Brooklyn is ranked 22nd in the Athletic's latest Power Rankings

The Nets still look like a middle-of-the-road team for some people.

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Heading into the game in Paris, the Brooklyn Nets possess a 16-21 record, which keeps them in the Play-In Tournament race but outside of the automatic spots in the Playoffs. Their recent slump over the past month has been a tough watch, especially when they had plenty of promising performances earlier in the year.

This recent rough patch led to Brooklyn landing 22nd in the latest edition of The Athletic’s NBA Power Rankings. The Nets go up a spot from 23rd in the previous edition, but it’s still not a good spot to be in.

The photo you've been waiting for.

Nets in Paris 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/JIc2USJZrz

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 9, 2024

“The Nets could be in the mix to make the Play-In all season long and maybe even look a little dangerous if they do. This team can really score, which is precarious for opponents in a one-game situation,” Zach Harper wrote in The Athletic. “Brooklyn has some interesting players to put out there by the deadline. Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale could both be extremely valuable and enticing for hopeful contenders.”

The Nets need to improve on defense

Brooklyn has struggled on defense this season, ranked 24th overall in defensive rating. That’s not a good look for the Nets, especially when you look at the roster and see the defensive talent on display. Nic Claxton, Mikal Bridges, and Dennis Smith Jr. are all amazing at stopping their matchups, but the Nets’ overall defense is still mediocre.

The team is mostly playing the drop defense scheme, which allows too many three-pointers from opponents. To win more games, Brooklyn might have to adapt the switching defense they played in the recent win against the OKC Thunder when they limited Mark Daigneault’s squad to only nine makes from long distance.

The value of being sellers at the deadline

Harper determined that Brooklyn should be a seller at the trade deadline, meaning they should shop their players and look for new value. The Nets have some enticing names on the roster, with Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale being the names thrown around.

They are both reliable three-and-D players who could fetch a good return in the trade market. The Los Angeles Lakers have shown interest in the duo because their roster lacks three-point shooting and wing defense.

Whether or not the Nets sell at the deadline, they still have a strong foundation with Mikal, Cameron Thomas, Cameron Johnson, and more. The team needs to get their act together on defense, and the offense will follow.

Nic Claxton is excited ahead of the Nets' road game in Paris