After the disappointment last season, the Brooklyn Nets were expected to better their performances during the 2022-23 NBA season. However, despite having stars like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons, the Nets are 1-4 at the start of the season.
It seems there are internal issues within the team that is disrupting the overall balance of the team. Recently, Irving promoted a controversial film released in 2018 on his social media accounts.
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The film is based on a book that has been criticized in the past for having anti-semitic views and misinformation. The team and the Nets’ Billionaire owner Joe Tsai was not a fan of Irving’s endorsements.
In an official statement, Tsai bashed Irving for promoting the controversial film. Tsai took to Twitter and said, “I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-Semitic disinformation.”
Nets condemn Kyrie Irving's promotion of antisemitic film – via @ESPN App https://t.co/yfY4lldVqM
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 29, 2022
He further added, “I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.”
After making the blockbuster move from the Boston Celtics to the Brooklyn Nets, Irving’s time has been filled with controversies. During the 2021-22 season, he refused to take the vaccine owing to his personal choice.
As a result, he wasn’t allowed to play home games for quite some time due to a New York city mandate. This affected the team’s performances and also brought widespread criticism to the former NBA champion.
The Nets and Kyrie Irving have had a slow start to the season
Throughout the offseason, Kyrie Irving was linked to a move away from the Brooklyn Nets. The Los Angeles Lakers looked like a likely destination for him and the fans eagerly awaited a LeBron James and Irving reunion.
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However, he ended up committing to the Nets for the 2022-23 season and things looked good. Despite their superstar core of Kevin Durant, Irving, and Ben Simmons all healthy and playing, the Nets are struggling.
Five games into the season, they have an awful record of 1-4. Irving has averaged 29.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while Durant averages 33.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. On the other hand, Simmons made his much-anticipated debut for the Nets and he averages 5.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists. (Source: ESPN)
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Let us know your predictions for the Brooklyn Nets this season in the comments down below.