Nets fans have arguably just had their toughest weeks, as the team was considered a strong contender for the championship not long ago, only to be swept out by the Celtics in the next first round of the series.
This past season, Kyrie Irving has definitely been a player who has played under the microscope. Refusing to be vaccinated and preventing the Nets from playing at full strength, and even leading to the departure of James Harden, has also made Irving a problem for the Nets' past failed season.
In this regard, Owen openly revealed his feelings in an interview with the US media Eddie Gonzalez:
"I never felt like I'm really coming back," Owen admitted in an interview, "I have nothing to lose, I just enjoyed the journey in that moment because I sat at home wondering what my future would be like, whether I would be traded, whether I would be abandoned, whether I would have another chance to join another team, how I would create it all for myself in a positive way." ”
As we all know, after Irving refused to be vaccinated, the Nets decided to let him play as a part-time player, and the team also gave up on providing Irving with a maximum salary to renew his contract. Under the current contract, Irving will also be able to step out of the contract this offseason and become an unrestricted free agent.
'Maybe in September or October, I'm still recovering from an ankle injury and when we got into San Diego training camp, I didn't think at all that I would somehow be disqualified from playing, I still had the chance to play away from home, and I think it affected not only me, but a lot of people.'
The Nets have now been eliminated in the first round, and his transition from vaccine refusals to part-time appearances this past season is undoubtedly the reason for the Nets' eventual season failure.