What was expected to be a run at the NBA championship turned into a sweep in the first round of the playoffs for the Brooklyn Nets.
As is the case whenever a team falls well short of expectations, observers are debating who or what deserves the most blame for the Nets’ dismal season.
Yes, Kyrie Irving deserves blame for his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine, making him unavailable to the team for much of the season, and yes, Steve Nash isn’t the right coach for the squad.
But at the same time, the roster has some minor, fixable flaws that need to be addressed in advance of training camp this September.
One of them is a type of player that has become vital in today’s NBA.
The Nets Need At Least One Viable 3-And-D Player
Long athletic wings who can play good defense and hit 3-pointers at a high clip have become invaluable in recent years.
When Kevin Durant won two championships with the Golden State Warriors, the team had Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson playing that role, while Irving’s Cleveland Cavaliers had Iman Shumpert.
The Milwaukee Bucks, last year’s world champs, have Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and P.J. Tucker.
Last season, the Nets enjoyed the services of Jeff Green, a 6-foot-8 forward who shot 41.2 percent from 3-point range and finished strong in transition while giving them effective defense on opposing stars.
Jeff Green takes flight for the @BrooklynNets on TNT. pic.twitter.com/f7iFWHqGbj
— NBA (@NBA) April 21, 2021
Jeff Green hasn't missed from three 🤯
He's 6-6 😱
(via @BrooklynNets)pic.twitter.com/YyhINh2S5d
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 16, 2021
Textbook defense from the Nets here. Harden defends Dort at the level, Harris tags Williams down low then recovers to Diallo, and Green pick up Williams.
On the Lu Dort drive, Harden forces Dort into Jeff Green, who contests well and forces a miss. pic.twitter.com/DjLNkDdhRz
— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) January 30, 2021
Their lack of wings with adequate height and length was glaring during their four-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
Brooklyn was forced to go with Bruce Brown, who is only 6-foot-4, at the small forward position, even though he was often too short to defend the likes of Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
Jaylen Brown (34) and Jayson Tatum (30) combined for 64 of 102 fourth quarter points Celtics scored against the Nets in all four games. They were combined 24-for-40 from the field (.600), including 7-for-13 from downtown.
Great to see both of them blossoming as closers ☘️ pic.twitter.com/xJScJB99zY
— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) April 26, 2022
The loss of Joe Harris, a 6-foot-6 wing who had an ankle injury early in the schedule and has been out since, loomed even larger as a result.
Harris is arguably the team’s most accurate 3-point shooter, and while he may not be a great defender, he’s at least bigger than Brown.
Defense Is The Key
With no one to get in his way, Tatum killed the Nets, averaging 29.5 points and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point range.
Someone such as Green could’ve helped Brooklyn corral Tatum and at least held him in check throughout a best-of-seven series, which is the least one can ask for come playoff time.
On the bright side, if Ben Simmons, who the team traded James Harden for at midseason, suits up for the start of next season, he is exactly the defender the Nets need to contain men like Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James.
Although Durant is an excellent defender, he cannot be asked to defend such players while still scoring 25-30 points a game with efficiency, especially at age 33.
The Nets have a lot of issues to address this summer, but adding one or two 3-and-D forwards in their 20s or early 30s would go a long way in helping them reach their true potential.
NEXT: Kevin Durant Proves He Is Always Searching For Criticism