The Brooklyn Nets project has failed to live up to the expectations, that they would dominate the NBA. Players such as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant joining the Nets in a single trade window looked scary. With the addition of James harden the following season, the Nets look ferocious. Despite having the best trio in the league, the Nets managed to bottle it up and are now back to square 1.
Kyrie Irving requested a trade away from the Nets despite turning into an unrestricted free agent in the summer. The Dallas Mavericks swooped up Kyrie and in return and send 2 first-round picks. Along with Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith joining the Nets. With this, the Nets sacrificed their second-best healthy player and reunited with DInwiddie. Dinwiddie besides his best effort failed to lead the Mavs without Luka Doncic.
Kyrie Irving gets his first bucket as a Maverick.
DAL-LAC, live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/JAlCez7nro
— NBA (@NBA) February 9, 2023
Now, Kevin Durant also traded on the deadline day of the trade is found with a new team. This trade may have left the Nets utterly out of the running for a championship. The Nets received Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, and 4 first-round picks. Despite trading their best players, the Nets are stacked with numerous first-round picks. The Nets are in a good position in a ruthless Western Conference, if they fail to maintain it, it will be a problem for the Nets.
BREAKING: Nets are trading Kevin Durant to the Suns, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/09hd9mbxfa
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2023
By comparing the Nets team by scoring averages, none of the players average above 20 points per game. Their best players are in the form of Spencer Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges who average 17.7 and 17.2 ppg respectively. Both the players have carried their team without their star players. Dinwiddie did decent, but not enough to get the team a win. However, Bridges did get help from Deandre Ayton.
Are the Brooklyn Nets exploring the idea of cashing in on Ben Simmons?
Ben Simmons joined the Nets in a blockbuster trade last season, and James Harden joined the Philadelphia 76ers. However, things haven’t been in the favor of the guard, and are averaging only 7.2 ppg. This is something that the Nets will look to rectify. Ben Simmons is also their highest-paid player, racking $35.4 million, such an amount for a role player. This is a worry for the Nets, as they can look for better options than Simmons.
Brooklyn Nets Salary + STATs Today:
SETH CURRY: $8,496,500, 39 Games played, 152 Made FGs, 41 TOs.
BEN SIMMONS: $35,448,672, 38 Games Played, 125 Made FGs, 92 TOs.
— Patrick M (@PatRocktrick) February 9, 2023
However, trading Ben Simmons will not be an easy task for the Nets. Simmons is in the first season with the Nets and halfway in the league. He finds himself still finding his stride to get his business running for the Nets. Due to his form with the Nets, his hefty contract, and his trade value taking a huge hit, it will be a huge task for the Brooklyn Nets to find suitable suitors to trade him for. Whatever the case may be, the Nets will have to give up significant trade value to get a strong player.
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