Things have not gone according to plan for the Brooklyn Nets in the last few NBA seasons. They have grand plans of being contenders in the Eastern Conference for years to come when they were able to land Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as free agents in 2019.
When those two got healthy, the Nets had more than enough to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. They were surrounded by a strong supporting cast with Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris, DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie.
However, the team came to a crossroads during the 2020-21 season. The opportunity to acquire James Harden came up and Sean Marks had a decision to make. Did he want to add another superstar to the mix, or did he feel comfortable enough with the two they already had and a strong group of role players?
They picked the third-star route, putting together as talented of a Big 3 as we have seen in recent history. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden made up arguably the best offensive trio we have ever seen outside of the Olympics or All-Star game. There wouldn’t be a team that would be able to slow that offense down. The only thing that could get in the Nets’ way was themselves, and that is exactly what happened.
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That trio ended up playing only 16 games together for a multitude of reasons. Injuries were a big part of it, but Irving’s decision to not get the COVID-19 vaccine also kept him sidelined for a large portion of the 2021-22 season.
Eventually, things soured to the point that Harden wanted to leave as well. He ended up asking for a trade, the second time in about a year that he did so, and ended up with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Now, there is a chance that Irving will be on his way out of town as well. He has a player option for the 2022-23 season which he has yet to make a decision on. If he opts out, he is eligible for a five-year deal worth as much as $245.6 million. However, at this point in time, that isn’t a deal that the Nets are comfortable giving him.
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The two sides are currently at an impasse as a result. No one can blame Brooklyn for having the hesitancy that they do. Irving has been unreliable from an availability standpoint, appearing in only 103 regular-season games in the last three seasons combined. While some of that has been because of injury, some are also self-inflicted, such as taking time away for social issues and not getting vaccinated.
Playing hardball makes sense if you are the Nets, but they are toeing a fine line in doing so. If the Nets are unwilling to sign Irving to a long-term deal, they are running the risk of also alienating Durant, which would be a doomsday scenario for the Nets.
If Kyrie Irving does move on this offseason, whether it is via trade or opting out and signing elsewhere, Brooklyn needs to be prepared for Durant to follow suit. Durant left behind a dynasty with the Golden State Warriors to go out on his own and team up with Irving. If Irving leaves, he will likely request a trade as well.
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That is something Marks and the front office have to avoid happening at all costs. Losing Durant would be a death blow to the organization as they put all of their eggs into his and Irving’s basket. It was the bed that the Nets chose and now they have to lie in it.
Recent reports are that everyone wants this to be worked out. Irving and Durant want to continue playing with each other and there is optimism that Ben Simmons can find his niche and get on track as well.
But, the first step in that process is getting Irving back on board. If they are unable to do that, the Brooklyn Nets are going to look a lot different during the 2022-23 season, as they will have gone from a Big 3 with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden to likely having none of them on the roster a year later.
