Before the Los Angeles Clippers dismantled the NBA this summer after adding both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this summer, the Brooklyn Nets had stolen the show, signing Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan.
Of course, the Clippers ultimately upstaged them, but it was still a pivotal moment for a franchise that has been wallowing in despair since trading their entire future to the Boston Celtics during the summer of 2013.
Now, obviously, Durant will miss just about all of the 2019-20 NBA season. There are rumors suggesting Durant could return, but it seems more likely that he will miss the entire season while recovering from his torn Achilles.
Regardless of these recent developments about Durant potentially playing at some point during the season, I find it very hard to believe that he will return before the 2020-21 campaign. If he does, he almost surely won't be going full throttle.
Still, the fact that the Nets landed two of the most prized free agents on the market makes it an exciting time in Brooklyn, especially considering they surprisingly made the playoffs this past season.
Outside of D'Angelo Russell, Brooklyn is largely bringing back the same roster plus Irving and Jordan, so, chances are, the Nets will be making the postseason yet again.
But just what is their ceiling in this 2019-20 NBA season?
Well, if Victor Oladipo comes back healthy for the Indiana Pacers, I see Brooklyn as the fifth-best team in the East behind Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Boston and Indiana. So, there is a possibility the Nets don't even make it past the first round.
Could they get to the second round? Sure. This is a talented bunch, and a legitimate argument can be made that Brooklyn is actually the deepest team of that group. With the addition of Jordan, Jarrett Allen may actually be coming off the bench.
We don't really know how the Nets' starting lineup will look, as there are a lot of directions in which they can go. Will Taurean Prince start at the 4? Will it be Rodions Kurucs? Where will Joe Harris play?
It's a pretty cushy problem to have, but Kenny Atkinson will have to determine a fairly concrete rotation and put it into action.
With Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert, the Nets have quite a few potential go-to scorers in the backcourt. With the additions of Prince and Garrett Temple, they also have some defensive versatility. Wilson Chandler will also play at some point after his 25-game suspension.
This is a more complete roster than the one Brooklyn had this past year, as Atkinson has more options at his disposal and can now more appropriately deal with bigs such as Joel Embiid.
All of that being said, it's probably going to take some time for this group to jell, as Irving is a significant talent and a ball-dominant guard who is likely going to shake up the offense quite a bit. While Jordan will fill a similar role to Allen, Atkinson will still need to find the sweet spot in terms of how to allocate the minutes of his bigs.
For that reason, it wouldn't shock me if the Nets got off to a slow start, as they simply don't have the continuity that you would like early in the season. In their defense, neither do the Celtics nor the 76ers, but those teams are a bit more talented overall and can compensate for a lack of chemistry better than Brooklyn.
I see the Nets earning anywhere from 43 to 48 wins. I don't think they will get to 50 just yet, because, again, it will take them some time to come together. While there is a lot of depth here, there isn't a whole lot of top-end talent outside of Irving.
If Durant somehow can get back on the floor at a reasonable time and magically show no ill effects of his Achilles injury, that completely changes things, but the chances of that happening seem slim to none.
Basically, what we are currently seeing from the Nets' healthy roster is what we are likely going to be getting. While Brooklyn certainly won't be a title contender this coming season, it will at least be entertaining to watch.
At the very least, the Nets will have some interesting battles with Boston and Philadelphia within the Atlantic Division. Even with Kawhi Leonard gone, the Nets' matchups with the Toronto Raptors will also be fun.
Let's not even talk about the New York Knicks.
A successful season for Brooklyn would simply be getting a top-five seed. If the Nets end up winning a playoff series, that's just gravy.
The key is that this franchise has risen from the dead. It looked like it was still going to be several years before they were relevant again, but Sean Marks has worked some serious magic in that front office to put Brooklyn in this position for the 2019-20 NBA season and beyond.
Follow Us
Subscribe