Kyrie Irving (four-years/$141 million) are signing with the Brooklyn Nets for a combined $305M, which makes it safe to say they’re going all in.
Of course, not right away. As you may recall, Durant suffered a right calf strain during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Rockets while playing for the Warriors. He eventually returned to action in Game 5 of the Finals, before then suffering an Achilles tendon injury. Because of that, it’s extremely likely that Durant, 30, will miss the entirety of the 2019-2020 season. Even still, he’ll eventually play alongside Kyrie Irving as they pretty clearly planned.
And that’s not all for Brooklyn:
Brooklyn is making a clean sweep tonight: Brooklyn will sign Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
The details aren’t yet out on DeAndre Jordan’s deal with the Nets (we can update this post when it becomes available), but he completes a trio of signings that will shake up New York and the Eastern Conference as a whole.
As for downstream, free-agent impacts, you can pretty much bet that Nets point guard/free agent and potential Bulls target D’Angelo Russell is on his way out the door now, which could open up a pathway to Chicago. Of course, after learning about their spoiled plans with now retired guard Darren Collison, I’m still not convinced that a player of Russell’s caliber is in their short-term plans, but perhaps they didn’t quite expect this move to go down this way. Staying flexible and pouncing on an opportunity is wise, even if it’s not part of your original plan.
In any case, we’ll stay vigilant and keep you update on the latest of what is certain to be a very busy night.
Oh, also … Sorry, Knicks fans.