Brooklyn Nets: 2018-19 NBA season preview

Best-case scenario

That being said, a playoff berth probably neighbors the best outcome the Nets can have this season. That doesn’t make storyline no. 3 any less likely, but it does provide context.

There are simply too many variables with the top half of the roster to accurately say “hey, these guys will/won’t make the playoffs.” And that’s OK! That uncertainty makes the team more entertaining than your average rebuild.

Russell taking that aforementioned step towards stardom would truly be ideal. If he can average 20-23 points per game consistently (like he did before his injury last season) while also dropping dimes like a lead guard, that might be just enough to leapfrog the Nets to a winning record.

The East is awful and the Nets are deeper than even some of the upper-tier teams. They have competency all around, which would make Russell’s ascension even more distinct.

A rising tide lifts all boats, and that’s especially the case with the rotation now fortified. If Russell can create opportunities for other shooters and cutters, 40 wins and a playoff berth isn’t too crazy to think about.

Of course, there are other elements to consider. It would be nice to see Hollis-Jefferson either become an off-ball threat or good enough as a distributor to let Russell shoot and cut some more.

LeVert has all the tools to play with virtually any lineup; he just needs to be more consistent. If Dinwiddie sticks around, it better be for good reason.

If all these factors combine in varying degrees, the Nets can seriously push for 40 wins. In the East, that should be enough for a playoff spot.

Worst-case scenario

Of course not everything is gumdrops and rainbows. Russell is objectively a giant question mark. If he can’t take that next step, who will?

Dinwiddie might be a better shooter than his field goal percentage (38.7) would tell you (he hit 81.3 percent of his free throws last season), but is he capable of leading a playoff charge? If not Dinwiddie, is LeVert ready for that challenge?

Who is truly good on this team/ If DLo can’t ascend, can anyone? Even the Heat, who don’t have any one star, at least have a top 50-75 player in Goran Dragic. Even the Hornets and Cavaliers have top-30 players in Kemba Walker and Kevin Love.

Do the Nets have anyone that good? As of now, no.

Sans an injury catastrophe that forces the team to tank, they’re not too far off from pure mediocrity. If no one player breaks through, this could just be a season of running in place. Development is expected, but the wins might be only marginally more frequent than last season.

The veterans should keep the team afloat, but if there’s no one to heighten the tide, they could just stay at sea level all year. At that point, breaking 30 wins might be more difficult than expected.

Although the East is weak at the fringes, there won’t be nearly as many tanking teams as last season to give the Nets a few easy wins. Most of those teams got better and aren’t going for an all-out Process. The team is objectively better than last season, but only around the edges.