Brooklyn Nets: Realistic expectations for 2019-20 season
The biggest goal for the Nets going into the 2019-20 season would be to get a playoff seeding in the top half of the Eastern Conference.
Last season the Brooklyn Nets made the playoffs for the first time in several years. That goes to show you that it is possible, for an upstart to succeed. Unfortunately, the Nets were bounced by Philadelphia after only five games, but the experience laid down a solid foundation going forward.
Next season’s Nets team is completely unidentifiable from last year’s team after losing players such as D’Angelo Russell and Jared Dudley. The good news is they have gotten much better. Adding Irving, Durant, and Jordan make the Nets one of the most feared teams in the league.
However, without Kevin Durant, the 2019-20 season looks as if it won’t result in a championship. That’s alright because it will allow us to see what this team is capable of without one of the best players in the league.
Even without KD, the Brooklyn Nets main goal for next season should be to get a playoff spot that would give them home-court advantage for at least the first series. That means earning a top-four seed.
If the Nets are capable of doing that it would prove to not only them, but it would prove to the world that this is a legitimate team. If they are able to get a high seed WITHOUT Kevin Durant, imagine what they would be capable of with him.
This goal isn’t too far fetched. After all, they added one of the best point guards in the league with Irving and a quality big man in Jordan who only a couple seasons ago was among the most feared in the league.
The Nets starting five will likely look a little something like this once the season starts:
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Caris LeVert
SF: Joe Harris
PF: Taurean Prince
With the Eastern Conference being as weak as it is, this is a lineup that has a legitimate chance at snagging a top-four spot. As I mentioned earlier, if the Nets are able to get a top spot without Kevin Durant, you can only imagine how good they would be with him.
This being said, the Nets biggest goal going into next season needs to be getting home-court advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs.