When Sean Marks took over as general manager of the Brooklyn Nets in 2016, the franchise was a smoldering wreckage. Billy King had gutted the team of its future in an infamous trade with the Boston Celtics, sending away a treasure trove of draft picks—selections that would become Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—in exchange for aging stars Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry. The goal was to win immediately. Instead, injuries, poor chemistry, and inevitable decline left the Nets as a punchline and King unemployed.
Marks began the arduous process of rebuilding from the ashes, turning Brooklyn into a respectable organization. By 2019, the Nets had become an attractive destination for marquee free agents, landing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan. The trio’s arrival signaled a new era, but the Durant-Irving-James Harden experiment became a soap opera plagued by injuries, egos, and unmet expectations. By last season, the Nets had moved on from all three, leaving fans bracing for another rebuild.
That’s what was supposed to happen this season. After flipping franchise cornerstone Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks this offseason for an eye-popping five first-round picks, the writing was on the wall: The Nets were going all-in on tanking. Bridges, who was Brooklyn’s leader and arguably its best player, seemed untouchable—until he wasn’t. His exit, combined with an unproven roster headlined by Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas, Nick Claxton, and journeyman additions like Dennis Schröder, signaled that Brooklyn had committed to tearing it down.
Apparently, no one told the players.
Under rookie head coach Jordy Hernandez, fresh off a stint as an assistant with the Sacramento Kings, the Nets have defied all expectations. They’ve scrapped, clawed, and competed in nearly every game this season, transforming from presumed doormat to one of the NBA’s most surprising teams. Hernandez’s emphasis on team basketball has unlocked potential in his roster. Cam Thomas is showing flashes of All-Star potential, Nick Claxton has taken another step as a defensive anchor, and Dorian Finney-Smith’s leadership has been invaluable.
Through 20 games, the Nets sit just outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. They’re not a championship contender by any stretch, but they’re also far from the bottom-feeding tankers they were projected to be. For Marks and the front office, this surprising success presents a dilemma.
Brooklyn owns an enviable war chest of draft assets, thanks to the Bridges trade and past deals with Phoenix and New York. They’re set up to control their destiny for years to come. But what do they do now?
Do they sell high on players like Claxton, Johnson, or Finney-Smith at the trade deadline to collect more draft capital, sticking to the tanking blueprint? Or do they embrace the underdog story, allow their young core to grow, and position themselves as a future destination for free agents?
One name at the center of the conversation is Cam Johnson. Fresh off a lucrative extension, Johnson has been playing the best basketball of his career, even entering the All-Star conversation. His two-way impact has made him a player to build around—or a coveted asset for teams in win-now mode. Claxton, who signed a new deal this offseason, is another name to watch. His defensive versatility makes him attractive to contenders.
But is blowing it up the right move? The East is wide open this year, and a scrappy Nets squad could realistically make a run at a play-in spot. That kind of experience could be invaluable for a young team still searching for an identity. Alternatively, staying competitive might cost Brooklyn long-term flexibility and a higher draft pick in what is expected to be a deep 2025 NBA Draft.
The decision looms as December 15 approaches—the date when players signed in the offseason become trade-eligible. From then until February’s trade deadline, all eyes will be on Marks. His track record suggests he’ll carefully weigh his options, but there’s no clear answer this time.
Brooklyn has been here before, teetering between the present and the future. The question is whether this version of the Nets has enough to warrant deviating from the rebuild plan. Are they fool’s gold, or could this overachieving group of castoffs and young guns be the foundation of something greater?
For now, one thing is certain: The Nets were supposed to tank. Instead, they’re making waves, and no one—not even Marks—seems to know what comes next.
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