The Nets’ blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics will likely help the team’s chances of bringing an NBA championship to Brooklyn right now, but could seriously damage the organization’s prospects over the longer term.
It will bring in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, all of whom have rings, and join them up with Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson. That’s some team right there. It’s a big splash and a bold move.
But it’s more of a big risk than a sure thing, because the number that really matters is age, not points or rebounds. The average age of that group is 32, with Garnett being the oldest at 37, and Lopez the youngest at 25. The Celtics castoffs are in the twilight of their careers. There was even talk of Garnett retiring after last season, and Pierce was a shadow of his former self in the playoffs.
The move no doubt makes the Nets better — for now. But it also puts a lot more pressure for ego management on first-year coach Jason Kidd. It also shortens the Nets’ title window with this group to about two seasons. After that, Garnett will be 39, and Pierce and Terry will both turn 37.
Kidd’s contract is for three years and Williams can opt out at that point as well. This trade is an all-or-nothing gamble from general manager Billy King and owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
Prokhorov will have to shell out $186 million on the Nets roster this season, estimates Devin Kharpertian of the Brooklyn Game. That includes a staggering $81 million luxury tax bill — more than the Miami Heat paid for their entire championship roster.
This expensive experiment could well deliver a championship to Brooklyn next year, but even so, was it worth it?
Brooklyn’s new squad still isn’t better than the Heat on paper. They aren’t even better than a healthy Bulls team with Derrick Rose back, and they likely aren’t better than a Pacers team with Danny Granger on the court. Next season could easily see Brooklyn jump over the Knicks for a division title, earn a three seed in the playoffs, and then meet a second-round exit.
The Nets also mortgaged their future by giving up a good, young player in MarShon Brooks, and trading first-round draft picks for every other season from 2014–2018. It’s hard to work towards the future with just two first-round draft picks in the next five years.
Maybe I’m just being pessimistic. Maybe King, Kidd and Prokhorov see something I don’t. But all I see right now is a big risk with a small chance of reward.
Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.
