No team led the Eastern Conference for more consecutive days of the 2021-22 season than the Brooklyn Nets. From Nov. 18 to Dec. 31 — 42 days total — Brooklyn was the absolute class of the conference.
That was all while Kyrie Irving remained sidelined due to his decision not to get vaccinated. The driving force for their success during that time was Kevin Durant. Fresh off his seven-game duel with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 conference semifinals, Durant was fully back in MVP form, averaging 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Brooklyn’s stumble all the way down to seventh place and a necessary play-in game to make the postseason, where they were swept by the Boston Celtics, coincided with two things: Durant’s sprained MCL that sidelined him for almost two months and Irving’s return, which may have precipitated James Harden’s exit.
That illustrates a picture of what the Nets are capable of accomplishing in 2022-23, now that Durant has rescinded his trade request. Not only is this still a roster capable of winning at a high clip, it can be even better than it was before Durant’s injury. Brooklyn’s odds to win a title moved from 12-1 to 9-1 at Tipico Sportsbook after the news, ahead of the Miami Heat for third-shortest in the East behind Boston (+425) and Milwaukee (+600).
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 23, 2022
Harden’s role in the Nets’ early-season success can’t be understated, because he was still very good for them. But he wasn’t exactly the MVP-caliber player we had come to expect, as he averaged 22 points on inefficient shooting to go with eight rebounds and 10 assists. Replacing his production with both Seth Curry and Ben Simmons, who should be ready to suit up finally, is more than possible. And Simmons also provides the team a much-needed defensive boost.
Brooklyn is also expected to get Joe Harris back after the sharpshooting forward missed all of last season. And they added Royce O’Neale and T.J. Warren in the offseason. The former shot 39% from three last season, and the latter averaged 20 points the last time he was healthy — he’d be able to provide a scoring punch off the bench if he returns to form. They join a team that already includes contributors from last season like Patty Mills, Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas.
That leaves one major question mark with the team, and it’s the one that always seems to exist: Irving. With him on the court and fully committed, Brooklyn can be special. But as they showed last season, they can still be pretty good without him — especially if they get a decent haul in any potential trades. All we can do now is wait to see how his situation plays out. But with or without Irving, Brooklyn should be right back in the fold of things in the Eastern Conference.
