“Everybody was tiptoeing around Kyrie Irving; James Harden, Kevin Durant, everybody was allowing him to do whatever he gonna do” - NBA Insider on how the Brooklyn Nets enabled Kyrie Irving to wreck their season

Kyrie Irving needs to be at his absolute best next season. [Photo: USA Today]

After all the posturing to get a max extension, Kyrie Irving eventually decided to opt into the final year of his Brooklyn Nets contract. Since then, he has reportedly resolved to play whether Kevin Durant stays or leaves.

Rumors are now surfacing that Irving and the Nets could now quickly patch things up. ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk wouldn’t easily let the mercurial point guard off the hook after how he ruined Brooklyn's campaign last season.

The Nets should now be extremely wary of not giving the seven-time All-Star the same power they have given him before:

“If you come in and wreck my home and you’re a homewrecker, it’s gonna take a long time for you to take my trust back and I think that’s what’s gonna happen with the Nets.

"Everybody was tiptoeing around Kyrie Irving. James Harden, Kevin Durant, Steve Nash, nobody wanted to say anything wrong with the whole vaccine issue…Everybody was allowing him to do whatever he was gonna do.”

Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get the vaccine last season undermined the Brooklyn Nets’ title aspirations. It was a key factor in James Harden’s push to get out of Brooklyn. He also put the team’s chemistry at a considerable disadvantage, which the Boston Celtics thoroughly exploited in the playoffs.

When New York City implemented its COVID-19 mandates, no one was sure how things would end up. They didn’t want to offend one of the NBA’s most talented players, hence they were walking on eggshells around Irving.

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“Kai’s” absence for almost the entire year was ultimately too much for the Nets to overcome. It put too much pressure on Kevin Durant to carry the team. Except for Game 1, Kyrie Irving was close to being a non-factor in the series against the Celtics.

KD received so much flak for struggling against Boston’s top-ranked defense. He could only do so much with Irving looking out of sync.

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Kyrie Irving may have to prove his worth even if he ends up with another team

One season of great basketball may not be enough for the Brooklyn Nets or any team to trust the mercurial point guard. [Photo: New York Post]

The 2022-23 NBA season is a contract year for Kyrie Irving. Even if he plays to his usual exceptional standards, teams may not be rushing to sign him to a colossal multi-year extension. Rival team executives could look at a possibly great next season as nothing more than an audition to get the contract he wants.

He may have to prove that he is reliable and that his mind is set on playing basketball.

“He wrecked the entire team right from the start in San Diego! He’s going to have to earn it back. I don’t even care if they win a championship this season. He’s still gonna have to prove it in multiple seasons. I think I probably speak for many around the league who believe in that too.

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The Brooklyn Nets are looking to run it back with the Kyrie Irving-Kevin Durant partnership after a tepid trade market. How that plays out after all the drama will be riveting to watch as the weeks unfold.