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Rookie class:

Nicolas Claxton is the only rookie slated to be on the squad as of now but boy is he an exciting one. He played two years at Georgia and faired pretty well. He isn’t a top rookie prospect in the league this season, but he is still worth watching. Through two seasons in college, he shot 45.7% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the 3-point arc. He will need to take a step forward in his shooting this season and further develop his defense. The athleticism he brings to the table can help him adjust to the NBA and have some staying power. On this team with a fairly loaded roster already Claxton may not get too many opportunities to show his worth right away but he should make the most of his opportunities this season because next year Kevin Durant is coming and there will be even fewer chances for him.

Most Exciting Player:

This one is simply enough. Kyrie Irving is by far the most exciting player for the Brooklyn Nets this season. Not only is he exciting due to his skill level but the potential for off-court drama makes him all the more intriguing. He is the most skilled player on the Nets by far and it will be fun to watch how far he can push this team. On the court, he should look to re-assert his dominance this season and establish himself as the best point guard in the Eastern conference again. Off the court, Kyrie’s job is truly simple, DO NOT mess up the chemistry. Last season Brooklyn was able to overachieve despite less talent and some injuries to key players. This wouldn’t be the first time Kyrie was in a situation like that. It feels eerily similar to the return or Kyrie to the Celtic’s roster this season after they made a deep playoff push without his help. If Kyrie can go out there and play basketball the way we all know he can, then it’ll be a good season. Unfortunately for him, I am not convinced that he’ll be able to be the type of leader we all had once hoped.

Westgate Over/Under: 44

Last season the Brooklyn Nets won 42 games while missing having some injury concerns, and more importantly without Kyrie Irving. With his addition to the team, they should more than replace the loss of D’Angelo Russel. An addition to the team that seems to be flying slightly under the radar, due to the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving additions, is that of Taurean Prince. He is a plus defender and season by season has increased his 3 point shooting percentage. Last season this was up to a very respectable 39% and he can make yet another leap this season. Between those additions and a full season from Caris LeVert, they should be able to surpass 44 wins this season.

Happiness is a Function of Expectations:

Realistic expectations for the Brooklyn Nets this season will be to make the playoffs. They may be more talented than last season, but I’m not sure they will make it out of the first round. It will be extremely matchup dependent and that’s not exactly where you want to be. Their best case would be to get matched up against Indiana and be clicking on all cylinders going into the playoffs. They can give a couple of other teams some trouble but this season is all about chemistry building and playoff experience. Next season they should be ready to go with Kevin Durant returning from injury and make a real Championship push.