The Brooklyn Nets have never been a destination for star free agents, but that could change this summer if they land Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are two of the most exciting players in the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets have been rumored to have a chance to land both players this offseason. Closing deals with both KD and Kyrie would shift the pace in Brooklyn.
Here are three reasons Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could change the Brooklyn Nets franchise forever.
1. The fan base will become stronger
Brooklyn has always had a strong fan base but over the years, it seems as if Brooklyn does not have a player to root for. Brooklyn has had past stars that have made the team that much better.
Some notable players have been Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and even after the Paul Pierce–Kevin Garnett trade, the team seemed to gain momentum from their fans.
The Nets have not had a star player to lean to every game. D’Angelo Russell was the closest to it, but with talks of Russell being the odd man out in free agency, the Nets do not have that “star” on their roster.
Having Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving join the team will increase the following for the franchise. The Nets acquiring both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will make for exciting games and a huge fan reaction every game.
2. The Nets could become an NBA Finals-bound team
Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors that have had such stacked lineups could have some competition if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving join the Brooklyn Nets. Their move to the Nets would improve the Nets immensely.
KD is a power scorer and a clutch player. He is arguably the best small forward in the league.
Irving is also in the discussion for best point guard in the NBA as he has averaged averages 22 points per game over his eight-year career with a 39 percent accuracy rate on 5.4 3-point attempts per game in that span.
These are areas where the Nets have had difficulty with consistency. Adding both of these players to the team will only make the franchise stronger. We have seen this happen many times with iconic duos like LeBron James and Dwayne Wade and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
With good health and a strong rotation and bench behind the duo, the Nets could be Finals-bound.
The question is, how soon can they reach that status?
3. The rotation could change for the better.
The rotation for the Brooklyn Nets isn’t bad, but it can definitely improve. The bench is pretty impressive, but their starting lineup is not as strong as other teams. The Nets have some holes they should try to fill in order to improve their starting lineup.
Having Jared Dudley as their starting power forward last season was not too effective for the team. Dudley averaged 4.9 games and 2.0 assists per game. With Kevin Durant filling that role, the Nets could see an improvement in their rotation.
Kyrie is also a great replacement for D’Angelo Russell. Russell averaged 21 points and seven assists per game last season, but Kyrie is the star player they need. If the deals do happen, the Brooklyn Nets will pick up two star players who can help the rotation in a huge way.