The Brooklyn Nets have already been marked as the odds-on favorite to win the title in the upcoming NBA season. Boasting a finally healthy lineup featuring Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, it truly seems the Nets will wreak havoc across the league.
But like most teams, the Nets underwent changes in the offseason, losing valuable pieces in Jeff Green and Spencer Dinwiddie. Based on reports, DeAndre Jordan is definitely out of the picture as well, even though he's still with the squad as of posting. Letting go of Jordan means the Nets will have a hole at the center position.
It appears, however, that the Nets won't have a hard time filling it as Blake Griffin is expected to step up, according to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic (via Heavy).
“I expect Griffin to start at center alongside the big three and (Joe) Harris. (Nic) Claxton is likely the first big off the bench and maybe the Nets go small with Durant alongside James Johnson, similar to what they did with him and Jeff Green last season. Maybe Alize Johnson gets a crack in a similar lineup with Durant.”
The Nets won't find it difficult to play without a legitimate center as well, as they've done it already in the NBA Playoffs, using 6'5″ Bruce Brown as the de facto big man. They've had success with it too, so Griffin playing no. 5 for extended minutes shouldn't be entirely surprising.
Durant, Harden, and Irving only played for a grand total of eight games together last season. But with all of them in top shape, expect the Nets to trample the competition, even without a traditional big man.
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