In the latest edition of “Ain’t Hard to Tell” podcast, YES Network’s Michael Grady says the Nets are poised for the next step in the rebuild, winning a bit more this year and going for free agents next year.

“I think it’s (Brooklyn) a low-key well respected destination,” Grady tells our Bryan Fonseca and Dexter Henry on their popular podcast, adding some rooting advice for Nets fans.

“There are no guarantees. I think, if you’re a Nets fan watching this upcoming season, you need to hope that Kawhi Leonard hates it in Toronto. And guys generally like Toronto, guys go to Toronto, they may have felt some type of way about it but they end up falling in love.

“Or you’ve got to hope that Kyrie (Irving) -- Kyrie likes it in Boston but given what they were able to do without him last season, you wonder how the Celtics feel -- if Kyrie feels like he’s not valued, then maybe he would look elsewhere, and all the reports are that he and Jimmy Butler are attached at the hip.”

Grady argued that in making that assessment he isn’t cheerleading. He noted that he doesn’t work for the Nets.

“There’s no company line, there’s none of that,” Grady said. “I don’t work for the Nets. I work for the YES Network. We broadcast the games. We’re not cheerleaders or any of that. Sean Marks is one of the best general managers in the NBA. And if they actually succeed next off-season and land some big names, and they finally got their own draft pick, but if they succeed, it will be one of the best turnarounds in NBA history. Period. Period.”

He added that the Nets aren’t that far away from being contenders IF they do acquire some talent next summer, when they could have $70 million in cap space.

”Nets fans know how bad things were,” he added. “And think about it, we’re talking bout the Eastern Conference. You add a couple of stars and you’re in the conversation for a deep playoff run. To be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference to being one of the teams in the top four, top five teams in the East, that’s a heck of a turnaround.”

The Nets courtside reporter also suggested that Nets fans don’t just focus on big names in the East, like Leonard, Irving and Butler. The Warriors, he noted, are going to have to make some decisions.

“Look at the Golden State situation. You’ve got all those guys there, some of those guys are going to get voted off the island, like Survivor. So you want to see how that unfolds,” he noted.

It’s going to be about falling in and out of love. Grady also suggested that as long as James Dolan owns the Knicks, the Nets could have an advantage.

“I think as a Nets fan you just watch and hope that guys fall out of love with some of the places that they’re at, and they’re looking at a destination, and New York is always going to be high up there because it’s different than the Knicks because the ownership, General Manager and all that stuff. It’s a different type of animal. There’s a perception of dysfunction there that the players are well-aware of.”

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