Brooklyn Nets

Key additions: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Prince, Wilson Chandler

Key subtractions: D’Angelo Russell, Jared Dudley, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Ed Davis, Allen Crabbe

Draft: Nicolas Claxton (No. 31), Jaylen Hands (No. 56)

Can a team be the biggest winner of the off-season and not be expected to appreciably improve in the season that follows? The Nets seem to have accomplished just that by signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, while accepting that the costs would be having the injured Durant sit out this season and losing a young All-Star in D’Angelo Russell, as well as a number of solid veterans who were integral to the team’s surprising playoff run last season.

The Nets may already be better this season, but Irving must be engaged and healthy and mesh with Spencer Dinwiddie in the backcourt; Caris LeVert will have to keep improving; and Coach Kenny Atkinson will have to find the right balance of minutes at power forward and center for DeAndre Jordan, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Wilson Chandler.

A .500 record would probably get Brooklyn into the playoffs; in a season without Durant, that would probably be the most realistic goal. Anything on top of that is gravy, as the Nets set their sights on dominating in 2020-21.