The Brooklyn Nets have been one step away from Kevin Durant eliminating the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks within the 2021 Japanese Convention Semifinals. If that phenomenal two-pointer turns into an exciting three-pointer, then historical past will take a look at the Durant-Kyrie Irving-James Harden experiment in a really totally different manner.
The summer time of 2024, the Nets have simply begun their second grueling rebuild of the final decade. The construct is anticipated to be notably lengthy this time round, as Ben Simmons’ crippling contract (who’s making over $40 million this season) tightens additional across the franchise’s neck.
Regardless that the Simmons commerce was indefensible on the time, I will be the primary to say that I noticed potential on this group. The Nets below Mikal Bridges made me a fan, a lot in order that I predicted they might give the Philadelphia 76ers a run for his or her cash within the 2023 playoffs. The sequence led to a sweep.
Bridges has been a step again because the primary choice, Simmons has performed simply 15 video games, and Nic Claxton hasn’t made the leap many anticipated. Administration has had no selection however to confess defeat, as soon as once more, and drive the metamorphic bulldozer into Barclays Heart. Different gamers will seemingly must be let go, so the ache is simply simply starting.
Hopefully, on the finish of this venture, a sustainable basketball product will emerge. Brooklyn was on the verge of a breakthrough not way back and may regain its place sooner or later. This path, nevertheless, doesn’t result in the 2024-25 marketing campaign, nor seemingly the subsequent ones that can comply with it.
There may be nonetheless loads to study in regards to the upcoming schedule. We will not look into the distant future with out first trying on the quick future. Let’s examine what the Nets must face this season.
Nets’ schedule is hard from begin
When a group has the league’s smallest roster, looking for respiration room within the schedule could be an train in futility. That stated, Brooklyn’s first half of the season is especially demanding.
Whereas the group faces the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons within the first two weeks, it is going to additionally face the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and a doubtlessly rejuvenated Memphis Grizzlies group twice every earlier than the tip of November.
With three straight video games towards the Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks following the season opener towards the Hawks, it is tougher than ever to start out the season on a constructive word. But when the group would not stumble then, they need to achieve this within the aforementioned stretch.
That immense punishment seemingly will not abate when the calendar turns to 2025, if that is what you are questioning. The Nets should do their greatest to keep away from changing into weary vacationers in January, as they embark on a six-game highway journey that features Denver at first and the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on the finish.
The Nets might not discover consolation at dwelling, both. Once they return to Barclays Heart, they’ll be pressured to host the Knicks for Mikal Bridges’ first recreation in Brooklyn for the reason that blockbuster commerce. The Phoenix Suns, Miami Warmth and Sacramento Kings can even be on the town. Most of those groups might not increase a lot worry on their very own, however when grouped collectively proper after the aforementioned highway journey, this listing of contenders can crush an already beleaguered group.
If there was a silver lining to this abyss, it will be that the group may keep away from ending final in its NBA Cup group (Charlotte Hornets).
Brooklyn may have the chance to play spoilers galore in March
Brooklyn is having a reasonably good February with two video games towards the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards, in addition to dwelling video games towards the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Path Blazers. However that is only a style.
It is becoming that the simplest time for the Nets to take care of falls within the shortest month of the 12 months. Any potential pleasure shall be fleeting, because the ache will intensify once more in March.
They’ll every have two video games to face, the Boston Celtics – together with one on the Ides of March – the Dallas Mavericks, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Indiana Pacers. The NBA will face the 4 groups from final season’s convention finals towards what’s shaping as much as be the worst group within the league.
Even the March video games which are purported to be straightforward are away video games. Was Joe Tsai relationship Adam Silver’s sister again then or one thing? There’s a silver lining to this stretch of powerful video games, although. It provides rookie head coach Jordi Fernandez and his group a chance to doubtlessly disrupt a group’s playoff momentum.
Think about the panic that will ensue if BK managed to defeat a title contender. For the Nets this season, few issues shall be as satisfying as forcing a fan base to fully rethink how they view their groups. Why ought to Brooklyn be the one metropolis to undergo an existential disaster?
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Nets’ file for the 2024-25 season
I’ve to reiterate the significance of discovering one thing within the upcoming season that does not revolve round win-loss data. Whether or not it is the continued improvement of blocking machine Nic Claxton and big-time scorer Cam Thomas (22.5 factors per recreation on 44.2 % capturing), or the potential resurgence of Ben Simmons (sorry, could not resist), followers want to carry on to one thing constructive.
Sadly, I’ve to give attention to the Nets’ file as we speak. To perform such a activity, one should spare no effort. Thankfully, this franchise and its followers have developed an inexpensive tolerance for ache after greater than a decade. That ought to show extraordinarily helpful within the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Mikal Bridges would not seem to be the perfect participant to be the perfect participant on a playoff group, however his departure leaves an enormous void by way of manufacturing and expertise. Thomas, Claxton, Cam Johnson and veterans Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith and Bojan Bogdanovic will do their greatest to maintain this younger group from getting sucked into that gap. These final three, or perhaps 4, gamers should not take into account staying in Brooklyn previous February, although.
Given the way in which the group at the moment operates, one of many high priorities is fostering the expansion of younger rookies like Noah Clowney, Dariq Whitehead, Ziaire Williams and free agent Killian Hayes. Reaching that objective may purchase the Nets time of their rebuild.
However that will not do them a lot favor in the course of the common season. Rising pains and capturing points are certain to ravage this group within the standings. The schedule can even put on the franchise down a number of instances, leaving Brooklyn caught within the Japanese Convention basement with the Wizards.
Closing file: 21-61
