u/firebillykingcom

Just a reminder:

1. For the first three years of Mark's tenure (2016-2019), he was given one of the worst professional sports situation in history. He was given a losing team, no player assets, all draft picks were traded away for the next four seasons, and the team was over the cap. His only ability was to trade for bad salary or find G-League gems (which he did).
2. The next 3.5 years the Nets were held hostage by the stars (2019-2023). The signing of the big three also undercut his ability to GM. Durant and Irving fired Atkinson, demanded a third star, and totally undercut Mark's ability to GM with threat after threat. Honestly, Irving, Durant, and Harden are the three hardest NBA stars to manage in the modern NBA.
3. For the past 3 years (2023-now) Marks traded away every good player, shed salary and made the Nets purposely bad - as that's how the NBA is now. You have to be bad to rebuild. And sadly Marks got caught rebuilding in the worst tanking season in history. So he had to make the Nets as bad as possible to get to this point.

With that, this is the first time Marks actually is being given tools, assets, and the goal of being of good. Let's see how this season goes (his first real season to GM without an arm tied behind his back)

It seems like the narrative is that if the Nets don't get a top four pick, its all doom gloom. Just my two cents:

1. When Claxton, MPJ and Demin all started together the Nets went 9-11 (without Traore starting) . While not a playoff bound record - it wasn't terrible. Those three guys are decent foundation. Adding a qualified PG like Wagler or Flemmings immediately upgrades that starting lineup and you now have 4 legit NBA starters in the lineup.

So while the Nets may miss out on the top 4 superstar opportunity, the Nets are creating a super solid base of starters and have the cap space and assets to trade or sign for your 5th starter.

2. The 4 guards that follow (Wagler, Flemmings, Brown, and Acuff) all have more potential than Egor - and I can any of them achieving all-star status. So while the Nets may miss the prize, picking one of these guys is still very significant. Personally I rate them on the same level that Edgecomb, Kon, and Bailey were at last draft.

Bottom line; whiffing on the lottery Sunday is not that terrible for the Nets. They still will have a good foundation and can still pick up a potential all-star.