Playoffs have not even started and I already have a favorite contender for the 2021 NBA season. This year, the Los Angeles Lakers, reigning NBA champions, are no longer the expected team to win the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy. Instead, it is the Brooklyn Nets.
It is almost mid-season, and all NBA teams are starting to run up equations as the playoffs are getting closer and closer. The Nets, at the moment, are holding the second seed of the Eastern Conference with 25 wins and 13 losses behind the 76 Philadelphia Sixers. As the season comes to an end, it would not be a surprise to see Brooklyn on top of the standings.
The Brooklyn Nets have never been champions in the history of the NBA. In the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 seasons, they came up short and lost the finals to the Lakers and the Spurs. Since then, this franchise has never again won a conference title nor semifinals. Yet, all odds started to change when the 2019 NBA Free Agency Moratorium started on June 30.
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan were ready to sign with the Nets. Durant signed a four-year deal worth $164 million, Irving signed a four-year contract of $141 million and Jordan, who came as a free agent like Irving, earned a four-year $40 million deal. Unfortunately, former Warriors and Cleveland champions both suffered from injuries that kept them away from playing last season.
Although this move by the Brooklyn Nets franchise was formidable, they kept on working with the purpose of teaming up with more stars and pursuing their first NBA title. This year’s season began Dec. 22, 2020, which means that, on this same date, trades were made available until the deadline on March 25. Since trades started, there were huge moves including all-stars Russell Westbrook who was going to the Wizards, and John Wall, who was going to the Houston Rockets.
Every year, there is a trade that has the most impact, like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the Clippers or even Anthony Davis joining LeBron with the Lakers. This year was all about James Harden, the 2018 NBA MVP. Harden was dealing with an extensive and exhausting relationship with the Rockets. With the Houston Rockets, he maximized his game, and not only became MVP, but also was made all star nine times.
Although such achievements speak for themselves, they mean nothing to Harden if there is not a ring in the making. As the relationship with the Rockets was getting tedious and there were no expectations on winning the Larry O’Brien trophy, Harden decided to start listening to other teams’ proposals. After closing a great deal with Kyrie, Durant and Jordan, nobody expected the Nets to offer a deal — it was really something unbelievable — but they did, and Harden already knew his answer.
In addition, after the all-star break, another superstar joined the Brooklyn Nets. This time, it was Blake Griffin, who was expecting to sign a deal with any team with high aspirations of winning a ring.
Today, the Brooklyn Nets have the best squad in the league, and nobody seems to be more eager to win a championship. They lead the NBA in scoring averaging 121.1 points per game and also in the field goal percentage with 50%. This season could be the beginning of something great or a complete blowout. The King continues to reign the NBA as the actual champion and is waiting for the contenders.
