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Brooklyn Nets Suffer Bitter Defeat, Murky Future On The Horizon

By Aaron Mah

May 1, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett Jack (0) and Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) and Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) and Brooklyn Nets small forward Joe Johnson (7) during a time out against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter of game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett Jack (0) and Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) and Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) and Brooklyn Nets small forward Joe Johnson (7) during a time out against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter of game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Brooklyn Nets‘ roller coaster of the season finally came to end Friday night as they fell in defeat to the hands of the No. 1-seeded Atlanta Hawks.

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It is one thing to lose an elimination game at home — but the Nets didn’t just lose, they were annihilated in Game 6. Explicitly, Brooklyn was run out of its own gym by 25 points, and it wasn’t even that close.

The team did do a lot better than many pundits had predicted, however. When Brooklyn stuck to their high pick-and-roll game, moving the ball from side-and-side, while star center Brook Lopez sucked the entire defense in with his hard dive, the Nets generally generated quality looks — especially from beyond the arc.

But, much like their disappointment of a season, too often were the Nets caught holding the ball, or trying to force feed Lopez or Joe Johnson down on the block like it’s 1995. They simply wasted too many possessions on a game-by-game basis.

With a team full of isolation, ball-in-hand based veterans — like Johnson, Deron Williams, and Jarrett Jack — you cannot exactly blame coach Lionel Hollins, who isn’t the most creative offensive coach in the first place, and his staff for failing in their attempt to ameliorate their established habits. As the old adage goes, it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

With their season ending, the Nets now face several glaring uncertainties regarding the future prospects of the team.

May 1, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Four year old Brooklyn Nets fan Camden Strootman of Long Island reacts during the closing minutes of the fourth quarter of game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. The Hawks defeated the Nets 111-87 to win the series 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Four year old Brooklyn Nets fan Camden Strootman of Long Island reacts during the closing minutes of the fourth quarter of game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. The Hawks defeated the Nets 111-87 to win the series 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

For one, they are once again financially strapped, making it hard for their front office to make any pendulum swinging moves.

More specifically, Williams and Johnson are owed more than $45.8 million next year combined, and when you take into account Jack’s $6.3 million in salary next season, the Nets essentially have more than  $52 million tied up to three players on the wrong side of 30 years old.

Moreover, Lopez also has a player option this summer. If he chooses to exercise it, Brook will be on the books for another $16.7 million. If he chooses to opt out, though, the burly, highly-skilled 7-foot-1 center could command a max in today’s marketplace — which, in turn, will put the Nets in an extremely tough position.

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    • If they choose to pay the North Hollywood, Calif., native, then they’ll pretty much bring back the same squad next season.

    Alternatively, if they let Lopez go, they can pretty much kiss their playoffs hope for next year goodbye — however, the Nets have no intention to tank, or blow it up, next season (or any time soon for that matter) as the Boston Celtics have the rights to their first-round draft pick in 2016 and the right to swap picks with Brooklyn in 2017.

    Finally, looking at the current Eastern Conference landscape, if they do bring Lopez, along with starting power forward Thaddeus Young –who also has a player option this summer — back next season, their playoff prospects are murky at best.

    Think about it, the Pacers will have the services of a fully healthy Paul George for an entire year, the Pistons will be in year two of Stan Van Gundy’s surround Andre Drummond with four shooters spread pick-and-roll plan, and the Heat, at full strength.

    Needless to say, this will be an interesting offseason for the eternally all-in Nets. Their summer plans, and the future of the organization, may just crumble right before our eyes.

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