The Nets have done the hardest part of team building. With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert, they are full of skilled directors. Now, GM Sean Marks and his front office need to turn their attention to compiling the roster with RPGs who can succeed without the ball.
Given Durant and Irving’s star power, it wouldn’t be surprising to see veterans lining up to play Brooklyn, but if Marks or one of his co-workers is reading this, we’re here to encourage them to pursue Maurice Harkless first.
The forward point of the Nets adjacent to Durant is their biggest question mark. Last year it was mostly filled by Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs. While both were solid two years ago, each didn’t live up to expectations in 2019-20 and shouldn’t be considered now that the leagues are at hand.
It’s not even that Harkless is the most consistent shooter – the St. John’s alum has scored 41.5, 27.5, and 34.7 percent of his three points over the past three seasons. However, the 27-year-old has been a versatile defender in recent years and would take advantage of the oceans of space generated by Durant and Irving.
Most of the rumors about the Nets’ offseason plans are about their interest in pursuing a third star, but the superstar trading market is in flux. Launching Harkless at the start of free agency and worrying about that glaring takeover in the following weeks seems like a safer strategy.