Brooklyn Nets: Assessing the core following the Kyrie Irving injury

Following the season-ending surgery for Kyrie Irving, focusing on the future for the Brooklyn Nets is a logical step. Is the current core enough to contend?

Expectations were being managed coming into this season for the Brooklyn Nets as is. Any time you sign someone to a max contract with the expectation they will miss the entirety of the season the outlook is tough. The Nets were looking to build on a fun season last year by adding Kyrie Irving in place of D’Angelo Russell. Irving’s season has been plagued by injuries and was ended earlier this week with the decision to pursue surgery.

Everything is on pause with the Nets until next season. While they are likely to make the playoffs given the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff race, success there is not likely to follow. So rather than looking to the rest of this season, it is time to look at how this core will move forward around the two injured All-Stars.

Any success in the coming seasons for this team will be dependent on how the team fits around Kevin Durant and Irving. The Nets have an interesting crop of young players signed up for next season and beyond. Determining if they fit with the stars or if they need to be packaged or someone who does is of the utmost importance.

Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen are the main young guys signed through next year who are under the spotlight. Veteran DeAndre Jordan is a stalwart in terms of locker room presence. And while he is a pending free agent, Joe Harris is someone who may fit perfectly with a championship team. So where do the Nets go from here?