The Brooklyn Nets have been confusing the entire league this offseason. Hours before the beginning of free agency, it was reported that Kevin Durant had requested to be traded from the Nets after a week-long saga about Kyrie Irving not agreeing on terms for a new contract extension.
Irving opted-in to his contract for the 2022-23 season, while KD signed a long-term extension last season that sees him contracted to the team for 4 more years. While both the stars want out of the team, they are still members of the Nets and could remain that for next season if the team refuses to move them this season.
With the difficulty in the current market to find the right value for Durant, the Nets have toyed with the idea of not breaking up their team and instead reinforcing it with new talents like TJ Warren and Royce O’Neal.
Jay Williams of ESPN suggested that with a strong team already around them with the new signings and the players they brought back, Kyrie and KD could just come back for a final season before Brooklyn trades KD next year, and Kyrie can walk as a free agent.
“You have all the pieces there in place to contend in the Eastern Conference. With this lineup, you’re talking about a team that is right there with the Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks, the 76ers, and the Miami Heat. They’re all in contention to win it, and on paper, you can say the Nets have the most talented team if they were all to return. If you have all the pieces in place, why not run it back?”
The Nets have strong depth after their reinforcements on the wing side with the return of Joe Harris from injury and the addition of Warren and O’Neal. Cam Thomas looks prime and ready to take a leap next season, possibly starting next to Kyrie if he chooses to stay. There are reasons to stay in terms of a competitive team in place for them to lead.
Kyrie and KD joined the Nets together in 2019 to see out this vision for a championship together. Instead of ending their tenure on a playoff sweep loss in the first round, they could leave the team on their own terms after giving it one final push to win a championship with this team.
