For the first time in six years, the Nets will not make the playoffs.
But that doesn’t mean they won’t play for anything.
These are always well-paid competitors who must show that they still have a certain competitiveness.
Interim coach Kevin Ollie – and more importantly, general manager Sean Marks – will be looking to see who struggles and who gives up.
And even though the Nets didn’t make the playoffs, those who eventually return need to create some sort of positive vibe heading into the offseason and next season.
“Yes, you learn from it,” said Ollie, who will re-evaluate his rotation over time. “Through the process you learn from it and you know how you can do it better. And when you take this opportunity again, you gain valuable experience from it.
There will certainly be many difficult lessons to learn from such a trying season.
The Nets are 30-47 heading into Saturday’s game against the visiting Pistons, who were eliminated from play-in contention Wednesday night.
This is the first time they have failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2017-18.
Are they learning organically as this disappointing campaign moves forward, or will it happen over the summer as they look in the mirror as part of an organizational self-assessment ?
“Both,” Ollie replied. “Both. You can still grow during the season, you can still grow now. You can ask yourself what kind of stuff are you really made of? Because a lot of people are going to give up in that situation. But you can ask yourself what kind What kind of man am I? What kind of team do we want the Brooklyn Nets to be? And those are the times – and the tough times – where you really see your true character.
“So that’s the message I’m giving them. Yeah, that goal, we wanted to make the playoffs. But we still have great fans who show up and pay their money, and you get paid handsomely. I am paid. We have to step up and do our job. And tomorrow is not promised to anyone. And it is not promised that we will wake up tomorrow.
The Nets will fall short of their goal and miss the playoffs despite winning four of their last six on Saturday.
But with five dates remaining on the schedule, it’s worth at least trying to finish strong and salvage some momentum this season.
Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson were both part of the 2019-20 Suns team that missed the playoffs, but were the only undefeated team in the bubble and finished with eight straight wins.
Phoenix reached the NBA Finals the following season.
Granted, the Nets won’t have an incoming Chris Paul, but they can at least be proud of their finishing.
Bridges didn’t make the All-Star jump many hoped for, Johnson — questionable against the Pistons — dealt with a number of lower-body injuries and Ben Simmons was a costly non-factor.
But that is not permission to capitulate.
“Life happens like that sometimes, where you don’t get where you want. But you don’t just stop playing, start stopping,” Bridges said. “You keep going until the end.
“(You) learn from it and get better. It’s not complicated. Just improve, learn what you need to do to improve, and attack it.
Bridges and Johnson will be part of the core going forward, as will Nic Claxton if the Nets are able to retain the free agent.
Dennis Schroder just arrived at the trade deadline, but he quickly figured out what Brooklyn needed to do.
“When we come in, first of all, team chemistry is always the most important thing. As we build this, we have to set the tone,” Schroder said. “On the field, we have to make sure we are the most competitive group every night. This gives you a chance to win a basketball game, especially in the NBA. That’s it, compete at the highest level defensively and offensively, and we’ll be good.
New York Post
