"There is no harder team in sports right now; Now that Kevin still wants to go" - NBA insider makes a unique prediction about Brooklyn Nets' 2022-23 campaign
The Brooklyn Nets have been the hotbed for all activities this offseason. With massive potential trades coming, ESPN's Marc J. Spears highlighted how difficult it was to forecast the Nets' performance in the upcoming season.
The Nets could see the superstar duo leave the franchise, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving involved in most trade rumors.
A semblance of balance emerged with Irving voicing his decision to play out his contract in Brooklyn. No reports say the same for Durant.
Kyrie Irving wants to play out next season as a Net, with or without Kevin Durant, per @ShamsCharania
(via the Pat McAfee Show) https://t.co/8SH1hbbabt
Considering the sheer uncertainty surrounding the organization, Marc J. Spears voiced his opinion on how unpredictable the Nets could be on "NBA Today." When discussing the task of projecting where Brooklyn will finish next season, he said:
"Even if Kevin's back, even if Kyrie's back, is it going to be 'Kumbaya' or is it going to be angry in training camp? There's a lot of unknowns. So yeah, I was one of the people on our staff that picked the projections."
"I don't know. Shoot, only God knows what they're going to be. There's too many question marks. Is Ben going to be out there? Is Ben going to play? I don't know."
When finally commenting on his projections for the Nets, Spears said:
"They could be No. 1 and they could be out of the playoffs. There is no harder team in sports, not just the NBA, there is no harder team in sports right now, now that Kevin still wants to go. There's no other team in sports that's harder to predict than the Brooklyn Nets."
.@MarcJSpears has no idea how to project the Nets' finish this season:
“They could be [No. 1] and they could be out of the playoffs. ... There's no other team in sports that is harder to predict than the Brooklyn Nets.” https://t.co/m4oadhuEYV
The Nets have faced some shocking issues throughout the last few months. After a first-round sweep in the playoffs, Brooklyn practically fell apart by the time the offseason and free agency came around.
Kevin Durant dropped another bomb on the Brooklyn Nets after meeting with franchise owner Joe Tsai. He put forward an ultimatum that could see him traded ahead of training camp. He reportedly said it's either him or coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks.
Sources: Kevin Durant informed Joe Tsai that he does not have faith in the Nets‘ direction. The meeting was described as transparent and professional, with a clear message: Keep me -- or the GM and coach. theathletic.com/3485297/2022/0… twitter.com/ShamsCharania/…
What's next for the Brooklyn Nets?
As Marc J. Spears mentioned, the Brooklyn Nets are one of the most challenging teams to project for in sports. Given the sheer volatility of their situation, the Nets could live and die by the nature of their dynamic in the next few weeks.
Given Joe Tsai's decision to support Sean Marks and Steve Nash, the Nets could continue looking to trade Kevin Durant. Similarly, although negotiations surrounding Irving have come to a halt, the likelihood of him joining the LA Lakers isn't out of the question.
While the Nets aren't required to trade Kevin Durant, the consequences of keeping him on the team could lead to chemistry problems. These problems could hinder the development and success of the organization.
With training camp only six weeks away, the Nets could see drastic personnel changes in place. While the team has made some solid offseason acquisitions, the roster's overall strength depends on their superstars' availability.