Sir Charles in Charge
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The Brooklyn Nets may actually have a plan for the future

By Dylan Huberman

GREENBURGH, NY - AUGUST 11: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been digitally altered) Jarrett Allen of the Brooklyn Nets poses for a portrait during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG Training Center on August 11, 2017 in Greenburgh, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
GREENBURGH, NY - AUGUST 11: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been digitally altered) Jarrett Allen of the Brooklyn Nets poses for a portrait during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG Training Center on August 11, 2017 in Greenburgh, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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After a dismal 20-62 campaign that saw them finish at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, a few offseason moves will help the Brooklyn Nets rise from the gutter 

After the Brooklyn Nets endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history, it was obvious that changes needed to be made. That team would not be competing for years to come, as the playoffs were far from reach. Brook Lopez was the best player on that team but his presence was clearly inadequate since his team lost three quarters of their games.

Well, general manager Sean Marks picked up the phone and made sure his squad won’t be at the bottom of the conference again. Brooklyn sent Brook Lopez and the 27th pick (Kyle Kuzma) to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for former Ohio State standout D’Angelo Russell and big man Timofey Mozgov. Losing Lopez is undoubtedly a big blow, but he also wasn’t a part of the long-term rebuild in Brooklyn.

Russell, on the other hand, will be the centerpiece of the retooling. At Ohio State, Russell thrived as an off-ball guard and was selected by the Lakers with one of the top picks in the NBA Draft a few years back. However, the Lakers threw the young man at point guard, where he had not played at Ohio State, leaving Jordan Clarkson at the two guard position.

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In Brooklyn, Russell will have a chance to show his true potential, slotting in at his natural two guard spot, leaving Jeremy Lin to run the point. He never really had a chance to prove his worth in Los Angeles, playing out of position under the bright lights of the Staples Center. While New York has lights that are just as bright, Brooklyn has infinitely less pressure than LA, especially since Magic Johnson joined in LA’s front office, throwing a parting shot at Russell.

Mozgov was just a salary dump, as the Russian center is on the books for more than $15 million for each of the next three seasons. Because Lopez went the other way to Los Angeles, Mozgov will presumably claim his spot at center. However, at age 31, Mozgov is clearly not going to be a part of Brooklyn’s long-term future.

Then, Sean Marks struck again. The Brooklyn Nets held the 22nd overall pick in the NBA Draft this past summer, and used it to select an extremely athletic big man: Texas’ Jarrett Allen, who showed his potential down in Austin by stuffing his stat sheet. The 19 year-old will surely be in the long-term plan at the Barclays Center, serving as an understudy to Mozgov for the short-term.

On top of that, the Nets shipped off Andrew Nicholson in exchange for Allen Crabbe, a player they wanted last offseason. He’s a solid wing player with an elite stroke from downtown, shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc in 2016-17. At age 25, Crabbe could remain a Net for the foreseeable future.

The Brooklyn Nets also acquired DeMarre Carroll, a lottery-protected first round selection in 2018 and a second round selection in exchange for Justin Hamilton. Brooklyn took on another big contract, as Carroll is due $30 million over the course of the next two years, but picked up a valuable first round selection in next summer’s draft. Also, Carroll can contribute right away at the forward spot.

While the sky is far from the limit for this team, there is at least a framework for success down the line. Russell, Allen and Crabbe, along with whoever is taken with that lottery-protected pick in 2018, will be the core that the Nets will build with.

Next season, the Nets won’t exactly make noise but they’ll likely finish above the Hawks and maybe even the Pacers, since Paul Millsap and Paul George are now in different cities. The Bulls also sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota and may buy out Dwyane Wade, so they’ll join Atlanta and Indiana on the floor of the Eastern Conference.

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Carmelo Anthony may be out soon in New York, so the Knicks could fall from their already lowly twelfth-place finish in the East.

Everything depends on whether or not Russell proves his worth at the shooting guard spot in the NBA. If he succeeds, watch out. If not, Sean Marks will be hard-pressed to find a way to build a totally different core for the future. Now, all eyes are on D’Angelo Russell.

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