This week has been just one surprise after another in the NBA community. After much was made about where disgruntled superstar Kyrie Irving would land after he made it clear he wanted out of Brooklyn…he opts into his player option with the team. If that wasn’t weird enough, a day later, Kevin Durant requests a trade, and then it’s made clear that Kyrie will probably be traded as well. It seems both superstars have played their final games for the Nets franchise, and it looks like the duo will be splitting up as well.
Much was made when James Harden demanded a trade out of Brooklyn, with many citing it was a clear showcase of Harden’s selfishness, but on Wednesday the former MVP opted out of his player option to be able to give the 76ers more cap space…the exact opposite of what a selfish player would do. Was there a problem in Brooklyn we all couldn’t see and did James Harden jump ship before it sank? Probably.
Ever since the Nets moved to Brooklyn, it’s been one disaster after another. They finally seemed to be getting somewhere the season before they brought on KD and Kyrie, and then everything went downhill once again. Now the Nets are going to be left without their two superstars, and they might be better off for it. Kyrie only brought drama and controversy to the team, and KD’s leadership skills left a hole the team couldn’t bounce back from.
The Nets still have Ben Simmons on their roster, but I can’t even remember the last time I saw him suit up. Still, when healthy, Simmons is an All-Star and a supreme defender who could be in contention for a Defensive Player of the Year Award. Do the Nets acquire as many young prospects and draft assets as possible, and build around Simmons? Kind of.
The Nets are the perfect example that you can’t win with quick fixes. They learned this lesson when they formed that big three with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry, where the Nets infamously sent unprotected first-round picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018. They got the short end of the stick in that situation, and if it didn’t make matters worse, as soon as the sun started to shine, they went ahead and did the same exact thing with Kyrie, Kevin Durant, and James Harden, where that imploded as well.
They didn’t give up as many picks for the three (only Harden was brought in by trade), but this is the second time in ten years that a big three hasn’t worked in Brooklyn. It’s time for the Nets to take a step back, and assess their current situation. They need to acquire as many draft assets as possible, and build their future through the draft, creating a team culture much like the San Antonio Spurs. This is the only way they can build a successful franchise; by not taking shortcuts and building the right way. Just look at the Golden State Warriors housing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole; all players that were drafted and developed by the Warriors.
If the Nets want to finally right the ship, they will have to invest in their player development, invest into their scouting, and let the rest take care of itself from there. ‘Til next time!