Section 215
Fansided

Nets adding Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving should take rivalry with 76ers to new levels

By Dan Parzych

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 17: Kyrie Irving #11 and Kevin Durant #25 of Team LaBron laugh during practice for the 2018 NBA All-Star game at the Verizon Up Arena at LACC on February 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 17: Kyrie Irving #11 and Kevin Durant #25 of Team LaBron laugh during practice for the 2018 NBA All-Star game at the Verizon Up Arena at LACC on February 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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With reports indicating the Brooklyn Nets are signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the rivalry with the Philadelphia 76ers could hit new levels over the next few years.

While most of the attention surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers this weekend has been focused on whether Jimmy Butler will return to the team, it looks like Brett Brown and company have another team to worry about moving forward in the Brooklyn Nets.

For weeks, there have been rumors surrounding the possibility of the Nets landing two superstars in free agency, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving standing out the most.

All of a sudden, it appears those rumors are becoming more of a reality for Brooklyn, as reports are already indicating that both players will in fact be joining the Nets once they can make it official Sunday night.

Rightfully so, both Durant and Irving have proven to be two of the top players in the NBA when healthy, showing just how big of a deal this is for a team Brooklyn coming off a surprise successful year this past season.

Despite the Sixers defeating the Nets in the first round of the playoffs 4-1 after only losing Game 1, no one needs to explain to Philadelphia just how tough of an opponent Brooklyn turned out to be as a No. 6 seed.

Losing the way they did in the playoffs was beyond frustrating for the Nets for obvious reasons, but also this showed what kind of bright future the team had with a solid group of young players.

Even though Philadelphia wasn’t ready to consider Brooklyn a top rival just yet after the playoffs since the Boston Celtics were always viewed as more of a threat to the Sixers, these key signings could change all of that.

Once Durant becomes healthy enough to return to action, this Nets team is going to be stacked for years to come, and has the potential to cause all sorts of problems for the Sixers when it comes to competing in the Eastern Conference.

After all of the worrying from this past season by Philadelphia in regards to Boston and the Toronto Raptors being the top threats, Brooklyn is officially part of that conversation with the additions of Durant and Irving.

Just like that, the Nets adding Durant and Irving could make them the better team in the long run when compared to the Sixers to show the questionable “rivalry” talk between these two teams may have just become official thanks to the start of free agency.