NBA Insider Marc Stein Claims Nets Could Be Just as Likely as Knicks to Land Kyrie and KD

NBA free agency is quickly approaching and there are a lot of game changers and franchise makers on the board this offseason. With the players available, the entire make up of the league could look different by the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, with multiple star players in new cities.

There are plenty of players and teams to talk about, but right now most of the focus is on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who are both expected to leave their respective teams in the upcoming offseason.

Speculation on where the two will land this offseason have run rampant, with Irving linked to New York and Los Angeles, and Durant being rumored to want to join the Knicks. But as of late a new team has come into the mix; the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly just as big of players in the Durant and Irving sweepstakes as their inner-state counterparts.

While the endless rumors of the pair playing in Madison Square Garden have dominated headlines, the Nets have been quietly building up their franchise and look poised to snag a big-name star. What would stop them from luring Durant and Irving to the Barclays Center?

Brooklyn doesn't have a top four pick like the Knicks, but they do have two first round picks at 17 and 27, giving them trade potential to build around the two superstars. And past that, the Nets have just as much geographic appeal as the Knicks in terms of off-court opportunities.

So don't sleep on the Nets as serious contender for Kyrie and KD to land this offseason. The team took major strides this season, and could build upon that with a coveted free agent.