He’s baaaackkkk! Well, sort of. After months of discussion, trade rumors, retirement rumblings, and a lot of frustration, it seems that Kyrie Irving is finally going to make his season debut for the Brooklyn Nets in the near future. While his exact return date is still unknown, thanks to him immediately being tossed into the unreasonably long list of Nets players currently under health and safety protocols, the organization seems content to let their All-Star guard return to the team, even if he will only be allowed to play in road games. And if we’re being honest, while a full-time Kyrie is obviously the preferred choice, I’d still much rather have Irving on the floor half the time than none of the time. So let’s dive in and see what this groundbreaking news could mean for your fantasy hoops squad.
What?! You’re not hosting your fantasy basketball league on Fantrax? Inconceivable! Check out all the features of Fantrax Fantasy Basketball Commissioner and we’re pretty sure you’ll come around to our way of thinking.
The Return of Kyrie Irving
The All-Star Guard Returns
Obviously, the biggest fantasy hoops impact here is that it creates a huge boost to whichever team in your league rosters the superstar guard. Irving averaged 26.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 2.8 threes per game last season, doing it on a blistering 50.6/40.2/92.2 shooting line. So yeah, he’s pretty good when he’s on the court. And while he might be a bit rusty at first, having not seen NBA game action in months, I have no doubt that he will find his rhythm very quickly, and will become a major asset the rest of the way. Irving is still just 29 years old and will be entering the season with fresh legs, while the rest of the league has been fighting through the rigors of the NBA regular season for the past two months.
It definitely hurts a bit that Irving will only be playing half of his remaining games on the season, but it’s not like this is a borderline top-100 fantasy player who will be missing half of his games. Irving is a clear top-20 player when he’s on the floor, and his presence could win you a week, especially when Brooklyn is on a road trip. Admittedly, it will be a frustrating process, and it might not be a terrible idea to field some trade offers to someone who is a little over-excited about his return. But the fact remains that Kyrie Irving is a supreme NBA talent, and any games he plays for your fantasy team is a net positive, no matter how few and far between they may be.
Return of the Big Three
In addition to Irving returning as an individual player, it also means the return of the NBA’s most imposing big three in the league. Alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden, the Nets will be taking the court as one of the best offenses in league history, let alone one of the best in the current NBA. If you’re concerned at all that the return of Irving might negatively impact the fantasy production of Durant or Harden, don’t be. They shared the floor last season in an almost surprisingly unselfish manner, each getting their own stats without hindering each other’s production in the slightest. In fact, it might even help, as it could generate more overall offense for the team while increasing the shooting efficiency of both star players. Having another All-Star on the floor is just one more challenging defensive assignment for the opposing team, and as we saw last season, it can be extremely difficult, and seemingly impossible at times, to stop them. All three of Durant, Harden, and Irving will continue to dominate.
Logjam in the Backcourt
While the return of Kyrie Irving to the Nets won’t have any negative impact on Durant or Harden, that does not mean that his return won’t negatively affect other players on the team. Patty Mills appears to be the biggest loser from this news, as both his minutes and touches will likely take a significant hit every time Irving suits up. Mills is statistically having the best season of his career with 13.6 points and 3.2 threes per contest on an excellent 44.2/43.0/88.0 shooting line in just over 30 minutes per game. Those are all career-bests for the 33-year-old, but these minutes will undoubtedly decline with Harden and Irving dominating minutes in the backcourt.
While there is a chance we could see spurts of all three of them on the floor at once, it likely won’t work out well enough defensively for it to become a true solution to this developing logjam in the backcourt. Mills will still have his moments, but the inconsistency might start to outweigh the rewards. This will almost definitely become a situation where Mills becomes someone who is way more valuable to his actual NBA team than he will be for fantasy teams. It was fun while it lasted.
More Fantasy Basketball Goodness: Waiver Wire | Weekly Schedule Preview | Fantasy Basketball Stock Report | NBA DFS Picks
Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2020, and we’re not stopping now. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.