On paper, the Brooklyn Nets look nearly unbeatable. Any team with James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant is going to be difficult to face.
In reality, the Nets haven't been nearly as dominant. While some of that can be attributed to the growing pains of a new roster, it's undeniable that Brooklyn can't reach their full potential without Kyrie Irving.
After refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, he disqualified himself from playing, meaning he'll likely be out the entire season or even longer.
Without him, do the Nets have any hope of winning the title? According to former Nets guard Kerry Kittles, the answer is no.
(via Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson)
“No they need Kyrie, they definitely need Kyrie. I just think it just puts too much pressure on those two guys," Kittle said. "I think in this era nowadays you need three stars, you definitely need three high caliber players that can control the game with the ball in their hands”
The Nets are 16-7 this season but with some rather concerning losses on their resume. They've lost to almost every top team in the league, signaling that they might not necessarily be on their level this season.
Amid questions about how the Nets stack up against the elites, rumors about potentially trading Irving continue to fly.
To that end, it’s worth noting that, as of late last month, Brooklyn remained open to talking trades involving Irving, per SNY sources. ESPN reported in late October that the Nets were taking calls on potential Irving trades, but not making them. In the weeks following that report, several teams said Brooklyn has continued to take that approach with the All-Star guard.
So far, Brooklyn has avoided any serious changes, and the team as-is is certainly good enough to secure home-court advantage in the post-season.
Anything beyond that remains a complete mystery.
Irving, 29, averaged 26.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 50% shooting last season. His return date remains unknown.
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