With former Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving getting dealt at the 2023 trade
deadline, it created some confusion amongst fans regarding the direction of the Brooklyn Nets and what the front office wants to do.
While they obtained five unprotected 1st-round picks, four
2nd-round picks, and 1 unprotected pick swap from the deals that sent Irving to Dallas and Durant to Phoenix, they also obtained four valuable role players that are fully capable of contending now, with one of those role players showing All-Star potential in Mikal Bridges.
These role players have shown flashes of elite play while on the court, and there is reason to believe that after a training camp under the recently extended head coach, Jacque Vaughn, the Nets will be more prepared next season to compete for a higher seed and potentially a deep playoff run.
However, while the Nets have plenty of win-now players, they have also dedicated a third of their roster spots to young players who need more development in order for the coaching staff to trust them with serious rotation minutes.
Three of those players are Cam Thomas, DayRon Sharpe, and recently guaranteed David Duke Jr. All three of them were acquired by the Nets in the 2021 draft, with Thomas and Sharpe being selected late in the 1st round, and Duke going undrafted.
Due to the injuries that plagued the Nets in the 2021-22 season, all three of those players got more minutes than expected, and while they had their struggles, all showed flashes of greatness.
Some expected Thomas and Sharpe to receive bigger roles in their sophomore seasons; however, the opposite occurred. Despite Thomas showing All-Star potential and breaking several Hall of Fame records, being the youngest player in NBA history since Allen Iverson to average 40+ points in three straight games, his minutes and role on the team have been inconsistent, to say the least.
Thomas averaged 17.6 minutes per game in his rookie year in 67 games played, whereas in his sophomore year, he averaged 16.6 minutes per game in 57 games played.
Sharpe averaged 12.2 minutes per game in his rookie year in 32 games played, whereas in his sophomore year, he averaged 11.5 minutes per game in 48 games played.
Duke averaged 15.5 minutes per game in his rookie year in 22 games played, whereas in his sophomore year, he averaged 9.9 minutes per game in 23 games played.
And keep in mind, the Nets have two late 1st-round picks in the 2023 draft class. As of
While the Nets have done a fantastic job drafting late in the 1st round during Sean Marks’ tenure as a General Manager, drafting Caris LeVert in 2016 with the 20th pick, Jarrett Allen in 2017 with the 22nd pick, and Nic Claxton in 2019 with the 31st pick in the 2nd round, the Nets player development has fallen off in recent years, being unable to play their most recent draft picks.
If the Nets decide to draft two players in the 2023 draft class in addition to the young players they have now, it will be near impossible for them to develop five players while also competing for a playoff spot with the players they received at the trade deadline.
The Nets need to make a decision in the 2023 offseason: either go all-in on competing
and trade their young players for more win-now pieces, or trust their young players to compete and give them legitimate roles in the rotation, because the worst thing the Nets can do is keep Thomas, Sharpe, & Duke and continue to have them on the bench collecting DNPs despite their potential.
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