In the aftermath of a rough start, Kevin Durant is doing his best to lead the Nets out of their slump. With averages of 30.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 52.4% shooting, it’s fair to say Durant has done as good of a job as he could have done.
But without Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving at full strength, the Nets haven’t been winning at the rate they have liked.
Speaking on FanDuelTV on Monday, Shams Charania, dropped a revealing truth bomb on the current state of the Nets without several key players:
“For the Nets, they’r ewihtout Ben Simmons lats night, Kyrie Irving still remains out, he still has to complete the tasks they set out for him. The fact that they’re going to be without him (Kyrie Irving) for an indefinite period of time, no Ben Simmons – that’s $70 million out of your lineup. That’s, to me, what jumps out in a very significant way. They need both of those guys back on the court and playing at a high level if this team wants to get anywhere close to what they want to accomplish.”
“The fact that they’re going to be without him (Kyrie Irving) for an indefinite period of time, no Ben Simmons – that’s $70 million out of your lineup.”@ShamsCharania with the latest on the Nets on #RunItBack with @MichelleDBeadle @ChandlerParsons @bansky pic.twitter.com/uRcVQBIEXO
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) November 14, 2022
No Timetable For Kyrie Irving’s Return Amid Suspension From Nets
While the Nets were rolling without Kyrie for a while, it’s clear that they miss his presence on the court, which was missed during their loss to the Lakers on Sunday.
Despite sitting for more than five games, Irving’s return date remains a mystery and the Nets said he still has more work to do before he can come back.
“He still has work to do,” Nets owner Joe Tsai told The Post on Saturday.
Irving was handed an indefinite suspension, which the Nets said would be at least five games, for promoting an anti-Semitic movie. The All-Star guard reached that five-game threshold Saturday, when the Nets played the Clippers. He also will sit out Sunday against the Lakers — and for as long as it takes for him to complete a set of remedial tasks mandated by the Nets.
“He has to show people that he’s sorry,” Tsai told The Post during the game against the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. “What’s important — and what people miss — is he only apologized after he was suspended.”
It remains to be seen what comes next for Uncle Drew. While a path for his return still exists, there are many who feel he won’t be coming back at all.
Either way, the status of his playing future will have big implications on what kind of season the Nets are going to have.
If you are interested in more NBA news, follow us on Google News for the latest updates.
