LAS VEGAS — Nets GM Sean Marks has solely spoken publicly as soon as because the workforce traded Mikal Bridges, and workforce proprietor Joe Tsai under no circumstances.
However a number of extremely positioned sources peeled the curtain again on Brooklyn’s pondering, explaining its heel flip from chasing stars to embracing a rebuild as all a part of recreation idea.
“[The view had been] that in the event you’re in New York Metropolis, you’ll be able to’t be a foul workforce, as a result of the fan base isn’t going to assist you. It’s such an enormous media market, in the event you’re a horrible workforce, every thing will get very unhealthy,” one supply instructed The Submit of the group’s preliminary aversion to a rebuild.
“However you even have to consider the long run. You can’t be a mediocre workforce for a very long time. So it’s a must to set your self as much as both be actually good, and in the event you solely see a path to be simply mediocre within the close to time period, then it’s a must to think about an possibility that may take you to a rebuild.”
Frankly, the Nets had been worse than mediocre.
They completed final season 32-50, their worst report since 2017-18.
And that was with Bridges, whose recreation fell off.
Bridges averaged simply 15.4 factors over his last 29 video games following a Feb. 14 loss in Boston, after which he was overtly important of the workforce’s course.
By way of that time, Brooklyn had leaned towards making an attempt so as to add an All-Star working mate for Bridges, however their underachieving season compelled a tough look within the mirror.
“Is that this the appropriate time to go and chase an enormous star to get us into the highest three seeds within the Japanese Convention? It’s only a matter of alternative,” the supply instructed The Submit.
“Once we see that our workforce final yr carried out under expectations — and it’s one thing that everyone was simply upset in — then we requested ourselves can we add items that may make us a lot better? The reply was, effectively, it’ll simply rely on what occurs, who’s obtainable.”
The supply by no means named Donovan Mitchell, a Nets goal who many league execs anticipated to be obtainable.
However when the New York-bred star opted to stick with the Cavaliers, a Brooklyn goal was off the desk.
However what was on the desk — what had been for a while — was a monstrous supply for Bridges.
One that would energy their rebuild.
“[We’re] at all times prepared to alter course if the circumstances change … not wedded to anyone specific technique. It’s a league of 30 groups, of 450 gamers. At any given time one thing — some items — can transfer that may have an effect on your pondering,” a supply instructed The Submit. “It’s all a recreation idea type of state of affairs, so you might by no means exactly plan your future.”
So what occurred elsewhere impacted Brooklyn.
Although Marks mentioned the Bridges last deal got here collectively shortly — technically true since Bojan Bogdanovic and Shake Milton weren’t even Knicks till Feb. 8 and March 5 — a second supply instructed The Submit the broad strokes had been provided as early because the Feb. 8 commerce deadline.
That seemingly means the 5 first-round picks and a swap.
“We had been at all times ready for a rebuild. It wasn’t like, oh, let’s wait to be fortunate to search out the star that’s coming into free company. We had been at all times ready to pivot within the different course if we might see the appropriate alternative to do this,” a supply mentioned. “And who would’ve thought we might commerce Mikal Bridges for 5 first-round draft picks? And who would’ve thought we had been capable of finding that window of alternative to get Houston to conform to get our picks again?
“It was eye-opening to see the Knicks supply these sorts of property for Mikal. When you have a look at our capacity to reload our property, significantly within the draft yr of 2025, we’ve got one choose that’s our personal that might be very. excellent. … We’ve received three extra first-round picks that in all probability can be within the 20s but it surely’s a really deep draft. Plus, we’ve got our personal second-round choose. That’s a category we will get very enthusiastic about.”
Whether or not the Nets get Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper or anyone else, they hope that pleasure pans out, that their recreation idea ends in successful video games.
