Kyrie Eleison: an apologist's POV on a polarizing future (Nets?) legend

[ecuhus1981]

First, let me say this: I KNOW THAT KYRIE IRVING IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE BROOKLYN NETS yet.

Starting a thread on him might be deemed heresy or a jinx, but I'm going there anyway. After all, if he's engaged enough to call into a Boston radio station, perhaps he's watching our board, as well????

Seriously, though, I just wanted to get your thoughts on the dude. As a basketball player, Irving is my favorite to watch in the league right now. It's not just style over substance, either; he's as efficient as he is dazzling at shot-creation. Shammgod, Eurostep, fakes, floaters, step-backs, even an emerging post game; he's got all the tools. I mean, he's not lying when says he's a basketball genius, even though I'd offer some goals for rounding out his game. He's already a future first-ballot HoF-er IMO, and with Kenny's instruction, I think he'll become a 33/8/6 MVP candidate.

As a leader, he has a reputation not unlike our PG emeritus and my favorite all-time player Jason Kidd: petulant weirdo, coach killer, distant with teammates. I think that Ason (I still lovingly call him that) had the advantage as a PG with generational court vision, because that endeared him to his fellow players even when his personality didn't ingratiate himself. Irving plays the same position, but in a shoot-first, -second and -third kinda way. This style could widen the gap that a brooding personality creates when you're playing a team sport.

The interesting and revealing part of the man I've learned over the past few weeks is as a fan. I always knew he grew up in NJ, but I didn't know how enamored he was with the Nets. He seems genuinely psyched about coming here, which is like a dream come true. Perhaps the unsettled, Flat-Earth, defiant, shoulda-taken-more-shots version of KI was just an outgrowth of his desire to go to a destination of his choosing in free agency, the team of his heart? What if WE are that destination? What if WE are that team? He'd make for a terrible poker player if this were the case, but perhaps it portends a turnaround in his attitude in a new environment???

I understand that many Nets faithful are Team D'Angelo, but I refuse to look at this as a binary, either-or equation. I think they could be scary-good together! I'm sure some will make this conversation about Russell's potential absence due to Kyrie's presence, and sure, I could a scenario where it simply wouldn't work to have both PG's and another max FA. I'd rather focus on simply what getting Kyrie would mean to you. FIRE AWAY!

[Papi_swav]

Whoa ! 33/8/6 player is GOAT level ball man that's a lot to ask for .. I don't see his numbers anywhere near close to that. Maybe like 26/7/4 which I'll gladly take but it's more of the shooting percentages with me and how well he plays with the others. If he can duplicate what he's done the last 3 years which is about 48/40/88 percentages I'll be more than happy. That is so close to a 50/40/90 player with high volume shooting which is crazy efficiency . I love DLo but we just simply cannot pass up on a talent like this. You get the best players despite positions and figure it out later.

[SpeedyG]

BTW...Kidd was a coach killer. He absolutely had that reputation. Kidd was a terrific leader on the court, but he was far from that off it. But between the lines? You couldn't have asked for a better teammate.

I will say, a lot of people are blowing the leadership stuff out of the water.

Russell, when he came here, he was told by Kenny that he didn't have to be leader, to just be himself. I think the same will be done with Kyrie. He will be a playmaker scorer closer, but not expected to be the leader.



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