Are Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving Already Done in Brooklyn?
Earlier this week, a report emerged from a Brooklyn Nets insider that the team and their resident superstar Kevin Durant had not been in contact since their season ended just a month ago. In addition, we received word that the team is unwilling to offer a long-term deal to Kyrie Irving. These developments have combined to create some train of thought from the public that the union between the two all-stars and the New York-based team may come to an end sooner rather than later.
Considering that they all came together not even three years ago, that should speak to how disastrous this situation has become for all parties involved. Moreover, it should make you wonder how things got this bleak. After all, back in 2019, the Brooklyn Nets were primed to grow into one of the better squads in the Eastern Conference, especially after their big splashes in free agency. Fast forward to now, and it seems as though everything that could have gone wrong - has.
In the 2019 offseason, it was understood that Durant and Irving were a package deal, and that has appeared to persist throughout this ordeal. However, as Irving's injuries, hiatuses, and vaccination refusals have kept him out of the lineup and away from the team time and again, the Nets seem to have understandably grown more frustrated with him. Such things make the remarks from GM Sean Marks a lot easier to digest. He stressed how important it is for him and the team to have players committed to the group at large, and that didn't come from nowhere. That was a clear expression of his dissatisfaction with Kyrie.
The possibility of Irving making his way out of town leaves one to question whether his close friend Kevin Durant would follow suit. Durant left the Golden State Warriors with the apparent intent of establishing himself in the league's largest market while playing alongside his good friend Kyrie and achieving championship-level success outside of his participation on a renowned "Superteam." So far, it's tough to say he's done much of either three. Even with his presence, the team having outperformed their in-state counterpart, and Durant being the best player between the two rosters by a wide margin, the Knicks - predictably - remain New York's favorite basketball team. In the 226 regular-season games played by the Brooklyn Nets since acquiring both Durant and Irving in July 2019, the pair have played together only 44 times. This star duo has proven formidable when healthy, but for several reasons, they haven't been able to chalk up a conference finals appearance since joining forces. Meanwhile, both Durant and Irving's former teams (Golden State and Boston) stand just a few more wins away from winning the 2022 NBA title.
To make matters even worse for Brooklyn, the moves they've made to appease and support their leading stars have backfired as well. The trade for James Harden has been a failure, considering their shortened playoff run in 2021 and Harden basically forcing his way out this past February. That first trade saw Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, and several draft picks moved off the team. Their biggest issues since that deal have been their inconsistent defensive prowess and lack of depth, something these players would have helped provide. On top of that, Kenny Atkinson's firing led to Steve Nash taking over on the bench. Thus far, the results have most wondering whether that move was necessary or at all beneficial, primarily since Atkinson has since found success as an assistant coach on - you guessed it - the Golden State Warriors. Even Spencer Dinwiddie, who the team let walk in free agency last summer, became a key contributor for the Dallas Mavericks, who made it to the Western Conference finals.
These turnouts from those ousted by the organization thriving at the same time as the current core pieces crumbling at the seams lead to the clear conclusion that this union has been a disaster. But are we nearing the end of it? And if not, should we? That is the question at hand.
The biggest wildcard in all this is Ben Simmons. The multi-time all-star hasn't played since the 2021 playoffs, where he suffered his greatest embarrassment as a pro. Since then, his desire to leave Philadelphia, some reported mental health issues, and an apparent back injury have kept him away from the game for over a year.
He has proven himself as an elite defensive anchor and a versatile offensive playmaker when he is healthy. But his actions this year have left many questioning his commitment to the game and will likely leave the Nets curious about his dedication to them. Considering that Brooklyn has already faced similar issues with Kyrie Irving, it begs whether those atop the organization could stomach such a potentially volatile situation for another year in hopes of competing for a title or decide instead to cut their losses and blow this thing up.
Personally, I don't love what the Nets have turned into with KD and Kyrie. And while I understand the organization hesitating to re-sign Kyrie Irving, I'd say that it is still within their best interest to do so. It is as simple as this: you got a shot if you have Kevin Durant on your team. Things can turn on a dime in this league. In 2019, many believed LeBron James made a colossal mistake signing with the Lakers after missing the playoffs (I still do now, but whatever). He changed many minds by winning a championship in 2020. That year, we thought that Giannis Antetokounmpo might be better off leaving Milwaukeee to chase championship glory elsewhere. He became a world champion in 2021. Most thought the Warriors dynasty was done and over with after the previous two seasons saw them slotted in the draft lottery. Today, they stand as Western Conference champions.
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