Brooklyn Nets Owner Joe Tsai opened up about the Knicks' triumphant season and what this means for his team's rebuilding plans going forward.
For the two NBA teams residing in the Big Apple, last year's season was a stark contrast, with the Brooklyn Nets finishing in the basement of the Eastern Conference and the New York Knicks winning their first championship in 53 years.
Of course, the Nets were not expected to compete for a championship, but it continues to play into the narrative that Brooklyn is the "little brother" in the state.
On Tuesday, ESPN released a very interesting article about what Nets Owner Joe Tsai thought about the Knicks' title.
"Every year, some team is going to win a championship," Tsai told NetsDaily. "So it happens that this year, that team is in the same city. It doesn't make us feel very good. It irates our fan base and it is embarrassing."
These are strong remarks from Tsai, but should light a fire under some people within the organization to continue to work back towards contention.
Tsai confirmed that New York's success has not strayed the organization from their rebuilding trajectory and feels confident that the Nets are on the right track.
Brooklyn had a sneaky-good offseason, adding more youth to an already young, high-potential roster.
Julius Randle was the most-notable player added before the draft, as the Nets made a move the night before the draft to acquire the three-time All Star.
Thus far, Randle has been very positive about him being back in New York, and has already taken on a leadership role with the Nets younger players.
The fit of Randle and Michael Porter Jr. in the frontcourt should be effective, with both players displaying contrasting styles of scoring.
Randle's physicality and downhill mentality will allow Porter to play on the perimeter and feed off the attention Randle demands on the interior.
Brooklyn's backcourt is an intriguing prospect for the future as well, as Egor Dёmin and rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. looked dynamic in the Summer League.
The former Louisville standout averaged 16.7 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, while looking like a difference-maker on the defensive end.
Brown did well using his length and size to pressure opposing guards and force turnovers.
Dёmin, on the other hand, was one of the best players in the entire tournament, posting stellar averages of 21 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.
If Dёmin can carry over the comfortability he showed on the offensive end into the regular season, he could be the X-factor for how much the Nets can improve.
Additional free agent signings like Keon Ellis and Moritz Wagner are good value pickups for Brooklyn's bench unit as well, as both players bring different elements to both sides of the ball.
This compilation of moves adds both high-upside talent and veteran leadership to the team, giving head coach Jordi Fernández plenty of versatility and depth on the roster.
