Kevin Durant Injury Forces Nets into Huge Trade Deadline Decision as Kyrie Irving Pressure Mounts: REPORT

Published 01/10/2023, 2:20 PM EST

The Brooklyn Nets have suffered a massive setback with the recent injury of Kevin Durant. The 12-time All-Star has led the Nets to the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 27-13 record this season. However, Durant got injured recently during the third quarter of the game against the Miami Heat and did not return to the court following an inspection. After such a pivotal injury to their best player, a recent report has suggested that the Brooklyn Nets might end up making a huge tradeline decision as pressure begins to mount on Kyrie Irving in Durant’s absence.

Kevin Durant suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee after coming into contact with Heat’s Jimmy Butler while fighting for a loose ball. As a result, Durant is likely to be sidelined for at least a few weeks. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving will have to shoulder the scoring responsibilities of the Nets in Durant’s absence and ensure consistent wins. Amid the trouble for Brooklyn, the Nets are reportedly interested in enhancing their roster strength as they eye a possible trade deal involving a star from the Atlanta Hawks.

The Brooklyn Nets look for a huge trade move in the absence of Kevin Durant

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The Brooklyn Nets are interested in Hawks’ power forward Joe Collins and had even offered a deal that was rejected by Atlanta. As the trade deadline gets closer, an Eastern Conference executive spilled some beans about the Nets’ interest in John Collins.

According to Heavy.com, the NBA executive stated, “The Nets are definitely looking for a deal, but they want to bring in a star who can play alongside what they have. They’d be in the market for a power-forward type, maybe a rebounder.”

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Collins seems to be the most appropriate option for the Nets. The 25-year-old is averaging 13.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting with a field accuracy of 49.8%. While his scoring average has come down this season, he could be a good asset for the team in several areas.

What could John Collins offer to the Nets?

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The Nets have been going through an exceptional run, winning 18 of their last 20 games. However, Brooklyn is currently 19th in the league in terms of rebounds, with an average of 40.5 rebounds per game.

Moreover, the Nets’ defense is currently ninth in the league with a rating of 111.5. Therefore, having Collins will help the Nets improve in terms of rebounding and strengthening their defense.

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Elsewhere, it would be thrilling to see if Kyrie Irving keeps the Nets on a winning track in the absence of Kevin Durant.

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Written by:

Rohit Kumawat is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Currently pursuing an MBA in Media and Business Management, Rohit holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. He has been working as a Sports and Entertainment writer for over a year.

Edited by:

Satagni Sikder

Kevin Durant Injury Forces Nets into Huge Trade Deadline Decision as Kyrie Irving Pressure Mounts: REPORT

The Brooklyn Nets look for a huge trade move in the absence of Kevin Durant

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What could John Collins offer to the Nets?