Welcome to IAI Sports! And welcome to the 2022-23 NBA Season!
To begin the season, we will be running through each NBA team and analysing what they’ve done throughout the off-season. Each article will start off with an introduction, telling a story of how this team is where they are at today. We quickly delve into the results of the 2021-2022 NBA season, before diving into the off-season in’s and out’s.
From there, we go into depth discussing some of the important rotation pieces for the upcoming season, before finishing with a quick analysis of a team’s win totals and a full conclusion of why this team has completed these moves, what their win total will be, and my own predictions of breakout players and what to expect from this team. It’s a season preview series with the purpose of getting you up-to-date with what has happened throughout the league.
A season preview of each of the 30 teams will be released, leading up to the beginning of the NBA season. All data and information included in these articles have been gathered from Basketball Reference, NBA.com and ESPN.
Today’s team is the Brooklyn Nets – a franchise that did not live up to the hype of what their big 3 could produce.
Introduction
The Brooklyn Nets have not always been in Brooklyn. From 1978 to 2012, the Nets franchise were based out of New Jersey, hosting NBA legends like Buck Williams, Derrick Coleman, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Kidd and Jefferson would help lead the Nets to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, but were no match for the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant-led LA Lakers.
Prior to the 2014 season, the team made a big trade for two more legends of basketball – Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Combined with Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson, this quartet would help the Nets go for a championship push, but ultimately fell short. This was concerning because by the end of the 2015 season, both Garnett and Pierce were no longer on the team, while the Nets still owed two 1st round picks and the rights to swap another to the Boston Celtics (as part of the trade). The Nets were faced with a dire situation: the team had to begin a rebuild without having access to any of their 1st round picks for the foreseeable future.
For the next 3 seasons, the Nets languished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, doing what they could to get draft picks and access to young talent. They conducted some important pieces of business, first sending Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers for the draft rights to Caris LeVert. Then they took a punt on former 2nd round pick Spencer Dinwiddie. The Nets also traded Bojan Bogdanovic for a 1st round pick, which became Jarrett Allen. And made another trade during the 2017 draft, sending Nets all-time leading scorer, Brook Lopez and the 27th pick (Kyle Kuzma) for D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mosgov’s mammoth contract.
By the 2019 season, the Nets became good and returned back to the playoffs, behind a fun young core of Russell, Dinwiddie and Allen. Despite losing in the 1st round, the future was bright and the team organically returned back to relevance through savvy trades and waiver pickups.
In the very next off-season, two of the biggest superstars in the NBA – Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, wanted to team up in Brooklyn. The team signed Irving in free agency and brought in Durant through a sign-and-trade, sending Russell to the Golden State Warriors, thus beginning the new era of Nets basketball. The team struggled to compete straight away due to an injury to Durant, but still made the playoffs without him in 2020.
During the 2021 season, the Nets acquired James Harden via trade from the Houston Rockets, forming one of the most lethal big-3s in NBA history. In doing so, the Nets had to trade away Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. This superstar trio were the favourites to go all the way and win the Nets’ first NBA championship, but ran into trouble in their 2nd round matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks. Kyrie Irving sprained his ankle in Game 4, resulting in him missing out on the rest of the series. James Harden dealt with hamstring tightness for all of the 2nd round. Despite Durant’s herculean efforts (playing a combined 92 minutes in Games 6 and 7 alone), the Nets lost in 7 games to the Bucks, after a potential game-winning 3-pointer from Durant was overturned, due to his foot being on the line.
Last Season
The Nets were (quite literally) a foot away from playing in the Eastern Conference Finals and giving themselves the best chance of winning an NBA title. So, it would’ve been obvious that all the Nets had to do was reload, keep everyone healthy and try again. It didn’t quite work like that.
Thanks to the COVID pandemic, it became a requirement for residents in the state of New York to have one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, in order to attend restaurants, bars and use indoor gyms. Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated and therefore couldn’t play or attend Brooklyn Nets’ home games. The mandate forced the Nets hand to leave Irving out of the line-up indefinitely, either when he got the vaccine or the mandates subsided.
Despite that distraction, the Nets got off to a really strong start, maintaining a top 3 placing in the Eastern Conference and being 1st for the end of November and all of December. By mid-January, the team had a record of 29-16 and looked as strong as ever. However, the team then went on an 11-game losing streak, thanks to Durant missing time and Irving still refusing to come back and play. This resulted in Harden demanding a trade and wanting out of Brooklyn. By the trade deadline, his wish was granted, moving him to the Philadelphia 76ers for a package consisting of Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond.
The Nets fell to the 8th seed in a space of a month, thanks to the chaotic Harden trade request and Durant injury. Irving returned to finish the season, but the damaged had already been done. The Nets finished as the 7th seed, beating out the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in tournament to have to face the Boston Celtics in the 1st round. Despite Durant, Irving and Curry doing the best they could, they were no match with the Celtics, who turned their season around and became one of the best teams in the league over the 2nd half of the season. The Nets got swept, losing their series 4-0, finishing with the 10th and 20th best offence and defence.
Off-Season
Ins:
Royce O’Neal (trade with Utah Jazz)
TJ Warren (free agent, originally with Indiana Pacers)
Edmond Sumner (free agent, originally with Indiana Pacers)
Markieff Morris (free agent, originally with Miami Heat)
Outs:
Andre Drummond (free agent, moved to Chicago Bulls)
Bruce Brown (free agent, moved to Denver Nuggets)
Blake Griffin (free agent, moved to Boston Celtics)
Goran Dragic (free agent, moved to Chicago Bulls)
LaMarcus Aldridge (free agent)
It was yet another chaotic off-season for the Nets, who saw Durant and Irving request trades away from the club. However, both returned and are committed to this upcoming year. The team were able to get Royce O’Neal from the Utah Jazz for a 1st round pick, while also buying low on TJ Warren and Markieff Morris (both signed to 1 yr/$2.6m deals) and improve their guard depth by bringing in Edmond Sumner (2 yr/$4.2m). Patty Mills (2 yr/$13.3m), Nicolas Claxton (2 yr/$17.3m) and Kessler Edwards (2 yr/$3.6m) all re-signed with the team.
The Nets lost a lot of experienced depth pieces to free agency. Bruce Brown may be the biggest lost for this team, as he provided durability and flexibility, particularly throughout the chaos of last season. He signed with the Denver Nuggets, while mid-season imports Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic both signed with the Chicago Bulls. Blake Griffin was picked up by the Boston Celtics and LaMarcus Aldridge remains unsigned and may be contemplating a second retirement.
2022-23 Roster
Starting Five
PG – Kyrie Irving
| H: 6’2″ | W: 190lbs | Age: 30 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$36.5m | Years Pro: 11 |
Career Averages:
23.1 pts, 3.8 reb, 5.7 asts, 1.3 stls, 0.4 blks, 2.6 to, 47.0%/39.3%/88.2%, 34.0 mins
Averages Last Season:
27.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 5.8 asts, 1.4 stls, 0.6 blks, 2.5 to, 46.9%/41.8%/91.5%, 37.6 mins
2022-23 Projections:
26.1 pts, 4.7 reb, 5.7 asts, 1.4 stls, 0.6 blks, 2.4 to, 48.3%/40.6%/91.0%
Kyrie Irving is a magician with the basketball. He’s one of the most polarizing figures to play the game, due to his league-best ball handling and creativity on offence. Irving’s career accolades speak for themselves: Rookie of the Year, 7-time All-Star, 3-time All-NBA selection and 2016 champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers. When available, he’s one of the best PGs in the game, and can win games through his shooting, playmaking and basketball IQ alone.
SG – Joe Harris
| H: 6’6″ | W: 220lbs | Age: 31 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$38.5m | Years Pro: 8 |
Career Averages:
11.1 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.6 asts, 0.5 stls, 0.2 blks, 1.2 to, 48.3%/43.9%/78.0%, 25.6 mins
Averages Last Season:
11.3 pts, 4.0 reb, 1.0 asts, 0.5 stls, 0.1 blks, 1.1 to, 45.2%/46.6%/83.3%, 30.2 mins
2022-23 Projections:
12.2 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.3 asts, 0.5 stls, 0.2 blks, 1.0 to, 48.5%/45.5%/76.9%
Joe Harris is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league today. His career took off after being given more opportunity for minutes during the Nets’ rebuild from 2016 to 2019. He has repaid the team in plenty, leading the league in 3-point percentage in 2019 and 2021. Missed most of last season due to injury, Harris will be integral to spacing the floor with his catch-and-shoot game from downtown.
SF - Kevin Durant
| H: 6’10” | W: 240lbs | Age: 34 |
| Contract: 4 yr/$193.7m | Years Pro: 14 |
Career Averages:
27.2 pts, 7.1 reb, 4.3 asts, 1.1 stls, 1.1 blks, 3.2 to, 49.6%/38.4%/88.4%, 36.8 mins
Averages Last Season:
29.9 pts, 7.4 reb, 6.4 asts, 0.9 stls, 0.9 blks, 3.5 to, 51.8%/38.3%/91.0%, 37.2 mins
2022-23 Projections:
28.7 pts, 7.3 reb, 6.1 asts, 0.8 stls, 1.0 blks, 3.5 to, 51.4%/39.1%/89.8%
How do we introduce one of the best scorers to ever grace this game? Kevin Durant’s accolades are ridiculous: 2-time NBA champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA First team selection, 4-time league scoring champion and a place in the NBA 75th Anniversary team. Durant has put the Nets on his back during consecutive playoff runs, and despite requesting a trade over the off-season, has returned to try and get the Nets their first championship.
PF - Ben Simmons
| H: 6’11” | W: 240lbs | Age: 26 |
| Contract: 3 yr/$113.6m | Years Pro: 4 |
Career Averages:
15.9 pts, 8.1 reb, 7.7 asts, 1.7 stls, 0.7 blks, 3.4 to, 55.7%/30.0%/61.3%, 32.4 mins
Averages Last Season:
N/A (mental health/back injury)
2022-23 Projections:
13.4 pts, 7.3 reb, 6.0 asts, 1.5 stls, 0.6 blks, 3.1 to, 50.8%/25.0%/68.9%
Ben Simmons is one of the best defensive players in the league when available. He showed this during his time in Philadelphia, leading the league in steals in 2020, using his height (6’11”) and length to suffocate opposing PGs. His ballhandling ability for his height is unique, combined with his basketball IQ and second sense in reading opposing defences, helped him to be Rookie of the Year in 2018 and a 3-time All-Star. He hopes for a fresh start in Brooklyn after a controversial exit from the 76ers.
C - Nicolas Claxton
| H: 6’11” | W: 215lbs | Age: 23 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$17.3m | Years Pro: 3 |
Career Averages:
7.3 pts, 5.0 reb, 0.9 asts, 0.5 stls, 1.1 blks, 0.7 to, 64.6%/16.7%/53.9%, 18.7 mins
Averages Last Season:
8.7 pts, 5.6 reb, 0.9 asts, 0.5 stls, 1.1 blks, 0.8 to, 67.6%/0.0%/58.1%, 20.7 mins
2022-23 Projections:
8.3 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.0 asts, 0.5 stls, 1.0 blks, 0.8 to, 64.0%/0.0%/58.8%
Nicolas Claxton was thrown in the deep end last season. Due to the small amount of depth available for the Nets throughout last season, Claxton was required to play high minutes and start at Centre. While he didn’t set the world on fire with his play, the Nets saw something to bring him back on a 2-year deal. They will hope that Claxton can continue to develop into a rim running presence on both ends of the floor.
Backups
G - Seth Curry
| H: 6’2″ | W: 185lbs | Age: 32 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$8.5m | Years Pro: 8 |
Much like his brother Stephen, Seth Curry is one of the leagues purest 3-point shooters. Although it took him many years to find his place in the league. Since starting with the Dallas Mavericks, teams have used Curry as a 3rd/4th option, using his elite 3-point shooting, playmaking ability and nimble ability to get himself open and score. He will switch between the starting line-up and bench, depending on the matchup.
G - Patty Mills
| H: 6’1″ | W: 180lbs | Age: 34 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$13.3m | Years Pro: 13 |
Prior to arriving with the Brooklyn Nets last season, Patty Mills played most of his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs. He has been a trusted reserve PG, providing elite 3-point shooting on high volume and a nifty creativity through his speed to create offence off the bench. Mills was important for the Nets last season, playing 81 games and starting 48 (the most in his NBA career). He will return to his usual bench role with the return of Irving and Harris.
G - Cam Thomas
| H: 6’4″ | W: 210lbs | Age: 20 |
| Contract: 3 yr/$8.3m | Years Pro: 1 |
The Brooklyn Nets see Cam Thomas as a key piece to their championship run and future success. A late 1st round pick in 2021, Thomas played 67 games as a rookie, showing an ability to score (albeit inefficiently). He won’t be needed to contribute like he did last season, but at 20-years old, the franchise hopes that he can turn a corner and continue to progress into a high-volume bench scorer.
F - TJ Warren
| H: 6’8″ | W: 220lbs | Age: 29 |
| Contract: 1 yr/$2.6m | Years Pro: 7 |
At one point in his career, TJ Warren was a quality starter that was trusted to score as a catch-and-shoot guy. In 2019 with the Phoenix Suns, he broke out as a legitimate 3-point shooting threat (42.8% on 4.2 attempts per game), before doing the same with the Indiana Pacers in 2020. Many fans remember “Bubble TJ”, where he broke out in the Orlando COVID Bubble and was one of the best scorers in the NBA. He has played 4 games in 2 seasons since then, struggling to get back on the court due to injuries.
F - Royce O'Neale
| H: 6’4″ | W: 226lbs | Age: 29 |
| Contract: 2 yr/$18.7m | Years Pro: 5 |
Royce O’Neal was a key starting member for a contending Utah Jazz squad. Remarkably durable across his five seasons in the league, O’Neale is an above-average 3-point shooter who is a great rebounder, despite standing 6’4” (4.8 rebounds per game for his career). He is a consistent role player, and will either start or come off the bench for the Nets, after being traded in the off-season.
The Rest
11. Markieff Morris (PF)
12. Kessler Edwards (PF)
13. Day’Ron Sharpe (C)
14. Edmond Sumner (PG)
15.
T-W. David Duke Jr (SG/SF)
T-W. Alondes Williams (SG)
Season Projections
Sports betting agencies currently have the Brooklyn Nets win totals sitting at 51.5 wins, 3rd best in the Eastern Conference. With all of the turmoil and controversy that has surrounded the team, who knows whether 51.5 wins is the correct win line. On one hand, Durant, Irving and Simmons can be a trio that could bring a league-best record to Brooklyn. On the other, Durant’s trade request, Irving’s and Simmons’ absence last season could result in some time of adjustment needed. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Conclusion
Whenever the media has been engrossed on a franchise’s off-court storylines and drama, rather than the performances on the court, you know the franchise is in a bit of turmoil. After the year the Brooklyn Nets have had, from the Kyrie Irving vaccination scandal, the James Harden trade, the Ben Simmons holdout and Kevin Durant trade request, many would have to be hoping that this franchise can get back to playing basketball in 2023.
The Kevin Durant trade request was the surprising one. Despite only just signing a 4-year extension in the 2021 off-season, Durant requested a trade to a contending team (either the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat or Boston Celtics). It would have been near impossible to get a deal done, just because how rare it is in the NBA for two contending teams to swap superstars. But it nearly happened – Durant wanted out and lost belief in the direction of the franchise.
It’s almost laughable that he wanted to jump ship and join another contender. But let’s not go down that path. He had every right to be annoyed and frustrated with his co-stars. As mentioned, each one of Irving, Harden and Simmons have created headaches within the Nets organisation. While Durant (prior to this off-season) has been the only consistent option – playing ridiculously large minutes to try and get the Nets to victory. It will be up to him to rewrite his own legacy and turn this franchise around.
On paper, the ins for the Nets this off-season all bring upside. Royce O’Neale was a great get early on, giving the Nets another 3-and-D option that is capable of starting alongside Durant and Simmons. Despite missing the best part of two seasons, TJ Warren has the opportunity to revalue his worth and try and return to the “Bubble TJ” level of play. Getting these two guys (as well as Edmond Sumner and Markieff Morris) are definite upgrades over the ageing trio of LaMarcus Aldridge, Goran Dragic and Blake Griffin.
Realistically, the returns of the James Harden trade at last season’s trade deadline are imports as well. Seth Curry is a starting calibre two-guard, capable of scoring quickly and efficiently. While Ben Simmons opens up various line-up possibilities. They could run him as a guard like the 76ers did, or there has been chatter that he could be a Centre, where the Nets run a line-up of Irving, Joe Harris, O’Neale, Durant and Simmons. It gives the Nets flexibility, either to match or exploit opponents defensively.
With the Irving vaccination mandate and the Simmons holdout all in the past, the Nets have an opportunity to rewrite their script. After a failed attempt at a super team in the early 2010s, it’s the team’s last chance to get the Irving and Durant era right. Because if it doesn’t work this year, the roster could disband and get very ugly. As previously mentioned, the Nets have the firepower to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. But also, the red flags that have come with the controversy of the past 12 months.
Which is why I am (cautiously) predicting the Brooklyn Nets to win 52 games this season, a return to the top echelon of the Eastern Conference and the contender status for the NBA championship. A team that consists of Durant and Irving at their best is unstoppable, and I believe Durant will want to rewrite the narrative that has plagued his career thus far – as someone who doesn’t want to put in the hard work to win a championship. Adding Simmons gives the Nets more flexibility defensively, and allows Irving and Durant to play their natural games as pure scorers. The Nets’ bench will also contribute positively with the new additions of Warren, Curry and O’Neale – providing necessary cover to the starting line-up, as well as forming one of the best bench trios in the NBA.