And in kind of an unexpected twist over the last month, all the noise has been about Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Nets fresh off a sort of a fund playoff appearance, a spirited season, all that may be getting 1 may be getting both again.

Katie's injury kind of clubs that would, what is like, What do we actually know is going on with Brooklyn and Katie and Kyrie?

Well, with Kyrie, The reason he has started he has gravitated over time toward Brooklyn is the infrastructure that's in place there.

You look at the role players they have.

You know, if Kyrie Irving misses 10 games in a season or 12 or 15 he knows Spencer didn't when he comes in and starts and they're not gonna lose all those games and you look at the roster in New York, you know, listen, they would try to bring in some veteran from veterans if they signed him in Katie.

But there's an infrastructure there.

Caris, Levert and Jared Allen and Joe Harris, players who have shown they could get team into the playoffs management coach there.

Those things have made it more attractive and it's to the point now where I think the Knicks have had to start looking at other contingencies to try to sell Kevin Durant and coming to them.

Does that mean Ah, Kemba Walker, another free agent, the partner with or just salary cap space?

This year, he's going to be rehabbing.

This is a $38 million redshirt year for Kevin Durant wherever he signs.

And but there's no question that New York has felt that thing push away from them and toward Brooklyn.

And Brooklyn's in great position here to get a commitment from Kyrie Irving and then use that to pursue K D or or perhaps another free agent.

Well, that's the and the point that's been made over and over is like this has always been a two star play by Brooklyn.

As soon as they traded Allen Crabbe and in his contract in two first round picks, by the way it took to get rid of him, it was very clear that they wanted a second start.

The question to me is, if it's not Durant, what are they going to do?

What is their backup plan?

If it's if it's Kyrie?

Yeah, I'm in the door, I'm ready to go.

And Durant says, You know, maybe I don't want a buddy up with you.

Maybe I want to do my own thing, whatever it is.

Where does Brooklyn go from there?

Cause that, or do they even want to go to that go that route with career?

Because they have a very good incumbent point guard D Angelo Russell, that they helped grow into an All Star.

And they have to ask themselves, if not Durant, if he's not coming, OK, do we really want to turn our franchise over to a guy who just detonated Boston's chemistry for an entire year?

Right?

You're right.

And the idea of Kyrie as a solo act is not what this plan has been.

It has been about getting that second star.

It is about K D and dislike Everybody else.

Brooklyn would give Katie that full four year max deal, no question, and you have to even be in this conversation right now with them, and then you hope you get three really good years with him to start off the top.

But that will be the question about not just do they will they still take Kyrie Irving without a second star.

But whether it's Tobias Harris to Jimmy Butler, let's go down the list of free agents.

I'm not.

I don't think they want to Max any of those players out now.

Tobias Harris perhaps, But could they get those guys at a lower number?

Keep some salary cap flexibility, but there's gonna be a moment of truth if Katie doesn't come.

And Kyrie says, I'm ready to go where?

As an organisation, it may not be what you intended, but you say, You know what?

We can't.

We've got a chance here to improve this team even dramatically, and we'll take on that second star who may not be of all N b a caliph.

So two things.

The one thing I think the Nets will not do having dug themselves out of the grave, the N B a grave is, too.

Then overpaid D'Angelo Russell and splurge on someone like Tobias.

Harris was a very nice player, a very good player, But then you then I think they risk trapping themselves and were a nice team.

We may win 50 games on your we made 1 50 to 1 year, but we're just a nice team going shooting for Kyrie and Katie at least gives them a chance to be great.

And to me, if Katie doesn't come, But Kyrie does, and they still and I and I do believe if Kyrie is coming alone, I think the Nets will swallow hard to take that risk.

I don't I know how strongly I believe that I don't I think they're divided internally on it, but I think ultimately they'll do it.

Jimmy Butler becomes the most interesting other guy to get because I think he's a tier above some of the guys you mentioned is a really, really good player.

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