Brooklyn Nets TBT – Season Review

 

2023 – 24 Season Record: 36-46

 

The 2023-24 season marked a key period of growth for the Brooklyn Nets. Coming into the season, the team featured a strong scoring duo in the backcourt with Kyrie Irving and Jamal Murray, giving Brooklyn an exciting offensive boost. With 36 wins, the Nets achieved what I believe is a franchise-best since the start of the NSL—a clear sign of their progress. GM Breece has earned a lot of respect around the league; even though he’s not as active on Discord as some, he’s widely appreciated for his positivity and creativity. It’s great to see his efforts paying off as the Nets build a solid foundation for the future. Watching this team develop has been exciting, and there’s a sense of optimism about what lies ahead for both the franchise and its fans.

 

Season Highlight:

 

Reaching The Promise Land – The Postseason

 

The Brooklyn Nets, led by GM Breece, achieved their most successful season yet in 2023-24. Finishing 9th in the tough Eastern Conference, they secured a spot in the play-in tournament. In their first play-in game, the Nets hosted the 10th-seeded Charlotte Hornets and managed to eliminate them, moving one step closer to the playoffs. This win set up a showdown with the 7th-seeded Indiana Pacers, who were led by standout rookie Victor Wembanyama. Despite Wembanyama’s impressive talent, Brooklyn once again came out on top, clinching the 8th seed in the Eastern playoffs. With their place in the playoffs confirmed, the Nets then faced a formidable challenge against the 1st-seeded Washington Wizards—a team renowned for its depth and experience. This matchup marked a major milestone for Brooklyn, showing just how far they had come under Breece’s leadership.  Ultimately the Brooklyn Nets fell short in their match up with the Wizards, losing 4 – 2 in the series.  Most punters had tipped the Wizards to sweep this series, however, this result just shows how far the nets have come under GM Breece’s guidance, as well as how far he has come as a GM.  What an achievement!

 

 

Trades:

 

Brooklyn weren’t overly active on the trade front this past season, however, what they lack in quantity of trades they made up for in quality of trades.  GM Breece often knows what he wants or what his team needs and doesn’t deviate from that path too much!

 

Best Trade:

 

Brooklyn Sends:

Kyrie Irving, Daniel Theis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker

 

Brooklyn Receives:

Derek Lively II

Brandon Ingram

Bobby Portis

Kelly Oubre

 

I absolutely LOVE this trade for both sides.  This trade set New Orleans up to go on an inspired post season run, but more importantly this trade really boosted the Nets from an asset standpoint, as well as a team construction/line-up point.  The two high powered scoring guards have been broken up and in come some players of different positions to help round out the rotation around Jamal Murray and Lauri Markkanen.  Lively was a fantastic get, he had not had his full rookie year breakout by this point, but no he looks a lock to be the starting C of the nets for the foreseeable future.  Ingram is a polarising player in both the NBA and NSL as of right now, however, it must be an absolute treat having him as your 3^rd option, which is exactly where he stands in the Brooklyn pecking order as currently constructed.

 

Other Notable Trades:

 

Brooklyn Nets Receive:

Maxwell Lewis

 

Brooklyn Send:

BKN Second for 2028

 

This trade doesn’t make a major impact, but Lewis is a solid depth piece who can step in for spot minutes if injuries arise. Securing him for a second-round pick is respectable work by Brooklyn’s front office. If Maxwell Lewis eventually develops some of the potential he showed coming out of Pepperdine, this could turn into an excellent acquisition for the Nets.

Beyond these two trades, Brooklyn wasn’t especially active in the trade market this past season. However, this approach might shift as they continue progressing toward serious contention. With a taste of the postseason now, they’re a team to watch closely, especially with the numerous assets they hold. Those assets could yield strong returns if Brooklyn decides to make a push for higher-impact players in the near future.

 

Star of the team – Jamal Murray

 

This is an interesting topic as there is likely 3 ways you could go with this in the NSL.  In the NBA as of right now I would say the pecking order of stardom would be Lauri, Ingram, Murray.  As for the NSL, I think the order is likely Murray, Ingram then Lauri.  Jamal has been a star scorer in this league for some time now, but this was further boosted after the nuggets won the championship, he got that 2k love, solidifying him as a star.  However, he has taken a step back in the NBA recently, whether that be due to injury or other circumstances, GM Breece would be hoping to see him with an uptick in production in the NBA to get back to the NBA Champion level he displayed not too long ago.

 

Draft Grades:

 

Cody Williams: A-

Jamal Shead: B

 

Williams has the frame, the length, the skillset (in theory) to be a star role player and maybe even more than that one day.  He has landed in a great situation in the NBA with Utah, where there will be no rush to hurry him along, allowing him to develop at his own pace and giving him a greater chance to succeed.

 

Jamal Shead has had a decent start for the NBA Toronto Raptors, playing spot minutes off the bench.  This is about as much as you could hope for with the 40^th pick in the NSL draft.  The fact he is playing at all is a bonus and encouraging!

 

The Future:

 

The Brooklyn Nets have an incredibly promising future, with their three best players all at just 27 years old, positioned right in their prime. Adding to their potential, the team’s defensive anchor is only 20 in Dereck Lively II, and Cody Williams brings even more youthful talent with plenty of time to grow and develop. This young core sets a solid foundation for sustained success, and the Nets are aiming to retain Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency this offseason, as his skill set perfectly complements their starting lineup.

 

GM Breece, having experienced his first taste of postseason action, is now looking to build on the most successful regular season he’s had with the team. The Nets are young, energetic, and play an exciting brand of basketball with high scoring power. As they continue to progress, they’re shaping up to be a team to watch closely in the coming seasons.

 

All the best for the future GM Breece and the Brooklyn Nets.