NBA Christmas: A gift for each team’s wish list in 2018

Brooklyn Nets: Clarity on 2019 NBA free agency

A return to the playoffs would be nice, but with Caris LeVert out for the foreseeable future, that might be unrealistic for the Brooklyn Nets, even as they sit only 0.5 games out of the 8-seed at the moment.

Since the Nets own their own first round draft pick this year (finally), missing the playoffs certainly wouldn’t be the end of the world.  A little clarity on D’Angelo Russell‘s true value would be nice, however, especially when factoring in Spencer Dinwiddie‘s contract extension and the franchise plans to put max cap space to good use on a marquee free agent.

Can a team that’s been so bad for so long turn the corner with a big-name star? It’s difficult to say, cap space and attractive location notwithstanding. Is Russell the team’s long-term solution at point guard or a legitimate star in the making? Again, difficult to say. Getting a feel for the lay of the land and being able to evaluate Russell all year long is key for the next 4-5 months.