Nets Would Be Making a Mistake Targeting Giannis Antetokounmpo

Brooklyn has been down this road before. It didn't end well last time.

Dec 8, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket while being defended by Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

If there's one thing NBA organizations need to realize in the modern era of basketball, it's that things take time. The process of rebuilding a franchise can be long and meticulous, but in the end, it will all work out if the right steps are taken. If a front office decides to make a major decision too early, it may break down the entire process that was built from the start.

The Brooklyn Nets were once a team that saw the process of a rebuild come together, then immediately fall apart. In 2019, Brooklyn made an incredible splash by signing both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to make the team a championship contender. Not too long after, the Nets would trade a haul to acquire James Harden during the 2020-21 season.

Injuries and Durant's infamous toe being on the line in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals kept Brooklyn from achieving success, but what followed that era of Nets basketball has been questionable to say the least.

After trading Harden, Irving, and Durant, the Nets kept trying to be competitive for the next season and a half. This year, Brooklyn has finally given into selling assets and building draft capital, as it will have an incredible four first-round picks in 2025...

Until reports recently came out that Brooklyn wants Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Just when we thought the Nets would finally commit to the rebuild, general manager Sean Marks swerves the team back onto the same track that kept them in mediocrity last season.

To put it simply, the Nets would be making an incredible mistake by going all in on Antetokounmpo. He's 30 years old, while Brooklyn has just two players above 26. Sure, it would bring in extra wins, but not enough to make a postseason run, and the roster certainly would not be better than the Bucks' current core.

If the Nets acquire Antetokounmpo, they would also have the pressure of speeding up the timeline after stocking up on young talent and draft picks, if they have any left after trading for him. Who's to say that the future Hall-of-Famer wouldn't want out after seeing the current situation Brooklyn is in?

Nets fans should be pleading that Marks stay the course and draft a boatload of prospects this year, and build from there. Speeding up the timeline for a player in his 30s doesn't make sense right now.

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