The Brooklyn Nets are in free fall. If you thought that their win over the Indiana Pacers a few days ago was a turning point for this team, then, well, we're looking at very different teams. The Nets are just not a good basketball organization right now. When your team's headlines are overtaken by more off-the-court issues than on-court developments, that's terrible. And when your on-court performance has not been up to snuff, that just makes matters worse. At the eye of the proverbial storm is none other than Kyrie Irving, from whom the Nets should distance themselves as far as possible, as soon as possible. Here we will look at the three reasons why the Brooklyn Nets must dump embattled and controversial point guard Kyrie Irving immediately

The Nets just fired Steve Nash in an interesting and not-at-all-sensible move. They packaged it as a move to save their young season, but if that's true, then the Nets can’t stop at just moving on from Steve Nash. The next domino to fall in their quest to save the season should be to do everything necessary to get a Kyrie Irving deal done as quickly as feasible.

Keep in mind that the Nets are off to a 2-6 start. Yes, Nash wasn't able to get total control of the team in his third season, but he alone isn't accountable. Remember that when he came in 2020, the Nets actually looked fine. We don't think it's his fault the team is performing as poorly as they are now.

It is what it is, though, so if the Nets are doubling down on a post-Nash era, they should go one better and get rid of the true disease plaguing this organization. That's none other than Kyrie Irving.

Here we will look at the three reasons why the Brooklyn Nets must dump embattled and controversial point guard Kyrie Irving immediately

3. Kyrie Irving is a distraction

Kyrie Irving's contentious behavior and comments in his latest anti-Semitic-strained controversy is only the most recent in a long line of trouble for the elite guard. Irving has been a liability in the Nets locker room and organization since day one. He had a hand in Kenny Atkinson's departure, abandoned his team during the epidemic, and has just been flat-out unreliable on and off the court.

Over the past few years, it's crystal clear that his biggest contribution to his franchise is to be its biggest distraction.

Again, let's summarize his latest quicksand of controversy. Irving tweeted a clip from the documentary “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” that put him in a heated debate about using his position to promote the clip and his support for Alex Jones' views. Jones, of course, is a prominent proponent of the conspiracy theories shown in the film. Following the posting of the video, Nets owner Joe Tsai quickly condemned Irving's behavior.

Irving's tweet-in-question and his bizarre efforts to elude accountability have cast him as either anti-semitic or ignorant. We don't know which is worse. Without question, this issue has cast a pall over him and the Nets. The way forward for their relationship has been unnecessarily made all the more difficult.

Having said all that, despite the turmoil, Irving's value is the highest it's been in almost a year. That brings us to point No. 2.

2. Get something for Kyrie instead of nothing

With Irving aiming for a huge contract in the off-season, any team that trades for him will get an excellent rental for a potential playoff run. Take note as well that nobody really expects Irving to stay in Brooklyn for next season. Instead of losing him for nothing in the summer, the Nets should strike now and get as much value from Irving's stock while it actually still has value.

That presents the Nets with an interesting opportunity to do two things. They can get rid of their biggest distraction and get something instead of nothing in return.

Regardless of how distracting Irving is, many other teams would be willing to roll the dice on him. This includes the Los Angeles Lakers. They likely won't think twice about acquiring a guy averaging 27 points. For them, he'd be a game-changer worth all the trouble in the near term.

The reality is this Irving-Kevin Durant combo just isn't working. In fact, it's just not good, and having a Ben Simmons third wheel isn't helping either. The Nets can shop Irving for another elite player or just go for picks. Either way is better than the status quo.

1. He is just not worth it anymore

We feel said that Nash ultimately took the fall for this team. That's the mark of a decent, respectable head coach. Still, the reality is much of the burden must go on Irving. Sure, we can argue that when he's on the floor, Irving is still All-NBA caliber. In fact, right now, he's averaging 26.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Those are all mind-boggling. And yet, the Nets are 2-6 and are fodder for social media mayhem.

We kinda agree with ESPN NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks when he recently urged the Nets cut their losses and let go of Irving.

“It starts with Kyrie Irving,” Marks said on NBA Today. “How many more chances is this organization going to give Kyrie Irving? I mean that’s my big question here. Enough is enough and I’m not talking from a trade standpoint. I understand Ime Udoka is the last person to hire that can maybe rein this group in, but if you’re the Brooklyn front office: send him home.”

Again, Marks is talking about a player who decided to be ineligible to play with the club last season. That's owing to his opposition to COVID vaccination, which was mandated by New York City. He committed to the team by exercising his player option for the current season. However, his current controversy has made matters needlessly complicated and distracting for everyone.

While Irving has issued a joint statement with the Anti-Defamation League, even that has seemed too fabricated, too little, and too late.

Don't you miss the days when the worst thing about Kyrie Irving was maybe he was a selfish and flashy ball-handler who looked out only for his own points? Or that he's a flat-earther? Yeah, those days are done and dusted. He's reached a new low, won't genuinely hold himself accountable for it, and is just no longer worth all the trouble.