Brooklyn Nets: Could Caris LeVert be the key to a championship run in 2021?

 As Kevin Durant rehabs this season, the true key to a championship run for the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 could hinge on Caris LeVert

Just a few years ago, the Brooklyn Nets had arguably the grimmest outlook in the NBA. The trade for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had blown up in their face and was left with little-to-no assets for the foreseeable future.

However, during the 2019 NBA offseason the Nets made the biggest of splashes by signing both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency. Even though Durant is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season, there is huge promise surrounding this team for 2020-21.

Brooklyn will likely make the playoffs this season, assuming health for Kyrie Irving, but won’t be in a position to make much noise in the Eastern Conference. They simply can’t match up with the talent that the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks currently have on their roster.

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Which was expected, and perfectly fine. With that said, the Nets are still trending towards an entertaining 2019-20 season. They haven’t had a star as good as Kyrie, in his prime, on their active roster in almost a decade. This season should be a much-needed breath of fresh air for the Nets franchise.

Though, next season should be even better. Kevin Durant returns from injury and Kyrie will be entering into year two with the organization, which should bring added comfort. But another element that not many are talking about regarding this Nets team is their young talent, apart from Durant and Kyrie.

And one interesting young player that could be a key to Brooklyn’s potential championship run in 2020-21 is Caris LeVert.

LeVert, who is entering his fourth season with the club, is coming off a breakout season. What made it all the more impressive was the fact that he had to overcome a pretty serious injury during the middle of the season, which cost him nearly three months of regular-season action.

Still, he returned and picked up where he left off with the team and helped lead them to the playoffs where he had the best stretch since his return from injury thus far.

During the team’s five-game series against the Philadelphia 76ers, which was a much more competitive series than what will be remembered, LeVert averaged 21 points, five rebounds and three assists on 48 percent shooting from the field and 52 percent shooting from 3-point range. For most of the series, LeVert looked like the best player on the Nets roster while a struggling D’Angelo Russell battled to get back on track.

LeVert was aggressive and consistent, and when his jump shot is working there is little a defender can do to stop him. And while having LeVert as your best player in a playoff series might result in a gentleman’s sweep, having him as your third-best player could result in an NBA Championship.

Which is the hope for the Nets in the 2020-21 season. The key for Brooklyn this season has to be to create chemistry with Kyrie and establish a championship culture in the locker room, even without an active Durant. The foundation should be set.

However, this season should also be dedicated to the development of Caris LeVert. As the team’s third-best player in 2020-21, there’s no question that the Nets would be amongst the favorites to win the NBA Championship.

And after officially signing him to a three-year contract extension, it’s clear that the organization views LeVert as a big part of this team’s future. Which only adds more fuel to the idea that Caris LeVert could be the key to a championship run in 2020-2021.