The phrase “copycat league” is common in professional sports, both because it’s true and because sports media is a copycat industry.
The Brooklyn Nets, however, apparently don’t want anyone thinking they’re giving the New York Knicks’ NBA title much thought. Team governor Joe Tsai told NetsDaily that while the crosstown championship is certainly frustrating, it won't be affecting any decisions they make from a basketball perspective.
The assertion was a valiant effort at acknowledging an awkward truth while maintaining confidence about the Nets’ future. And it almost went off without a hitch. But their offseason acquisition of Julius Randle as a culture-setting veteran made it pretty tough to buy.
Whether Brooklyn likes it or not, they clearly think New York built the right way. They're betting on the exact same veteran to support their foundational young talent. And they shouldn't be afraid to learn from what the Knicks did once they acquired Randle, either.
Nets are following Knicks’ lead whether they like it or not
When Steve Mills and Scott Perry struck out on adding Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, fans of teams across the NBA didn’t need to think very hard to produce a fitting reaction: “same old Knicks.”
The superstar duo chose to turn the Nets into an instant title contender, forcing the Knicks to pivot. Some predicted that Brooklyn would never reach the proverbial mountaintop. Few predicted that New York’s addition of Randle would mark the beginning of their path to a championship.
The forward helped the Knicks establish a proven culture of winning over the course of several seasons, culminating in an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2024. Leon Rose’s front office extended his contract once — after an All-NBA season — but didn’t seem likely to meet Randle at his desired price that summer.
All of that, combined with viewing Jalen Brunson as a legitimate #1 option who deserved to have chips pushed in for his benefit, led them to swap Randle and fan-favorite sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo for Karl-Anthony Towns. Good move, guys.
Regardless, the Knicks’ initial commitment to Randle was never meant to bind the two parties together forever. The three-year contract the forward signed in 2020 was the best offer on the table both for his career and wallet.
Years later, the Nets deciding to turn to the talented forward themselves was shrewd in a similar fashion; young teams should always look to leverage their cap space, especially before trading their cornerstone players or draft capital.
Brooklyn has talent to develop, and a pair of veterans in Randle and Michael Porter Jr. to plug into Jordi Fernandez's system. Even with an improved roster, the Nets project as one of the Eastern Conference's worst teams.
This is great news for them.
They can help their young players grow in a more structured and accountable basketball environment while holding onto favorable position in the 2027 NBA Draft Lottery — for whatever that's worth, given the new odds.
That's what makes the team's steadfast belief, that they should be completely unaffected by what the Knicks have going on, feel just a bit strange. After speaking with Joe Tsai, Sean Marks, and Peter Stern about the crosstown championship, NetsDaily went as far as to say that Brooklyn doesn't want fans thinking much about New York's success because they aren't, either.
"Although we’re not supposed to pay attention to the Knicks, according the three officials we quoted, the Manhattanites basically return with the same club other than Mitchell Robinson who’ll be blocking shots and missing free throws in Boston."
Brooklyn would be smart to continue to follow New York's lead. They clearly have no problems getting things started the same way the Knicks did in 2019, whether they want to admit it or not.
Their fans already had to watch Mikal Bridges head uptown and win a ring just two years later. Maybe leaning into the orange-and-blueprint could be what helps the Nets reach the same heights.
How far away is 2033?
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