Should the Brooklyn Nets Model Their Rebuild Like the OKC Thunder? How Quickly Could the Brooklyn Nets Become Top Contenders in the NBA?

The past few years in the NBA have been quite difficult for the Brooklyn Nets. After attracting superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back in 2019, things seemed like they could only get better for the team. However, due to injuries, poor chemistry, and more, the team was never able to meet expectations.

Fast forward five years, and the team retains only one player from the exciting 2019-20 Nets roster. The team will now give its best efforts to rebuild and attempt to become top contenders in the competitive Eastern Conference.

Should the Brooklyn Nets follow the OKC Thunder route?

The OKC Thunder have been able to rebuild their team through a combination of well-thought-out drafting, trades, and developing young talent. Their hard work proved worthwhile, as they were the #1 seed in the Western Conference this past season.

Perhaps it is time for the Brooklyn Nets to adopt a similar approach. They could start by accumulating draft picks, as the Thunder did by trading stars like Paul George and Russell Westbrook. Although the Nets may not have superstars of that caliber, they could find intriguing offers for well-rounded role players such as Dennis Schröder and recently acquired Bojan Bogdanovic.

The staff should also focus on drafting promising young players, like the Thunder did with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With the team having a number of picks from New York, Phoenix, and their own, they will have plenty of opportunities to select high-potential players.

Where the Nets seem to be able to replicate the Thunder the most is in their player development. The Nets already have a promising young team with players such as Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton, and Cam Thomas all looking like promising studs. If the Nets manage to keep their core together and develop them correctly. All that will be left to do is to surround them with role players that play to their weaknesses, and they will undoubtedly have a title contending core.

How quickly can the Brooklyn Nets become top contenders?

The young team will definitely be in the spotlight for the next few years. With the correct decisions from the Nets’ staff they could easily become a title contending team within the next 4-5 years. However, a few poorly made trades and draft picks could end in a catastrophe as they could dig themselves deep with bad contracts and no room for flexibility.

With their recent trade of Mikal Bridges, they do acquire more draft capital which proves the Nets seem to be planning for the future rather than trying to turn around the team too quickly and jeopardizing their future.

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