AP
After Brooklyn getting ready to a breakup — and one of many best failures in NBA historical past — the Nets will run it again this season with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Durant rescinded his offseason commerce request, and Irving opted into the ultimate yr of his contract. Now lastly getting a wholesome Ben Simmons — or any Simmons in any respect, for that matter — on the court docket ought to make the Nets a authentic title contender on paper.
However the Nets’ failures in latest seasons are proof that titles are received on the court docket, not on parchment.
“Everybody has an excellent staff on paper,” Durant mentioned. “A variety of good groups, quite a lot of expertise within the East. However as soon as the video games are being performed, that’s whenever you’ll declare who the perfect staff is. Clearly, the primary third of the season, you’ll begin to determine it out. All people feels nice about their staff about this time.”
That the Nets can really feel nice about their staff in any respect — after Durant tried to get dealt, then tried to get coach Steve Nash and basic supervisor Sean Marks fired — would have strained credulity two months in the past.
However will they nonetheless really feel nice after the season is over?
“Vibes have been straight, however who is aware of what the vibes will likely be if we hit a skid or we’re not enjoying properly or someone will get injured?” Durant mentioned. “I believe that’s what makes a staff: how we stick via these occasions. It’s straightforward to be cool when all the pieces is optimistic proper now, however we’ll see because the season goes on.”
The Nets have gone via a turbulent offseason, their championship odds so long as 50/1 throughout the Durant drama now lately 7/1. Their upcoming season is not possible to foretell, however listed here are 5 evident questions heading into it.
Beginning 5
Can the Nets hold Durant completely happy?
Durant threw the Nets — and your complete NBA offseason — into chaos when he requested for a commerce in late June. It was the dominant story all via Las Vegas Summer time League and properly into August, when he doubled down and requested for the firings of Marks and Nash.
Nets proprietor Joe Tsai held his nerve and refused to deal the two-time Finals MVP. Tsai and Marks have been in lockstep all through this complete course of, and that’s nonetheless the case. That’s why Durant is again within the fold heading into Wednesday’s regular-season opener, and all people on the staff is singing Kumbaya. However how lengthy does that final?
Durant was clearly overworked final season, when it comes to minutes logged and accountability on the ground. Even sans Irving, the Nets had been only a half recreation out of first place within the Jap Convention in mid-January when Durant damage his MCL. By the point he got here again, they had been in eighth place, having gone 5-16 throughout his six-plus-week absence. He has mentioned the dearth of grit the Nets confirmed was a part of the rationale he wished out.
The Nets have a brutal 20-game stretch to begin the schedule with 12 street video games and 5 back-to-backs, each tops within the East, in addition to 10 video games towards groups that made the playoffs final season. What occurs in the event that they stumble out of the gate? Will Durant resuscitate his commerce request? And even when he doesn’t, do they begin to pull aside beneath the fixed questions and scrutiny?
Can Nash coach?
So, about Nash …
Durant’s greatest grievance was the Nets’ eroded tradition and lack of accountability. Championship-winning groups police themselves, but when the buck stops on the high, it’s finally as much as Nash and Marks to set the tone. Many followers have questioned Nash’s skill to set that tone and his endgame acumen.
Nash may have loads of eyes on him, and the boos he heard at a latest fan occasion reveals how vital these eyes will likely be. In the meantime, the Nets’ assistant teaching ranks have suffered a mind drain the previous two years. Mike D’Antoni and Ime Udoka departed after the 2020-21 season, adopted by Jordan Ott, who juggled quite a lot of duties final season, this previous summer time. The addition of Igor Kokoskov ought to assist.
Nash may have chores past rebuilding the connection with Durant. He'll probably must craft lineups which have Simmons on the ground with a minimum of one different non-shooter, if not two, one thing that at all times troubled Simmons’ earlier staff, the 76ers. And Nash has to handle the egos of his Massive 3 whereas concurrently demanding accountability.
And people are all regular-season issues. The actual take a look at of any coach, Nash included — maybe Nash particularly — will come within the playoffs, when the foes get extra acquainted and the video games get extra tactical.
Can they keep wholesome?
It appears as if the Nets are asking this each season, and this yr isn't any totally different.
5 Nets are getting back from some type of surgical procedure: Simmons, Joe Harris, Seth Curry, TJ Warren and Edmond Sumner. Harris (foot) and Curry (ankle) have been dominated out for the season opener, and Warren received’t even be evaluated till subsequent month.
Then there's the Massive 3.
Irving has a prolonged harm historical past, except for the time he missed on account of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, which have been lifted in New York. He’s performed simply 103 of 226 doable regular-season video games as a Internet, and hasn’t topped 67 since 2016-17. Durant has performed 80 regular-season video games in three seasons in Brooklyn. Simmons missed all of final season on account of a again harm and psychological well being woes. After Brooklyn’s Massive 3 of Durant, Irving and James Harden logged simply 16 video games collectively, can this trio keep wholesome and on the court docket?
“It’s going to be an extended journey as a result of there’s at all times obstacles, and the vast majority of the time, the healthiest staff wins,” Irving mentioned. “And we've got to be wholesome bodily, mentally, and emotionally.”
Oddsmakers have positioned the over-under on Simmons’ video games performed at 61.5 video games and at 59.5 for Irving. In the event that they and Durant all find yourself in that neighborhood, the Nets ought to excel.
How lengthy can this final?
Durant is simply beginning a four-year max contract extension, however we’ve already seen that doesn’t imply a lot. He requested a commerce earlier than it even kicked in. Will he revisit that request?
And even when Durant stays dedicated, there’s uncertainty round Irving, who failed to achieve an extension with the Nets after talks obtained contentious. Irving flirted with leaving by way of commerce or simply strolling in free company earlier than opting into the ultimate yr of his contract at $36 million. Which means he can change into an unrestricted free agent after the season and go away for the Lakers — or any staff that may pay him.
Sure, a motivated Irving in a contract yr — chasing the max contract that he did not get however noticed Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard land — might dazzle. However will it's his Nets swan music, or simply the precursor to one thing longer?
Are they robust sufficient?
That’s been the query concerning the Nets, each bodily and mentally.
Have they got the stick-to-itiveness and willpower to keep up a championship work ethic? The persistence to concentrate to all of the little issues and never get caught a playoff future that they squander?
And bodily, can they stand as much as stronger groups? In getting Simmons again and buying and selling a first-round decide for sturdy perimeter defender Royce O’Neale, they’ve added size and athleticism and the power to protect on the ball. However dimension nonetheless is a priority.
Although the Nets are by no means going to bully folks, they must be a minimum of bodily sufficient to not let opponents negate their talent. Day’Ron Sharpe and Markieff Morris are bodily, however Sharpe’s defensive positioning was missing final season and the 33-year-old Morris has misplaced mobility. The grit goes to have to come back from your complete roster, one-through-17.
Buzzer beaters
Newcomer to look at: Ben Simmons
Sure, the 6-foot-10, 240-pound level guard/energy ahead was on the roster final season, acquired on the Feb. 10 commerce deadline at the price of former MVP James Harden. However he sat out the remainder of the marketing campaign due to a herniated disk that finally required again surgical procedure.
Wednesday will mark his regular-season Nets debut, and so they want him to be impactful. Simmons, a three-time All-Star, has profession averages of 15.9 factors, 8.1 rebounds and seven.7 assists. His weak point is taking pictures (from deep or the foul line), however he’s as adept at creating open 3-point seems for others as any participant within the league. That ought to mesh properly with stars reminiscent of Durant and Irving and deadeyes reminiscent of Joe Harris and Seth Curry.
Most vital choice: Do they re-sign Irving, and for the way lengthy?
The Nets had a max supply to Irving on the desk earlier than final season, however his refusal to stick to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates noticed these talks break down.
After being restricted to only 29 video games final season — solely six at Barclays Heart — Irving received’t must take care of these mandates going ahead. Now the query is: Do these extension talks get rekindled and consummated, or does he find yourself leaving in free company after the season for the Lakers or another staff?
Good days to come back: Nic Claxton.
After years as an understudy, having his growth stunted by each harm and sickness, the 23-year-old is lastly ready to put declare to the beginning middle spot. After engaged on his physique and conditioning, he’s poised to have a breakout marketing campaign.
Dangerous days forward: Kessler Edwards.
His potential as a coveted 3-and-D participant might grant him an extended NBA profession. However after an ideal storm of accidents and a brief roster noticed the 6-foot-8 rookie pressured into vital enjoying time final season — enjoying 48 video games and beginning 23 — he's liable to see his minutes slashed significantly. Marks made it a degree so as to add size and protection: Simmons, O’Neale and Harris are all forward of Edwards, who averaged simply 10 minutes within the preseason and shot a mixed 2-of-12.
Don’t be stunned if… The Nets look totally different on each ends of the court docket.
They’re not going again to the drop protection days of Kenny Atkinson and Jarrett Allen, however they'll probably be a bit extra tactical and even handed with their switching. They’ll make the most of Simmons’ skill as a Defensive Participant of the Yr runner-up and hold him on star forwards like Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo. On the opposite finish, they’ll be much less reliant on isolation and run extra movement offense.
Story that received’t go away: Durant.
Each offhand remark will likely be dissected and each phrase parsed. Each shedding streak and each prolonged stretch of poor play will invoke questions on Durant’s temper and opining about his dedication to staying in Brooklyn.
Prediction: 48-34
If the Nets get 180 video games mixed from Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, they might dash properly previous 50 wins. However the issue is they might get half that many. League GMs known as this the toughest staff to foretell, and so they’re proper.
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