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The Brooklyn Nets had the best odds to win the championship this season in the preseason. The oddsmakers were confident that superstars Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving would lead the franchise to the promised land.
However, Brooklyn is only in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Harden requested a trade at the trade deadline and was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond and Irving has only appeared in 19 games since he’s unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Irving becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2022-23 player option. Durant, who signed a four-year, $194.2 million extension with the Nets in August 2021, believes Brooklyn’s title window is going to be open for at least a few years despite the uncertainty of Irving’s playing status at home and future with the organization.
“I’m not guaranteeing that we got a championship, but I just like what we’re building,” Durant said, via Nick Friedell of ESPN. “And I’m not going to say this is the only year we’ve got an opportunity to fight and work towards something. I don’t think next year we’ve got to start all the way over and try to figure out what’s the next iteration of the Nets. I feel like we can just build on what we have and see what happens. We got guys that are committed and want to be here.
“If you’re looking at it as if, like, this is our only chance to ever do something special with this group — and other people looking at it that way — then I can see why. But to be honest, I signed here for five years to play. You know what I’m saying? Looking at, obviously this year’s important, but no matter what happens this year I still want to do it again. And again. I want to continue to play, have this group together as long as we can. So short term, we can focus on that for sure, but we also looking at the big picture of things too.”
The Nets likely won’t have Irving available for home games if they advance past the play-in tournament because of New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which would severely diminish their title hopes. Durant knows his All-Star guard is “frustrated” and a polarizing player, but he will continue to support Irving.
Durant: ‘We Love Kyrie as a Human Being’
Durant will never let the outside noise pressure him into turning against Irving, who is the two-time Finals MVP’s best friend off the court.
“He’s frustrated in not being able to play,” Durant said, via Friedell. “He figured this stuff would be rolled back by now, we’d be way past this. But it’s the situation we’re in, we got to deal with it, he’s got to deal with it. Trusting that it’ll get figured out there soon. I have no clue what may happen, but I’m just trusting that things will work itself out. But I’m sure he misses playing in front of a home crowd and the home crowd, vice versa, they miss him. So hopefully we get it figured out soon.
“We love Kyrie as a human being. I don’t think we were ever upset at him as much as people on the outside were. We get that it may affect the outcome of some basketball games, but that’s not the only reason why we love Kyrie as a person because what he can bring to the court. I think overall him as a human being, we respect who he is, we respect the game on top of that.”
The Nets will have a difficult time winning the championship this season if Irving can’t play in home games. However, Durant is comfortable with the group of players around him.
Durant Confident Playing Without Irving
Durant knows the path to a title is easier with Irving in the lineup, but he won’t get discouraged if Uncle Drew can’t be a full-time player since he has faith in his other teammates.
“We’ve been saying that no matter who’s on the floor, you’ve still got to go out there and play and hoop,” Durant said, via Friedell. “We’d love to have Kyrie out there, being out there, but if they aren’t, the rest of the guys just got to go play and live with the results. I think we’re all comfortable with that.”
It will be fascinating to see if the Nets get out of the play-in tournament. If they do, Durant and Co. will be a scary team in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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