Getty Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets gestures during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards.
It’s no secret the Brooklyn Nets underachieved last season after being swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
There were a lot of reasons things played out that way, and a big part of it was the fact Kyrie Irving was unavailable for much of the season and never got a real chance to fit in with the team.
Trading away James Harden in the middle of the season didn’t help matters either, so a lot of things went wrong for the Nets. Going into next season, things might be even worse.
Kevin Durant has requested a trade, Ben Simmons is an uncertainty after undergoing back surgery shortly after the season ended, and Irving is always a wild card himself.
Sports Illustrated’s Ben Stinar suggests the Nets rid themselves of the potential headache and flip him for Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton. The former NBA champion missed a vital playoff run that led to the Bucks flaming out of the playoffs, so it’s clear he brings a lot to the table.
While a trade wouldn’t make a ton of sense for the Bucks, a player of Irving’s caliber isn’t available every day, and Stinar urges them to make a move.
Would It Make Sense?
Irving is a free agent next season, so he could end up being a rental for the bucks, but the same can be said for Middleton as he has a player option he could decline.
Stinar argues this trade would be in the best interest for the Bucks as it’d pair Giannis Antetokounmpo with a true superstar, and the Nets would be able to free up Ben Simmons to play point guard.
“The Bucks could get a player that is an absolute superstar in Irving, and pair him with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo,” he wrote. “As for the Nets, they could add stability to a roster that already has Durant and three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons. Simmons is a point guard, so they do not need Irving to run the offense, and they need a shooting guard.”
This would leave the Nets with a lineup looking something like this, provided no other changes are made:
- PG: Ben Simmons
- SG: Seth Curry
- SF: Khris Middleton
- PF: Kevin Durant
- C: Nic Claxton
On paper, that looks like a team that could compete for a championship, but the same could have been said about the Nets last season. A trade like this could jump start both the Bucks and Nets, but there doesn’t seem to be much interest from either side at the moment.
Latest on Durant
Durant’s trade request is approaching the one month mark and things haven’t really budged since he initially requested the trade.
His two preferred destinations have appeared to moved on, so now the Nets will either try to convince him to stay in Brooklyn, or they’ll decide to ship him to a spot that works best for them.
The Irving-Durant era with the Nets has been an interesting one, but maybe not so if you’re a Brooklyn fan.