Brooklyn Nets' Future Outlook

The whole Kyrie Irving injury situation is not looking real good for Brooklyn. After having a career that has been ravaged by injuries, the Nets still went on ahead to sign Kyrie Irving to go along with Kevin Durant last off-season, only to have both out at this point. While both are expected to be fully healthy next year, you have to wonder what this team will really look like. That's not to mention the chemistry issues that these guys have had, particularly Irving, with other players.

Currently the Nets are the seven seed in the Eastern conference, heading to the postseason without both anyways, but you have to wonder how much better this team will be when its' superstars return. Will they be in the top half of the East again? Let's see.

WHO'S GONE: G/F Joe Harris, F Wilson Chandler, G/F Theo Pinson, G Garrett Temple

There aren't a lot of players heading into free agency, and the biggest one is Joe Harris for Brooklyn. He'll likely cost too much for them to retain, but he is among the best three point shooters for the NBA and is getting 14 points per game after starting in all but two. Temple has been a major beneficiary from the lack of Irving as well as Caris LeVert for a time, and he's going to be a nice pickup for whoever gets him. Chandler is getting older, but is a nice veteran presence for Nets and could return on a cheap deal.

WHAT'S LEFT:

C-Jarrett Allen, DeAndre Jordan

PF-Taurean Prince, Rodions Kurucs, Nicolas Claxton

SF-Kevin Durant, Dzanan Musa

SG-Caris LeVert, Timothe Luwawu

PG-Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie

Aside from Allen, the vast majority of this core will be around for the next two or three seasons, so continuity will continue to become a strength for this franchise. LeVert and Dinwiddie are the two best active players for Brooklyn, and there is really only room for one next to Irving for most of the time. I've always thought of DeAndre Jordan being redundant in Brooklyn with Jarrett Allen, but if he costs a lot after next season it's a nice insurance policy. Prince is also the only Net this season to start every game.

WHAT'S NEXT:

With the injury bug hitting Brooklyn and the talk of no chemistry, it's easy to find ways to nitpick this group. But remember, they have come a long way since they dug themselves into that hole with the awful trade with Boston just over six years ago. GM Sean Marks has done a great job getting this franchise where it is now, and they are going to be a contender next season. How serious of a contender remains to be seen, but right now there only real strategy is to fill the gaps in the roster with minimum contracts and hope Kevin and Kyrie are as good as they hope. They also do have some talented players, that are young as well, around them in Dinwiddie, LeVert, Allen and Prince. It's really not that complicated here.