NBA: Ranking every team based off draft success over the last 20 years

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NBA Cleveland Cavaliers Richard Jefferson (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

30. Brooklyn Nets: 3.5 points

2000: Kenyon Martin: 1 (1x all-star)
2001: Richard Jefferson: 0.5
2008: Ryan Anderson: 0.5
2008: Brook Lopez: 1 (1x all-star)
2017: Jarrett Allen: 0.5

After a solid first eight years or so of the 2000s that included two trips to the NBA Finals, the Nets were purchased by Mikhail Prokhorov and quickly spiraled into the most damaging 10 years in franchise history. He is a big reason why they only won one playoff series during his tenure and why they haven’t drafted an All-Star since 2008.

Prokhorov’s most famous disaster was the trade with Boston that saw him give up first-round picks in 2014, 2017, and 2018, as well as a pick swap in 2017 that gave the Celtics the number one pick which they used to trade back for Jayson Tatum. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for Prokhorov.

Perhaps just as bad was his trade for Gerald Wallace in 2012. In that deal, they gave away their first-round pick which turned into Damian Lillard and then paid Wallace an absurd four-year, $40 million contract which was one of the worst in the NBA at that time.

Bringing in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving should make up for a lot, but Prokhorov suffocated the franchise for a decade and then sold them for a $2 billion profit on his way out. That’s just a friendly reminder that if you can ever afford to buy a professional sports team – do it. Even if you are one of the worst owners ever you’ll still make a huge profit, just ask Donald Sterling.