About two years ago, the Brooklyn Nets, who already were rife with talent thanks to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, traded for former league MVP James Harden, leading many to think they would become one of the greatest teams of all-time.
Of course, that wasn’t even remotely close to how things turned out.
Brooklyn failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, and months later, Harden asked to be traded and was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Nets have been in turmoil ever since, and with Irving asking to be traded on Friday, they have endured trade requests from three superstars and future Hall of Famers in a very short amount of time.
Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden have now all requested trades from the Brooklyn Nets in the past 13 months.
— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) February 3, 2023
Last summer, after getting swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs, Durant requested a trade, and Irving also reportedly wanted out after he failed to get a contract extension.
By September, both had recommitted to the team, but the adversity continued, as head coach Steve Nash was dismissed early in the season, followed by the controversy of Irving promoting a documentary with antisemitic content.
Then, unexpectedly, the Nets took off, winning 12 games in a row and 18 of 20, and they seemed to enter the category of legitimate championship contenders.
Alas, Durant sprained his MCL a few weeks ago, and they have struggled ever since.
Their struggles over the last couple of years have created a sentiment across the basketball world that the era of the superteam is over, and many fans have welcomed that development.
NEXT: NBA Insider Shares The Trade Interest In Kevin Durant
