Brooklyn Nets fans rooted for the team to lose games intentionally. Tanking was in vogue. Log on to your favorite social media platform, specifically Twitter/X, and droves of accounts celebrated with each passing Nets loss.
While general manager Sean Marks executed a trade with the Houston Rockets to reacquire draft picks last year, but he failed to deal several veterans before the start of this season.
A few veterans were dealt at the deadline including Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schröder, but other veterans in contract years including Keon Johnson, Trendon Watford, Zaire Williams and Cam Thomas elevated their level of play.
As a result, the flawed plan of intentionally losing games went down the tubes. Add to that a rookie coach in Jordi Fernandez, who won the coaching battle on most nights, and you had a team that was not an a true tanking position.
The Nets acquired D'Angelo Russell from the Lakers in the Finney Smith trade. Russell, in his second stint with the team, had some bright moments that resulted in wins.
The Nets had some late season injuries that saw them sputter down the stretch.
Brooklyn had a puncher's chance at a top three or a top five pick, but drew number eight.
Lesson learned? There are no guarantees in the NBA draft lottery.
Tanking, and building through the draft is certainly one strategy, but it is not foolproof. The Washington Wizards are proof of that.
So as the Nets evaluate the draft field to see who they will select at number eight, they can go in any direction.
Package the pick for a star player, trade up in the draft to select a prospect they have their eyes on, or potentially trade down. Everything is on the table.
June 30th's NBA Draft promises to be a very active and perhaps monumental night in the history of the Brooklyn Nets franchise.
