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It's no secret the Brooklyn Nets have dreams of adding a pair of superstar free agents this summer. If Kyrie Irving ultimately proves the only max-level player willing to sign in Brooklyn, though, general manager Sean Marks and company would apparently still be happy to accommodate him.
According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, the Nets have “no qualms” about potentially adding Irving should other star free-agent targets opt against joining him.
Article Continues Below“Two highly placed sources told The Post the Nets will have no qualms about taking Irving whether or not they get another star. But all their moves have pointed toward clearing the space for two — if they can land them.”
Kevin Durant, even in the wake of his devastating Achilles tear in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, remains Brooklyn's top target come June 30. A report surfaced earlier this week indicating the team is “gaining confidence” about the prospect of inking both he and Irving, too.
All momentum suggests that Irving indeed has narrowed his focus to signing with the Nets. But due to the Boston Celtics' on-court and existential struggles in 2018-19 as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers' failure to reach respectability before LeBron James returned in 2014, many around the league are questioning whether a team led by Irving, without another star beside him, has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
D'Angelo Russell's future factors in here, too. He's both younger and will come cheaper than Irving, leading to speculation that Brooklyn could pivot away from Irving if the team doesn't get a commitment from another star, instead opting to re-sign Russell and roll a significant chunk of its cap space over to next summer.
