Brooklyn Nets: 3 critical areas of concern post-James Harden trade
By Jenny Lu
Key No. 3 for the Brooklyn Nets: Defense
From the nine games that the Brooklyn Nets have played so far since the addition of James Harden, it’s clear that defense has taken a massive plunge. Jarrett Allen’s presence at the center position is sorely missed. Before he was traded, Allen was averaging 11.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game on 26.7 minutes. He shot 67.7 percent from the field and a decent 75.4 percent from the free throw line.
Since the trade, the Nets now have a league-best 122.6 offensive rating, but their defensive rating has dropped to 119.9, which is the worst in the league. It’s true that on many nights, the trio can simply outscore their opponents, but a frontcourt boost would bring balance and greatly improve this Nets roster. The team recently acquired Norvel Pelle and Iman Shumpert, hoping that these two will bring better defense. Norvel Pelle, who played for the Philadephia 76ers last year, didn’t get much playing time but averaged 1.3 blocks in just under 10 minutes a game.
Iman Shumpert, on the other hand, is an NBA veteran and champion who played a number of games with Brooklyn last year. Shumpert is a versatile swingman who will bring energy and defense. Although these two additions will help the Nets, the center position might still need an upgrade from De’Andre Jordan.
There have been a couple of rumors surrounding Brooklyn’s interest in Javale McGee or Andre Drummond, who would both make this roster much more well-rounded (although Drummond is a virtual impossibility to acquire). The Cavs are working in the opposite direction as they have too many centers.