Kyrie Irving has announced plans to share his side of the story regarding his time with the Brooklyn Nets from 2019 to 2023, stirring interest among NBA fans eager for insight into the turbulent era. This development follows comments from former teammate Kevin Durant about the challenges the team faced while trying to succeed together.
Irving indicated on his Twitch stream that he would explain why the Nets’ anticipated success did not materialize, responding directly to Durant’s recent remarks. Durant had appeared on the Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, the Nets’ former head coach, and LeBron James, reflecting on his stint with the team.
Kevin Durant Points to Distractions and Unfulfilled Potential with Nets
Durant revealed that the team struggled to fully benefit from Steve Nash’s coaching due to numerous distractions within the organization.
“didn’t get the full Steve Nash like I wanted,”
Durant stated, highlighting how off-court issues interfered with what seemed like a promising roster. Durant and Irving both joined Brooklyn as free agents in the summer of 2019, intending to build a dominant partnership.
Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon sustained during the NBA Finals, which delayed the team’s potential impact. Nash was hired unexpectedly as head coach in September 2020, despite lacking prior coaching experience, stepping into a team boasting two All-NBA-caliber stars: Durant and Irving.
Initial Success Fades as Challenges Mount for Brooklyn Nets
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Nets showed strong promise, securing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and adding another elite player, James Harden, in January 2021. The trio generated high expectations, with Brooklyn’s playoff run nearly culminating in a championship appearance.
Durant narrowly missed a critical three-pointer in Game 7 of the second round against the Milwaukee Bucks, which contributed to the team’s overtime loss. This moment was a turning point, after which the Nets encountered growing instability.
The following season, Irving’s refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine led to the organization declaring him ineligible to play at the start of the 2021-22 campaign. He was later allowed to participate selectively in road games outside New York and Toronto when the team faced injury shortages, disrupting team chemistry and availability.
Frustrations and Controversies Erode Team Dynamics
James Harden became discontented with the situation and requested a trade, which was finalized in February 2022 when he joined the Philadelphia 76ers. This move reunited Harden with Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, leaving Brooklyn without one of its key stars.
After being eliminated in the first round of the 2022 playoffs by the Boston Celtics, the team’s struggles worsened, compounded by Irving’s involvement in a controversy regarding antisemitic content shared on social media. Following a difficult start to the 2022-23 season, Nets management and Steve Nash agreed to mutually part ways.
End of the Nets Era Marked by Trades and Unmet Expectations
The period officially closed in February 2023 when Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks and Durant followed with a trade to the Phoenix Suns shortly after. Across their time in Brooklyn, the duo’s playoff success was limited, with the Nets winning only one postseason series despite multiple appearances.
Even considering Durant’s absence during part of the 2020 playoffs, the overall outcome fell well short of the high hopes set when the team assembled this star-studded roster. The unresolved questions about what transpired during those years make Irving’s promised Twitch explanation highly anticipated by fans and analysts alike.