The Brooklyn Nets are currently in limbo ahead of NBA free agency, in a state of suspended animation waiting to be brought back down to Earth by the eventual decision made by potential free-agent point guard Kyrie Irving and subsequently his best friend and costar Kevin Durant.
Brooklyn quickly went from a new dominant superpower in the Eastern Conference to one of the most complicated and precarious situations in the entire league.
Gone already is James Harden, shipped off to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, a talented but troubled young athlete who’s struggling both with mental health and physical injury. conditions that held him out for the entirety of the 2021-22 NBA season and playoffs.
Now with the Nets and Irving in disagreement over the length of the point guard’s possible contract extension, Brooklyn stands to lose the remaining two holdovers of the original Big 3 they landed in 2021. It seems that Irving will be dealt via sign-and-trade before the 2022-23 regular season tips off, as he reportedly gave the Nets’ front office his list of preferred destinations.
A sign-and-trade agreement would be the best-case scenario for both Brooklyn and Irving, as it’ll prevent the Nets from losing their star point guard for nothing in free agency and will allow Kyrie to choose his next team regardless of how much cap space they have this offseason.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Brooklyn Nets Nearing Doomsday Scenario With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving
Of course, if Irving is to be shipped out, Kevin Durant could be soon to follow. Irving was the main reason that the Nets were able to land KD to being with and without his best friend and costar around, and with a pretty bleak future incoming, it would make sense for the Slim Reaper to move on as well.
“It’s no involvement at all. I can’t be involved with it,” Durant said. “This is this man’s livelihood. This is much bigger than me. Being a free agent, it’s one of the most important times in your career. That can’t be swayed by anybody else. I just do me and wait for the time. There’s nothing that can happen right now. I don’t think he can even make a decision on opting out until the 29th, I think.
“I just let things play out and see what happens, but keep the regular contact up with Kai and see what happens. It’s something that’s so much out of my control that I don’t want to be a part of it. We’ll see what happens though.”
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Brooklyn Nets Nearing Doomsday Scenario With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving
Whether or not he can actually influence Irving or the Nets’ decision-making process, how the situation plays out will certainly impact his standing with Brooklyn moving forward.
