Brooklyn Nets Shuffle Roster with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant Trades

Story posted February 13, 2023 in CommRadio, Sports by Evan Smith

In the summer of 2019, the Brooklyn Nets signed Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Deandre Jordan, seemingly creating a super team in a quick series of moves. The team would add three-time NBA scoring champion James Harden to the mix around the trade deadline of the 2020-21 season.

However, this dream team never got the chance to take off as expected, only winning one playoff round together.

The changes began with Deandre Jordan underperforming his way out of Brooklyn, being sent to the Detroit Pistons where he would be bought out. Jordan’s 2021 campaign saw him lose a step in a majority of offensive categories leading to the move.

A few months later, Harden found his way off of the Nets, being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a package that included Ben Simmons. Simmons would join Brooklyn in a first round exit against the Celtics to end the 2021-22 season.

The final dominoes started to fall on February 3, 2023 when Kyrie Irving’s trade request went public following an embarrassing 43-point loss to the Celtics at the start of the month.

On Feb. 6, 2023, Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris were traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two second round picks.

This trade would kick off a 3-day trade period, turning what looked to be a quiet deadline into an arms race for the Western Conference.

The Nets would continue their part in the shopping spree by shockingly trading Kevin Durant and TJ Warren to the Western favorite Phoenix Suns in the early morning of deadline day, receiving a package that included three players and four first-round picks in a four-team deal involving the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee bucks.

With that trade, the Irving-Durant era in Brooklyn ended with the duo only playing 75 games together on the court. 

As for Ben Simmons, reports emerged that the underscoring star had “zero trade value” to other teams in the league.

So what is next for the Brooklyn Nets, having lost the entire core that they expected would lead them to a championship?

After winning their first game since the trades were completed, the Nets still hold fifth-place in the Eastern Conference, so this season is not lost for Brooklyn.

The team looks to be in a good position defensively, housing seven plus-rated defenders including three of the top-50 in defensive RPM, led by new additions Spencer Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges. That tandem has been lackluster on offense so far this season, which means a philosophy change may be in order for the Nets.

Their offense will seemingly lie on the recent breakout of Cam Thomas who is averaging over 30 points-per-game since January 30, but remains a detriment on the other side of the court.

Newcomer Cam Johnson has been a solid offensive piece in the 17 games he’s played this season. He looks to be ready to take a full-time role, so he will be one to watch going forward.

The Nets biggest strength going forward is their flexibility. They will have all of Bridges, Simmons, Johnson, Thomas, and Day’Ron Sharpe under contract through at least next season and have enough room to make a splash signing from a solid free agent class this summer.

Before that point though, the Nets still stand with a 33-22 record, defeating the Chicago Bulls 116-105 without Durant and Irving.

The biggest question mark lies on whether Ben Simmons can return to form to help Brooklyn remain a force in the Eastern Conference.

Evan Smith is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ers5828@psu.edu.