Brooklyn Nets: 5 reasons to be excited for 2018-19 NBA season

2. A star might be born

Besides the day-to-day woes that the Nets faced last season, the most crucial weakness with this roster was the lack of star power. That’s still a viable weakness today, but it’s much closer to being alleviated than it was last season.

For example, Russell has another offseason under his belt — and what an offseason it was. After working with Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker over the summer, DLo looked like he was putting real work in. Word from other fellow Nets bolsters this claim as well; many players said DLo had one of the best offseasons of anyone. A significant leap from Russell could mean really good things for this team in 2018-19.

Those same teammates had similar praise for LeVert. Per Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily, Carroll and Dudley think he’s bound for a breakout season. With his diverse skill set, putting it all together in year three doesn’t seem far-fetched. His slippery knack for scoring, combined with his impressive handle, make for a guy who can put up some gaudy numbers. That’s not even accounting for his defensive potential as a lanky switcher.

Allen might even get some attention, similar to how Clint Capela raised some eyebrows last season and how DeAndre Jordan made his name bigger than his game. Allen has the length and athletic ability to throw down some ferocious slams in the pick-and-roll, while using those same qualities to deny the fools who try and enter the paint. If he can exhibit more physical prowess in the paint, he could become a true anchor.

Star potential is not limited to just these three; cases can be made for a few more to break through, such as Spencer Dinwiddie. Regardless, the point is that someone could rise the tide to lift all the other boats.