3. Will They Be Competitive or End up Tanking?

There are very few teams who are going to come straight out of the gates next season and tank from the outset. The Atlanta Hawks may be the only one. Depending on Kristaps Porzingis’ health the Knicks could be another that head the tank race.

That would do little though to attract free agents next year. With the first year of the flattening of the lottery odds coming in 2019, there’ll be an overwhelming majority of franchises avoiding the tank.

The debate on whether the Nets should tank immediately became an issue as soon as the 2018 draft concluded. GM Sean Marks told reporters in July:

“We never use that phrase [tanking]. We’re trying to compete, and trying to go out there and show that ‘Look, we are making strides in the right direction.”

The argument could be easily made for both sides of the issue. In what’s supposed to be a weaker class of talent in 2019 it makes sense for the Nets to try and get a coveted top three talent like RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson or Cam Reddish.

On the other hand, tanking could also push away prospective free agents in 2019 (similar to the Knicks mentioned above). If Brooklyn isn’t at the very least a fringe playoff contender it’s very hard to see the likes of Kyrie Irving or Kawhi Leonard making their way to Barclays.

Brooklyn are finally in control of their own draft pick for the first time since 2013 and have a decent shot at being a high lottery team. Does that mean they should start the tank race early? As Marks told the media earlier in the month it’s integral that the Nets continue to improve on the habits they’ve instilled since he became GM in 2016.

“This is not a year we’re just going to sit there because we control our own pick and say let’s just hope that pick is as good as it possibly can be. It’s important for the fans to see the trajectory we’re on.”

Tanking will without question be a topic that lingers throughout the 2018-19 season for Brooklyn.