It appears the Brooklyn Nets are headed for another developmental season in the upcoming campaign. They finished with a 26-56 record, placing 12th in the Eastern Conference last season. With a fresh group of rookies joining a few seasoned veterans, the organization’s top priority should be nurturing its young talent. Building a contender in the NBA takes time. There are no quick fixes. This is a lesson Brooklyn should now understand all too well (see: the Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden experiment).
Given these circumstances, it’s reasonable to expect the Nets to be a lottery team once again this season.
Brooklyn Nets In Store for Another Transitional Year
Notable Additions to the Brooklyn Nets Roster
Brooklyn finds itself in a unique situation. The team has a surplus of rookies, though it’s unlikely all will make the active roster. No NBA team in league history has completed an 82-game season with five first-round rookies on its roster. The rookies to keep an eye on include Egor Dëmin (8th overall pick), Nolan Traoré (19th overall pick), Drake Powell (22nd pick acquired in a trade), Ben Saraf (26th pick), and Danny Wolf (27th pick).
In addition to the rookie influx, the Nets traded Cam Johnson in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. this offseason. Porter Jr. is a proven scorer, holding a career average of 16.2 points per game. However, it’s fair to question whether he can effectively coexist with Cam Thomas, a ball-dominant offensive creator. Porter Jr. was typically the tertiary or even fourth scoring option during his tenure with the Denver Nuggets, so his adjustment to a potentially larger role will be something to monitor.
Overall, the Brooklyn Nets will have plenty of lineup combinations to explore this season.
The Key: Remain Patient and Stay the Course
As previously mentioned, Brooklyn is in the midst of another rebuilding year. The franchise is still dealing with the aftermath of the Kevin Durant era, but brighter days lie ahead. With a collection of draft assets and tradable contracts, the Nets have flexibility heading into the NBA Trade Deadline, should they choose to retool their roster midseason.
Ideally, at least a few of the rookies will transition smoothly to the NBA and give Brooklyn a foundation to build on going forward. With that in mind, the organization must remain patient and trust the rebuilding process. Rushing things could jeopardize long-term success.
If they stay on the course, the payoff could be well worth it
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