The last rebuild started in 2013 and culminated in a number of ECF appearances. Unfortunately, the play for AD did not work and Kyrie jumped ship. Our record indicates we’re a .500 team with just Tatum/Brown/Walker running the show. Given cap constraints, there does not appear to be a way to make moves that get us past the Nets this year or next.
Fortunately, Brad is committed to the team and did a great job with our last rebuild, so why not try it again?
There’s another dynamic to this: If through back door channels we can confirm that Beal wants to join Tatum in Boston, we can immediately have two all-stars on our rebuild as early as the 2022 off-season when Beal enters free agency.
Potential Steps:
1.Trade Brown to Golden State for Wiseman, Oubre, and 2021 MIN 1st
Commentary: Brown played college ball nearby Oracle Arena and Steph/Klay/Dray would love to have a guy who’s in-between Durant and Barnes in terms of playing ability. We get a really good first round pick and the 2021 second overall pick. Fair enough.
2. Flip Oubre to someone in the west for the best pick available in combination with bad contract(s) that only have a year left on them. We might be able to get a 1st for him from someone like New Orleans.
3. Ship Smart out west for an unprotected first and a bad contract that expires in 2022.
4. Ship Timelord out west for an unprotected first and a bad contract that expires in 2022 (or TPE).
5. Ship G. Williams and Edwards out west for a protected second and a bad contract that expires in 2022 (or TPE).
6. See what we can get for Theis out west before the deadline.
7. If possible, move Wiseman and swap our top 2021 pick so we get Evan Mobley with the second or first overall pick. Personally think Mobley will be better than Wiseman and would be cost-controlled an extra year. That said, figure they both could end up being all-NBA someday.
8. Salary dump Kemba for bad 2021-2022 contracts and as many picks as possible.
9. Send TT to a good situation in the west (Clippers?) for a pick or two.
Who’s left for the rebuild: Tatum, Pritchard, Langford, Nesmith, and either Wiseman or Mobley (see move 7). If Langford does not show promise in 2021-2022, dump him. Same goes for Nesmith.
We’d have Madar and our multitude of 2021 picks for new blood in 2021-2022. With all the bad contracts expiring heading into the 2022 off-season, we’d have the cap space to pair Tatum with Beal, giving us two happy all-stars after a one year rebuild. With some additional moves, perhaps we have space to add a third superstar to Tatum and Beal, with hopes of Wiseman (or Mobley) developing into a fourth superstar. In the meantime, the Nets’ core has aged and we’re ready to displace them as NBA champions.
Personally do not think this is that hard to endure. Personally would be more excited about this than anything else we can possibly do this year and next. The window is closing to commit to a rebuild like this, though. After all, Brown’s value may never be this high again and this opportunity with GSW will not be there once Oubre is gone?
Additional thoughts for/against a new rebuild?
Topic: Devil’s Advocate: The Argument For a New Rebuild (Read 1293 times)