As the Nets tip off the season Wednesday, they have a lot to prove. And arguably none of them have more proving to do than Kyrie Irving.

The All-Star point guard is a lightning rod, for better or worse. Last year was for worse, Irving’s absence hurting Brooklyn’s season and his contract drama unsettling their summer. Now present and motivated coming into opening night against New Orleans, this year he hopes it’s for the better.

“[Irving] is bringing a totally different energy this year. He’s definitely been locked in. He’s ready to make an impact and feel like he’s ready to change the narrative on him, on himself. That’s big for us having him full time and not having to worry about the COVID stuff,” said Nic Claxton, referring not only to Irving’s absence but his at-times testy extension talks.

“This whole situation over the offseason. Honestly, he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. That might not be the public perception of him, but he just wants to just clear the air I feel like.”

The air has been a cloud hanging over the Nets ever since Irving refused to adhere to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates. It limited him to just 29 games — six at Barclays Center — and ultimately cost Brooklyn, which got swept out of the playoffs by Boston.

There were injuries to Kevin Durant — the Nets went 5-16 during his absence with an MCL sprain — and questions about coach Steve Nash’s ability to motivate and maximize his roster.

“We all, everybody, we all have a lot to prove, from top to bottom,” said Claxton. “The way the year ended last year, getting swept, top to bottom, everybody, we all have a lot to prove. We all have a lot of different things, our own agendas, that should help the team.”

Of all the Nets, none has more to prove than Irving. And the All-Star guard has acknowledged as much.

“Wanting to erase what people said before and establish who you are. We’re human, and a lot of us have not necessarily played all the games that we would’ve wanted to,” Irving said last week. “So it’s easy to say we have a chip on our shoulder, but it’s a little bit deeper than that.”

Irving’s status as a part-time player saw both his reputation and market value take a hit. Brooklyn offered him a multiyear extension this past summer according to sources, but wouldn’t give him the fully guaranteed max deal he wanted — and the one that he saw Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard get elsewhere.

And no other team stepped to the plate with such an offer either, so Irving ended up picking up the final year of his Nets contract.

“Yeah, there were options, but not many — I’ll tell you that,” Irving said at media day, “because [of] this stigma whether or not I want to play, whether or not I’m going to be committed to the team — which was really unfair at times.”

It’s a stigma Irving is intent on erasing.

“Kyrie’s been unbelievable. His performances on I think both ends of the floor have been exceptional. Not just in games, but in practices,” Nash said. “I think his leadership and mentorship to the young guys has been great. He’s just been outstanding top to bottom this whole preseason.”

Now with the preseason over, and the games that count starting — with Zion Williams’ Pelicans looming on Wednesday — the Nets are trying to put a chaotic offseason behind them and contend for a title.

Durant — who added to that drama with his summer trade request — said they’re going to need Irving to get where they want to go.

“His presence is key to what we’re trying to do. And like coach said, Ky is amazing talking to everybody, communicating, being one of the heads of the snake on both ends of the floor for us,” Durant said. “Having a guy like Ky — who’s won a championship, who’s been in those locker rooms and those series — is only going to help us moving forward.”