Remember when the Brooklyn Nets used to be NBA newsmakers for making moves involving Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden? Well, those days are gone.
Nets president of basketball operations Sean Marks needed to make a bold move to pull this franchise out of the wilderness, especially with the crosstown Knicks winning the NBA championship. They had to trade the No. 6 pick to get an established NBA star.
If acquiring Randle and the No. 28 pick was the best Marks could do, then he should not be employed anymore.
A trade could have been made to acquire a star, as is always the case in the NBA offseason. The Nets had assets. Some young team was willing to take the No. 6 pick. A move should have been available for a star. For the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire Celtics star Jaylen Brown for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks, it’s fair to ask why the Nets never bothered to talk to the Celtics about acquiring him.
Off mark? (Photo courtesy NY Post)
It seemed Marks was a bit gun-shy about getting another star. He seems committed to building with youth, which sounds good in theory. But what young star on this Nets roster offers hope? What about this organization suggests it knows much about player development, even though a star still hasn’t panned out here?
For a team that has struggled to gain traction in New York, this is not cutting it. Honestly, who exactly wants to watch this product, especially on a cold, miserable February night?
The Nets have been unwatchable for the last few years. They are poorly coached, don’t play defense, and have no idea how to run an offense. There’s no identity, and the team can’t even claim to be hard-working after a 20-62 record this past season.
The players have become comfortable with losing. It’s like a country club where there’s no accountability. They can miss shots after jacking it up and face no consequences, and playing defense is negotiable in this organization.
When the president of basketball operations doesn’t have to be held accountable for the poor job he’s done with the Nets, it filters down to the players. That is the culture Joe Tsai has created since buying the team. When ownership is more worried about making a profit than winning, it can seem like losing is more than fine; otherwise, the Nets would be making a move to get better. Tsai makes his money at Barclays Center by getting people to come for a night out on the town or to use the Nets as a social event.
Fans deserve better than what management and ownership have to offer. Sure, Marks and the players will gaslight the fans when training camp starts. But who are they kidding? You are what your record says you are, and your eyes suggest the team stinks.
Either the Nets basketball boss lost his magic at making deals, or he didn’t want to make one. Either way, this looks bad. The worst thing Marks could do is fall in love with his players by believing in their ability, which seems to be the case; otherwise, he would have traded them for a star. Another concern would be being afraid to make a deal in case they end up doing well elsewhere.
Marks does have one thing going for himself: it’s relatively easy for him to fly under the radar. That seems improbable in a place like New York. But the harsh reality is this: these days, few folks care about the Brooklyn Nets.
