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Being Nets looks good.
Yes, their season ended early after a disappointing second-round defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs. The defeat, however, could easily be attributed to injuries to star guards Kyrie Irving and James Harden. And even then, the Nets almost won the series thanks to Kevin Durant’s prowess.
However, they have a clear organizational direction with ongoing free agency. It helps to have an owner willing to open the checkbook at Joe Tsai.
But their situation is more dangerous than it seems.
The Nets know their starting lineup will include Irving, Durant, Harden and possibly Joe Harris. Even if they fill the rest of the list with the readers of this article and the author, they will be contenders for the championship. It has no boundaries, so summers won’t be spent attracting another star. But because they have a historically great trio, they’ll be able to convince a quality veteran to take a pay cut to pursue a ring.
However, the organizational aspect only goes so far. Nets top three players Irving, Durant and Harden could leave the team after next season. When teams lose at full strength, there is usually an easy diagnosis: They need more shooters, better defenders or more benches. However, it is more difficult to evaluate a team like the Nets, where top players are injured and role players – Jeff Green and Bruce Brown, for example – often punch above their weight. And now the Nets face additional pressure to show their best players that they are knowledgeable enough to get the right teammates for them. Otherwise, they may leave.
Here’s a look at the Nets’ off-season options.
what do we know
The Nets selected Louisiana State guard, 19-year-old Cameron Thomas, with his only pick at #27 in the first round.
Among the Nets’ most notable free agents are guards Spencer Dinwiddie, Chris Chiozza and Mike James.
Dinwiddie, 28, missed most of last season due to a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He’s a beginner guard on a team that probably doesn’t have room for another, which suggests he’s probably not coming back.
The Nets have already made a few moves, agreeing to bring back Blake Griffin, who, after joining the Nets in March, found gear he didn’t have in his final season with the 32-year-old Detroit Pistons. Brown plans to sign a one-year qualifying bid from the Nets. According to ESPN. Griffin showed that he was willing to accept a lesser role and could play alongside Irving, Durant and Harden. 24-year-old Brown had his best season in his third year, breaking a career record. offensive efficiency and rebounds.
Green, 34, bounced from team to team with minimal contracts despite being productive. Last season was perfect for the Nets, his best moment was his 27-point game against the Bucks. Game 5 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He provided crucial wing depth that the Nets needed to change: Denver agreed to a two-year deal with the Nuggets, According to ESPN. Instead, the Nets plan to sign another 34-year-old journeyman – James Johnson, a tough defensive reserve, to a one-year contract. According to ESPN. Johnson was split between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans last season.
The Nets have also signed with Patty Mills. According to ESPN. It was a win: Mills, who will turn 33 next week, is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league. He’s been a mainstay of the San Antonio Spurs for most of the last decade and has deep playoff experience. He won a championship with the Spurs in 2014. This deal makes it unlikely for Chiozza and James to return.
needs
No matter how strong the Nets offense was, their defense was a liability for most of the season. Irving, Harden, Harris and Griffin are not known as defensive dynamos. Center DeAndre Jordan, 33, was kicked out of Coach Steve Nash’s rotation, in part because he lost a step defensively. In the playoffs, the Nets struggled to slow Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, stressing they needed a defensive stance in the rim.
It wouldn’t hurt to add defenders who can shoot to play with their star either.
But the Nets’ most pressing need may be to try to lock in at least two of their three stars in the long run.
Probabilities
If Dinwiddie leaves, there’s a chance for a signing and a trade, and the Nets can bring in some help that way.
There are interesting names in the free agent market as well. Danny Green, 34, is a very experienced shooter with three championship rings. Last season, he shot 40.5 percent from 3-point range for the Philadelphia 76ers. Avery Bradley, 30, battled the Houston Rockets last year after starting the season with Miami, but is still an above-average defense and shooter overall.
But likely the Nets’ biggest help will come from the internal growth of 22-year-old Nicolas Claxton and 25-year-old Alize Johnson, especially those who spent part of the last season in the G League. Claxton, who earned a second-round pick in 2019, has proven to be a skilled hoop runner, but needs to recover to become more physical. The Nets signed multiple 10-day contracts with Johnson, and with every step Johnson displayed impressive energy on the bench. In an April game, Johnson had 20 points and 21 rebounds.
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