Inside The Nets

Lep: Nets Fans Should Be Happy Kyrie Irving Is Out For The Season

The 2019-20 season was never about winning championships. It was a waiting year until superstar Kevin Durant returns from his torn Achilles injury.

Rob Lep

Tommy Gilligan/ USA Today Sports

Kyrie Irving is out for the rest of the 2019-20 season. He'll finish the year playing in just 20 games.

Hold the tears and tissues, this is perfect for the Brooklyn Nets.

Let’s be real. The Nets aren’t winning a championship in 2019-20.

Irving isn't somehow going to will Brooklyn to the NBA Finals and hold up the Larry O'Brien trophy. They're not better than Giannis Antetokoumnpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics (his former team) or the NBA's 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' that is the Philadelphia 76ers.

And don't even get me started on the Western Conference. What's up LeBron and Kawhi!

2020-21 is when the fun begins. Durant will make his triumphant return from his torn Achilles.

Kyrie Irving will (hopefully) be able to fully recover from whatever has happened to his body over the last few months.

The Nets need them both to be healthy. Let's not pretend like this season was ever something that it really wasn't: a championship contender.

We saw Kyrie’s flashes of brilliance. When he’s on, he’s on. But he's not bringing them a 'chip by himself.

Brooklyn will still be a playoff team. Fans will have to be patient. Next year has the potential to be something really special.

There will no longer be questions over whether Kyrie can be the Batman in Durant’s absence. Nothing about whether Kyrie can/ will lead the Nets.

It’s KD’s team. Now with Irving our for the year, they don’t have to pretend like it’s anything else.

This redshirt season is a wash. Now with KD and Kyrie (presumably) back healthy in 2020, there are no excuses.

They have their two stars. They have the role pieces in place. Spencer Dinwiddie is the perfect third scorer.

It’s go time in Brooklyn. Fans will just have to be patient. Take a deep breath and giddy up for 2020-21. It should be a fun ride.

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Rob Lep
ROB LEP

Rob is a Long Island native and versatile sports broadcaster/ journalist. In addition to his work for Sports Illustrated, Lep also writes for WFAN.com and serves as an on-air contributor for CNN Sports Desk and ESPNU Campus. He's the founder of his own website/ interview show STAT Sports (STATSports1.com). When he's not typing or editing on his computer, you can find him at the local Shake Shack or Chipotle. Follow him on Twitter @RobLep1.

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