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DK Nation will be going through all 30 teams ahead of the season, looking at how the roster shapes up for the 2022-23 campaign. Here we take a look at the Brooklyn Nets, who look to put an offseason of drama and uncertainty behind them as they pursue a championship this season.
Brooklyn Nets 2022-23 Outlook
Key additions: Royce O’Neale, TJ Warren, Markieff Morris
O’Neale is a useful 3-and-D player, while Morris can be an enforcer defensively. Warren remains a mystery, as he’s still recovering from a variety of injuries. If healthy, he’s a viable bench scorer with some starter upside.
Key departures: Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, Goran Dragic, Bruce Brown
Drummond and Dragic joined the Bulls, while Griffin goes to the Celtics. The latter team will be Brooklyn’s competitor when it comes to a title race. There’s something to be said about having veterans, but these guys were a bit past their best days and the Nets needed to get younger on the fringes. Losing Brown in free agency is tough but Brooklyn should be able to get enough from O’Neale to make up for it.
Season expectations
With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back, the goal is to compete for a championship. Anything less than a title, regardless of the circumstances, will be viewed as a failure.
Projected starting lineup
Durant, Irving, Ben Simmons and Joe Harris are locks for the starting lineup. If the Nets go small, O’Neale or even Seth Curry could be in the first five. If Brooklyn wants a traditional center, Nic Claxton is the fifth starter.
Fantasy basketball player to watch: Ben Simmons
This is the $1 million, or about $112 million, question. The Nets effectively traded James Harden for Simmons as a core piece of this team. The guard has been mired in controversy since Game 7 of the East semifinals in the 2021 playoffs. If Simmons gets back on the court and is back to his former self, he can be a defensive force while also delivering a high assist number. If he’s still struggling with injuries and mental health concerns, he might not take the floor. The middle ground results in a good but unreliable fantasy player.