Brooklyn Nets: Hoping For A Miracle

By Steve Krebs | Feb 17, 2015

Feb 6, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) celebrates with Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) against the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

With less than two days left until the NBA trade deadline, things are looking bleak for the Brooklyn Nets, where it appears as though only a stroke of miraculous proportion can bring at least some slither of hope for the future.

Aside from the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn has been one of the more suggested teams to be active come Feb. 19. Those talks have culminated into absolute zero change — it would deeply sadden me if the comments made by coach Lionel Hollins were true: “Yes, I do,” Hollins said when asked if he thought he would have the same roster after next Thursday’s trade deadline.

If the Nets were to make the playoffs, they would be completely obliterated in the first round, only to have to face these circumstances once again next season — which are massively high contracts for overall inefficient production, establishing no identity, and only two young players to build around for years to come.

Playoffs? I mean, we are talking about the same team who loses to the lowly Celtics:

Of All The Individuals On The Trading Block, Who Could Help The Brooklyn Nets In The Future?

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Honestly, none! These contracts are smothering, why should the team continue to pay guys who are noticeably disgruntled on the court, with contracts that are way too high for the limited amount of success the team is having.

Brook Lopez is the only player on the trading block who actually would want to stay here, and speaking for this fan, having missed pretty much two of the last four seasons (162 games) , there are many more options on the market that could substitute for the $16.7 million his salary takes up.

Does Getting Rid Of Even One Bad Contract Seem Remotely Possible?

Unless a team gets incredibly desperate in the next two days, and wants to take a shot on Lopez, the odds are extremely slim. I cannot envision another team wanting to take on the cost of Deron Williams. Joe Johnson can be a very serviceable piece for a playoff-contending team, but once again, that too comes at a great cost.

At this current point in the season, teams who look to be contending for the championship in April are looking to add those pieces available that bolster their roster, and help in situations of deficiency — but they are looking to pay as minimal as possible, and incurring a $20 million contract next season, is probably not high on their agenda.

Whatever is bound to happen in the next couple days will have no bearing on the outcome of this season, the difference of either a few extra losses will be of minimal concern when the the campaign as a whole is accessed.

Though, maybe by some freak act of kindness, teams decide to willingly take on our massive salaries, aged vets, and the oft-injured — not likely, but desperation causes one to make the oddest of maneuvers.

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