Two weeks after the NBA Finals ended and Stephen Curry proved — again — that he doesn’t need another superstar to win, Durant took over the offseason by making his trade request on June 30. Since then, we’ve seen every mock trade imaginable and heard every scenario placing Durant in Phoenix, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Memphis, and even a return to Golden State was “flirted” with.

Almost every talking head on TV and radio had bought into the idea of KD playing anywhere but Brooklyn next season. It never felt feasible due to what Brooklyn would demand in any Durant trade scenario. Then, days after Durant’s trade request, the Rudy Gobert trade shook up everything. Minnesota sent five players plus five first-round picks to Utah for Gobert.

Once the Timberwolves gave up that haul for a player who’s seen as virtually unplayable during clutch time in the postseason, it just felt like it would take a miracle to move KD, especially with four freaking years remaining on his contract. That miracle never happened, and here we are, right back where we started.

KD and the Nets. Back in full effect with his BFF Kyrie, and they’ve even got a third in Ben Simmons if he ever plays. I can already hear 90 percent of NBA analysts talking about picking the Nets to win the championship for a third consecutive year. Heading into the last two NBA campaigns, Brooklyn has been an overwhelming favorite of national pundits to make and win the NBA Finals.

The saddest part is that they haven’t come close to fulfilling this prophecy even with all of Durant’s intangibles and Irving’s ability. They added a third star (briefly) in James Harden during the 2021 postseason, and the Nets couldn’t get past Milwaukee in the second round. Injuries played a part, but they still couldn’t get the job done. In this year’s playoffs, Brooklyn was swept by Boston despite having both Durant and Irving available.

You’d have to be insane to trust this team at this point. Yet, most will and should come to regret it by February when Kyrie is out for some crazy reason and Simmons is sidelined because of his back or whatever reason he concocts. Hey, I bought into it just like everybody else in the beginning.

Brooklyn isn’t a championship team. That’s been proven the past two postseasons. The Nets are and have been what the Cavs and LeBron James were during his last run in Cleveland. They’re “top-heavy as s***. Guess”

The past NBA champions have been won by complete and balanced teams. Of course, the Bucks and Warriors have their homegrown superstars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry. But they’ve also been able to build around them, forming teams that can showcase 10 players regularly. Last year the Nets were lucky if they could trust seven players with significant minutes.

So, I’m done falling into the same trap year after year. It doesn’t matter how good KD, Kyrie, and Ben are; this propaganda must stop. The second anyone attempts to sell you on why the Nets will win an NBA title, just stop ‘em and walk away. Don’t even engage them because they’re obviously a lunatic.