Brooklyn Nets: Biggest strengths and weaknesses for 2017-18

Weakness No. 3: Playmaking

Brooklyn was 20th in the league last year with 21.4 assists per game. The number was respectable considering how bad they were, but their ineffective offense would’ve seriously benefited from more player and ball movement. Jeremy Lin’s durability issues only allowed him to start 33 games last season, and one of the main reasons he was brought in was to help the Nets passing woes.

In the games Lin did play last season, he was good. He was averaging 7.5 assists per 36 minutes — a mark that was good for second-highest in his career. Lin also posted the second-lowest turnover percentage of his career, a testament to both Atkinson’s coaching and Lin’s ability when given an expanded role.

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Beyond Lin, the cupboard is bare. Isaiah Whitehead and Spencer Dinwiddie were effective playmakers, but left too much desired in other facets. Hollis-Jefferson boasts impressive vision and may see an uptick in his assist totals with amount of shooting in certain lineups.

The issue is with so many young players on the floor at all times, the right pass is not always made. Russell had an increase in usage percentage but saw his turnover rate go down. His playmaking will get better as he is put in more lead guard situations, something that is in danger on a team where he is one of the bigger guards.

Brooklyn will need to make smarter passes consistently to play with both pace and efficiency, something Atkinson wants badly.

The Nets are trending in the right direction as a franchise, but wins are the ultimate remedy for any franchises’ woes. Winning is going to especially important for a Nets franchise that does not own its own first round pick in the loaded 2018 NBA Draft class, and therefore has no reason to tank.

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Brooklyn has hope in 2017-18, and if Atkinson can get the best out of Russell, there could be much more in store for the Nets in a particularly weak year for the Eastern Conference.