This Team Is The Real Loser Of The 2024 NBA Finals
The 2024 NBA Finals are here, and it is a really fun matchup as the Boston Celtics take on the Dallas Mavericks. No matter what happens in this series, neither team will be the big loser. The biggest loser of the NBA Finals is not a single person; it's an NBA team. That's right, the big loser of this NBA Finals matchup is the Brooklyn Nets.
When I think of the Brooklyn Nets organization, the one word that always comes to mind is dysfunctional. As a Hornets fan, I think the Nets are the most dysfunctional franchise in the NBA. A big reason for this is the success of the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks today, and it is all because of the Nets' actions.
How The Brooklyn Nets Helped The Boston Celtics
Let's travel back in time to 2013, the day that the most lopsided trade in NBA history occurred. This is, of course, the Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry blockbuster. In exchange for those three the Nets gave up, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Kris Joseph, MarShon Brooks, D.J. White, Keith Bogans, and multiple draft picks.
The critical part of this trade was the unprotected picks they acquired in the deal. I won't explain it entirely, but the key first-round picks are in 2016 and 2017. Both picks involved helped the Celtics become the team they are today. As a result of this trade, they got Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both are the faces of this Boston Celtics squad.
By the way, that 2018 draft pick they got was packaged in a trade to acquire Kyrie Irving. There is a big reason why this is often regarded as one of the worst trades in NBA History: It helped the Celtics' future. The Nets failed, as they did not win an NBA Championship, and their future was destroyed.
No matter what happens, the Celtics' success will always be connected to the Brooklyn Nets trade. This will hurt Nets fans, as they technically supplied the Celtics with another NBA Championship.
How The Brooklyn Nets Helped The Dallas Mavericks
Does Kyrie Irving's name ring a bell? I mean, the guy may be a disgrace and super controversial, but he is one of the best basketball players in the NBA today. His tenure with the Nets was rocky; with him being AWOL for most of the regular season and being a headache in the locker room, he was a massive problem.
With the big three of Kyrie, Durant, and Harden being one of the biggest fails in the NBA, the Nets had to get rid of them. When Kyrie requested a trade, it was all but over. Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, and Durant was moved to the Phoenix Suns. Guess who was moved to Dallas: Kyrie Irving.
The Nets got minimal value for Kyrie. Dinwiddie was later traded for Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young. Dorian Finney-Smith still has promise, and the first pick in 2029 is unprotected. The Nets also got two second-round picks, but who cares, as those are just as likely to hit as lottery tickets.
The Mavericks did not have to give up a ton to get Kyrie, and he has been an excellent partner for Luka Doncic, ultimately leading them to the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals Matchup Is A Nightmare For Nets Fans
The Brooklyn Nets' fan base is in a lose-lose situation with this finals matchup. They can't cheer for Dallas because Kyrie left on bad terms, and they can't cheer for the Celtics because of the bad taste left over from the Garnett and Pierce Saga.
At least they have a top-five pick in this year's NBA Draft. OH WAIT, they don't. Their first-round pick is the property of the Houston Rockets, thanks to the James Harden trade. The Nets are the big losers, no matter how this finals matchup ends.
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