The 2022 preseason hasn’t been kind to many teams around the league. We’ve seen the Lakers lose both their games, with one being a 30-point blowout at the hands of the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns lose to an Australian team that lost to the OKC Thunder by over 30 points.
The Brooklyn Nets have had a tough preseason as well, losing both of their games so far. Their latest loss came at the hands of the Miami Heat in quite one-sided fashion, as the Heat dominated the Nets 109-80 despite Kevin Durant scoring 22 points early in the game. Considering KD wanted to leave the team over their lack of competitiveness without him, this performance was an indictment of their current strength.
So Kevin Durant trade re-request in 5, 4 . . . ?
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) October 7, 2022
Kevin Durant has been so efficient tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PtdeJz9sn6
— Nets Nation (@NetsNationCP) October 7, 2022
Ben Simmons on offense for the Nets: pic.twitter.com/M31Ljn1SHt
— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) October 7, 2022
Nets fans when the guy they made fun of for years for not shooting and being agressive isnt shooting or being agressive pic.twitter.com/NZn6ApEZIU
— justin (@justinontwt) October 7, 2022
Ben Simmons had the worst +/- on the Nets by a lot in both Games 😭 pic.twitter.com/AteHz0Ec06
— HaterMuse (@HaterMuse) October 7, 2022
Durant with 17 but Heat – which won 11 more playoff games than Nets just 5 months ago – up 18 at half lol.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) October 7, 2022
Actually…Need Steve Nash gone by Thanksgiving @BrooklynNets #FireSteveNash
— 🌊🌊 (@Money_HBK) October 7, 2022
The Heat blowing this game open with Duncan/Nikola/Dru against Simmons/Durant is making my pants very tight
— Christian (@BigIdiotHeatGuy) October 7, 2022
Heat 83, Nets 57 going into fourth. Adebayo, Lowry, Butler done for the night. Durant with 22 points.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) October 7, 2022
Shout-out to Haywood Highsmith. Spoelstra's starting this game by putting him on Kevin Durant as the initial defender. Obviously it's KD so there's no stopping or containing him but Haywood's making it a bit tougher, guided by his length/height. Heat offense a bit… cold.
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) October 6, 2022
Nets have been real messy whenever someone not named Durant has been involved, but still nice to see guys like Jovic, Cain and Smith make an impact. Drafted or not, every year the Heat have that "next guy" in the pipeline.
— Couper Moorhead (@CoupNBA) October 7, 2022
Heat backups beating the hell out of Simmons and Durant in the second quarter. We love to see it
— Austin Maida (@Maida904) October 7, 2022
The Nets missing Kyrie Irving didn’t help, but it is something that is bound to happen multiple times next season, whether it’s injuries or Kyrie needing a day for personal reasons. This team hasn’t inspired confidence in anyone in preseason yet, so everyone should hope that these performances won’t last after the regular season tips off.
Could Kevin Durant Ask Out Of Brooklyn Mid-Season?
Considering the anticlimactic announcement on Twitter that revealed that KD will return to the Nets, many people have kept the possibility of him still wanting a move open. Brooklyn promised KD that the others on the team will step up, so there are a few months in the regular season for everyone to figure out what is expected of them and what they can achieve on the court.
The trade value issues KD was having will be a problem even if he wants out mid-season because the Nets will still seek a high return for a player of KD’s caliber and with the contract length he is on.
Durant is likely to finish the season out in Brooklyn and the team is definitely going to look better than what they did tonight over the season.
