![]() How the Nets got here-as an on- and off-court embarrassment-can be hard to digest, but it’s easy to understand. I have a whole army around me.” It’s hard to take any NBA franchise that employs him seriously at this point. “I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone. “I’m not going to stand down on anything I believe in,” Irving said. On Saturday, as he fielded questions about his decision to tweet a link to the 2018 documentary Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, a film that endorses antisemitic messaging, he was antagonistic and defiant. Kyrie Irving, once primarily known as a supremely gifted basketball virtuoso, can now be most accurately described as a crass, incoherent provocateur, not only prone to believing every conspiracy he absorbs online but also motivated to share them with his millions of followers, regardless of how baseless or hurtful the beliefs might be. But compared to the unresolved chemistry and identity issues that stem from Brooklyn’s willingness to be led by three highly volatile and unsteady superstar personalities, they also seem peripheral. If these problems sound like a lot, they are. That’s this season’s fifth-worst plus/minus, among 436 players who qualify. To put this imbroglio into perspective: Kevin Durant is averaging 32 points per game, making over half his shots, and posting a career-high usage rate. In reality, they’re the basketball team equivalent of George Costanza braving the winter cold in a Russian sable hat while neglecting the importance of a coat. On paper, they can make a deep playoff run. It’s a frustrating roster despite the big names. But even though moving Simmons to center may loosen things up, doing so will exacerbate the team’s more significant weaknesses on the other end. When he plays next to another non-shooting big, Brooklyn’s spacing is compromised. Thanks to a critically thin frontcourt, the Nets rank dead last in defensive rebounding rate and can’t utilize Ben Simmons (more on him later) at the 5 as much as they probably should. Brooklyn’s starting five stinks and its depth is either too young or one-dimensional to positively contribute on both ends. The offense that was supposed to be their saving grace is statistically just average and aesthetically tepid. Their 30th-ranked defense looks hopeless. The Brooklyn Nets are 1-5, with a net rating that makes even the Los Angeles Lakers look down at them with pity.
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