For new-look Nets, playoffs are no longer a given
Nets forward Cam Johnson against the Houston Rockets at Barclays Center on March 29. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Mikal Bridges didn’t hesitate long when asked for his expectations for the Nets.
“Like I always say: Playoffs for me and then go for there,” Bridges said at Media Day. “But I don’t see why we shouldn’t make the playoffs at all.”
It’s a recalibration Nets fans have to get used to. They’re no longer title contenders or a national story. They went from 13 national TV games last year to just five this season, tied for fewest among last year’s playoff teams.
Playoffs are now the goal instead of an expectation. That’s life when you go from superteam to just another team, but it’s also a chance for the Nets to reset and figure out their next direction.
What does this new era look like led by Bridges and Jacque Vaughn in his first full season as coach? First, the Nets are now one of the NBA’s younger teams with only three players older than 27.
Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn reacts during the first half of an NBA preseason game against Maccabi Ra'anana at Barclays Center on Oct. 12. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
It’s exciting on one hand but it means patience is required with players figuring out their roles. The good news is Bridges is firmly entrenched as a team leader.
If Bridges can build on what he showed last season as a scorer and shot creator with the Nets, he’ll have All-Star buzz. The Nets have to figure out how to best use him but Bridges showed he can thrive as the No. 1 scoring option. Now he just has to do it for a full 82-game season.
Cam Johnson, who came with Bridges in the trade with the Suns, also took a leap upon arrival. His steady presence and shooting ability gives the Nets maturity and the long-range shooter they can build around. Like Bridges, he’ll benefit from spending time with Team USA this offseason.
Yet the Nets were 12-15 in games Bridges played. At that pace, the Nets will barely be a play-in tournament team. If their ceiling rises, it’ll be from the last reminder of their superteam era.
Ben Simmons showed this preseason he’s healthier from the hobbled version he was last season because of a back injury. It’s encouraging because the Nets need him to be the facilitator and defender he was in Philadelphia.
He’s earned the chance to play point guard. But the only thing missing so far is the scoring as he reached double figures in points just once in four preseason games.
Nets guard Ben Simmons looks to pass against the 76ers during the first half of an NBA preseason game at Barclays Center on Oct. 16. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Simmons, whose shooting woes are well documented, thrives on scoring in the paint but it’s tricky with Nic Claxton also being down there. Can he balance setting the table for others with getting his own shot?
That key — along with staying healthy — will determine if the Nets end up in the play-in tournament or or a top-6 seed in the playoffs.
“This team goes as far as Ben and Mikal take it,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “We know who Ben can be when he’s healthy and right and in a good space, and that’s what we hope for, obviously, because to be the best possible team we can be, we need that."
Elsewhere, the Nets are filled with solid players and more questions. They want to be a defense-first team but it means offense could be hard to come by.
Claxton had a breakout season last year and became one of the league’s best rim protectors. Can he do it again while expanding his offense? It also could determine the contract he gets next summer as he enters the last year of his current deal.
Dinwiddie will share the floor with Simmons but can thrive in a role he had in Dallas as a catch-and-shoot player. But he’s also in a contract year so the Nets have to make a decision on his future.
The Nets also need improved rebounding and bench scoring. Cam Thomas and new free agent addition Lonnie Walker IV showed potential in that second category.
Thomas’ overall knack for getting buckets sets him apart on the team. But can he do it while bringing playmaking and defense? That will keep him in the rotation after being in-and-out last season.
There’s also an uncertain future ahead. Seven Nets players are on expiring or one-year contracts. Royce O’Neale, Walker and free agent signee Dennis Smith Jr. are key for the second unit, especially Smith’s defense, but will they also be trade bait during the season?
The Nets also have no draft picks in the 2024 draft. So it’s either ride this team out or find a way to make a significant trade.
It all depends on how the season goes. One that starts with the Nets stuck in the middle of an Eastern Conference well behind the Bucks, Heat and Celtics as the top three teams.
It’s a harsh reality after the highs and twists of the last four seasons. But as Bridges said, the playoffs are still a reasonable expectation
The question is if that’s a bar the Nets can reach while avoiding the play-in tournament.
BEATMAN'S PREDICTION
40-42, 4th place Atlantic Division; Lose in first round of playoffs
The Nets won’t be a bad team but they’re limited. Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson will score yet the Nets’ deficiencies with rebounding and shooting will hold them back. Ben Simmons will stay healthy this season but unless he can score as effectively as he facilitates, a top-six seed will be harder to get. A play-in tournament spot is more likely.
Evan Barnes has covered the NBA since 2020. This is his first season covering the Nets for Newsday.
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
