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Nets' brass challenged with balancing act of load management versus chemistry factor for Durant, Harden, Irving

 Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving played merely nine regular season games and five playoff games as a healthy trio. The results in those contests were undeniable as the three superstars seemed to mesh effortlessly and largely blow away the competition with overwhelming talent and offensive prowess.




Getting Durant, Irving and Harden on-court reps in the regular season is important to continue to build a rapport with one another but also for the development of young rotation players: Nicolas Claxton, Bruce Brown along with free agent additions Patti Mills, Jevon Carter (via trade) and DeAndre' Bembry. 

At what cost are Steve Nash and Sean Marks willing to incur to ensure the Nets are a well-oiled machine come playoff time? 

Brooklyn finished 48-24, second in the conference behind Philadelphia and despite Game 7 on its home floor against Milwaukee, fell inches short of advancing to the conference finals. 

Home court advantage is certainly a factor in the playoffs, but conserving minutes and keeping the team's most dynamic players fresh for a title run has to be a top priority. Irving is coming off a severely sprained ankle, Harden a moderate hamstring strain, and while Durant was healthy for last year's stretch run, he helped carry Team USA to Gold in the Tokyo Olympics after shortened offseason, playoff push and prior to that 18-months without playing in a regular season game. 

Treating Brooklyn's three-headed monster with kid gloves is not the recipe for success either. Irving has battled his share of foot and leg injuries throughout his career, while the normally iron-man Harden was never able to fully recover from a hamstring strain after showing up late to Rockets training camp out of shape. 

So the question remains, what is the perfect amount of games for the Nets' Big Three to play together? 40? 50? 60 or more? 

Marks' and Nash's philosophy likely won't be so straightforward as they have the luxury of all players being able to orchestrate the offense so they can staggered load management games play two stars together, one on his own or in back-to-backs and long road trips let the rest of the club's roster handle the heavy lifting. 

It's clear that the requisite talent is in Brooklyn to deliver on championship hopes, but managing minutes and the job the team's training staff can do to keep its stars healthy will go a long way in determining the Nets' fate during the 2021-2022. 

LaMarcus Aldridge's unfinished business in Brooklyn too tempting to pass up if medically cleared for NBA return

 The Brooklyn Nets are among the top teams on LaMarcus Aldridge's short list of clubs he'd likely sign with if doctors give him the greenlight to return to the professional hardwood this upcoming season.

The 36-year-old shut things down after a heart condition he was diagnosed during his college days at Texas resurfaced following Brooklyn's 2021 regular season loss to the Lakers.



The Nets sorely missed the big man's rebounding and shooting touch with the team's offensive output dried up against Milwaukee in the playoffs outside of Kevin Durant's heroics and flashes from Jeff Green and Blake Griffin with Kyrie Irving injured and James Harden out.

In 16 seasons as a pro, nine with Portland, six with San Antonio and last year with Brooklyn, the seasoned vet has never been to or won an NBA Finals.

A second go around with Brooklyn could arguably his last best chance to complete his quest for a ring and cement is legacy as one of the best big men of his era.

Clearly Aldridge isn't the same player he was when he was still in his prime, but his rebounding, mid-range shooting and basketball savvy would serve the franchise well particularly in a razor thin front court that is reportedly soon to be without DeAndre Jordan after a likely buyout.

Aldridge has a few more hurdles to clear with doctors before finalizing a return, but the power forward was sorely missed during last year's playoff run that ended with a second round elimination and could be the missing piece to the Nets championship puzzle this year.



Kyrie Irving, James Harden extension cliffhangers could rock Nets' World

As it stands now, both Kyrie Irving and James Harden could choose to play outside of Brooklyn after the upcoming NBA season. Those are the facts and the reality facing Nets general manager Sean Marks.
The media distraction alone with reporters and fans speculating on the future of Brooklyn's Big Three together would be a nightmare to deal with. Off the court, Irving, Harden, and Kevin Durant are as close as it comes, but business is business.

 Brooklyn's front office needs to complete this off-season by inking the team's starting backcourt to an extension. With Irving out and Harden injured during the past playoff run, Brooklyn couldn't get out of the second round despite Durant's heroics.

 On paper, the Nets are the odds-on favorites to win the Larry O'Brien, but beyond this season, Harden and Irving need to be part of the equation for the franchise to remain top tier status in the league.

Nets' Gaming Crew to play in 2K League's ECF, Kevin Durant amped for playoff matchup

The Brooklyn Nets may have fallen one game short of the Eastern Conference Finals, but Nets'Gaming Crew locked up a berth after knocking off Philadelphia on Friday night. The NBA's official e-gaming league doesn't exactly showcase a matchup of the real league's top heavyweights, but 2K fans, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving may draw inspiration from this playoff run.

Durant is one of the game's cover athletes alongside legends Dirk Norwitzki and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

With steaming services Twitch and YouTube broadcasting live streams of the playoff matchup, it will be fascinating to see if Brooklyn's joystick masters can come out on top.

Nets' NBA2K League Player Suspended for Violating Code of Conduct

 The Official Nets Gaming Crew's small forward Dante "Dante" Colache has been suspended one playoff game for violating the player Code of Conduct, announced NBA 2K League President Brendan Donahue on Friday. 

Dante's suspension begins on Friday, August 27, in the Nets' Gaming Crew's first game of a three-game playoff series against the Hornets' Venom GT.

In May of 2020, the Nets' GC issued a 1-year ban within the NBA's 2K league to guard Randolph "Rando" Moreno for a player code of conduct violation. 

In June of 2020, a 2K  league investigation revealed that Nets' GC small forward Marquis "Randomz" Gill quit with 4:13 left to play trailing Piston's 71-39. Gill was suspended one-game.


 Nets' GC has been proactive in handing down suspensions for players in violation of the conduct policy as maintaining the integrity of the competition appears to be paramount. 

Sean Marks' training camp extension deadline for Kyrie Irving, James Harden approaching fast with no deal finalized

NBA training camps open September 28 and Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks put a self-imposed deadline for Kyrie Irving and James Harden extensions to be completed before training camp.
Kevin Durant already reached a four-year extension, but the second and third parts of the Nets' three-headed monster still need to have their futures secured. Of course, there is still time to lock up two of the franchise's cornerstone pieces long-term, but the longer things drag out and as the training camp deadline draws near, the more angst it will cause Nets fans, the more it will be a media storyline, and the more it will be a distraction for players. 

 It's far from panic time for Brooklyn, but the next 15-30 days will be critical in solidifying the team's off-season and ensuring top talent stays on the roster for the foreseeable future.

Nets grab top spot in ESPN's NBA preseason power rankings

The Brooklyn Nets didn't set the world on fire during free agency, but despite not making any splashy moves to the league's most talented roster, ESPN has the team that calls Barclays Center home its top ranked franchise heading into the 2021-2022 campaign. Extending Kevin Durant, and with likely extensions for James Harden along Kyrie Irving are major factors for why Brooklyn's bunch is above the rest of the pack. Signing Patti Mills, James Johnson, drafting the 2021 rookie class' premier scorer in Cam Thomas, and re-signing Blake Griffin add to Sean Marks already sterling resume.
The health of the Nets big three will be the major storyline throughout the year and ultimately determine if they'll remain on top at season's end. Depth in the front court with DeAndre Jordan's future with the club murky at best is another hole Marks will have to fill. As far talent, continuity, and overall lethal scoring capability, the Nets are head and shoulders above the rest of the league. With a full off-season to recoup from a playoff run derailed by injuries, Durant, Irving, Harden and company will be extra motivated to claim what they believe should have been theirs if they were healthy last season.

NBA 2K22 disrespects Kevin Durant with 96 overall rating

What did Kevin Durant do wrong? He showed the world he could come back from an Achilles tear and regain his status as arguably the league's best player.

The Nets star was within centimeters of sending his shorthanded squad without Kyrie Irving and a hobbled James Harden to the conference finals before being outlasted by the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.

Brooklyn's main attraction is on a short list of the NBA's all-time most lethal scorers. The 6-foot-12 forward has a point guard's handles, a shooting guard's soft touch from the perimeter and the tenacious rebounding and defense of the league's top big men.

So why did the developers keep the man's rating at the same 96 from 2K21, when he proved to be the same player and perhaps even better than before his injury?


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“In my opinion, they f--ked it up” 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/Money23Green?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Money23Green</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KDTrey5</a> call out Bob Myers and Steve Kerr for how the Warriors handled their infamous argument vs. the Clippers in 2018<br><br>Watch the full interview NOW <a href="https://t.co/iG2bXZC859">https://t.co/iG2bXZC859</a> <a href="https://t.co/rGQTr0F9A2">pic.twitter.com/rGQTr0F9A2</a></p>&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1428008796119461890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That remains a mystery, but as if Durant needed another chip on his shoulder to provide added motivation, the team at 2K has done just that.

Player ratings change throughout the season depending on a player's progress, development and injuries, so don't expect any changes before opening night, October 19, but you can bet Durant will do his part to inch his ranking up to a near perfect 99.

Nets face likely ECF opponent in Bucks opening night, potential finals preview at Lakers on Christmas Day

 The NBA released its marquee matchups ahead of the 2021-2022 season and the Brooklyn Nets will travel to Milwaukee on the league's opening night, October 19, while Brooklyn will head to Staples Center Christmas Day to take on the Lakers.




Both clubs will likely pose obstacles on the Nets path to a championship. The defending champs, Milwaukee, bested a shorthanded Brooklyn squad in seven games in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, while Los Angeles bowed out to the eventual Western Conference champion Suns.

Assuming injuries don't ravaged the three best teams on paper in the league, it's likely that each of the franchises has a major say in who hoists the Larry O'Brien Trophy at the end of the season.

Cam Thomas' emergence in Vegas Summer league will help Nets withstand loss of Spencer Dinwiddie

 After a sign and trade that saw the Brooklyn Nets send Spencer Dinwiddie to Washington as part of a sign and trade deal where Sean Marks' diamond in the rough inked a three-year, $54 million deal, the Nets had a gaping hole in their bench.

Free agent signing Patti Mills will help fill some of the scoring void left by the recently departed Dinwiddie, but a 19-year old rookie may have an unaccounted for impact this upcoming year.

Cam Thomas out of LSU has been tearing up the NBA's Vegas Summer League and remarkably fell into Marks' lap at No. 27 overall in the 2021 NBA draft.




Thomas led all freshmen in scoring with the Tigers at 23 points per game, but pro scouts poked holes in his game and doubted his ability to score at the same level against NBA level players.

So far, Thomas is making his doubters look foolish as he's led all scorers in Vegas including dropping 36 points on Sunday night against San Antonio.

The Nets had a historic offense last season, despite their big three playing in a total of nine games together, and adding a dynamic, yet inexperienced raw scorer like Thomas to the fold could take the team to unprecedented heights. Brooklyn won't be short on offense, but defense and rebounding remain the team's most glaring weaknesses heading into the regular season.


Jason Kidd's son reveals distant relationship with his father in emotional post

Jason Kidd's son, T.J., took to Instagram to open up to the world about the troubling relationship he has with his father.


Since Kidd divorced from Joumana back in 2008, T.J. opened up about the difficulties of being the son of a famous star in the aftermath of his parents separating.
Hopefully whatever chasm has developed between the father and son can be filled soon.

Extensions looming for Harden and Irving means scary hours in Brooklyn is here to stay

General manager Sean Marks is normally cold and calculated in his personnel moves and equally guarded when making these machinations public. So, when Marks met with reporters this week and not so subtly hinted that James Harden and Kyrie Irving are engaged in extension talks, and to take it one step f urther, on the verge of agreeing to long-term deals should excite Nets fans.
With the trio of stars in the fold for the foreseeable future, Brooklyn maintains its status as an Eastern Conference powerhouse. Harden and Irving are fully recovered from injuries suffered during the Milwaukee playoff and have revenge on their minds with the regular season two months away.

Report: Kevin Durant to sign four-year, $198 million extension, Irving, Harden extensions up next?

Sean Marks looks to have an important extension for a key player in the offing as Kevin Durant's agent, Rich Kleiman, expects his client to sign a four-year, $198 million contract, when he is eligible Saturday.




There have been very few reports that the Nets' big three were actively involved in extension talks. Now with the Durant deal likely in the books, Marks and the rest of Brooklyn's front office and team owner Joe Tsai, can turn their attention to Kyrie Irving and James Harden. 

Durant, 32, Harden, 31, and Irving, 29, are in the prime of their careers and more than willing to sacrifice their personal accolades for the betterment of the team. 

The Nets long-term commitment to Durant gives him assurance of a long-standing future with the club and eliminates any type of media-driven distraction speculating about his future.

With a major centerpiece staying with the Nets through the end of his prime years, it's clear the current regime is all-in to deliver a title.


Nets' GM Sean Marks needs to keep his eyes on the prize by inking Irving, Durant and Harden to long term extensions

 The Nets are notorious for keeping contract talks and injury updates under wraps, but the fact that not even a single report has surfaced that Sean Marks is actively involved in discussions to extend Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden is mildly alarming.




All three players hold player options following the upcoming NBA season and while fans fully expect them to be back in Brooklyn on long term extensions, having that loose end hanging out there throughout the 2021-2022 campaign is less than ideal. It would be the backdrop to the team's championship pursuit and force three players who aren't exactly media darlings into answer questions time and time again about their futures.

While Durant is pursuing a Gold Medal with Team USA in Tokyo, Irving and a svelte Harden are in the lab and making use of a full off-season, Marks will need to get their ears and find a mutually beneficial deal to agree to.

Owner Joe Tsai has shown a willingness to spend into the luxury tax and that will be a reality if the Big Three remain in the borough for the foreseeable future.

The Nets have a championship window with three of the top 7 players in the NBA and need to capitalize on the situation as much as possible. Marks can't take his eye off the eight ball now as inking his top playmakers needs to be a top priority before the season starts.



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