Hiram Moreno
The atmosphere in the Brooklyn Nets has been quite dense, asthere have not been easy days for the organization due to Kyrie Irving’s contract situation, and Kevin Durant, another of the team’s superstars, seems to be losing faith in management because of everything that is going on at the franchise.
This was made known by Logan Murdock of The Ringer during a podcast, who mentioned that Kevin Durant has had no communication with anyone in the Brooklyn Nets organization for weeks. With this grows the speculation regarding the future of the player, who could be the next to leave the team if Kyrie Irving decides to opt for free agency.
If this is the case, practically the Nets could say goodbye to that “winning project” they started to put together in 2019 with the arrival of Durant, Irving, and DeAndre Jordan. Two years later they brought in James Harden to form that much-feared “Big Three,” but feared has had little as the Brooklyn Nets have done nothing but disappoint, winning just one postseason series since 2019.
Harden already left for Philadelphia and Ben Simmons arrived in his place, and the Australian could be left “alone” in Brooklyn if the other two superstars leave the draft. Logan Murdock also explained on the podcast that Kevin Durant hasn’t gotten what he wanted since coming to the Brooklyn Nets, as his desire was to “compete for titles while playing with his friends.”
Kevin Durant not only has friends on the roster, but also on the coaching staff, and Adam Harrington’s possible decision not to return for next season also has Durant unhappy, as the Nets assistant and director of development and was Durant’s coach during his time at Oklahoma and is also a very close friend.
What Will Become of the Brooklyn Nets Without Kevin Durant and Irving?
If Durant and Irving ultimately decide to leave the team, the Brooklyn Nets will have a serious problem on their hands, not only because the sophomore would be leaving the organization as a free agent, but because of what a complete roster restructuring for the 2022/23 NBA campaign means in such a short period of time.
The Nets could get a good trade for Durant considering his superstar status in the league, but assembling all the pieces could be a tricky job.As teams like the Knicks and Bulls gaining momentum in the Eastern Conference and with titans like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat, the Brooklyn Nets may not know the postseason again for a long time if they don’t get things right.
But this is all mere speculation, although the ripple effect Kyrie Irving’s departure could cause is certainly frightening for the organization.
