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NBA: The Big Question Facing Every Team In 2015-16

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 20, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) defends during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) defends during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) looks on during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Nets won 93-83. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Brooklyn Nets

Are The Nets The NBA’s Most Depressing Team?

I don’t mean this as an insult, Brooklyn Nets fans, but any starting lineup comprised of Jarrett Jack, Wayne Ellington/Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Johnson, Thaddeus Young and Brook Lopez is going to get roasted. This is not a playoff team in the slightly improved Eastern Conference, nor is there any hope of rectifying that situation any time soon.

Brooklyn may have rid itself of Deron Williams’ contract, but this team is still basically the ashes of a Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett wager that went up in flames after one Eastern Conference semifinal appearance. The Nets tried to get Johnson’s massive contract off the books, but building around sizable deals for Lopez and Young isn’t going to attract free agents, even if Brooklyn had little other choice than re-sign them.

Lopez is a quality scorer and shot-blocker when healthy, and Young hasn’t gotten his chance to prove to the NBA community that he’s a great player trapped on bad teams. But neither of those niceties change the fact that the Brooklyn Nets are going to be bad in 2015-16, and that they’re probably going to be bad for a long time. They lost to Fenerbahce Ulker, for crying out loud!

Next: Charlotte Hornets