NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving ‘Seemingly Intend’ To Turn Brooklyn Nets Into A ‘Superteam’
After successfully ending their playoff drought in the 2018-19 season, the Brooklyn Nets became more ambitious and tried to build a roster that could legitimately contend for the NBA championship title. With the help of GM Sean Marks, the Nets succeeded in acquiring their top two targets, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, in 2019’s free agency. However, though they have yet to test their team at full strength, rumors continue to swirl that the Nets aren’t done making major roster upgrades.
After seeing his teammates play this season, Irving made a controversial statement, saying that the Nets need additional star power to have a better chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy home to Brooklyn. Irving and Durant may not have directly asked the front office to trade for a third superstar, but according to Mandela Namaste of Bleacher Report, both players “seemingly intend” to turn the Nets into a “superteam.”
“The next step after finding a head coach? Presumably, it involves going after a third star. Irving made some cryptic comments about needing more help earlier this year, and he likely didn’t forget Durant was injured. The two megastars seemingly intend to make the Nets into a superteam, with players like Bradley Beal and CJ McCollum among the potential options. It’s impossible to forecast how Durant and Irving would behave if Marks either refuses to sacrifice years of asset management or can’t find a reasonable trade for a third star, but those in the know believe he’s been backed into a corner.”
It won’t be a surprise if Durant and Irving are really aiming to create a “superteam” in Brooklyn. A healthy Durant and Irving may be enough to help the Nets reach the NBA Finals next season, but winning a championship is an entirely different prospect, especially knowing that there are plenty of powerhouse teams that could represent the Western Conference — including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Golden State Warriors.
Targeting a third superstar that complements Durant and Irving would give the Nets a realistic chance of beating any Western Conference powerhouse teams in a best-of-seven series. The Nets are indeed capable of acquiring another star this summer. The team might not currently have the salary cap space to chase big names in free agency, but they have a plethora of trade assets that they could use to engage in a blockbuster deal.
As Namaste noted, some of the potential trade targets for the Nets this summer include Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards and CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers. To convince the Wizards or the Trail Blazers to make a deal, the Nets could offer a trade package that includes Caris LeVert or Jarrett Allen, plus multiple future draft picks.
