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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. This is that downtime during the summer when the NBA season seems so far away.
But, we really have just a few months to go until the preseason stars, and then, the action is back.
The biggest change for the Brooklyn Nets heading into the season is that the rebuild suddenly has a different pace. For a while, Brooklyn was focused on collecting young talent and waiting for the right opportunity. The new lottery rules changed that calculation, and the front office decided it was time to start moving a little faster.
So, that led them to Julius Randle. Adding Randle gives the Nets something they haven't really had during this stage of the rebuild: a veteran who has been through playoff pressure and knows what it takes to carry an offense. After two seasons in Minnesota, the former Knick is back in New York, but this time with a chance to become a leader for a much younger team. The fit will be worth watching on a regular basis.
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Brooklyn's roster is still built around development, and the arrival of Mikel Brown Jr. gives the franchise another exciting piece to work with. The No. 6 overall pick came into the draft with a lot of attention after making a major jump at Louisville and building momentum with the U19 national team the year before.
Brown joins a crowded group of young guards, though. The Nets have plenty of players who want the ball in their hands, which makes figuring out roles one of the team's biggest early-season questions.
The veterans should help with that. Keon Ellis is an interesting addition after a strong stretch in Cleveland before becoming the odd man out during the playoffs. Brooklyn is hoping his defensive ability and energy can rub off on a young roster that still needs to learn the less glamorous parts of winning.
Moritz Wagner adds another experienced piece and gives the team some depth after Nic Claxton was traded.
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This season probably won't be about getting a championship in Brooklyn. It's more about finding out which young players are part of the next chapter and which ones aren't.
The Nets have a mix that rebuilding teams usually hope to find: young talent, a veteran presence and a little more direction. The next step is seeing whether those pieces actually fit together.
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