The top PG on the free agent market is no longer up for grabs. Former Celtics’ PG Kyrie Irving has decided to sign a four-year, $141 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Kyrie is signing over from the Boston Celtics, who had a very underwhelming season in every way possible. In the early stages of the regular season, it seemed as if Kyrie was going to re-sign with Boston if the fans would “have him”. As time went on, the Celtics’ problems became more and more evident. The media suggested that Kyrie himself was the root of all of the problems both on and off the court. Seeing the way the Celtics’ system was run, it’s clear that Kyrie wasn’t a good fit.
He’s a ball dominant guard who plays a “feed me and get out the way” style of basketball. With the amount of talent that was around Kyrie in Boston, there was no room for a player that plays the way he did. That held true when the Celtics won only 49 games. Their season ended in the second round of the playoffs, losing 4-1 to the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, it’s on to bigger and (in the eyes of Kyrie) better things. However, Kyrie’s time in Boston has taught us a lot of things. Although he signed with a promising playoff team in Brooklyn, how good/bad of a move was this for both the future of the Nets and Kyrie?
Will Anyone Join Kyrie?
The first thing anyone should take note of is that Kyrie signed without any other star coming with him. This draws high concern because shouldn’t have Kyrie waited for other free agents to make their decisions? The success or failure of this signing highly depends on who joins Kyrie as a Brooklyn Net.
For now, he’s the only star the Nets have. D’Angelo Russell won’t be returning to the team after they managed to sign Irving. And, although the Nets were interested in pairing Russell and Irving together, Russell seems to have his eyes on bigger things for himself. The Lakers and Timberwolves, as well as several other teams, have reported interest in Russell. That leaves Irving alone with a bunch of average-to-good players.
It’s only the beginning of free agency, so there isn’t much to worry about as of now. Throughout the period before free agency, Brooklyn had their eyes on a number of key free agents. That list included Kevin Durant, Tobias Harris, DeAndre Jordan, and Jimmy Butler.
Current Notable Free Agent Situations
Based on all of the reports circulated throughout the last week, the player with the highest chance of joining Kyrie is DeAndre Jordan. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been linked all summer long, but recently, it’s been reported that KD and Kawhi Leonard are discussing scenarios that see them pair up instead.
And, if we were all Kevin Durant, we’d team up with Leonard over Irving. With Tobias Harris, he’s heavily-linked to a max contract to re-sign with the Sixers, making him less likely to sign with the Nets. Lastly, Jimmy Butler and Brooklyn don’t seem to have any communication. Butler is due to meet with the Miami Heat and then the Rockets.
The 76ers are also in the mix for Butler, as they can re-sign him to a max contract as well or conduct a sign-and-trade. As time goes on and more “Woj Bombs” drop, it’s looking less likely that a superstar joins Kyrie. If that does happen, what does that mean for Brooklyn and, more importantly, Kyrie?
No Other Signings = Disaster in Brooklyn
Everyone recognizes Kyrie Irving as a star in this league. He’s one of the most skilled players in the NBA. Despite that, after seeing what he did in both Cleveland and Boston, it’s clear to me that this move will ruin his career. Kyrie Irving can’t be the number one option on a championship-level team. As a matter of fact, he might just be the best second option in NBA History.
He has all the tools to be a reliable and effective wingman to a superstar in the league. That’s why it’s pivotal for Irving to be joined by a superstar who’s better than him. Irving, as a first-option, won’t lead to any notable success for the Nets. The ceiling for Brooklyn will most likely be a second-round exit. That’s a realistic stance considering the level of competition there will be in the coming season.
More evidence of this can be found in Kyrie’s play with Boston. In his first season, he led the Celtics to a 55-27 record while playing 60 games. Due to injury, he didn’t play in the postseason. Without Irving, the Celtics made it to the ECF where they lost in seven games to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This past season, Irving played 67 games and “led” the Celtics to a 49-33 record. A team with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Gordon Hayward, Marcus Morris, Terry Rozier, and with Kyrie as the best player, notched only 49 wins. The Celtics lost to the Bucks in five games in the second round.
Off the court drama had Kyrie Irving compromising the Celtics’ season. The only people who truly know the root of their problems are the front office and the players themselves. The fans and media are only going off what’s reported, and right now, those reports point towards Irving.
If Kyrie can’t lead that talented of a roster to at least 50 wins and an ECF appearance, what does that say for the Nets? Not to mention again that the Celtics had more success without him on the floor two years ago. The Nets roster, with the signing of Irving, will include Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen, Rodions Kurucs, and Dzanan Musa. All are average-to-good players, but this isn’t a roster you can expect Kyrie to lead.
This is mainly because Kyrie just isn’t a leader. Brooklyn is compromising themselves by signing a PG who hasn’t proven that he can be the best player on a championship team. And, that’s what Brooklyn is aiming for, right? There’s no way they’re re-building with that cap space and current roster. So, this move really draws a lot of questions for Brooklyn.
What Exactly is Kyrie Thinking?
Kyrie Irving made the decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets way too early. Although the Nets are close to his childhood home of West Orange, New Jersey, Kyrie should’ve waited for other notable free agents to make their decisions. If notable free agents decide to shy away from the Nets for another team, then we have a massive problem at our hands.
Kyrie should’ve waited to see where Kevin Durant signs. If it’s not the Nets, then Kyrie shouldn’t have gone there either. Suppose Durant signs with the Knicks. Irving needs another superstar to play with, and Durant could be the perfect compliment. Whether it was Brooklyn or New York, Irving should’ve waited to sign wherever Durant went.
If Durant isn’t available to team up with Kyrie, Irving could’ve waited and chosen a team with both max cap space and a prominent star. Enter the Los Angeles Lakers who Kyrie probably should’ve signed with, in the first place. As you can see, there are always alternatives and options for this long free agency period. Kyrie simply was too quick with his decision.
Does Kyrie Know Something That We Do Not?
Now, maybe Kyrie knows something that we don’t. He has to recognize the fact that he can’t succeed on the court without the help of a superstar which isn’t an issue. Irving confessed that he reached out to former teammate LeBron James to apologize for the way he sometimes conducted himself during their time together in Cleveland.
Knowing this, does Kyrie know another superstar is headed to the Nets with him? Even with the news that’s circulated, it just seems as if there’s something being left out. And, of course, the only people who know everything going on are the player and the organization themselves.
Wrapping it Up
Kyrie Irving will be a Brooklyn Net. The success of this signing for both sides will depend on who the Nets bring along to pair with Irving. If it’s Kevin Durant, now we’re talking about a threat in Brooklyn. If any other free agent connected to the Nets sign, then there may still be some doubt.