Brooklyn Nets could reportedly stop pursuing Kyrie Irving

Even with recent reports of Kyrie Irving to the Brooklyn Nets is all but a done deal, the team could reportedly stop pursuing Kyrie Irving unless Kevin Durant comes with him.

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory and it appeared as if they were only getting better going into the 2019-20 season. But now things look a bit different as a report came out that they could reportedly stop chasing free agent Kyrie Irving.

Only a couple days ago it appeared as if Kyrie Irving had all but signed his name to a contract with the Brooklyn Nets, but now it looks much less certain.

"The Post has reported the Nets’ dream offseason is pairing Kevin Durant with Kyrie Irving, and sources say that hasn’t changed.The question is if they can’t land Durant, do they still want Irving? Especially if they have to lose D’Angelo Russell — their own 23-year-old homegrown All-Star — to get him?The Post has confirmed Brooklyn might have qualms about signing the enigmatic Irving if he isn’t bringing the injured Durant with him.via The New York Post"

If you asked almost any NBA expert, prior to Wednesday night’s report in the post, where Kyrie Irving was going to go, they would say the Nets. Everything seemed like it lined up perfectly for the Nets. A recent trade with Atlanta created enough cap space to bring back D’Angelo Russell while also signing Irving. The former Boston star opted out of Beantown and has reportedly ‘ghosted’ the Celtics.

Not only that but even the Celtics believed that Irving was prepared to sign with the Nets. The question is, why do the Nets want to give that up if Kevin Durant doesn’t come as part of a package with Irving.

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Yes, Kyrie may have proved this season that whatever team he is on can’t be successful if he is their best player. However, Irving didn’t have anyone quite as talented in Boston as D’Angelo Russell had with the Nets.

Kyrie Irving and D’Angelo Russell would rival any other team for one of the best guard combos in the NBA behind the Warriors with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Irving is explosive with handles unlike anyone else in the league and this season we saw what Russell is capable of as he made his first career All-Star Game and helped guide the Nets back to the playoffs.

So once again, why would the Nets want to give this up? The Nets have the potential to be a legitimate competitor in the Eastern Conference and they also have the potential to finally take the next step and become ‘New York’s Team.’

We all know that even though the Nets had a far better season than their Broadway neighbors in 2018-19, New York still belongs to the Knicks. This offseason the Nets had the potential to change that by bringing in Irving while keeping Russell, but now it looks as if that won’t happen.

Kevin Durant’s recent achilles tear makes it very unlikely that he goes to Brooklyn. The Nets haven’t even been in the conversation for Kevin Durant, so why would they put everything on the line if chances are they don’t bring him in?

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If this report turns out to be true, the Brooklyn Nets could very likely derail their entire future because they wanted nothing or everything.

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