As the end of July approaches and the chaos of NBA free agency dies down, the vast
majority of teams in the NBA have their rosters mostly set-in stone. While the Brooklyn Nets still have an open roster spot as well as an open 2-way spot, it is relatively safe to say that the Nets' current roster is what they will have going into training camp, barring any blockbuster trades in the next few weeks.
With the draft, free agency, and Summer League coming to an end, it is time to evaluate
how Nets General Manager Sean Marks did regarding his offseason moves.
Draft:
At pick #21, the Nets selected PF/C Noah Clowney from Alabama. Standing at 6'11 the
Nets drafted Clowney because of his defensive versatility, rebounding, and shooting mechanics.
In Summer League, Clowney underperformed compared to expectations, averaging 4.8 points,5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 23.5% 3PT. It should be noted that Clowney is a project and could take 1-2 years to develop into a rotation player. However, it should be mentioned that Nets passed on G-League prospect Leonard Miller, who performed well in Summer League and is more NBA ready than Clowney.
At pick #22, the Nets selected F Dariq Whitehead from the illustrious Duke University.
Whitehead is a high-risk, high-reward selection. Originally a top 5 project pick out of high
school, Whitehead struggled with a foot injury, having to get a 2nd surgery weeks before the draft. If Whitehead can regain his athleticism, he has All-Star upside.
At #51, the Nets selected F Jalen Wilson from Kansas. Wilson is the most well-rounded
player the Nets drafted, as he is a senior coming out of Kansas. This showed during Summer League, where he averaged 17.6 points and 7.8 rebounds on 45.8% 3PT. Wilson has the potential to be a very good role player in his rookie year.
Trades:
Due to the Nets' cap situation, there was concern that re-signing restricted free agent Cam Johnson would put the Nets into the luxury tax once again. Marks saw this and decided to make multiple trades to give the Nets some breathing room regarding the l luxury tax.
Before the start of Free Agency, longtime Net Joe Harris was finally traded, getting offloaded to the Detroit Pistons alongside 2 2nd round picks (2027 via Dallas and 2029 via Milwaukee). In addition to offloading Harris, Marks finally pulled the trigger and traded his former Spurs colleague, Patty Mills, and a 2028 Milwaukee 2nd round pick to the Houston Rockets in exchange for a 2024 top 55 protected 2nd round pick (originally belonging to Brooklyn).
While the Nets did not receive anything of value in these trades, they were able to clear approximately $27M worth of salary in order to re-sign Cam Johnson while staying under the luxury tax.
Free Agency:
One of the first moves the Nets made in free agency was to re-sign Cam Johnson to a 4-
year, $108M contract. While this initially appears to be an overpay, it should be noted that only $90M of the contract is guaranteed, with the other $18M being a mixture of likely/unlikely incentives.
The Nets later signed Charlotte PG Dennis Smith Jr to a veteran's minimum contract, a
solid signing. While Smith Jr only shot a measly 21.6% from 3PT last season, he averaged 4.8 assists off the bench and played elite on-ball defense.
The Nets also picked up Lakers G Lonnie Walker IV, who averaged 11.7 points on
45/37/86 splits. Walker is athletic and can create his own shot off the dribble; however, his on-ball shot creation isn’t on the level that overshadows his lack of defensive presence and poor playmaking.
Finally, the Nets gave a non-guaranteed 1-year contract to Thunder F Darius Bazley. At
6’9 Bazley is a respectable wing that can guard multiple positions and rebound well for his size. However, he is a career 31% 3PT shooter, and his shooting is a valid concern. The Nets also gave an Exhibit 10 contract to Patrick Gardner, who is 6'11 and shot 38% from 3PT in college.
However, given the weaker division he played in, it’s unlikely he makes the Nets rotation.
Grade: While many fans would argue that Sean Marks had an abysmal offseason, I would argue that he had a respectable offseason, moving off several expiring contracts, making cap space to resign Cam Johnson, and replacing the players lost in trades with younger, more athletic players.
The Nets did lose Yuta Watanabe & Seth Curry to free agency; however, they were unrestricted and sought greater opportunities elsewhere. However, the Nets let Edmond Sumner walk for no reason despite him playing well throughout last season. It should be noted Marks did not address the Nets' rebounding problems; the Nets only have 2 Centers on the roster, Nic Claxton & DayRon Sharpe, the latter not being able to play NBA minutes.
The roster construction is very poor, with the Nets being very Wing & Guard-heavy and having little to no Center depth. The Nets have desperately needed a PF/C who can shoot and rebound; however, that need has not been addressed as of the writing of this article. Overall, until Marks addresses the Nets rebounding issues, I must give Sean Marks a C+ for the 2023 NBA Offseason.
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