When the Brooklyn Nets acquired NBA superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, fans and the franchise were hopeful that the Nets would see a rebirth and challenge for an NBA championship within the next few seasons.
Of course, Durant will miss the 2019-20 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles suffered during the playoffs last season, so all of the pressure would be on Irving’s shoulders during his first season in Brooklyn. Unfortunately for the Nets, they are off to a rough 1-2 start.
And while their performance on the court hasn’t led to wins, it’s what is happening behind the scenes that could be even more troubling.
Irving has a history of reports questioning his attitude and chemistry with teammates, and a new report from ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan suggests that Irving’s “mood swings” are once again a problem that could be cause for concern. MacMullan labeled Irving’s mood swings as “the unspoken concern that makes Nets officials queasy.”
From the report:
Yet Irving’s infamous mood swings, confirmed by his ex-teammates, which followed him from Cleveland to Boston to Brooklyn, are the unspoken concern that makes Nets officials queasy. When Irving lapses into these funks, he often shuts down, unwilling to communicate with the coaching staff, front office and, sometimes, even his teammates. Nets team sources say one such episode occurred during Brooklyn’s trip to China, leaving everyone scratching their heads as to what precipitated it. There’s hope that Durant will be able to coax his friend into a better frame of mind. But when presented with that scenario, KD says he will be hands off.
While the Nets may not have had the results they are hoping for as a team, Irving has been performing. The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging 37.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game through the first three games of the season.
It will be interesting to see how Kyrie’s time in Brooklyn will continue to go or whether he will ultimately be shipped off to another city.
But for now, the Nets have to turn their focus towards their next outing on Wednesday, October 30 against the winless Indiana Pacers.