Despite an ongoing belief that Kyrie Irving would seek a sign-and-trade, he ultimately opted into his $37 million player option on Monday with the Brooklyn Nets, which means he'll be running it back with Kevin Durant in 2022-23.

The organization was on the brink of potentially losing both of their superstars because if Kyrie did leave, the chances of KD also taking his talents elsewhere were very high. But thankfully, they're going to be on the floor at the Barclays Center next season and hoping to take the Nets to championship heights.

However, as Adrian Wojnarowski noted on ESPN's Get Up, it's going to be up to Durant to take a hold of this team and be the leader they need who can help build chemistry between everyone. Via Nets Daily:

“The goal is to have Kyrie Irving on the floor with Kevin Durant and I think that Kevin Durant is really going to impact how this goes. He wanted Kyrie Irving back certainly. He tried to help in some ways to get him that long term deal with the Nets. It didn’t happen. but he does have him back on the floor. They are both healthy. They have an opportunity to do what they planned to do in Brooklyn and that’s try to win a championship and at some point here.

“It’s going to be incumbent on Kevin Durant to start taking the leadership on of this group, this young team. he has done that in this off-season with his teammates. Guys have gone and spent time and played with him. and Certainly, he’s the very best. That’s going to be, for Kevin Durant for the Nets, paramount to put this group, this chemistry back and see what they can do what they set out to do and again, that’s to win the East and win a championship.”

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It's no secret Kyrie isn't exactly a leader. He's barely played over 100 games in the last three seasons for the Nets and although the guard is extremely talented, he's just not lead by example type. KD is. The chemistry between the star duo is absolutely crucial, but being able to gel with their teammates is just as important.

The whole culture of this franchise was in the gutter last season. Between Irving's vaccination saga and James Harden forcing his way out of Brooklyn with a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers, there are a lot of things that need to be fixed internally for the Nets. It all starts with Kevin Durant because after all, he is the franchise cornerstone.