Brooklyn Nets: Reaching Depressing New Lows

The Brooklyn Nets might be the most depressing team in the NBA, for the short-term and long-term future.

The Brooklyn Nets are the most depressing team in the NBA in 2015-16. Even compared to the Philadelphia 76ers — an organization that’s actively trying to lose games to back their way into a franchise player in the draft — are not as depressing as the Brooklyn Nets, a fact that makes them even more depressing.

In the win-loss column, the Nets have the second-worst record in the league at 2-11. They’ve been outscored by nine points per game, they’re ranked in the bottom five for both offensive and defense efficiency and their team, simply put, is no fun to watch.

That’s to be expected when Jarrett Jack is your starting point guard, Bojan Bogdanovic is seen as one of the team’s lone bright spots and Joe Johnson‘s age (34) is greater than his field goal percentage (33). But a deeper look at the roster, and not the standings, shows why this team is depressing for both the short-term and long-term future.

More from Brooklyn Nets

• Why the new-look Brooklyn Nets are guaranteed to surprise
• NBA Trades: This Mavs-Nets deal may lead to Dallas adding a third star
• 5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24
• 5 NBA players facing do-or-die 2023–2024 seasons
• Is Mikal Bridges the Brooklyn Nets next star?

Though the Sixers have yet to pick up a single win in 14 tries, the Nets don’t have a player to build around for the future. Not a single one. Philly could have as few as one or as many as three depending on your opinion of Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid, but the point still stands: at least they’ve got something.

The Nets, on the other hand, have a 27-year-old and injury-prone Brook Lopez as their best player, which isn’t encouraging considering he might not even be a top-50 player in this league. As for Brooklyn’s most promising young player, taking your pick between Shane Larkin, rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and injured rookie Chris McCullough doesn’t provide much hope for the future either.

Even worse, it’s not like Brooklyn’s fortunes are going to change anytime soon, as Boston Celtics fans so kindly reminded everyone in the team’s recent meeting:

Over the next three seasons, the talent-deprived Nets have zero incentive to tank like most other bottom-feeders. Why? Because thanks to that Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade with the Celtics, Boston owns Brooklyn’s first round draft pick for 2016…and the right to swap picks in 2017…and their draft selection in 2018.

That’s right, folks! No matter what happens over the next three years, the Nets will be handing over their first round draft selection — wherever it may fall. Adding Pierce and KG opened up a short window for the Nets as contenders, but it led to exactly one conference semi-finals appearance before the Truth bailed.

Just like that, after one season of falling short of the goal, the Nets’ high-priced pursuit had extended beyond its massive luxury tax bill; Brooklyn had sacrificed its chance at salvaging an aging roster by mortgaging their long-term future. With the Nets at 2-11, it’s looking like they could be missing out on a top-three pick this season — something that could come in handy for such a lackluster roster.

True enough, the Nets locked in Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young to long-term deals to make themselves slightly more enticing to free agents next summer…but is anyone really going to be urged to play for the Brooklyn Nets because of Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young? Even with Joe Johnson’s albatross of a contracts coming off the books next summer, the answer is no.

The Nets don’t even have a puncher’s chance at scoring a valuable rookie in the draft, since they will be shipping out second round picks from 2016-20. They’ll have to buy their way into the second round in order to participate in the draft for the next three years.

Other than that, this team’s only hope of improving the roster is either by trade, or throwing a ton of money at respectable free agents and praying they don’t take a look at the roster before signing.

Next: NBA Power Rankings: Week 4

For the time being, all the Nets faithful have to enjoy watching is Hollis-Jefferson trying to develop a jump shot, while Lopez and Young try to provide some entertainment or relief on a night-to-night basis. For the future, all the Nets faithful have to look forward to is the slim prospect backing into a blockbuster trade or major free agency acquisition.

For now and for the future, the Brooklyn Nets are the NBA’s most depressing team.