After today's Nets' home defeat to the Celtics, their losing streak has come to a nine-game losing streak, and the Nets' ranking has dropped to eighth in the East. Since Harden's absence due to injury, the Nets have almost become the weakest team in the league, and then the Nets will continue to face the Wizards and Heat, if Durant and Harden do not return, then the Nets will not see the possibility of stopping the losing streak. Realistically, the Nets are indeed the most injured team in the league, with three starters missing due to injuries, but that doesn't excuse a nine-game losing streak. Obviously, the Nets' hearts are scattered, and the team is not good.
With only the last 40 hours left before the trade deadline, the Nets are deep in the vortex of trade rumors, from Harden to Irving to players whose contracts are about to expire, almost only Durant is not on the trade list, but there is still no substantive action. Judging by the operation methods of the Nets management in the past, the Nets are likely to spend the trading deadline quietly.
Now the Nets management is in a dilemma, not because they hesitate, but because there is a promising deal at the moment, and for the Nets, Max prefers to save the trade opportunity until the offseason. With the exception of the Big Three and spurs duo, the Nets' other players' trade value is almost negligible, and even if they are successfully traded, the players in exchange will not improve the Nets' situation. Instead of making up for it before the trade deadline, it is better to wait until the offseason to regroup the team lineup, when Harden will make a decision, and the Nets can recruit for Durant according to the actual situation. If the Nets make a move before the trade deadline, they can only send James Harden away, otherwise the Nets will not act easily.
Judging from the negative game attitude of the Nets players, the atmosphere in the Team of the Nets is not normal, even if Harden still sits on the sidelines to watch the game, but there is not much communication between him and the players. Previously, a reporter revealed that some Nets players were not satisfied with Harden's performance in the case of occupying a large number of balls, and now it seems that it is not empty, and the body language of the players on the court can be roughly judged. James Johnson is especially obvious, and Nets fans should be very familiar with this scene - Johnson grabbed the rebound and dribbled the ball through the half, ignoring Harden. Brown and Bembry have also played cards out of the ordinary, which also shows the Lack of Discipline of the Nets. They're doing that, whether it's Johnson or Brown, they're fringe figures in the league, and if their performance on the court continues to be sluggish, then they're most likely eliminated by the NBA in the offseason.
The Nets' poor team environment this season, coupled with Nash's changeable platooning, has made it difficult for these players to maintain a stable performance, so they will definitely compete for all opportunities in the limited playing time, and over time, these role players will communicate less and the atmosphere in the team will naturally decline. So, when a championship-fighting team has a large number of contract players, this team is difficult to win the championship, referring to last year's Los Angeles Lakers. To be sure, most of the Nets' base salary players this season will leave the Nets at the end of the season, and if Harden takes the initiative to leave, then this Nets are really cold.
Since the seven-game losing streak, the Nets Big Three have not spoken out about the team's performance, and Durant, who should have been reviewed, the Nets have not officially updated about Durant's injury. It seems that the Nets have chosen to give up strategically, as long as Irving's problems are not solved, no matter what the Nets make, it will not help, the situation of the Nets this season is a chicken feather, the Nets may have locked their eyes on the offseason. Durant and Harden return, the Nets can indeed safely enter the playoffs, and a high probability can break through the first round, but can not rush out of the East for the Nets has no meaning, rather than spend energy in the playoffs, it is better to recharge and regroup the plan.
Year after year, the Nets seem to be retracing the Clippers' old path, Durant is 34 years old, how many more years can the Nets wait? Max is still obsessed with betting on Irving, if the problem of Irving in the offseason is still not solved, then the Nets will have no way back, will Durant play with Irving for two more years?