The Brooklyn Nets are coming off one of their best seasons in recent history. They overcame their dark history and suffered some injuries along the way, but still made the playoffs and fought until the very end.
So far, they’ve had an outstanding offseason that was headlined by the addition of two of the best 10 players in the league in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Meanwhile, Caris LeVert will be back at full strength after a breakout season last year.
The Nets are stacked at every spot and are now one of the driving forces in the Eastern Conference even with Durant on the shelf with an Achilles injury. Still, they have a ways to go before that can be considered the favorites.
Nonetheless, this team will have a full season to develop their chemistry and are going to be a huge menace once Durant is back on the hardwood.
How will they line up in the meantime? Let’s take a look:
Bench: Spencer Dinwiddie, Garrett Temple, Theo Pinson, Wilson Chandler, Dzanan Musa, Taurean Prince, Jarrett Allen, Kevin Durant (injured)
Point Guard: Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving will play with a chip on his shoulder all year long. He’s facing a lot of criticism for the way he handled things with the Boston Celtics, so he’ll want to prove his doubters wrong by leading this team to the playoffs.
Irving has the best handles in the league and is a dominant scorer, and he’ll be extra motivated now that he’s playing for the team he grew up rooting for.
Shooting Guard: Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert was leading the race for the Most Improved Player award last season but suffered a gruesome injury that kept him on the shelf for some time. Gladly, he was able to come back last year but showed some signs of rust.
Now, he’ll have a full summer to heal his body and pick things up right where he left them, and Kyrie’s presence will open up a lot of space for him to get wide-open shots. Don’t look now, but the Nets may have one of the most explosive backcourts in the league.
Small Forward: Joe Harris
Joe Harris led the league in field goal percentage from three-point range last year and made a name for himself as one of the best shooters in the game. Now, he won’t be asked to do much else but consistently knock down three-pointers.
Harris’ time with Team USA can do wonders with his overall game, especially in the defensive end of the floor. If he’s able to be an efficient catch-and-shoot scorer, he’s going to be this team’s X-Factor.
Power Forward: Rodions Kurucs
Rodions Kurucs will have a huge chance to prove his worth next season with the Nets. He’s a smart, well-rounded up player that has a lot of room for improvement, but that has already shown his ability to do a little bit of everything, especially shoot the ball.
Kurucs can spot up and hit the three, he can drive, kick, and is a much better defender people give him credit for. He’s not going to be a superstar but is more than capable of holding his own at the NBA level.
Center: DeAndre Jordan
DeAndre Jordan will most likely slide into Jarrett Allen’s starting spot next season after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving gave up money so he could join them on this new chapter of their careers.
Even at his age, he’s a more athletic defender than Allen and one of the league’s best rim protectors. He’s going to be a threat in the pick-and-roll with Kyrie playing next to him, with his top-notch ability to finish lobs and posterize every big man in the league.
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