We're making our way out of the bottom four, now teams that are in the Lottery up until play-in eliminations. Today, it's the FIFTH team eliminated, the Brooklyn Nets. Lots to cut through here; bear with me.
Previous threads:
Spoiler:
Time of death: March 27, 2025
Record at elimination: 23-50
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/yearly
Contract summary:
Claxton - 3yr/25-23-20M
Cam Johnson - 2yr ~ 21M
DLO - UFA (18M expires this offseason)
De'anthony Melton - UFA (13M expires this offseason) --- injured - ACL
Rookie Scale/minimums (varies on 2-4 years remaining):
Ziaire Williams - 6M expiring / ext. eligible or enters RFA
Cam Thomas - extension eligible / RFA
Day'Ron Sharpe - 4M expiring / ext. eligible or enters RFA
Noah Clowney - 1yr 4M guaranteed next year, then can renegotiate
Dariq Whitehead - 1yr 3M guaranteed next year, then can renegotiate
Trendon Watford - UFA
Keon Johnson - TO 2.3M
Maxwell Lewis - non-guaranteed 2M next season
Jalen Wilson - TO 2M next season
Drew Timme - Rest of season minimum
+ other players were on 10-day contracts that have expired, I have not listed them. (this includes Killian Hayes, who, I guess, I will mention)
TW
Tyrese Martin
Reece Beekman
Tosan Evbuomwan
Dead-cap - none retained NEXT season, 58M (!) off the books this season.
25-26 Capspace - ~70M
PICKS for 2025 draft:
BKN 1st
MIL 1st (if 5-30) / via NOLA to POR to DET to NYK (Bridges trade)
NYK 1st (Bridges trade)
BKN 2nd
A SMALL SEASON REVIEW:
https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/bkm/brooklyn-nets
Brooklyn's season began before a single game was played, honestly. But before we recap the transactions... we went into the ASB with the Nets at 20-34, a solid step or two above the previously eliminated teams (as only recently did the Pelicans reach 20 wins, and none of the others have yet). The team was actually playing pretty well in the early parts of the season. Schroder and DFS were still on the roster helping some of the balance (and their tradeability!). Simmons was playing, too. Claxton, Cam Johnson/Thomas, and the young legs have put in some work!
The Nets - early on - won three in a row on the road all against the West [SAC/GSW/PHX]. Then fast forward to before the ASB, this team won 7 of 10 games, including 2 separate 3-game win streaks (CHA/HOUx2) and (MIA/CHA/PHL). You may have noticed this team was finally eliminated with 23 wins. So, my math here tells me they have won 3 games since the ASB. Great tanking work to secure a chance at a top-5/6 pick after that little streak.
disclaimer: I did not watch many Nets games this season so the finer details will need some fan's input.
The major breaking news over the summer of the Mikal Bridges trade completely turned the Nets from playoff hopefuls into Lottery bound. That's where they end up after being eliminated yesterday. Quick recap on the Bridges trade:
Spoiler:
(Also some of these pieces were later traded.
Diakite, some guy named Dangubic, and a 2030 2nd (DAL) were traded for Ziaire Williams from Memphis.)
Let's mention some of the trades that the Nets went through and transactions because there were more:
Send out Schroder, receive Melton (ACL-injury) and 2nds
Schroder and 2025 MIA 2nd -> GSW
Reece Beekman, De'Anthony Melton, 2026 2nd (ATL), 2028 2nd (ATL), 2029 2nd (GSW) -> BKN
Trade DFS and Milton, receive DLO and 2nds
DFS, Milton -> LAL
Maxwell Lewis, DLO, 2027 2nd (LAL), 2030 2nd (LAL), 2031 2nd (LAL) -> BKN
Waive Simmons and Bogdanovic / buyout
Ben Simmons (waived) - signed with Clippers later
Bojan Bogdanovic (waived) - injured foot, has not played this season.
What else ? This team will get four picks in the draft, including two late 1st rounders via the Knicks and Bucks. That's very useful in a projected deep draft like this - to move up, or make selections. There's surely a way to maneuver. However, the biggest focus will be on BKN's OWN pick, where does it end up ? The Nets have some decent pieces to build on, but a few of these players will be on a different age timeline than newly drafted group coming in this year and further down the line.
I see Cam Johnson had a really nice year (19/4/3 - nearly 40% from 3 - 7.2 3PA) he should receive interest on the trade market this summer, and Brooklyn has the upper hand in how to go about that. There's LOTS of salary to use. That depends on how the Nets go into the offseason - take on some 'bad salary' for pick compensation (hopefully, like, immediate compensation), or sign player(s) of their choice to fulfill the salary floor. Option C could be waiting until the more promising FA market of 2026 with a clean sheet, but that means a year in the doldrums.
Ziaire Williams, Keon Johnson, Noah Clowney, Maxwell Lewis, and Jalen Wilson all had career years getting unlocked minutes. Cam Thomas was scoring 24 PPG before his hamstring ended his season, and he's up for a contract. How do you forsee the Nets in the next season ? What about this year ? Anything spark your interest from watching them ?
