The radical transformation of the Brooklyn Nets last season was really fast.
In the span of just a few weeks, the Nets lost both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, and their postseason hopes were pretty much dashed.
Fans were very disappointed to see both Irving and Durant depart the team.
But according to an NBA insider, it didn’t have to go down that way.
Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported that Durant would have stayed in Brooklyn last season had Ben Simmons been healthy.
“If Simmons had been healthy last season, sources told The Post that Kevin Durant likely would’ve stayed on in Brooklyn even without Kyrie Irving,” Lewis said, according to NBACentral.
Kevin Durant would have stayed in Brooklyn last season had Ben Simmons been healthy, per @NYPost_Lewis
"If Simmons had been healthy last season, sources told The Post that Kevin Durant likely would’ve stayed on in Brooklyn even without Kyrie Irving." pic.twitter.com/xSEXZFdxMU
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 10, 2023
This will make Simmons’ injuries all the more troubling for fans of the Nets.
Simmons’ 2022-23 was already a painful subject in Brooklyn.
He only played in 42 games and averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.
He wasn’t playing like his regular self when he was on the floor and appeared to be distracted and not driven to work hard.
Many people were wondering what was wrong with Simmons, with some saying it seemed like his heart just wasn’t in the game anymore.
When Simmons and the Nets announced the player was suffering from an injury, they claimed that was why he wasn’t in prime form.
If he was, things would have been different for Durant according to Lewis.
As it stands now, Simmons is still in Brooklyn while Durant has moved to the Phoenix Suns.
Simmons might look much better in the new season and could resemble his former self.
But fans will always wonder what could have been if he had felt better last year.
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