Can the Brooklyn Nets build a serious title contender for next season?
The Brooklyn Nets roster we’re watching in the bubble is considerably different from the one we’ve seen all season long (pre-hiatus) and will probably be different again to what we see next season.
The bubble is obviously missing Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, and Kevin Durant, the latter who was always targeting the start of the 2020-21 season for his Nets debut.
Despite the lack of time together, the Nets signaled their intent to surround Kyrie and KD with a third star according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The team has “internally discussed” ways to get Bradley Beal per NY Daily News’ Stefan Bondy and, alongside the New York Knicks, have “done background work” on Zach LaVine should he become available per SNY’s Ian Begley.
But if you take a quick break from the internal discussions and the background work, the bubble Nets are putting up some serious numbers and are getting a chance in situations they might not otherwise have been in.
Caris LeVert, in particular, is being asked to be a lead ball-handler, go-to scorer, and stat-stuffer. Nothin’ But Nets contributor Aaron Notis wrote last week on ‘Point LeVert’ and the wing’s potential as the third star Brooklyn are looking for.
While it’s one of the easier routes (and probably correct) to develop the player already on the roster, there has been a lot of noise around the Nets this past season and where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. The Nets just stuck one right to the Knicks and signed two of the biggest fish in free agency in Kyrie and KD and I’m sure they fancy their chances at nabbing another on the trade market.
But first, they should ask themselves a few questions.