The Brooklyn Nets have been in sensational form on and off the court. While they have been doing really well in the current season, they have added another piece to their already stacked roster. Former San Antonio Spurs star LaMarcus Aldridge has also joined the Nets only to increase the gap between them and all the teams chasing for the Championship this season.
The Nets are second in the Eastern Conference and it is only a matter of time before they leapfrog the Philadelphia 76ers. While the majority of the people think that this deal makes the Nets even more invincible, former NBA player Matt Barnes thinks otherwise.
On ESPN’s ‘The Jump’, Jorge Sedano, Richard Jefferson, and Matt Barnes had a thorough discussion of the Brooklyn Nets especially on the moves that they have made recently. Although Jefferson felt that they are way beyond reach, Barnes had a different view on the deal.
Barnes said, “Looks good on paper. Great on paper. All the accolades this team has as individuals is incredible. My two concerns are that obviously, chemistry is important. They are putting all these pieces late in the season together. Obviously, your big three is going to carry that team… But the deficiency they were lacking from the beginning was defense. And that’s still something that they did not address. So, I think a lot of pressure is going to be on DeAndre Jordan, whether or not he can hold this defense down this season moving towards the playoffs.”
It is a very logical point as Aldridge’s addition makes things more confusing as they have too many options to choose from and it is difficult to decide who will play and who will form the bench. Currently, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin are starters and now Steve Nash will have to find a way to fit in the former San Antonio man.
While Barnes raised the logical defensive concern for the Nets which they haven’t addressed according to him, Jefferson here also makes a great counter-argument as he feels that a good environment in the team often gets the best out of the players. Like he gave an example of Griffin and how he went without dunking but now with the Nets he has started dunking again. Same with James Harden who was often criticised for his lacklustre defence at Houston Rockets has been splendid on both sides of the court with the Nets.
There is no question that Aldridge will take time to adjust with the players and also get the hang of the style of play. But it will be interesting to see his progress at the Nets.
