National Basketball Association

Brooklyn Nets: Who Will Make the Final Cut?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:51 p.m. ET

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Apr 27, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) dribbles the ball against Miami Heat forward Joe Johnson (2) during the first half in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

As the NBA season approaches, team management will have to make the difficult decisions to cut their rosters down to a core group of chosen players to go to battle for their cities. With 18 players currently on the roster, the Brooklyn Nets front office will have to cut three players to reach the maximum roster capacity.

While the top seven players get most of the recognition, the rigors of an 82 game season make depth a critical component of any team with playoff aspirations. In today’s NBA, lack of depth can hinder a team as much as lack of star talent. For this reason, players one through 15 all have value.

When evaluating some of the top franchises in recent history, it has not only been the top seven to impact the game, but unexpected heroes. This includes Mike Miller for the Miami Heat, David Lee for the Golden State Warriors, Dahntay Jones for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Patty Mills for the San Antonio Spurs, and so on.

With that said, these 15 players are likely to make the final roster for the Brooklyn Nets.

Main Rotation

Apr 20, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) dribbles the ball as Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) defends in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 115-103. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Starting Lineup: Brook Lopez, Jeremy Lin, Bojan Bogdanovic, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Luis Scola

Sixth Man and Seventh Man: Greivis Vasquez and Sean Kilpatrick

Every NBA team has its seven core players. This includes their starting five and the sixth and seventh men off the bench. The faces of the Nets franchise will be Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin. Bogan Bogdanovic, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Luis Scola will likely join Lopez and Lin to round out the starting lineup.

Nets fans have high hopes for Hollis-Jefferson, as he has drawn comparisons to a young Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler. Bogdanovic balances out the starting lineup with his proficiency off the ball, strong three point shooting, and high IQ. While Scola is beyond his best years, he was a solid contributor for the Eastern Conference runner-up Toronto Raptors. This experience will pay great dividends for the Nets.

The top two candidates for sixth and seventh man off the bench will be Greivis Vasquez and Sean Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick provides the instant offense that every second unit needs similar to Jamal Crawford and J.R Smith. Vasquez will lead the second unit as the lead guard, and often times play alongside Lin in multiple lineups.

Back-End Five

Mar 15, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) looks to drive around Brooklyn Nets forward Chris McCullough (1) during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Back-End Five: Caris LeVert, Justin Hamilton, Chris McCullough, Trevor Booker, Randy Foye

The Golden State Warriors coined the phrase “strength in numbers” through their record setting 73 win season. This resulted from their ability to play 12 guys on any given night. The back end five is pivotal over the course of a season. Whether it is because of injury or rest, the last five players on the active list will always be required to play key minutes at some point throughout the season.

Caris LeVert is the first person in this group. As a rookie that played four years of college basketball, he will be given more responsibility than a typical rookie. He projects to be a solid three and D player. LeVert will likely play anywhere from 25-28 minutes per game.

Justin Hamilton, Chris McCullough, and Trevor Booker will provide the depth at the power forward and center positions. As Scola is aging, these three players can count on getting solid minutes. The Nets will count on them to step into the starting rotation when Scola rests.

The final player in the back end five is Randy Foye. Foye is the consummate professional and the perfect veteran for a developing team. In Oklahoma City, the Thunder expected Foye to play a limited role. However, he produced for the club in key spot minutes through the regular season and playoffs.

Last Three Roster Spots

Oct 12, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Anthony Bennett (15) comes up with a rebound against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Three Likeliest Candidates: Anthony Bennett, Isaiah Whitehead, Joe Harris

After being selected first overall by the Cavaliers, Anthony Bennett is making a case to be the greatest bust in NBA history. Unable to stick with a team, Bennett hopes to find a home in Brooklyn. Now that the pressure is off, and the spotlight is gone, Bennett can work on developing his game. At 23 years old, Bennett still has a chance to make something of himself. Though Bennett will snag a roster spot, he might also see time in the D-League. Logging heavy minutes in the D-League could be just what the doctor orders.

Isaiah Whitehead will also fill a roster spot, but is a possible D-League candidate as well. As a second round pick, it will be tough for Whitehead to find minutes in a crowded back court. Rather than accumulating rust on the bench, the D-League will be a great place for this rookie to stretch his NBA legs.

Joe Harris will grab the final roster spot for the Nets. The Nets signed Harris to a multi-year deal with a fully guaranteed first year and a team option on the second year. We can be certain that Harris will be in Brooklyn in the 2016-17 season, even if he is not a part of the regular season rotation.

D-League Players

Mar 6, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Evansville Aces center Egidijus Mockevicius (55) rebounds against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the first half in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The importance of the NBA D-League is at an all-time high. Sean Marks struck gold last year landing Kilpatrick, and will look to do the same in 2016-2017.

Of all the players on the Nets training camp roster, Egidijus Mockevicius, Beau Beech, and Yogi Ferrell are the ones who will probably not make the final 15. Since their contracts are either non guaranteed or partially guaranteed, they are not big investments. None of these players really give fans the excitement the Nets desperately need. Their careers will likely begin in the D-League. However, if any of them show potential while in Long Island, they just might swap spots with the aforementioned players in the previous slide.