Brooklyn Nets: 4 glaring holes to address during the offseason

3. The Brooklyn Nets desperately need depth and defensive playmakers.

It’s no secret that offense was the bread and butter of this Brooklyn Nets squad. Though Durant is a master of his craft and Harden is quietly one of the sport’s best post defenders, it’s easy to look at this roster from the top down and dismiss its threat on defense.

That translated throughout the year with Brooklyn ranking 27th in steals and 23rd in defensive rating when it was all said and done. This team could get stops in one-on-one situations and came up with some incredible blocks in times of need (They ranked seventh in the league in blocks per game), defense was never the squad’s forte.

When you observe this roster, the only standout defenders of note are Durant, Claxton, and Bruce Brown, a scrapper who plays every game like it’s his last. Without much money to play with, the Nets would be smart to hold onto their money and see which players end up without a deal closer to the start of training camp. By that point, players will be desperate to make a roster and sign with Brooklyn at a discounted rate to play with a handful of Hall of Famers.

The team doesn’t just need bodies either — It needs capable, reliable individuals who can fill a role come playoff time. It’s unacceptable to have Kevin Durant playing an entire game coming off an Achilles tear in his age-32 season.

Some players who could potentially help on defense without breaking the bank include P.J. Tucker, Tony Snell, T.J. McConnell, Alex Caruso, and Brooklyn-native Taj Gibson.