On Thursday February 20th, 2020, NBA.com released an statement from Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks announcing that former NBA Champion Kyrie Irving will undergo season ending surgery on his right shoulder. Irving, who missed over 20 games at the beginning of the 2019-2020 NBA Season with a shoulder injury has been battling injuries all season. From a right knee & right hamstring injury to ultimately re-aggravating his shoulder injury, Marks felt it was best for Irving’s career long term to shut this season down. The Nets (#7 in the East,25-29) will make the playoffs again without Irving. However, another 1st round Playoff exit would’ve been on Irving’s resume if he tried to continue using cortisone shots to play through the pain. In my opinion this surgery Irving tried to avoid is exactly what he and the Nets needed. Not only will he get the recovery time to completely heal from all his body injuries for next season, but his rehab time aligns with Kevin Durant‘s highly anticipated return from his Ruptured Achilles next season. This will give Brooklyn the Dynamic Duo the fans have been patiently waiting for. Personally, I don’t see Brooklyn winning the NBA Championship as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo & The Milwaukee Bucks, Joel Embiid & The 76ers, Victor Oladipo & The Indiana Pacers or Jayson Tatum & The Boston Celtics are continuing to improve & make moves to dominate the Eastern Conference in the Post-LeBron Era. Many Media Analysts on ESPN & Fox Sports Will say Kevin Durant will be the game changer for the NBA. However, until KD fully recovers from the worst injury an NBA Elite Player can suffer...the jury is still out on the overall verdict.
