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Former Net Irving recruiting LeBron to join Mavs

Wherever he seems to go, a path of destruction seems to follow. In the latest episode of Kyrie Irving wrecks the NBA, the former Nets point guard is now serving as GM and head recruiter on behalf of Nico Harrison and Mark Cuban by trying to lure LeBron James to Big D. Irving, who himself has yet to sign a long-term contract to remain in Dallas, is aiming to build a supersquad like he had in Brooklyn. Irving's only successful NBA Finals run came with James when both were with the team that drafted them, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving hit an iconic shot over Steph Curry to cap a historic 3-1 series comeback to upset the heavily favored 73-9 Warriors in 2016. It gave the city of Cleveland its first NBA title. 

 Boy how it mighty have fallen. Irving would make one more run with the Cavaliers before losing to the Kevin Durant superteam Warriors before demanding a trade where he wound up on the Celtics. After a tumultuous and largely unsuccessful run in Boston and an even more disappointing and dysfunctional run in Brooklyn, Irving demanded a trade midway through the 2022-23 season and was sent to the Mavs. 

 Dallas fell out of the playoffs and even out of the play-in, while Cuban and company purposely rested Irving and Luka Doncic to compete the tankathon. Now Irving is trying to wear the GM hat once again to gift Dallas its first title since 2014, but it's still unclear that he's fully committed to the Mavericks as he's technically a free agent. 

 Once again, Irving's free agency will dominate the headlines and best of luck to the Mavs or another team that wants to take a chance on the polarizing star.

A Look Back at Nets Original Big Three Era




Author Rick Laughland joins the Only Nets Fans you Know Podcast to discuss the Nets' Vince Carter, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson led Nets teams in the mid-2000's.



Rick and Peter reminisce about Carter's iconic run with the franchise,  they discuss if the Nets should retire his number and how Jason Kidd's legacy in New Jersey should be remembered today.

Remember when Jimmy Butler had Nets on his wish list?

 



A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the Nets and Jimmy Butler seemed almost destined to unite.

Before the sign and trade for Kevin Durant, before signing Irving and DeAndre Jordan in Brooklyn's clean summer of 2019 free agency sweep, Butler had the Nets as a preferred destination.

After falling in Game 7 of the semifinals on a dramatic Kawahi Leonard game winner enroute to Toronto's lone title, Butler went on a free agent tour that included Brooklyn, the Lakers, Sixers and Heat.

Ultimately, Butler landed in South Beach, while the Nets pulled the trigger on the duo of Durant and Irving.

Durant and Irving were a package deal, but Nets fans can't help but wonder what things would have been like had Butler replaced Irving alongside Durant.

While Irving was the impetus for Durant joining Brooklyn, the New Jersey native had a tumultuous four seasons with the Nets that culminated in his and then Durant's trade demand.

Butler is the kind of selfless superstar that Brooklyn needed. The anthesis of Irving. Low maintenance and dedicated to basketball. Butler has a Brooklyn grit to his game that would have resonated with the fan base and complemented Durant even moreso than his eventual costar Irving.

Alas, the stars were not aligned and Butler is in the midst of his second NBA Finals appearance in three years. Last year his title push fell short in Game 7 of the Conference Finals as he barely missed a last second shot that would have sent Miami to the finals.

Meanwhile, Durant and Irving didn't sniff a finals appearance and their tenure was rife with dysfunction, off the court distractions, and injuries that derailed a potential championship push. 

A Nets trade package for Brown too good to resist

 



If following the Brooklyn Nets has taught us anything, it's that anything is possible. From forming an unprecedented super team to watching it vanish overnight, Nets fans have experienced the highs and lows of NBA free agency and the trade deadline in recent seasons.

Back in the summer of 2022 when Kevin Durant made his first trade request, there were rumored deals of him going to Boston in exchange for a package centered on Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and draft picks.

That deal never came to fruition, due largely to Durant rescinding his request, only to reissue it behind the scenes. This was after Kyrie Irving skipped town by demanding a trade two days before Durant and being shipped to Dallas for Dorian Finney Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie.

 Durant was ultimately packaged with TJ Warren for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first rounders. That deal is looking pretty good for Brooklyn, despite being swept out of the first round of the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, Brown's name has been beaten into the ground in Beantown as Jayson Tatum's costar had a difficult series against Miami including an ugly Game 7 where he shot 8 of 23 and committed a career high 8 turnovers.

Brown is eligible for a supermax extension and is set to become a free agent following the 2023-24 season. The Nets are currently looking to rebuild a contending team and adding Brown is one way to transform the club into a force to be reckoned with in the East.


Now there are a few factors to consider here, chief among them is Brown's willingness to not only leave Boston, but to show a desire to come to Brooklyn to play for Joe Tsai. Brown heavily criticized the Nets owner's handling of Kyrie Irving's suspension in the wake of his promotion of a film with antisemitic tropes. Tsai made Irving compete a five step program for reinstatement. 

Ultimately, Boston would need a haul to move on from Brown and the proposed trade would be at least a conversation starter for Sean Marks and Brad Stevens. While Houston and newly hired coach and former Boston head man Ime Udoka are clearly the front runners to acquire Brown, the Nets could be the dark horse in the race to nab the two-time All-star this summer. 




Two Ex-Nets need to rejoin Brooklyn in FA




 The Brooklyn Nets have turned the page from yet another dysfunctional and disappointing Big three era, but that hasn't stopped Brooklyn fans from keeping tabs on three former Nets'  free agency status. 

Believe it or not, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and DeAngelo Russell are all available to the right suitor.

Harden has been linked to rejoin the Rockets, who hired former Nets assistant and Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. 

 Irving spent the second half of the 2022-23 season with the Dallas Mavericks. While Irving rejoining the Mavericks is a likely scenario, both the Suns and Lakers have been listed a possible destinations for the maestros who orchestrated the destruction of Brooklyn's superstar era. 

Finally, Brooklyn's starting point prior to Irving, Russell enjoyed a superb year in his return to the Lakers for a run to the Western Conference Finals before his production took a major hit at the hands of Nicola Jokic and the Nuggets.

The most likely Nets reunion is Russell as the Nets have a glaring hole at point guard with fans not exactly onboard with Spencer Dinwiddie playing the role as the everyday starter.

Another former Net fan favorite becomes a free agent this summer: Caris LeVert. If Sean Marks were to reassemble the "Good Guy Nets," save Kenny Atkinson and Jarrett Allen, it would create a lot of goodwill with fans.

The front office would need to make some roster maneuvering to make this a reality.

While it's clear neither Irving or Harden would be welcomed to return or have any desire to come back to Brooklyn, bringing back Russell and LeVert may be the answer Marks has been searching for after the Big Three era fell apart at his feet this season. 

 Adding experienced but still ascending pieces around Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who the team has interest in extending, could make Brooklyn an intriguing team next year.


Is it Time for Nets to bail on the Ben Simmons experiment?

 


Ben Simmons' NBA career isn't over, but his time with the Brooklyn Nets might be just about up.

Fresh off off-season back surgery, Simmons was a shell of his former self in 2022-23. While the former Sixer showed flashes of promise, before his debut season for the Nets gathered virtually any steam, knee and back problems sidelined him for large portions of the season.

Simmons has never been a shooting savant, but his lack of confidence and willingness to attack the paint were clearly evident this past season.

Steve Nash and eventually Jacque Vaughn did little to unlock the All-star talent that is buried somewhere within this broken player.

If the Nets are hoping to be relevant next season, Vaughn and his staff's number one priority has to be tapping into Simmons' psyche and maximum his contributions by getting him mentally and physically right.

The Nets championship window with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has officially closed and ushered in a new youth moment led by Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson who will more than likely re-sign this summer.

Brooklyn has cap flexibility to add a superstar, but they have a former star who has been languishing on the injury report the better part of the last two seasons.

The onus is on Simmons to attack his rehab this summer and for Vaughn's retooled coaching staff to make the point forward whole again. Simmons can be part of the Nets youth movement of the future, but unless he starts showing some strides, Sean Marks may send him out of town for whatever return package he can net come the trade deadline.



Kevin Durant has yet to thank Nets fans for time in Brooklyn

Kevin Durant is awfully active when he's conversing with randoms on Twitter or defending his legacy against former NBA greats like Shaq, but the former Net has yet to bid farewell to the place he called home since 2019. 

 Durant was traded in the wee hours of the night just prior to the morning of the NBA's trade deadline day on February 7. After his partner in crime, Kyrie Irving, requested and was granted a trade to the Dallas Mavericks, following failed contract extension talks, Durant followed in suit.
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The 7-footer, known for his Twitter fingers and skipping town when things get difficult, hopped ship again to Phoenix to join his second super team after choosing Golden State back in 2016. 

 Durant only furthered the narrative that he can't be the bus driver for a championship team and his lack of a tribute to the hard working fans who cheered for him and paid their hard earned money to see him is nothing short of classless. 

 Durant's running mate, Irving, had nothing but a contentious relationship with the media, rocky rapport with the front office and was a major reason for James Harden's trade demand a season ago. 

 Regardless of Durant's feelings towards ownership or the front office, Durant owed a debt of gratitude to the fans for their loyal support. The Nets even traded him to his preferred destination in Phoenix and did the same for James Harden last year when he requested a move to Philadelphia. 

 Durant's partner, Rick Kleinman, of 35 ventures, also tweeted a subtle jab in the aftermath of the former Nets trade request. Durant leaves the organization without delivering a single title, NBA Finals appearance, conference finals appearance, divisional banner or any noteworthy accomplishment. 

 Nets fans deserve better. If Durant couldn't deliver a single banner, the least he could do is acknowledge Nets fans as he slips out the backdoor overnight.
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