Irving and the Brooklyn Nets are closing in on a four-year, $141 million max contract, as the Nets begin a bold competitive rebuild of their roster. The goal for Brooklyn is to outbid the Knicks and Clippers for injured All Star Kevin Durant, who is coming off Achillies Tendon surgery.More on Durant in a moment.
Irving has been linked to the Nets for a number of weeks. Growing up in West Orange, New Jersey, and attending high school at Montclair Kimberly, Irving was very familiar with the Nets during their days in Jersey, and has been rumored to have been a fan. This is a great opportunity for Irving to come home.
A six-time All Star, the Nets are getting one of the games most talented players, who averaged 23 points per game last year with the Celtics. As talented as he is, Irving took a number of PR hits last season during a tumultuous season where his displeasure with Boston was a daily headline.
It became apparent that Irving is a great player who must have another big star around him to succeed. He talked his way out of Cleveland, bashing star LeBron James on the way out, and finally came to terms with James this season when the spotlight of Boston became too hot. James is entering his second season in Los Angeles with the Lakers, and is teaming up with Anthony Davis. Cleveland is a distant memory for both.
The question is will the Nets get another max contract player on this roster to complement Irving? The obvious name is Durant.
When healthy, Durant is arguably the best player in the NBA. His size and ability to shoot the ball off the class, shoot from down town and defend the rim is uncanny. His abilities helped guide the Golden State Warriors to back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. Had injuries not robbed the Warriors of his presence on the floor, Golden State probably beats Toronto this year.
After tearing his Achilles in Game 3 of the Finals in Toronto, Durant is out for the entire 2019-20 season. When he returns in 2020-21, he will be 32-years old, on the downside of his career. Are the Nets willing to offer him a max-five year deal knowing full well they will not have his services for a season? It seems very, very risky.
Durant is interested in the Nets. However he is also linked as a possible partner for NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who could leave Toronto for either the Clippers or Knicks. We think the Knicks are being used as leverage by both Durant and Leonard. The Clippers would be a more appealing destination.The other wildcard here for Brooklyn is D'Angelo Russell, the Nets All-Star point guard. He is a restricted free agent, and ESPN is reporting Brooklyn will try to move him if Irving finishes his Nets contract. That would be unfortunate. Since coming to the Nets via trade with the Lakers, the 23-year old Russell really came on as a leader for the young Nets.
Russell played in all but one game for Brookyln, averaging 30 minutes and 21 points per game. He will be missed if he ends up being traded or released.
The Nets are making a big risk that is reminiscent to the 2003-2004 Nets when they signed Alonzo Mourning in order to placate Jason Kidd. The results were a disaster. While the Nets finished with 47 wins, and were the number two seed in the East, they were ousted by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the playoffs. A year later, Mourning was gone. The Nets acquired Vince Carter and the team spiraled to a 42 win season in 04-05.
We'll see if Irving and Durant (if he comes to) are worth the gamble.
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