In order to completely understand the moves a team makes the timeline of events must be listed as well.

Pre Draft

• Cavs and Nets agree to a deal involving Bridges and Schroder for Garland and the 20th pick

  • Explanation: Nets get a cornerstone player on a long term deal that on paper should mesh well with Cam Thomas. They also get another rookie to help them this year as they don't want to fully tank.

• Pistons and Nets discuss a Cam Johnson trade involving Ivey but with the acquisition of Garland the Nets have little interest in him so they find a 3rd team to provide some assets. After Dlo opts out of his contact the Lakers decide to give up some of their limited assets to acquire Ivey. Nets walk away with the 17th pick, Beef Stew, Gabe Vincent and the least favorable of the Pistons/Nets/Rockets 2027 pick.

  • Explanation: Nets get more youth with the addition of pick 17 but more importantly get a big man who can play with or replace Claxton depending on his free agency decision

Draft

Pick 17 the Nets select Dalton Knecht who fell further than expected

Pick 20 the Nets select Jared McCain

• Explanation: Knecht comes in as shot maker either off the bench or alongside Garland and Thomas. McCain comes in as the an off the bench sparkplug

Free Agency

• Claxton pretty early on agrees to a 4 year 90 million dollar deal with the Grizzlies who have to get the Nets to agree to a trade to complete it. Because of this, they agree to trade both Clarke and Ziaire Williams as well as a protected 2026 FRP.

• With all of the young additions the Nets skip using their MLE altogether and end with a salary nearly 10 million below the luxury line.

Non Decisions

• Nets have the option to extend Cam Thomas, Ziaire Williams, Day'Ron Sharpe, and Ben Simmons but can't agree to terms with any of them so decide to see how the team performs.

Start of Season

Starting lineup:

• Garland

• Thomas

• DFS

• Clarke

• Stewart

Off the bench they lean on Sharpe, Knecht, Simmons (if healthy), Vincent, and Williams. They have a ton of youth not playing to start the season so send quite a few down to their G-League team.

During the season

• They start the season hot with a high powered offense but begin to slow down in mid December which leads them to explore being a seller near the deadline. They receive calls on Clarke, DFS, and Stewart but have high asking prices for all of them. Eventually DFS is traded for a FRP and SRP. They also begin playing McCain and Clowney more due to injuries and open availability.

EDIT: Gabe Vincent is sent from the Lakers to the Nets