Kyrie Irving‘s time with the Brooklyn Nets was forgettable at best. The superstar guard joined the team with Kevin Durant in the 2019 offseason to much fanfare. However, their partnership failed to reach the heights most expected. He was embroiled in several controversies, and faced suspensions, before leaving unceremoniously in February 2023. But there were more problems than just the controversies.
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During an appearance on the Run Your Race podcast, Irving’s former teammate Taurean Prince revealed that the eight-time All-Star had an issue with the Nets’ team composition. He revealed that the guard once scoffed at the roster’s odds of winning a championship due to their bizarre personnel decision. Prince said,
“I played the 4 by the way, in Brooklyn. I’ve never played the 4 in the league up until that point. [Irving said,] ‘Ain’t no way we gon’ win a championship with Prince at the 4′. Not to say like I’m trash but like, bro, I’m 6’7.”
Taurean Prince tells some stories about his time with the Brooklyn Nets.
“I played the 4 in Brooklyn, I’ve never played the 4 in the league up until that point.” I remember Kai saying ain’t no way we winning a chip with TP at the 4."
🎥 – @TidalLeague pic.twitter.com/QaOVdWOfGn
— NetsKingdom 👑🗽 (@NetsKingdomAJ) August 7, 2024
He added that Irving was amazed that the Nets were planning on using him as a power forward given the size disparity between him and most top players at that position in the NBA.
Prince said he was willing to accept the role, but the size disadvantage was difficult to overcome. Decisions like these meant the Irving and Durant-led Nets couldn’t even make it past the second round in the playoffs, despite adding stars like James Harden and LaMarcus Aldridge to the roster.
Irving called it quits on his tumultuous three-and-a-half stint in Brooklyn last year and did not mince words about why he asked for a trade away from the franchise.
Kyrie Irving reflected on his time in Brooklyn
Back in February, exactly one year after the Mavericks acquired Irving in a trade with the Nets, the two teams faced off in his first game in Brooklyn since his exit from the franchise. During the post-game press conference, the guard was asked what prompted his decision to ask for a trade. He said,
“I think it was time to get my own peace of mind and go somewhere where I was able to thrive. Be in a situation where I didn’t have to worry about the behind the back talk or the media talk…It has nothing to do with the game of basketball, it has everything to do with how you handle someone as a person.”
In his first full season as a Maverick, Irving helped his new team win the Western Conference title and compete in their first NBA Finals since 2011. He went deeper in his first playoff run with Dallas than in three attempts with Brooklyn.
While he’s thriving, the Nets have blown up their roster and are in a painful rebuild. Irving seemingly is the winner of their tumultuous breakup, but time will tell who really won it.
