The Brooklyn Nets have been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. With their star player, D’Angelo Russell, being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, many are wondering if this is a sign of things to come.
The where is kyrie irving from is a question that has been asked for a while. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been blamed for the Nets teammate potentially ditching Brooklyn in the offseason.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are as much to blame for DeAndre Jordan’s impending exit from the Nets as they are for bringing him to the city in the first place. Jordan is either likely to be bought out or moved by the Nets. Durant and Irving must take some responsibility for DJ’s choice to leave the team.
So the Nets could sign DeAndre Jordan, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving accepted less money.
DeAndre Jordan is close friends with KD & Kyrie. He also helped Kyrie recruit KD to the Nets. His $10M salary is his commission for recruiting KD. His presence on the team makes KD & Kyrie happy. That’s why he’s on the roster. Plain and simple. Stop analyzing his game. #NBA #Nets
July 1, 2019 — SportsBusinessRadio (@SBRadio)
With the assistance of DeAndre Jordan, Kyrie Irving was able to get Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets. The two stars then made certain that DJ was given his due.
After signing with the Nets in the summer of 2019, both Irving and Durant accepted salary concessions, enabling Brooklyn to sign Jordan to a four-year contract for nearly to $40 million. Durant and Irving were emphatic about Jordan joining them in the locker room, as shown by the financial sacrifice.
During his two years in Brooklyn, the veteran center put up some impressive statistics. During the 2019-20 season, he averaged 8.3 points and 10.0 rebounds as the sixth man, and his potential to jump into the starting lineup and play significant minutes undoubtedly influenced the Nets’ decision to include rookie center Jarrett Allen in the James Harden deal.
Jordan, as an inside presence and rim runner, had another strong season this past season. He had a net rating of +16, but his on-off splits tell a different tale. His postseason totals reflect this. In the playoffs, Jordan did not play a single minute. What caused this to happen? The stars of Brooklyn seem to have abandoned their old pal in favor of newcomers.
The Nets have continued to acquire frontcourt players as Durant and Irving continue to express their preferences for guys with whom they would want to play. Jordan is no longer a member of the team.
Jordan and the Nets are likely to strike an agreement on a buyout as Brooklyn continues to acquire frontcourt talent.
Jordan’s deal with the Nets has two more seasons remaining on it, but he’s unlikely to stay with the club much longer.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Alex Schiffer revealed that the former Lob City mainstay is negotiating a buyout with the Nets. Jordan would be able to sign anywhere he wanted if he did this.
Brooklyn allegedly wanted to get rid of the 33-year-contract old’s as soon as possible. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Nets were even giving rival teams choice swaps in an attempt to transfer Jordan’s contract.
The Nets are attempting to fill the frontcourt with more affordable players. Those who pushed for Blake Griffin included Durant and Irving. Brooklyn seems to have reached a deal with veteran forward Paul Millsap and may attempt to re-sign LaMarcus Aldridge after he was allowed to play again by his doctors.
Furthermore, general manager Sean Marks is attempting to sign the “Big Three” to multi-year contracts, which is why Durant and Irving share some of the responsibility for Jordan’s imminent departure.
This summer, the Nets have a lot of cap concerns.
As Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving help guide the Nets towards the future, DeAndre Jordan is on the outside looking in | Jason Miller/Getty Images
Kevin Durant has already inked a hefty contract deal with the Brooklyn Nets, and Marks wants to do the same with Kyrie Irving and James Harden. However, with all three players possibly on max deals, there isn’t much space for more big money.
As a result, DeAndre Jordan may be a salary-cap casualty.
But why is it that Durant and Irving are being blamed for this? Shouldn’t they have the option to pay out? Yes, without question. It’s worth noting, however, that the two stars wanted the Nets to trade for Harden. As a result, Brooklyn now has to deal with a third max contract, further compressing the front office.
Durant and Irving have always shown an interest in playing with other great players. The Nets are attempting to fill up the gaps in their frontcourt while still preserving their foundation. It makes sense, given Brooklyn’s desire to win a championship.
All of these reasons, however, play a role in Jordan’s impending departure. Although KD and Kyrie deserve credit for bringing their buddy back into the fold in 2019, they must also shoulder some of the responsibility for effectively driving him out of town.
Basketball Reference provided the statistics.
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