National Basketball Association
Will Brooklyn Nets, with Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge, be too old or just too good?
National Basketball Association

Will Brooklyn Nets, with Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge, be too old or just too good?

Updated Sep. 3, 2021 7:52 p.m. ET

The Brooklyn Nets will enter the 2021-22 NBA season with championship-or-bust expectations, and rightfully so.

A team that features Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving has the requisite firepower offensively to not only go toe-to-toe with every other team in the league but also overwhelm most on a nightly basis.

The key for the Nets beyond those three will be the quality of the role players who complement the stars. That area is coming into focus with the team's latest signing of veteran forward Paul Millsap.

This is not the only experienced player added to the roster, as the Nets brought in veteran guard Patty Mills in free agency this offseason.

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In addition, the Nets appear to be the front-runners to sign LaMarcus Aldridge, who has been cleared to return to basketball activities after retiring midway through last season due to a heart issue.

The Nets were already an experienced team. With the potential addition of three tested veterans, are they even better?

Shannon Sharpe is skeptical, especially after comparing the Nets' recent signings to those of the Los Angeles Lakers, who are currently the oldest team in the NBA. He explained his stance on "Undisputed."

"Two 36-year-old guys. You just signed LaMarcus Aldridge. You just signed Millsap," Sharpe said. "Let me tell you what else happened last season. Kevin Durant and James Harden both missed half of the season."

Shannon Sharpe: I want to see the same jokes for Brooklyn signing old guys; the Lakers will be just fine I UNDISPUTED

Shannon Sharpe reacts to Brooklyn's moves and says "jokes on them for signing old guys." He also explains why the Lakers "will be just fine."

Each member of the Nets' star trio — Durant, Harden and Irving — battled injuries at various points last season, with Irving missing the final four games of the team's Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Still, the Nets' roster has the look of a complete team that can win in multiple ways, much like the Lakers' roster they have been compared to.

When these two teams meet on Christmas Day for the first time this season, it could represent one of the most star-studded affairs in recent NBA history.

For more up-to-date news on all things Nets, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app.

While Sharpe has his worries, Skip Bayless believes this Nets team not only is the prohibitive favorite but also will officially close the door on LeBron James' pursuit of another championship the next two seasons.

"Maybe he could go along for a ride in 2024. Maybe, but it's going to take that," Bayless said. "This [Nets] team is all-time loaded [and] has the best player on the planet at the top."

Skip Bayless: In the next two years, Lebron has no chance to win again; this Nets' team is all-time loaded I UNDISPUTED

Skip Bayless explains why LeBron has "no chance to win another ring in the next two years" after the Nets' veteran signings this week.

The Nets might not have the Hollywood intrigue of the Lakers, but they will represent one of the most impressive collections of talent in the NBA this season.

The key question: Can all of that age and experience stay healthy?

For more up-to-date news on all things NBA, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app.

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