Despite the fact that the Nets mortgaged their future for a shot at short-term success back in 2013, the franchise has shown flashes of promise throughout a long rebuild. Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders recently wrote about the years-long process, pointing out that for all the up-hill challenges the club’s general managers have faced, they’ve done a decent job drafting young talent.
When the club first moved to from New Jersey to Brooklyn, first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 were all sent to Boston in exchange for a package surrounding Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Suffice it to say, the bold gamble didn’t pay off for the franchise but the organization is making the most out of the scant cards they dealt themselves.
Grizzard mentions former general manager Billy King‘s selection of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the 2015 draft as an intriguing aspect of the current roster, as well as current general manager Sean Marks‘ decision to nab Caris LeVert at No. 20 in 2016.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- After missing 18 games with an Achilles injury, Avery Bradley had been on a minute restriction for the Celtics. As of March 12th the limitations are no longer, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
- Say what you will about Cory Joseph backing up the injured Kyle Lowry, but one thing the reserve hasn’t been able to replicate is Lowry’s three-point shooting. “We’re more of a spread-it team,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said Monday night, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “Cory’s an attack guy, but he’s going into where everybody else is. It’s not that Cory’s doing something wrong; that’s just his game. When Kyle’s in there, he can space out and be one of the (pass) receivers out there.”
- When the Raptors acquired Serge Ibaka, they added a rare force capable of impacting a basketball game without scoring a point, Ryan Wolstat of the National Post writes. Ibaka did just that on Monday night, finishing with a plus-18 rating despite not scoring a single basket.
Plus the Nets have 2 firsts in this draft as well. They might be decent in a few years.
Unfortunately, it will be a lot more than a few years for those Nets fans.
Just ask the Sixers
At least the sixers had high first rounders they could look forward to
Ya, they look amazing on the IR in street clothes.
Brooklyn has picks after next season, and it’s not like they were supposed to be good then anyway, so they bring in some guys who haven’t lived up to their draft spot like Olynyk and James Young and see what happens. I honestly don’t think the future is as bleak as everyone else. All it takes is one free agent 3 years from now who wants to come to NY. If Phil Jackson survives that long, the Nets will be the more ideal NY location.
Casey quote doesn’t have a story linked or referenced. Is there a related article?
That link has now been added.