"He truly is half man, half a season!", "Lakers - DNP (not enough players for starting lineup)" - Fans hilariously mock Kyrie Irving after they realize he has missed around 50% games for Brooklyn Nets

After a tumultuous season with the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving's player option for the upcoming 2022-23 season is due June 29. He enters the fourth and final year of his $136 million contract with the Nets.

The Nets suffered a massive blow in the postseason and remain the only team to get swept.

Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported that the Nets front-office and Irving have reached an impasse, regarding his extension. Charania wrote:

"Multiple sources tell The Athletic that conversations about Irving’s future have gone stagnant between him and the Nets. An impasse currently exists among the parties that clears the way for the seven-time All-Star to consider the open marketplace, those sources said.

"The Lakers, Knicks and Clippers are expected to be among the interested suitors if Irving heads elsewhere, multiple sources tell The Athletic." (via) The Atheltic

The Brooklyn Nets' hesitation to give Kyrie Irving a long-term deal is justified because of his issues surrounding availability. Irving has missed nearly half of the games during his tenure in Brooklyn (played in 130 of 246 games).

r/NBA reacted to Kyrie Irving's absence from games throughout his career in the NBA, especially with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Lakers, Clippers and Knicks all have their hands full. Should they choose to trade for Irving, the dynamic of either of the conferences could drastically be different.

Kyrie Irving's current and future prospective contracts

Irving's position also directly affects Kevin Durant's place with the Nets.

Kyrie Irving signed a four-year, $136 million contract in 2019 that will come to an end after the 2022-23 season. The breakup of his yearly base salary is as follows:

Season	Base Salary (USD)
2019-20	$31.7 million
2020-21	$33.3 million
2021-22	$34.9 million
2022-23	$36.5 million

Note: Incentives might change his salary accordingly.

If Irving chooses to opt out of his player option in the upcoming season and become an unrestricted free-agent, he will be looking at a $6 million salary bump, a max contract which would start at around $42 million in the 2022-23 season.

He is eligible for a five-year, $245 million max contract, or a four-year $190 (or 181.6) million max contract, should any team choose to offer him. Either of those contracts would pay him, at least, 30.5% (or 24.3%) more (on average) than what he is due from his impending player option.

The entire matter almost unequivocally hinges around Irving's availability. His talent, play and what he brings to the floor certainly isn't being questioned. However, whether or not he will be available on the floor for the better part of the regular season is.