Apr 25, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts during the fourth quarter of game four of the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center. The Celtics defeated the Nets 116-112 to win the best of seven series 4-0. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Nets 'are prepared' to lose Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 6/27/22

The Brooklyn Nets are facing the possibility of their superteam’s collapse this offseason. A new report suggests they would not see that as the worst possible outcome.

In an appearance on ESPN’s “This Just In,” reporter Brian Windhorst revealed that the Nets would rather lose both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving rather than repeat the drama and difficulty of the 2021-22 season.

"[The Nets] are prepared to lose both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant."@WindhorstESPN on the state of the Nets. pic.twitter.com/7faWTkbl9j

— ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2022

“The Nets are putting out there right now that they are prepared to lose both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant,” Windhorst said. “They would rather lose them both than go through what they went through last season, which was a miserable season under the situation that Kyrie Irving contributed to creating.”

Windhorst added that he was skeptical of the Nets’ claim, and he wondered aloud if it was a negotiating tactic to pressure Irving.

Given how much money and effort the Nets invested in building a team around Durant and Irving, this might come as a surprise. However, there is no disputing that the formula was not working. The Nets were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs after needing to a win a play-in game just to get that far. That can be chalked up partly to Durant’s injuries and Irving’s absence for the bulk of home games.

One issue the Nets may be running into is that Irving will not go just anywhere.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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