After a disappointing 2023-24 showing, Nets fans got what they unanimously wanted this offseason: a concrete sense of direction.
Brooklyn traded Mikal Bridges across the river for a bounty of picks, and traded for control back of their own future draft selections, kicking off a full rebuild in time for a historic draft class.
The basketball may not be pretty, but the Nets still boast plenty of promising talent and how they perform this year will dictate those to come.
Here’s what to expect as Brooklyn ushers in a new era…
Capture the Flagg
While nobody on the court will be throwing away games, it’s evident by trading Bridges — and not entertaining flipping those assets for a new star — that the Nets are putting themselves in the race for Cooper Flagg.
The No. 1 recruit currently playing for Duke is expected to go first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, and is widely regarded as a franchise-changer for whichever pro team can tank their way into selecting him.
Given this context, if Brooklyn is playing more competitive than expected near the trade deadline, don’t be surprised if they trade some of their veteran talent in pursuit of future picks and present losses.
Dorian Finney-Smith has been in rumors for two seasons now and is of more value to a competitive team, Dennis Schroder could return value, and Ben Simmons’s large expiring deal may be of use around the league.
Still, front offices and fans alike would likely prefer a team, even in the early stages of rebuilding, to avoid being under-20-wins bad. The foundations of a successful culture can start to form even during these down seasons, but that’s hard to do when a team is simply a vehicle for a high draft pick.
The good news is that Brooklyn can be both.
They have real intriguing pieces in Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton, and even if they miss out on Flagg, this class is so stacked with talent a pick further down in the lottery can still propel their team forward.
The Cam Thomas factor
If there’s one man standing between the Nets and either a top draft pick or surprise Play-In Tournament run, it’s Thomas.
Arguably the most polarizing player in the league, Thomas is more cut and dry to anybody that has paid attention over the last couple of seasons — an elite bucket-getter with massive upside at just 23 years old.
Last season, Thomas’s first with any real reign over the offense, he averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 48.1 percent shooting from two and 36.4 percent shooting from three. He opened the season with three consecutive 30-point outings, and had four 40-point games on the year, a mark only shared by 14 other players.
He made tangible strides with his playmaking — his assist rate has jumped from 9.7 percent as a rookie to 12.7 percent in 2023 to 15.7 percent last season — while his turnovers remain flat. His catch-and-shoot efficiency also exploded to a career-high 43.6 percent from three in 2023-24.
Put this together and we should be talking about whether Thomas is the next star in this league, yet the national media and the anonymous executives they quote merely shrug and dismiss him. His poor defense and occasional odd quote fuel that blowback, but not enough to justify it.
Thomas should be considered one of the league’s top prospects, but it’s far more important to the Nets that his team does so than their various onlookers.
Even during his breakout 2023-24, Thomas inexplicably got benched by head coach Jacque Vaughn, but the hope is that he’ll have the full trust and backing of the organization this season and beyond.
How Thomas responds to that trust will be the biggest question of the season for the Nets.
If his naysayers are right, he’ll chuck the Nets into the first overall pick and likely move on. But if continues his rise, they have a real talent to pair with their 2025 pick and can map their future team around them. If he’s too good this season and pulls Brooklyn out of reach of the lottery, maybe that accelerates their entire timeline.
Building blocks
The blueprint for a decent team is here.
Thomas is the offensive focal point surrounded by options who can shoot, dribble and pass in Finney-Smith, Cameron Johnson and Schroder. Claxton and Simmons are the head of a switchable, versatile defense, and if all the pieces click and are coached up, they can be competitive on a night-to-night basis.
But with the postseason being a lofty goal, Nets fans and personnel will keep a close eye on their less-proven and younger players to find guys that will outlast this roster construction and be able to contribute to future winners.
Brooklyn took on Ziaire Williams in a salary dump from Memphis this offseason, a savvy move to collect a former top-ten pick who hasn’t played up to expectations to this point in his career. He looked solid during the preseason, and has the potential to be a real player moving forward for the Nets.
Returning second-year players Noah Clowney and Jalen Wilson should get plenty of opportunities this season, with both playing key roles during the exhibition games. Day’Ron Sharpe is currently injured, but he should continue his ascent up the depth chart once he returns.
It would take a major leap out of one of these names to make a real difference this season, but ultimately Brooklyn’s focus is on the long-term. The right breakout year makes a veteran higher in the rotation expendable, and sets the stage for one of these prospects to become a mainstay for future seasons.
Prediction
Even stripped of their top return from the Kevin Durant trade, this team will need further moves if it wants to fully bottom out. Thomas, the Washington Wizards and Portland Trailblazers will all make it difficult for Brooklyn to win the Flagg sweepstakes, but given the lottery odds and talent on the roster, that may be a blessing in disguise.
The Nets will finish with a record of 27-55, missing the Playoffs but setting their franchise up for future appearances behind a high draft pick and another leap from Thomas.
