The Brooklyn Nets may have already won free agency. They’ve officially snagged three of the most sought-after players on the market. Kevin Durant has committed to a four-year, $161 million deal. As announced earlier, Kyrie Irving has also committed to a four-year, $141 million deal. And, on top of that, DeAndre Jordan will join them in Brooklyn as well. That’s three pieces that the Nets are adding to compete for championships in coming years. On that note, the NBA’s newest big three is here to take over the East. Now that Brooklyn has won the sweepstakes for both Irving and Durant, the NBA has a new team to fear.
The Eastern Conference’s Newest Contender
No matter which way you want to look at it, the Nets are contenders in the East. Durant, Irving, and Jordan create the biggest threat in the conference right now. When you look at this trio, they won’t be able to fully compete until the 2020-21 season because of Durant’s ruptured Achilles. This leaves Irving and Jordan to carry the workload until Durant is ready to return next year. And, according to other reports surrounding the NBA’s best teams, the Nets might just be in a key position for the first seed in 2021.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are obviously the defending NBA Champions. However, they have to worry about the free agency of Kawhi Leonard. Reports are being circulated that Kawhi is due to go to a Los Angeles team. Whether this team is the Clippers or the Lakers, Kawhi is barely being linked back to Toronto. Knowing the way the team operated last season, it’s clear that the Raptors won’t reach the same level of success without Kawhi.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks had the best record in the NBA last season. They’re keeping all of their key pieces, giving Brooklyn some competition in the East. Khris Middleton is re-signing with the Bucks on a five-year, $178 million deal. Brook Lopez is also returning on a four-year, $52 million deal. The Bucks will be a force in the East, but the Nets will be right up there to compete. Of course, that’ll be during the 2020-21 season, so until then, the Bucks may remain the kings of the East.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have a lot of moving pieces in free agency in Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick. Unfortunately for them, they already lost one of those players after Redick committed to a two-year, $26.5 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. Butler is also shying away from Philadelphia after it was rumored that he plans to tell the Miami Heat that he wants to play with them. Fortunately, Tobias Harris is re-signing with the team on a five-year, $180 million deal which should give the Sixers a big three of their own to battle with the Nets and Bucks.
Brooklyn Can Now Compete
These are only three of the East’s best teams and how they look compared to the Nets. If all goes as planned, the Bucks and Sixers will prove to be Brooklyn’s biggest challenges. It’s also evident that Brooklyn can now compete with these powerhouses. Beating out Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons, or Joel Embiid shouldn’t be a huge challenge when you have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on your team. But, we must remember that Kevin Durant will miss the first year of this new era of the Nets. For at least one season, the pressure is on for Kyrie to perform in Brooklyn.
Pressure is on for Kyrie Irving
One season in this new era of Brooklyn basketball will have to be played without the help of Durant. This once again puts the team in the hands of Kyrie Irving. Irving has proven not to have a good track record when he’s the leader. Nevertheless, that’s the position that the Nets find themselves in. Brooklyn is going to have to lean on Irving to make it back to the NBA Playoffs.
Irving Must Exceed Russell’s Success With Brooklyn
That’s where Irving finds himself under the most pressure. Let’s use this past season as an example. Nets free agent PG D’Angelo Russell led the Nets to a 42-40 record with a playoff appearance. This time around, Kyrie is expected to exceed that bar with more than 42 wins.
The Nets, on paper, have a way better roster than that of a season ago. Irving is an upgrade from D’Angelo Russell in almost every way. The pressure is on because Irving is not known for being a leader on a championship-level squad (i.e. Boston Celtics). Although this Brooklyn team won’t be full-fledged contenders until Durant returns, Irving still has much to prove.
Russell is nowhere close to the player that Kyrie Irving is. But, Russell still led this team to the playoffs without the help of any notable players. Irving has Jordan to back him up in Brooklyn. In Boston, we’re aware of how Irving was reportedly the root of the problems endured by the Celtics. Who says that those problems don’t see themselves revived in Brooklyn?
Can Irving Suppress His Past Problems?
Irving will be the best player on the floor for Brooklyn. This draws questions as to whether or not he can change his ways. Will he play less hero ball in this one season with Brooklyn? Everything that Irving was criticized for in the past will be brought to question in Brooklyn. And, until Kevin Durant returns, Irving must show that Brooklyn didn’t make a mistake signing him. Despite the East’s high-level competition, Irving may be expected to lead the Nets to at least the second round.
Kyrie is the Best Second Option in the NBA
Beyond next season, Kyrie and KD will take the court as one of the best duos in the NBA. Throughout all of Irving’s problems with the Celtics, it’s clear that he can’t be the leader nor the best player on a team. He needs a superstar by his side. He has that in Kevin Durant. If anything was clear in Cleveland, it was that Kyrie’s game elevated to new heights when he was the second option.
Alongside LeBron James, Kyrie was able to grow the maturity needed to play on basketball’s biggest stages. Irving now has the second-best player in the world to work off of. Durant will be the focus of the offense being the critical scorer we all know he is. Irving will be able to go to work as both a prominent scorer with an elite skillset and as the number two player on the team. Like in Cleveland, this will be a recipe for success in Brooklyn.
The Narrative of Kevin Durant
What’s the media going to say to undermine the success of Kevin Durant this time? After Durant made the decision years back to join the Golden State Warriors, he was greatly assaulted verbally. People say he took the easy way to the ring even after holding his own in each of the Warriors’ championship victories. Some dubbed him the snake of the NBA, thus undermining his greatness.
Now that he’s joined a much weaker team, how does this impact his narrative? Does Kevin Durant have to win a championship in order to flip the claim that he’s a “weak” player? Durant leaving the team that was a potential dynasty should be enough to sway the media and fans. He was a player who was in perfect shape to win many more rings alongside three other All-Stars. However, he decided to give all of that up. This was done all for the chance to have his own team. In Golden State, although he was the best player, that team belonged to Stephen Curry.
What Should Be Durant’s Mentality
In Brooklyn though, that’s a different story. Durant must return from his injury with revenge on his mind. Whether it was him, the team doctors, or the front office, something/someone urged Kevin Durant to take the court in the NBA Finals only to get injured again. Durant believes he’s the best player in the NBA. Being on the Brooklyn Nets allows him to stake that claim. Under the bright lights of New York, at the Barclays Center, Durant must show us that he’s the top player. First, it was Russell Westbrook, then Stephen Curry, and now Kyrie Irving. Durant has never failed to make the NBA Finals no matter what team he was on.
How DeAndre Jordan Factors In
DeAndre Jordan is finally put in a position to win once again. His first time in that position came with the L.A. Clippers who were a disappointment to us all. This time, he has some more of the best players in the game. Although reports said he was pursued only because he was close friends with Kevin Durant, Jordan is a solid player.
A rebounding center who can aggressively score is the type of player that can compliment Durant and Irving. He also can play great defense, which will be a step up from Jarrett Allen (who’s also returning to the team). Whether he was recruited only to attract Durant or not, Jordan is a solid pick up to form the East’s newest big three to fear.
Brooklyn, Get Ready
The Nets are back in the NBA Championship picture. Kevin Durant will be taking the upcoming season off due to his injury. After that, however, the Nets are seen as sure-fire favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. Since last summer, the team that was seen to sign these marquee free agents was the New York Knicks. The Nets are now the new kings of New York. With Kyrie and KD arriving in Brooklyn, the concrete jungle may be in position to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy soon.