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The Brooklyn Nets are struggling, and they recently fired coach Steve Nash as a result. However, analyst Skip Bayless believes Kyrie Irving is the principal cause of Brooklyn's problems.
The Nets currently sit 13th in the Eastern Conference after losing six of their first eight games. Many believed the Nets would be championship contenders this season, but they have not played like champions so far.
Given the drama that ensued during the offseason, some discord was expected coming into the season. Nonetheless, no one expected things to be so bad.
Blame has been going around about who is at fault for the Nets' demise. Many believe Nash's inexperience is a factor, while others think Ben Simmons has not been impactful on the court.
Bayless thinks it all starts and ends with Irving. He believes the former NBA champ is the "ultimate team wrecker."
"The problem in Brooklyn is that Kevin (Durant) chose the wrong team wrecker," Skip Bayless said on "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed." "Kyrie is the ultimate team wrecker. I've never seen a worse team wrecker in all my years of covering the National Basketball Association."
Steve Nash reportedly said the players were not responding to him
The Nets organization was criticized for hiring Nash as its coach in 2020. Two years later, the excuse of him being a newbie was thrown out the window.
Nonetheless, the players were not thrilled with Nash. Irving said he did not think they needed a head coach shortly after Nash's announcement.
Nets general manager Sean Marks reportedly revealed that Nash complained about the players not responding to him. Winning in such an environment will undoubtedly be a lot more difficult.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news of Nash being fired on Tuesday. It was also reported that the decision to part ways was mutual. Perhaps Nash agreeing to leave came as a result of the players not responding to him.
Kyrie Irving will be an unrestricted free agent by the end of this season
Irving is one of the best point guards in league history. But several people believe he has been a nuisance in Brooklyn.
The All-Star will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and that is music to some people's ears. Many believe it is time for the Nets to move on from Irving despite his talent.
Last season, the Nets were in a tough spot, which arguably led to James Harden demanding to be traded. Irving refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine and was unavailable for the larger part of the season.
Irving has not had any success with the last two teams he played with. He left LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 to join the Boston Celtics and was blamed for disrupting things in Boston.
Since joining the Nets, Irving has been called out for his attitude towards work and frequent unavailability. Perhaps there will be a different era in Brooklyn if the Nets decide to move on from him next summer.
