The Brooklyn Nets rolled the dice on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving three offseasons ago, but it’s clear all they got was played.
Three offseasons ago, the Brooklyn Nets cleaned up in free agency. Not only did they pull off the big splash of inking Kevin Durant, but they also added Kyrie Irving in the process. Two of the most sought-after free agents of the summer were signing with the Nets.
It was to set forth a new era of Nets basketball.
Even though Durant was expected to miss the majority of the 2019-20 NBA season due to an Achilles injury, the overwhelming opinion during the summer of 2019 was that the Nets were about the be the league’s next great super team.
At best, the Nets were looking to be the next dynasty. At worst, they would be a contender for the next 4-5 years. Fast forward to 2022, and almost none of that happened.
Brooklyn only won one playoff series with Durant and Kyrie and is on the cusp of losing both for pennies on the dollar. All in all, the Durant-Kyrie era in Brooklyn has been a colossal disaster.
Not only did the Nets go all-in with Durant and Kyrie in terms of the roster (which is only natural) but they also went all-in on Durant and Kyrie from an organizational, decision-making process. Brooklyn reportedly relinquished historic of levels of power and influence to Durant and Kyrie. And not just when it came to on-the-court matters.
Brooklyn fired Kenny Atkinson, which was reportedly influenced by Durant and/or Kyrie. Brooklyn hired Steve Nash, which was reportedly influenced by Durant and/or Kyrie. And it goes on and on and on.
In a book by Matt Sullivan, there are details upon details upon details of all the power that was held by Durant and Kyrie. So much so that it was clear their decision to play in Brooklyn was well beyond just basketball.
The Nets went all-in on Durant and Kyrie hoping it would lead to at least one championship or at the very least a half-decade of relevance. Instead, it’s left them with two superstars whose trade value is not in a great place.
Two superstars that the Nets can’t seem to trade at the moment. It’s left the Nets with two superstars that they handed out all the power to and are fighting to get it back.
The Nets played with fire and got burned.
No matter what the Nets elect to do with Durant and Kyrie moving forward, it will likely be a net loss. One playoff series win. To say Durant and Kyrie didn’t work in Brooklyn would be a massive understatement. The 2019-22 Brooklyn Nets will go down as one of the biggest disappointments in NBA history. And it may take this franchise years to recover.