The Brooklyn Nets have found themselves as the talk of the basketball world over the last year, and not necessarily for all the right reasons. But ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said Brooklyn could be a championship contender this season.
Brooklyn still has one of the NBA’s most fascinating rosters. If the Nets can get back on track, they could become a force in the Eastern Conference. On “The Rich Eisen Show,” Smith said the Nets have all the tools to “easily” make it to the NBA Finals this season.
“So, if Ben Simmons, who was my Defensive Player of the Year two years ago, is ready to go with Kyrie and KD ready to go, there’s no reason why the Nets shouldn’t be a favorite to come out of the East, Smith said.
“Milwaukee will have something to say about it. Boston will have something to say about it. But the Brooklyn Nets could easily be in the NBA Finals this upcoming season if those brothers show up to work.”
After coming into last season as heavy favorites to reach the NBA Finals, Brooklyn experienced an incredibly disappointing, drama-filled year. They were the only team to get swept in the playoffs last season.
As a result, many thought that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could be on their way out of town this summer. Since Durant’s late June trade request, cooler heads have prevailed and Brooklyn now has its eyes on the upcoming training camps. While the Nets have been a rollercoaster of emotions the last couple of months, there’s still a rare opportunity for the organization.
The Brooklyn Nets have the potential to make a championship run in 2022-23
Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein
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