The Brooklyn Nets have two of their better players in the NBA on their roster in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Although Durant is still out for the foreseeable future as he rehabs his right Achilles, the franchise is expected to contend for a title with those two running the show and Caris LeVert, DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie headlining Brooklyn’s supporting cast of players.
Each of those five players is on a multi-year deal. Taurean Prince signed an extension, too. But the Nets may need to invest more money in their roster down the line. For instance, Brooklyn sharpshooter Joe Harris is in the final year of his contract.
The Nets may eventually need to make other tough financial decisions, but Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks recently gave fans some assurance about how the team will handle those matters when he told Malika Andrews of ESPN the team is prepared to pay the luxury tax:
We’re going to be a tax team. We are married to that. There’s a limited amount of times and ways you can continue to add to your team. You better do it now. You’re gearing up for a run.
A decision like this has to include Nets governor Joe Tsai, given he’ll be the one flipping the bill. On Tuesday, Tsai told YES Network he’s “absolutely” prepared to pay the tax, while adding:
I think the fans expect that we win a championship. And the good thing is I do believe we have the pieces in place. Now, we have some injuries and people are coming back, but the fundamental pieces are in place to perhaps go all the way. So, I am absolutely comfortable that if we pay the luxury tax, that’s fine.
Joe Tsai is "absolutely" prepared to pay the luxury tax moving forward. pic.twitter.com/o7LjrOj6MB
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 15, 2020
Now the Nets need to keep finding ways to further develop as they await Kevin Durant’s return to the court.