Will 2024-25 Be Worse Than 2016-17 for Brooklyn Nets?

With a 19.5 projected win total, which roster will be inferior?

Apr 10, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) talks to forward Noah Clowney (21) during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Eight seasons ago, in general manager Sean Marks' first year in Brooklyn, the Nets managed to be the worst team in all of basketball. Unfortunately, their pick was conveyed to the Boston Celtics and the rest is history. The franchise again finds themselves likely bottom feeders of the NBA, but this time are equipped with far more talent.

The 2016-17 Nets only won 20 games, and this year's team's total is just 19.5. Brooklyn of old boasted an extremely lackluster roster, being led by the likes of Brook Lopez (prior to his career resurgence), Bojan Bogdanovic (who finds himself with the Nets yet again) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. The argument can be made that at present Cam Thomas is better than any of those three were eight years ago. Those Nets were drifting, had no direction and were desperate for draft capital.

New-look Brooklyn represents a stark contrast to everything that once made them the brunt of every NBA joke. They roster future contributors, many of whom reflect major breakout candidates heading into year one of rebuilding. Thomas, Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney all serve as beacons of hope, especially in Brooklyn's new player-development-focused culture.

This time they won't have to wait for Boston to use all of their draft picks before getting a rebuild underway. And they certainly will finish this season with a better record than 2016-17. On paper alone the roster is better, making the future far brighter.

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