Brooklyn Nets rumors: Kyrie Irving-D’Angelo Russell tandem not dead?

The Brooklyn Nets are still one of the buzziest teams as free agency approaches, with talk that a Kyrie Irving-D’Angelo Russell tandem isn’t dead yet.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the idea of the Brooklyn Nets pairing Kyrie Irving with D’Angelo Russell in the same backcourt may not be dead.

On the network’s Get Up Wednesday morning, Wojnarowski suggested the Nets might keep Russell if they can’t land a second star to pair with Irving.

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It’s an idea that has been tossed around, shot down, revived, shot down again and apparently still could be on the table.

Irving has declined his $21.33 million player option with the Boston Celtics next season and will become an unrestricted free agent.

The eight-year veteran can sign a deal of up to four years and $140.61 million, with a first-year salary figure of $32.7 million and 5 percent annual raises afterward.

Russell, a restricted free agent, can get a max of five years and $158.05 million if the Nets retain his cap hold and use Bird rights, a deal that would start at $27.25 million and go up by 8 percent in each subsequent season.

If the Nets bring back Russell after renouncing his rights, the max would be four years at $117.18 million. The first-year salary would be the same at $27.25 million, but would only include a 5 percent annual raise thereafter.

Brooklyn, in the latter scenario, would also have to use cap space. Keeping Russell’s cap hold and using Bird rights to re-sign him would allow the Nets to exceed the projected $109 million salary cap, but would also take up $21.06 million of cap space because of the cap hold required to keep his free-agent exception rights.

Retaining Russell’s rights would also allow the club to match any offer sheet he might get from another club. The Indiana Pacers are interested in adding the 2019 NBA All-Star, per SportsNet New York‘s Ian Begley.

The Athletic’s Michael Scotto (subscription required) reported that the Utah Jazz would like to sign Russell, but only if his rights are renounced by Brooklyn and he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns told Uproxx‘s Jordan Zirm that his team should get Russell.

"“Yes, I play very close attention to free agency. And D’Angelo is not getting whispers, he’s getting more of a yell from a microphone. This is a big free agency period for us as an organization, so we’re taking every step and exploring every avenue.”"

Towns and Russell were the first and second overall picks, respectively, in the 2015 NBA Draft and know each other well.

Meanwhile, Marc Stein of The New York Times reported in his newsletter (subscription required) that Brooklyn is getting a boost in the recruitment of Irving from the guy who would presumably be his backup with the Nets.

Spencer Dinwiddie, according to Stein, has played a big role in Brooklyn’s pre-free-agency pitches to Irving — because players can talk, even if organizations aren’t supposed to be discussing things with potential free agents until June 30.

Some on social media have suggested there have been more leaks coming out of the Nets’ front office than usual and there might be a couple of reasons for that.

One is that the organization has been bleeding coaching and executive talent across the league this offseason, with assistant general manager Trajan Langdon now the GM of the New Orleans Pelicans and Gianluca Pascucci, the former director of global scouting in Brooklyn, now an assistant general manager with the Timberwolves.

Beyond that, assistant coach Chris Fleming has taken the lead assistant role with the Chicago Bulls and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni taking a position on Ryan Saunders’ staff in Minnesota.

The other reason may not have as much intrigue, but might be closer to reality. The Nets increased their profile across the league last season and with a lot of cap space available are being watched more closely by the national media that covers the NBA.

More eyes, more rumors.

Those rumors will start to coalesce into a new reality for the Brooklyn Nets … in about a week and a half.