Are things really that dark?
Casual basketball fans believe that the current Brooklyn Nets squad does not have the talent to compete.
However, that could not be further from the truth.
Thanks to their focus on player development for the rookies over the past year and the emergence of Michael Porter Jr (MPJ) as an offensive weapon and first option, the Nets could have the firepower to surprise many in the Eastern Conference.
First, with their lottery pick, they drafted Russian-born player Egor Dëmin eighth overall and eased him into the squad with reduced minutes, increasing them as the season wore on until he became an integral part of the team.
He came into the league with concerns surrounding his long-range shooting, but by season’s end he was one of the top-shooting rookies in the class and was on course to make an all-rookie team before an injury to his foot ended his season.
Second, 19th-overall pick French guard Nolan Traoré split time between the Long Island Nets (the Brooklyn Nets’ G-League affiliate) and the NBA.
He spent most of the first half of the season in the G-League, dominating before being called up and eased into NBA action.
The last quarter of the season saw him come alive and show flashes of brilliance as a potential playmaker and floor general.
His lightning-quick first step, dribble-drive ability, and uncanny vision to find team-mates make him a dangerous player with the potential to be an incredible lead guard.
Third was Drake Powell – the 22nd-overall pick coming out of the University of North Carolina as a defensive specialist and following the same path Nolan did.
Splitting time in the development league and runs in the NBA, his rookie stats won’t jump out at you, but his defensive effort and IQ are simply off the charts.
If he improves his shooting, he could be a fantastic 3-and-D piece for Brooklyn.
Last but certainly not least is the emergence of MPJ as a first option on the offensive end – an unexpected but welcome surprise.
Traded for Cameron Johnson, his arrival meant he no longer had to play as the third option behind former MVP Nikola Jokić and All-Star Jamal Murray.
The keys to the offence could not have fallen into better hands as we saw glimpses of the superstar that MPJ was touted to be when he played for the University of Missouri.
He averaged 24.2 points per game on the highest usage he had ever had and was a borderline All-Star this year.
Indeed, he single-handedly won games for the Nets off the back of his offensive performances alone, and if he can keep up the exact same production or potentially take the next step into All-Star form, the Nets may have their building block for the immediate future.