The Brooklyn Nets swapped out the players that didn’t fit their long-term strategy and started to build for the future. How will this impact not just next season, but beyond? What are other teams doing with their rosters in light of Simmons’ trade, and how might they change going forward?
The “brooklyn nets roster 2021 latest” is a Brooklyn Nets updated starting lineup and rotation after the trade of Ben Simmons.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets completed the James Harden-Ben Simmons deal after what seemed like decades of rumors and discussion (in fact, it’s just been a week since it seemed like it may possibly happen before the deadline).
Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, fulfills his goal of reconciling with a former Houston teammate, while Brooklyn adds a defensive-minded 6-foot-11 point guard to help balance the squad.
But, perhaps most crucially, both brands (and us) will finally be able to move on from soap operas.
What may Brooklyn’s starting lineup and rotation look like now that Harden is gone and Simmons, along with Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, has joined the Nets’ roster?
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Now that the James Harden-for-Ben Simmons transaction has been finalized, everyone can return to their regular lives.
According to ESPN, the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to trade James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round selections.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022
Harden and the Nets get to move on from a week-long (ish) controversy, while Simmons and the Sixers get to move on from an eight-month saga. In Ben’s defense, the most of his turmoil ended soon after the season began, and he left his team. Harden, on the other hand, waited for his chance and then unleashed months of drama in a matter of days on Brooklyn.
Regardless, the official deal looks like this, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, an unprotected 2022 first-round selection, and a protected 2027 first-round pick are all part of the deal for Brooklyn.
James Harden is on his way to Philadelphia.
The 76ers are adding one of the greatest scorers in NBA history to their lineup. He’ll be inserted into the starting lineup right away and has a good chance of playing the most minutes for the Eagles down the stretch.
It’s a little more tricky for the Brooklyn Nets, who are losing one player and getting back three, all of whom have their own set of issues to deal with.
Brooklyn’s new starting lineup projected
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Before Harden departed, the Nets’ starting lineup was a mess. Due to his immunization status, Kyrie Irving remains a part-time player who only plays in away games.
Kevin Durant is presently sidelined with a damaged left MCL and is expected to be out until at least February. Joe Harris had been a shoo-in starter for the last year and a half, but he’ll be out for the rest of the season due to an injury.
Durant, Harden, Harris, Blake Griffin, and Bruce Brown make up the Brooklyn lineup that has played the most minutes this season. LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Patty Mills, and De’Andre Bembry are the players that have played the most games together.
At least until Aldridge (also injured) and Durant return, three of the players in each of those lineups may be considered out. One of those seats will be taken by Simmons.
So this conundrum must be examined from three perspectives: what does the full-strength starting lineup look like, what will it look like when Simmons enters, and what does it look like with/without Kyrie depending on where the game is played that night?
Scenario one: If the Nets have all of their key players and are on the road, Simmons, Durant, and Irving are all-stars. Curry is also expected to make the starting lineup.
When Kyrie is available, Mills is the ideal sixth player and should come off the bench, leaving Nic Claxton, Bruce Brown, or Drummond to compete for the last starting place.
Head coach Steve Nash can start any of those guys depending on the matchup, with the risk of seeming like a cop-out. If the Nets are facing a club with a conventional center, Drummond may be the best option. Claxton, on the other hand, might be the fifth starter because to his expertise in the system and athleticism edge over Drummond.
Brown’s flexibility as a 6-foot-4 guard who can also play as a 6-10 power forward has helped him establish himself as a regular starter. Even Alridge has played an important role in the squad. Nash will be able to choose his fifth starting.
Scenario two: When the Nets are at home, Mills takes Kyrie’s starting slot. That has been the case throughout the season and will probably continue.
Scenario three: With Durant out, the starting will be a mix of Big Ben, Mills/Irving, and Curry after Simmons joins the court. Brown’s versatility is best used at a different starting position. Nash now has the luxury of being able to slot Simmons into any location on the field, from 1 to 5.
That means Simmons could start at center and Claxton/Drummond could play on the perimeter, or Simmons could start at center and Mills could start.
The Nets, in essence, don’t have a consistent starting lineup. They have the ability to put a variety of alternatives on the court dependent on matchups, which is a huge advantage Simmons has over Harden.
Rotation projections for the Nets
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With so many starting lineup alternatives, the rotation tends to establish itself.
Simmons, Durant, Irving, Mills, Drummond, Claxton, Aldridge, Curry, and Brown are clearly rotation guys if they can all start. And that puts Brooklyn at nine players deep.
Bembry has appeared in 48 games, averaging about 20 minutes per game. Griffin is still alive and well. Over the course of 43 games, Cam Thomas has averaged roughly 19 minutes per game. James Johnson has appeared in 39 games and averages 18.9 minutes per game.
As of Feb. 10, Day’Ron Sharpe and Paul Millsap are still on the Brooklyn Nets’ roster, and have played as bench bigs at times this season.
Nash can go in a lot of different ways with a rotation that can easily run 13 deep, just as he can with his starting lineup. It also provides Brooklyn with a plethora of choices in the event of an accident.
The Nets are a much deeper, more balanced club as a result of the Harden-Simmons transaction. As long as the franchise’s championship hopes exist, that should serve them well.
NBA.com provided all data.
RELATED: James Harden Trade: Daryl Morey’s Desperate Overpay Just Gave the Brooklyn Nets the Ammunition They Needed to Beat the Sixers and Win the East
The 76ers vs Nets game on Wednesday night was a big one. The Philadelphia 76ers traded Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets and the starting lineups had to be updated. Reference: 76ers vs nets.
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