5 Winners and losers of the Kyrie Irving trade

Loser: Kevin Durant

When KD and Irving signed with Brooklyn in the summer of 2019, it was supposed to solidify both players’ legacies as all-time greats and multiple-time champions. Instead, the decision has brought Durant more criticism than he has ever faced in his career. And now he’s left with the remnants of what was supposed to be a dynasty.

KD is now one of only three players on the Nets who were there the year he and Irving joined Brooklyn in 2019, alongside Nic Claxton and Joe Harris. While those players are solid in their respective roles, KD has lost his good friend and one of the only teammates with whom he’s built chemistry. Looking at the roster, he’s on an island of his own at this point.

Unless the Nets are able to pair KD with another star soon, which will likely have to be before the February 9th trade deadline, a trade request in the summer seems inevitable, for real this time. Contrary to what most people thought in the summer of 2016, signing with the Nets has easily been KD’s worst free-agent decision.