Andrei Kirilenko will spend a second season in Brooklyn.
Multiple sources confirmed Monday evening Kirilenko will opt-in to the second year of the two-year, $6.5 million contract he signed with the Nets last summer, giving the Nets 10 players under contract for the 2014-15 season heading into the NBA Draft Thursday night at Barclays Center.
Kirilenko, 33, battled back spasms throughout training camp and the first two months of the regular season, missing 25 of the Nets’ first 29 games. But after getting healthy in late December, his return to the court coincided with the Nets finally getting things turned around after their ugly 10-21 start to the regular season, and eventually reaching the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs before losing to the Heat in five games.
When the Nets’ season ended last month, Kirilenko hinted this might be his decision, saying he was a fan of many things about his first season with the Nets.
“We usually make a decision in the summertime,” Kirilenko said, referring to his family. “I liked everything [about this season] but the result.
“I can see [myself back here] definitely, but there’s a lot of different factors. In America sometimes people measure by money, but it should be all equal: money, city, team, role, coach, teammates, goals … especially at this point in my career. You want to be a contributor.”
Kirilenko averaged 5.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Nets last season while playing a career-low 19 minutes a night. With him back in the fold, the Nets currently have over $89 million committed to 10 players for next season. Andray Blatche declined his option and will test unrestricted free agency and Alan Anderson could do the same.
The Nets will be hoping to re-sign both Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston when free agency begins next week. And, despite currently holding no picks going into the draft, the Nets are expected to trade for at least one, either late in the first round or in the second.