Brooklyn Nets: Future is Bright, But Media Still Sees Uncertainty

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks has established a new culture for the franchise. Although the Nets’ offseason moves showed the team is moving in the right direction, the media still sees uncertainly lingering ahead.

The Brooklyn Nets did all they could during the offseason. For a team like the Nets, they might have even done more than fans could ask for. Brooklyn brought in a new general manager and hired a new coach, both with the desirable experience the Nets desperately need. The roster also saw many changes, with the coming and going of players, and new veterans and youth in place.

Coming off a 21-win season, there isn’t much to expect from the franchise. ESPN first projected a 20-win 2016-17 season for the Nets, then changed it to 29 wins. To think that Brooklyn would only win eight more games with their revamped roster, the immediate future sounds very bleak. Overall, the offseason moves for the Nets were positive, but the media still finds reason to speculate that the team will not perform as well as fans hope for.

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Looking at the new roster, there’s no question that this is a huge improvement from the squads in the past couple of seasons. Jeremy Lin brings new excitement to the Nets, and also gives the Nets a point guard they can rely on. Trevor Booker, Luis Scola, and Randy Foye carry exactly the veteran presences the Nets need.

Many fans, including me, have only positive things to say about the new Nets. Unfortunately, major media publications express just the opposite.

One key thing that Sports Illustrated pointed out in their grade for the Nets’ offseason was Brooklyn’s “lack of star power.” This was the main factor in Sports Illustrated’s final grade of C- for the Nets’ summer.

When thinking about the star of the Nets, only two names come to mind: Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin. Called “Mr. Nets” for his long tenure with the team, Lopez will be entering his ninth season with the Nets. On the other hand, Lopez isn’t a flashy franchise player, with the likes of stars LeBron James, Damian Lillard, or Stephen Curry are for their respective teams.

Mar 17, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) is defended by Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago won 118-102. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Lopez also doesn’t have much to show for his eight seasons with the Nets, as the Nets haven’t advanced further than the second round of the playoffs with him. Of course, this isn’t his fault. Brooklyn just hasn’t gotten the right talent to support Lopez.

On the contrary, Lin will be returning to the New York area for the first time since his days as a Knick. As usual, Lin’s presence in Brooklyn will attract a large Asian-American fanbase to the team. Not only that though, the Nets received someone who can immediately serve as their starting point guard. Lin is set to share the spotlight with Lopez in Brooklyn, as this new era for the Nets has been dubbed “Brook-Lin.”

The “lack of star power” will hurt the Nets in the long-run, but we won’t be seeing a championship parade in Brooklyn anytime soon. If anything, the upcoming season will serve as a test run to see if the players can actually gel together. It’s very unlikely that the team will get any worse.

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The uncertainty that lies ahead isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Uncertainty exists for all teams undergoing a full rebuild, and it’s no different for the Nets. Nevertheless, Brooklyn will have the chance to shut down all doubts once the season starts on October 26.