Brooklyn Nets Receive: G/F Talen Horton-Tucker, 2027 First-Round Pick (Top 10 Protected – LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Seth Curry
In retrospect, the state of these two franchises is difficult to process. We were not supposed to be writing this piece in the summer of 2022.
Heading into this season, the Nets rostered Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. We already outlined the Lakers’ star-studded squad. Plenty of observers expected these two teams to meet in the NBA Finals.
Instead, the Nets were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual Finalist Celtics. At least they did better than the Lakers – they missed out on the postseason altogether.
How did we get here? Well, the Nets seemed to clash off-court. Kyrie Irving’s refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine may have driven a wedge into this club.
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Meanwhile, the Lakers’ woes were on-court. Any fit issues that were anticipated between James, Westbrook and Davis were worse than anticipated.
Does Seth Curry move the needle far enough to part with draft capital?