Getty Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving teamed up on the Nets.
Will Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant mesh instantly on the basketball court during their patnership with the Brooklyn Nets?
Retired NBA veteran, Michael Redd has the answer. “I do,” Redd said on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
“I really do. KD’s so unique and I know Kyrie has a special love for him and KD has a special love for him. I think their chemistry because they’re boys and friends similar to a Harden/Westbrook, I think that will get them through a lot of ups and downs that they may face.”
That’s high praise.
Irving, Durant and Brooklyn teammate, DeAndre Jordan signed deals with the Nets last offseason.
Durant didn’t play this season as he was still recovering from his torn Achilles and Irving played some before shutting his season down with what the Nets called a shoulder impingement.
Next season will be a different story and the world better be ready. “I don’t know how close Kyrie was to LeBron off the court,” said Michael Redd.
“These guys are close off the court and hopefully that will translate to on the court chemistry. Because if KD can get on Kyrie, Kyrie won’t take it personally. That’s my boy, telling me what I should do or vice-versa. It’s interesting to me because, LeBron is playing – and this is a compliment to both of them but, LeBron is playing with an unbelievable level of confidence this year. Part of that I think is because I think there’s one guy in the NBA – Kawhi obviously can give LeBron problems but, there’s one guy that can… that KD is something else. He’s not in the picture at all. So with him and the Golden State Warriors being out of the picture, people feel – and LeBron and the Lakers have to feel so confident that they can win it all. Any team actually. Because that juggernaut was just…it was too much.”
Not only do the Nets have Irving and Durant, they also have a new head coach in Naismith Hall of Famer, Steve Nash.
GettySteve Nash, left, helped Stephen Curry win an MVP award while working with the Warriors.
Nash and Durant developed a bond during Nash’s stint as a consultant for the Golden State Warriors. Nash and Irving connected during their playing days when Irving was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Nash played for the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively. Through the years, Irving also participated in Nash’s soccer tournaments with Irving in years past.
A two-time league MVP, Steve Nash is a seven-time All-NBA selection and was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice while playing for the Phoenix Suns.