ALL EYES ON NETS
From top to bottom, team has look of a winner
Nets coach Steve Nash’s biggest challenge entering this season will be managing a loaded roster of more-than-capable players. The 15-man roster is full of players who could command legitimate playing time on any other team.
The Nets, however, don’t want to be just another team. They want to compete for a championship.
“I’d hope we can go 10 deep. I’d imagine we will, but you never know,” Nash said ahead of the season opener against the Warriors. “As a rookie coach, I don’t want to put myself on the ledge, on the hook yet, but it would be nice to play 10.”
Here’s where every player on the Nets’ roster stands on opening night.
THE STARTERS
KEVIN DURANT: Durant finally makes his debut after 18 months away from basketball rehabbing a ruptured Achilles tendon. He is a one-time league Most Valuable Player, two-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time NBA scoring champion and the head of the snake for a deadly Nets offensive attack.
KYRIE IRVING: Irving appeared in 20 games last season before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He is widely considered among the league’s top five point guards, having dueled with the likes of Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook and pre-injury John Wall.
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: Dinwiddie said he views himself as the Draymond Green of this Nets team.
“If we’re going to liken ourselves to Golden State and the special things they were able to do, just kind of that glue, that multi-purpose guy,” Dinwiddie said.
JOE HARRIS: Harris won the NBA’s 2019 Three-Point Contest and has shot at least 42% from three each of the past three seasons. He is the best pure shooter on this roster.
DEANDRE JORDAN: Jordan was named the starting center last season before the Nets entered the Orlando bubble and retained that position over Jarrett Allen headed into this season. At 32, he is one of the elder statesmen in the locker room, but he is also the comedian of this roster and still has gas left in the tank.
SECOND UNIT
CARIS LEVERT: It’s clear LeVert has starting, if not star-level talent, as was on display in the Orlando bubble where he averaged 25 points per game. Nash, however, has put LeVert in a Manu Ginobili-type Sixth Man role on a loaded team. He has embraced the role, and is now in contention for an award this season.
LANDRY SHAMET: The Nets acquired Shamet in a three-team deal with the Clippers and Pistons. He is a lethal shooter who also hangs his head on the defensive end of the floor.
TAUREAN PRINCE: Prince is coming off of one of the more inconsistent seasons of his early career, but the talent is there.
JAR R ETT ALLEN: Allen was relegated to a bench role in favor of the veteran Jordan, but he is a starting-caliber center known for his shot-blocking prowess. The Nets and Allen did not agree on a rookie contract extension this offseason, so he has added incentive to produce this season.
JEFF GREEN: Green may be the Nets’ main pickup this offseason. A savvy veteran with playoff experience, ‘ Uncle Jeff’ spaces the floor and is a versatile defender.
TIMOTHE LUWAWU-CABARROT: ‘TLC’ emerged onto the scene last season as a reliable shooter and scorer off the bench. Nash gave him some play time in the preseason and he projects to earn some minutes so long as his shot is falling and his defense continues to improve.
FIGHTING FOR MINUTES
BRUCE BROWN: Brown has found it difficult to find playing time on a loaded roster, but he may be the team’s best perimeter defender.
TYLER JOHNSON: Johnson revived his career after bad days in Phoenix. He is a capable playmaker and shot creator.
PROSPECTS
RODIONS KURUCS: Kurucs is entering his third NBA season and has not cracked the rotation on a loaded team.
NICOLAS CLAXTON: The Nets selected Claxton, a talented left-handed combo forward who draws Chris Bosh comparisons, 31st overall in the 2019 draft. He is out nursing knee tendinopathy and does not project to fetch many minutes this season.
REGGIE PERRY: The Nets selected Perry, a versatile big man with three-point range, 57th in this year’s draft. He will spend the majority of his season with the Long Island Nets.
CHRIS CHIOZZA: Chiozza signed a training camp deal and did not make the 15-man roster. The team decided to bring him back on a two-way deal as insurance at point guard.