NBA: 7 teams with the most to prove heading into the 2020-21 season
By Jason Barron
Brooklyn Nets
This is the most anticipated season in Brooklyn Nets history. The duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving is expected to make the Nets a title contender. Irving in his first season with the Nets missed most of last season with a variety of injuries and only played in 20 games.
Durant is returning from an Achilles tear suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals. Both players have looked like their old selves in preseason action and will need to stay healthy and at the top of their games to give the Nets a chance at reaching their full potential. Durant still looks like the most effortless scorer in the game and Irving still can get anywhere on the court because of his elite ball handling.
The Nets also feature a deep team that leads the team to the playoffs last season as the seventh seed but were swept by the Toronto Raptors. Supporting players like Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jeff Green, Joe Harris, Tyler Johnson, DeAndre Jordan, Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Landry Shamet give the team great depth. Caris LeVert looks like he could develop into a future All-Star being able to score at all three levels, get to the free-throw line and create for his teammates.
Joe Harris and Landry Shamet are knockdown 3-point shooters that should get plenty of open looks playing around Durant and Irving. Spencer Dinwiddie is a starter quality point guard that can either start or come off the bench and gives the team another ball handler that can do a little bit of everything. Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan will give the team two centers that can protect the rim and be a paint presence that can get rebounds and put backs.
If Durant and Irving can get along on and off the court, stay healthy and be good teammates then the Nets should have great chemistry and be a team ready to win the title this season. New head coach, Steve Nash will have to manage many different personalities and determine who is most deserving of playing time on a deep team. The Nets remain the most intriguing team this season and could either sink or swim.