“This team in general reminds me a lot of the Dwight-Kobe Laker team” – NBA analyst suggests Nets roster to add size and athleticism for improving overall production
Going into this season, the eyes of the NBA world have been firmly fixated on the Brooklyn Nets. Superstar Kyrie Irving is eligible to play in games once again, and three-time All-Star Ben Simmons is poised to go on a revenge tour. All of that combined with one of the greatest scorers of all time in Kevin Durant leaves many confident the Nets can win the Eastern Conference.
Despite that, there are some glaring holes in the team's roster. Although they have no shortage of players who can score, the team seems to be rather undersized, leaving them vulnerable on defense. That, of course, has some worried that the team won't be able to keep up with teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers come playoff time.
The way Tim Bontemps sees things, despite the Nets having an incredibly deep roster, they feel reminiscent of the Kobe Bryant-Dwight Howard Lakers. The team was one that looked like it had all the makings of a championship contender, but ultimately came up short when it mattered.
"Obviously getting Joe Harris and Seth Curry back will help but ... you can't look at this team and tell me that there's a logical way they're going to have a decent defense without any size without any permanent athleticism on the team."
He continued, explaining that the Nets will need to do something drastic if they want to be competitive going into the playoffs.
"Without any permanent athleticism on the team unless they can turn Joe Harris's Joe Harris's contract into another player or they can make some other kind of move or they don't have draft picks and they don't have young players to trade I just don't see how they fix that and it's hard to see where this goes from here."
Check out his comments in the video below.
Where do the Nets go from here?
As Brian Windhorst informed Bontemps, the Nets could very well look to trade the draft pick they acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers. The pick, which was acquired in the Ben Simmons trade, was deferred by the Nets last season. With the Nets now in possession of a first-round draft pick from the 76ers this offseason, the team does have some bargaining power.
With that said, they will also have to likely move other key pieces like Joe Harris if they want to acquire a player who can help them make a playoff push. With the season officially underway, it will be interesting to see how head coach Steve Nash navigates the injuries of Harris and Curry.
With the two players absent from the floor, they will look to get Ben Simmons into his rhythm sooner rather than later.
What do you think about the Nets roster with this season underway? Do you think the team will be able to make a playoff push, or will they have to make some moves to contend in the Eastern Conference? Give us your predictions in the comments section below!
Also, check out some highlights from the Nets season so far, below!