The Brooklyn Nets franchise has had a tough past few seasons that left its fans hopeful and anticipating potential championship success. This potential success led to frustration and many moves amongst the team that have led to their current rebuilding stage. From acquiring superstars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, which had them primed for playoff runs, to letting go of all three superstars and having to start from scratch. Bringing in Mikal Bridges from the Kevin Durant trade gave the Nets faithful hope for their future, but alas, Bridges was also traded this past summer.
Out With The Old, In With The New
The Nets have compiled a roster that does not look like a playoff-ready team, but that doesn’t mean that the team won’t show some fight. After losing the first two games of the season, the Nets finally won their first game of the 2024-2025 season in an upset over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
The Brooklyn Nets acquired their new head coach after firing Jacque Vaughn in the midst of the 2023-2024 season after failing to get the Nets to the playoffs. Prior to his firing, Vaughn’s record with the Nets was at 21-33. During Vaughn’s tenure in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he had a win-loss record of 71-68.
Vaughn was replaced by interim head coach Kevin Ollie to finish out the Brooklyn Nets’ season. Ollie had the Nets finish their season with a record of 32-50 and out of a playoff spot.
ESPN story on the Nets planning to hire Kings' Jordi Fernandez as franchise’s next head coach https://t.co/0EIs7GfFTF
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 16, 2024
In April 2024, the Nets acquired Jordi Fernandez as their new head coach to begin their rebuilding phase. Fernandez was previously the associate head coach for the Sacramento Kings from 2022 to 2024. He helped the Kings to the 2023 Pacific Division Title and the number three seed in the Western Conference, which was the Kings’ first playoff appearance since 2006.
With Fernandez at the helm, he may not have much to work with right now, but he may see something in this Nets team that can blossom into a playoff contender in the next few years.
A Young Core in Development
Shooting guard Cam Thomas got back into being an efficient scoring powerhouse for the Nets, scoring 32 points, 11 of which came in their fourth-quarter comeback. Dennis Schroder is another player that Nets fans could be on the lookout for, as he put up 29 points on Sunday’s outing and looks to be an effective shooting partner for Thomas.
First career W calls for a celebration. pic.twitter.com/UiEBlVSAVt
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 28, 2024
Not much can be said for Ben Simmons, who is in the final year of his contract with the Nets, and there’s no sign that the Nets are looking to keep him once the contract is up. There may not be much in Simmons’ value due to his lackluster level of play and his history of injuries. The Nets might need to ride it out for this season and look to the draft pool for Simmons’ replacement.
The Mikal Bridges trade saw Bridges head next door to the New York Knicks for an abundance of draft picks. It’s clear that the Nets are clearing house and are all-in on the rebuild. Nets fans might have to wait a while longer to see their team back in the playoffs, but they could enjoy the further developments of the current young core they have in Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton.
Speaking of Claxton, Claxton looks like he may take a leap in his game this coming season. Claxton will likely take this season to develop his game and become an elite-level type of big man throughout this season. The Nets are likely going to end up in the 10th or 11th seed, similar to last season, but hopes are high that they can acquire a high draft pick in 2025 to further grow into a future dynasty.
