In the offseason, the Brooklyn Nets swapped star point guards. Gone was D'Angelo Russell, who had just earned his first All-Star honors. Instead, Kyrie Irving would be running point in the Barclays Center.
Obviously, comparisons between the two became a discussion point. With the absence of Kevin Durant, who is truly the better fit for Brooklyn?
When scouts were asked, there was no conclusive answer. Some thought the Nets upgraded, like this Western Conference scout:
“I think Kyrie's a superstar. D'Angelo's going to be a really good player. But Kyrie is just at the next level. If his head's straight and he's going to be all in, with the core they have, I think (the Nets) have a really bright future (with Irving)….I think (replacing Russell with Irving) is an upgrade.”
But others thought the chemistry and fit of the team are better suited for Russell, even though the consensus is that Irving is a better player:
“I would say for this group, I thought D'Angelo was better, to be honest with you. He was younger, healthier than Kyrie. And just the way (Nets head coach) Kenny (Atkinson) wanted to play, I thought D'Angelo fit better.”
Irving has some big shoes to fill in Russell's absence, but he is certainly capable of filling them. Even without Durant, the team is expected to be a playoff contender with Irving taking the helm. We'll see how Uncle Drew performs as the leader of a deep squad with plenty of potential.
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