Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young expose the calculated race to the bottom as Brooklyn’s high-stakes gamble for a generational superstar ends with a surprising lottery twist.
The Brooklyn Nets finished 20-62, the third-worst record in the NBA, and were part of a tanking effort to land the No. 1 overall pick.
Michael Porter Jr. hosted Trae Young, his longtime friend, on his "Curious Mike Podcast," and they spoke about No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa. Young was traded to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline, and didn't suit up for them.
It was likely by design, as Washington competed to finish with the worst record in the NBA.
“When I got traded, obviously I knew we weren’t gonna be in a winning situation,” Young told Porter.
“Yeah, we was both tryna get that number one pick," Porter joked.
Tanking teams were incentivized to lose games to increase their chances of landing a top-four pick. Brooklyn had a 52.1% chance of landing in the top four and a 14% chance to win the lottery.
Luck didn't favor the Nets, as they fell to the No. 6 pick and Washington got the No. 1 pick. Dybantsa went to the nation's capital and Brooklyn selected Mikel Brown Jr.
Brooklyn was viewed as the best landing spot for Dybantsa by SB Nation's Rickey O'Donnell. He'd have the opportunity to grow as a franchise player without the immediate pressure to win.
The Brockton, Massachusetts, native is a prolific scorer who has learned from some of the greatest players to grace the NBA floor. He's worked out with Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Paul George, and said he takes pieces of their workouts and implements them into his.
Dybantsa led the nation in scoring with 25.5 points on 51/33.1/77.4 shooting splits. He played in an NBA-style offense under coach Kevin Young, who was an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns in 2020-21 before becoming the associate head coach from 2021-2024.
The BYU product is playing alongside other superstars like Young and Anthony Davis, who need the ball in their hands to thrive. It may slow his development as a franchise player, but he's in a favorable position to win early.
Brown has the same opportunity to become a cornerstone player for the Nets, especially next to his "Aura Bro" Egor Dëmin. Brooklyn's backcourt is one of 30 reasons to be excited for next season, and it is a foundational year for the two to prove they can help lift the team out of mediocrity.
The team has heard the outside noise and the low expectations set around him, and they want to prove the critics wrong. The Aura Bros are key to the Nets' success, setting the foundation for general manager Sean Marks to build the team around them in the future.
