ESSAY: Stars will align in Brooklyn... just not now
Michael Laughlin-Imagn Images
A tough year lies ahead for the Nets, but their main problem is not stars not wanting to play there... so it would appear if you follow the rumor mill among reliable journalists. Part of the hangover of the Big 3 catastrophe was a lingering question about whether the Nets could ever become a team that would attracts stars on the free agent market.
It was justified. Things totally combusted with Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant. Front office, ownership, coaches players were all involved. But playing in Brooklyn, New York, presents opportunities for stars to at least take a look.
But right now, they’re in full tank mode. The question is For how long? and the corollary: how much will it matter to those stars and superstars the Nets covet?
It’s been recently reported by Brian Lewis of the New York Post that Jimmy Butler “isn’t just open to it, but fond of it”.
The timing is weird. Brooklyn is supposedly in full rebuild mode but reports would indicate this could be a short-lived one… hopefully for everyone’s sake! Butler turns 35 on Friday and he’s owed $48.8 million next season and $52.4 million the year after ... if he opts into a player option which at this point remains a big question for the Miami Heat. And while the six-time All-Star may be fond of Brooklyn, how Brooklyn feels about Butler remains a question. Their commitment to a rebuild is likely to stand in the way of anything remotely like this happening, Lewis writes, and it simply doesn’t feel realistic. He doesn’t fit their timeline. He’s getting older and more expensive.
Everything would have to go very well for this to even sound feasible.
“Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is very, very real. Part of it is New York, part of it is that Bernie Lee who is Ben Simmons’ age, is very happy with how his client has been dealt with by the Nets,” Net Income (Bob Windrem) said on The Brooklyn podcast.
I pondered, “Can he get another star to join him?” That seems to be the only way it would make sense.
In the meantime, it reminds one of a time not so long ago — last September 28 in fact —, that it was reported that the Nets didn’t want Damian Lillard although he had interest in them. Could it be spin? Doubtful. Marc J. Spears and Shams Charania both reported Damian Lillard’s representation reached out to the Nets about making a bid for the seven-time All-Star. Sean Marks & co. turned it down because it simply didn’t make sense between his age and price.
The Butler situation wreaks of similarity. Thus, in the beginning of September 2024, the outlook for the on-court product in the coming year is grim at best. But all hope is not lost in Brooklyn. If Jordi Fernandez establishes something with this group, then it’s going to make Sean Marks and Joe Tsai’s lives a lot easier when “the right one” comes along.
It’d be easy to say that time ain’t coming anytime soon, but we thought the same after Marks and Atkinson turned the Nets from nothing to everything stars wanted within three seasons going from 21 wins the year before they arrived to double that.
Coach Fernandez needs to build something along those lines. Marks, in the meantime, has way more to work with than he ever has — multiple valuable picks, future cap space, the second largest trade exception, also a product of the Knicks trade, etc.
Time? TBD.
The Lillard rumors last September and this September’s Butler rumors seem to prove that the Nets lure remains at the least worthy of hope. The question now is how will the Nets respond the next time there’s a chance for a super team. It sounds like it will be more up to the Nets when that time will arrive. Not the other way around.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings