Nets Have a Unique Opportunity to Change the NBA With Their Rookies

The NBA has completely shifted from a league dominated by stars and superteams to an era of systematic success and having the right personnel at the right time. After the Hall of Fame cores of the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors dominated the league for a decade, the best teams are built on identity and fit, not the notoriety of the stars.

Having a group of players who fit but don't have monster individual performances is better than one player taking all the spotlight. Just look at the two teams in this year's NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers had clear stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton. Still, it was the supplementary talent that pushed them over the hump to be in such position.

The Brooklyn Nets are still a ways away from going that far in the postseason, and perhaps even being in the postseason at all. They're still navigating the early stages of a rebuild after a 26-56 season, but the building blocks they have in place could set them up for success.

This year, the Nets had a league-record five first-round picks, drafting Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf. Many of their selections were questioned by fans, mainly due to the lack of go-to scoring. All five fit a certain role with great potential, but there isn't a star scorer to take the reins. However, this group could actually be beneficial for Brooklyn's future.

Cam Thomas has dominated the team's scoring load for the last two seasons, and while his free agency is still pending, he clearly isn't bringing wins to Brooklyn. Having a fresh five who fit roles of playmaking, defense, and fast-paced offense could bring a new, European-oriented offense to an ever-changing league.

The Nets' rookies averaged a combined 19.9 assists per game last season, meaning they love to swing the rock. Head coach Jordi Fernandez has the opportunity to adapt to their strengths, increasing the tempo and fulfilling his coaching philosophy of unselfishness and pace-and-space offense.

Whether or not this is actually implemented remains to be seen, but imagine a Nets offense where one through five can play make and shoot, zipping the ball up the floor and making the right play rather than strictly looking for an isolation bucket would advance the rebuild and create an identity.