Brooklyn Nets Reveal Approach to Final Roster Spot

It might not be on the top of the priority list but the Brooklyn Nets disclosed the approach to fill their final roster spot.

The Brooklyn Nets roster drastically changed in a matter of a single week. After Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant forced their way out of Brooklyn, the Nets were left with a rebuilt roster with four new players (Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Spencer Dinwiddie) along with one open roster spot. 

Filling the open roster spot isn't at the top of Brooklyn's priority list but head coach Jacque Vaughn disclosed what the team is looking for in the free agent. The approach is deeper than just a basketball position fit. It's about the culture.  

“It's not top on our priority list. You know, my conversation with Sean [Marks] is we will continue to keep our eyes open to see if something makes sense. But what we don't want is someone that's gonna detract from the culture in the locker room. That's the biggest piece of that thing," Vaughn told reporters in a virtual meeting on Wednesday afternoon. "And then also trying to figure out what this group has to offer and see exactly what's needed if we do go down that route. But we'll keep our eyes open but that isn't the number one priority right now.”

Of course, Brooklyn doesn't have too much time to fill the roster spot. The team has until March 1 to sign a free agent in order for that player to be eligible for playoff minutes. 

While filling the open roster spot is on the list, it's clear what is at the top of Vaughn's post-All-Star break: finding an identity. The rebuilt Nets will return from the All-Star break with hopes of solidifying a defensive identity and revamping their beloved culture. The first challenge for the team heading into the final 24 games of the regular season is to become a top 10 defensive team in the league. 

"I think we can be a Top 10 defensive team if we take that step of turning teams over; so a great challenge for us that way. And that's going to come from some non-traditional ways. You know me, I'm very curious and I don't mind taking risks," Vaughn said. "And so is that going to be going into different games with different game plans in order to get us to have an identity of really stirring things up and being agitators on the defensive end of the floor? The offensive piece is can we play with an extreme amount of pace and transition? And so that's increasing our transition attempts and 3s, that's our kick-aheads, that's our potential assists. So a lot of bullet points underneath that, just because we don't have the shot creators like we used to. So we’ve got to be smart in the way we play on the offensive end of the floor. And then the third piece is just overall, like, we have to be the hardest-playing team in the league. And so when you look at us on film when you look at us live when you look at the first possession of the game, are the Brooklyn Nets the hardest-playing team in the NBA? And so those are our three areas that we're really going to lean into in these last 24 games.”