The KD/Kyrie Era has been a colossal failure

[gigantes]

Year 1: KD out for season, Kyrie quits on team after minor injury and shuts it down. (Bubble year)

Year 2: KD balls out, Kyrie gets injured by Giannis, Harden being out of shape catches up to him leading to hammy injury.

Year 3: Kyrie doesn't want to get vaxxed and derails our season, Harden gets traded, KD gets shut down by physical Boston D.

Year 4: Ben Simmons Joins, Joe Harris is back, KD/Kyrie have final shot to see if they can at least make an ECF.

My question is, had we kept our previous core (Dlo, Fro, LeVert, Din, etc) do you think we could have done better?

I still think signing KD/Kyrie was the correct move to have our best shot at a title. ...

Can't disagree that it was the best shot at winning a title, but it was also a really shaky, disruptive shot at winning a title, and I'm not a big fan of those. Needing to install a novice, puppet coach was like an exclamation point on all that.

Could we have done better? Devil's advocate-- YES.

Kenny was a good coach and likely would have kept improving. Team culture, which Marks was meticulous about building in the beginning wouldn't have been dumped overboard as it was, catering to narcissists. Outside of Fro, our young guys weren't special, but when you don't have a gun pointed to your head, then you have the luxury of moving on from them far more easily, flipping pieces around, trying new assets out.

Let's not forget that Marks' greatest talent is arguably finding gems in the rough. When you have a certain amount of freedom to properly evaluate such talent, that's when that gift is maximised, and by the same token, when you're a 'win now' team, all that's more strained and difficult.

So we may or may not have won a single playoff series like the KI&KD experiment did across three seasons, but the team would have been sounder and more flexible in every way, naturally creating more paths to success, even if a title soon was unlikely. TBH, I'm also a fan of enjoying the team I'm rooting for, and this team has by and large not been enjoyable to watch the past three seasons, especially amidst the sky-high expectations.

But yeah, you look around the league at other long-term successful teams, especially teams that did it with fairly modest starting resources, and that's how you typically build perennial title contenders. Not this 'grasping at title straws' dumpster fire.

[TheNetsFan]

We have Philly unprotected 2023 pick + 2027(Top 8 protected pick) which does help to alleviate the lack of picks for sure.

The swaps are annoying still though but on paper HOU should be worse than us.

I agree with everything except Simmons > Fro, that's yet to be decided IMO.

When you look at it in a vacuum, the cost of having multiple year window as a true title contender roster was worth the cost.

Now can we capitilize on this window? I sure hope so.

You're right. 3x All-Star, 2x NBA All Defense, 1x All-NBA, former ROY Ben Simmons >>>>> 1x All-Star Fro.

[therealbig3]

We have Philly unprotected 2023 pick + 2027(Top 8 protected pick) which does help to alleviate the lack of picks for sure.

The swaps are annoying still though but on paper HOU should be worse than us.

I agree with everything except Simmons > Fro, that's yet to be decided IMO.

When you look at it in a vacuum, the cost of having multiple year window as a true title contender roster was worth the cost.

Now can we capitilize on this window? I sure hope so.

You're right. 3x All-Star, 2x NBA All Defense, 1x All-NBA, former ROY Ben Simmons >>>>> 1x All-Star Fro.

LOL, you're just reading a resume, but that doesn't mean he's actually better. The Fro is a defensive beast too, and is just entering his prime. Walking double-double and a monster in the paint. I think it's extremely debatable if Simmons is better on either side of the ball.

[Whiskey Slick]

If Beal had opted in, could we have traded Kyrie for Beal in a one-for-one swap?

I ask because their opt-in contracts seem identical, then we could have worked on an extension with Beal.

Why wouldn't Washington do that with Beal instead of losing him for nothing?

Also, why wouldn't Beal be intrigued by the idea of signing an extension to play with Durant?

[vincecarter4pres]

If Beal had opted in, could we have traded Kyrie for Beal in a one-for-one swap?

Yes.

I ask because their opt-in contracts seem identical, then we could have worked on an extension with Beal.

Yes. Which would have almost certainly been discussed pre-opt-in and trade, and would have been full max allowed per CBA. The only negotiations would have been the weird little catered to stuff you never hear about, and if he wanted an ETO in the final year.

Why wouldn't Washington do that with Beal instead of losing him for nothing?

It isn't up to Washington, it's up to Beal. And it's ridiculously unlikely he does anything other then, sign a full 5 year max with max raises, to stay with the Wizards. And if they want, they can trade him any time from the deadline on(probably sooner, believe it's 6 months from the ink put to paper.)

Also, why wouldn't Beal be intrigued by the idea of signing an extension to play with Durant?

Maybe he once was before this carnival started? Maybe he still is intrigued by playing with Durant. But currently, he seems to be enamored with getting the bag. The biggest bag possible. And proving he can bring a group of scrubs, kicking and screaming to the playoffs on his own. And he probably loves the DMV.

[MrDollarBills]

If Beal had opted in, could we have traded Kyrie for Beal in a one-for-one swap?

Yes.

I ask because their opt-in contracts seem identical, then we could have worked on an extension with Beal.

Yes. Which would have almost certainly been discussed pre-opt-in and trade, and would have been full max allowed per CBA. The only negotiations would have been the weird little catered to stuff you never hear about, and if he wanted an ETO in the final year.

Why wouldn't Washington do that with Beal instead of losing him for nothing?

It isn't up to Washington, it's up to Beal. And it's ridiculously unlikely he does anything other then, sign a full 5 year max with max raises, to stay with the Wizards. And if they want, they can trade him any time from the deadline on(probably sooner, believe it's 6 months from the ink put to paper.)

Also, why wouldn't Beal be intrigued by the idea of signing an extension to play with Durant?

Maybe he once was before this carnival started? Maybe he still is intrigued by playing with Durant. But currently, he seems to be enamored with getting the bag. The biggest bag possible. And proving he can bring a group of scrubs, kicking and screaming to the playoffs on his own. And he probably loves the DMV.

Read on Twitter

This dysfunctional mess is not attractive to anyone, especially since no one knows if Durant will demand a trade.

Kyrie has f*cked this entire thing up.

[sashaturiaf]

If Beal had opted in, could we have traded Kyrie for Beal in a one-for-one swap?

Yes.

I ask because their opt-in contracts seem identical, then we could have worked on an extension with Beal.

Yes. Which would have almost certainly been discussed pre-opt-in and trade, and would have been full max allowed per CBA. The only negotiations would have been the weird little catered to stuff you never hear about, and if he wanted an ETO in the final year.

Why wouldn't Washington do that with Beal instead of losing him for nothing?

It isn't up to Washington, it's up to Beal. And it's ridiculously unlikely he does anything other then, sign a full 5 year max with max raises, to stay with the Wizards. And if they want, they can trade him any time from the deadline on(probably sooner, believe it's 6 months from the ink put to paper.)

Also, why wouldn't Beal be intrigued by the idea of signing an extension to play with Durant?

Maybe he once was before this carnival started? Maybe he still is intrigued by playing with Durant. But currently, he seems to be enamored with getting the bag. The biggest bag possible. And proving he can bring a group of scrubs, kicking and screaming to the playoffs on his own. And he probably loves the DMV.

Read on Twitter

This dysfunctional mess is not attractive to anyone, especially since no one knows if Durant will demand a trade.

Kyrie has f*cked this entire thing up.

We chose the wrong horse, Harden is washed but at least he wants to win above all else.

We chose Kyrie and now look at us, it's a circus act that no self respecting player wants to be a part of. We have to go full suicide squad and recruit a team of reclamation projects with a chip on their shoulder and hope that somehow works out. Like it or not, that's gonna be our identity with Kyrie, KD and Ben at the forefront.

[wco81]

So KD's trade request was him bailing on Kyrie?

Or because Nets didn't give Kyrie a long-term deal?

Whatever happens, Nets better gut the depth of the Suns or the Heat as well as get a ton of trade assets. Dejunte Murray commanded 3 FRPs, two of them unprotected, and a FRP swap.

[Galou]

...I'd still let KD me literally and figuratively.

[JoseRizal]

I'd rather we rebuild our culture, than continue to bend over to those ungrateful weaklings...

[MrDollarBills]

...I'd still let KD me literally and figuratively.

I can respect this. Be yourself brother, we support all forms of love between two consenting adults. The Nets forum is an inclusive space.

[MrDollarBills]

I'd rather we rebuild our culture, than continue to bend over to those ungrateful weaklings...

Yep. Let's get back to fun basketball

[JoseRizal]

I'd rather we rebuild our culture, than continue to bend over to those ungrateful weaklings...

Yep. Let's get back to fun basketball

You bet!

The KD & Kyrie bandwagoners can start packing up...

[3pt_chucker]

So KD's trade request was him bailing on Kyrie?

Or because Nets didn't give Kyrie a long-term deal?

Whatever happens, Nets better gut the depth of the Suns or the Heat as well as get a ton of trade assets. Dejunte Murray commanded 3 FRPs, two of them unprotected, and a FRP swap.

Seems that he was upset that the Nets wanted to take back the reins of the franchise after a disgusting last season. One of the results of that was not offering a KAI a max.

Seems that KD has been upset for awhile with how they've handled Kyrie and that was the last straw.

Now he wants out.

[Archerbro]

read this thread a long time ago, but came back to say MR. Dollar Bills was absolutely right IMO.

[Paradise]

What a loser.

Read on Twitter

[Evalar]

What a loser.

Read on Twitter

I saw this it's pathetic he's like a child.

[Dannyboy36]

What a loser.

Read on Twitter

I saw this it's pathetic he's like a child.

We got burned as Celts fans by Kyrie. Outside of his reasons for not being available to play , when he dies he just doesn’t impact winning . When Kyrie is talked about it’s usually about how talented he is and/ or how he’s a flake. If Kyrie stopped being a loser to teammates and franchises he still will NEVER play defense. You can’t win the whole thing just not playing defense on so many possessions.

[Galou]

...I'd still let KD me literally and figuratively.

Good one mods. Good one

Yall always hacking and editing my posts.

Mr dollar bill.... the snitch....

Anyway. I won't troll yall sensitive folks no more. I'm just gonna make fun of yall in the general board.

Peace

[Galou]

Wait hold on let me screen shot this for yall edit it again