The Brooklyn Nets’ 5 Big Questions
Each NBA season brings its share of questions and intrigues. It’s the same thing all the time, a few days before the recovery. Which player will perform? Which coach will be fired? Who am I ? In which shelf? Where squash? For each of the 30 franchises, we have selected the 5 big questions for 2022-23, and the seat of the day is assigned to the Brooklyn Nets.
Will Kevin Durant ask to be transferred again?
On June 30, just before the start of the Free Agency, Kevin Durant dropped a bombshell on the NBA planet by requesting his transfer. Behind, we were treated to rumors in all directions and even a large series of house papers on the 29 packages that could potentially allow the various NBA franchises to acquire the services of the superstar. Finally, given the caliber of the player and his contractual situation (still four years of contract), no transfer materialized during the summer and KD finally came to the obvious by withdrawing his request for trade. Nevertheless, even if he showed his intention to move forward with the Nets project after a meeting with the leaders of Brooklyn and behind the microphones during Media Day, one wonders necessarily if Durant will ask for a transfer again during the season if the New York team struggles again…
How long will Steve Nash be on the bench?
Despite Kevin Durant giving owner Joe Tsai an ultimatum this summer to try to force his transfer, general manager Sean Marks is still in place and Steve Nash is still the team’s coach. But how long will the former Phoenix Suns MVP be on the bench? The question needs to be asked. Because even if Tsai reaffirmed his confidence in the coaching staff by refusing to give in to KD’s request, Nash’s position is clearly more fragile than usual. The terrible 2021-22 season – during which Stevie struggled to convince in the ambient brothel of Brooklyn – passed by, and his legitimacy within the group was inevitably undermined the second Durant asked for his dismissal. . In a roster now made up of several All-Stars, Steve Nash has no choice but to assert himself and find as many solutions as possible to maximize a roster capable of playing the title on paper.
Will Ben Simmons make a resounding comeback?
It’s been over a year since we last saw Ben Simmons on an NBA court. The last image we have of him is the one where he refuses a dunk ready made in the money time of Game 7 of the Playoffs to pass the ball to Matisse Thybulle. We know the rest. Transferred to the Nets at the deadline of last February after several months of open conflict with the Sixers, Simmons has remained on the sidelines since, the fault in particular of his back injury. But that’s it, at the dawn of the 2022-23 season, the Boomer is both physically and mentally ready to make his comeback. It remains to be seen what face he will show after such a long absence and in the colors of his new team. We know his talent, his qualities as a playmaker, his athletic abilities and his enormous defensive impact. He has a profile not far from ideal given the needs of the Nets and especially the offensive weapons found in the New York roster. Some imagine a Draymond Green-like role for Simmons, who could well be used as a pivot on certain sequences. It remains to turn theory into practice.
Which Kyrie Irving will play for the Nets this season?
Kyrie Irving is one of the most talented basketball players in the world, but also one of the most unpredictable. And when we say unpredictable, it’s not really a compliment. In the space of three seasons with Brooklyn, he played only 103 games out of 226 in total, including just 29 last year because of his vaccination status. Limit we wonder what reason Uncle Drew will still find us to avoid having to meet his responsibilities accompanying his star status of the Nets. Are we hard on Ky? We let you judge, but must admit that Irving does not do much to improve his reputation as « player who can not be trusted ». Certainly injuries are part of the game, certainly last season was special because of the health restrictions in place in Brooklyn, but in the past we have also seen it disappear overnight for “personal reasons”. What to ask real questions about the investment of the man. Questions that Irving will have to answer this season, he who is remembered is entering a contract year. Maybe that will motivate him to show his best face.
Will this team perform or implode?
That’s the question everyone is asking and hovering over the Nets as they head into the upcoming season. After the chaotic 2021-22 season and equally hectic summer that characterized the Brooklyn franchise, one wonders if the New York project can really hold up without exploding in midair this season. It wasn’t too long ago that Kevin Durant was asking for his transfer and throwing Steve Nash on fire, Kyrie Irving was strongly considering a departure, and Ben Simmons was on the sidelines. So inevitably we can have two or three doubts about the ability of this group to turn the page and focus fully on basketball. On the other hand, if the page is really turned and the Nets finally decide to all pull in the same direction, watch out. There’s obviously a huge amount of talent in this group, as well as the potential to look any Eastern Conference team in the eye. So, does it explode or does it perform?
