The Nets made a big signing today, adding veteran point guard Goran Dragic to the squad after he was bought out by the San Antonio Spurs. Although Dragic is 36 years old, he still has some good basketball left in the tank as evidenced by his 13.4 points per game last season while playing an important role for the Heat.
This move was important for a couple of reasons. One, with the part-time status of Kyrie Irving and the trade of James Harden, the Nets needed another primary ball-handler. Irving is an incredible ballhandler, but also plays very well off-ball. Patty Mills is much more of a spot-up shooter. Seth Curry can handle the point but is also best utilized in more of a shooting role. Ben Simmons will step in and become the primary ballhandler, but beyond that they lacked reliable guards with playoff experience.
Last season in the playoffs when they were dealing with injuries, they had to rely on Tyler Johnson and Mike James to handle a lot of the playmaking duties. With all of the uncertainly surrounding the current state of the roster, adding a player like Dragic can prove to be of great importance come playoff time. He is undoubtedly a huge upgrade over Jevon Carter who has struggled all season.
The second reason the Dragic addition was a big move was because it kept him from signing with the rival Milwaukee Bucks. After knocking them out in the playoffs last season, the Bucks look to be the biggest threat to the Nets’ championship hopes in the Eastern Conference again this year. After Jrue Holiday and George Hill, the Bucks lack depth at point guard. Had Dragic signed with Milwaukee, it could have come back to bite the Nets as he surely would have been a significant bench piece for the defending champions.
While Dragic may not be at his peak and he is at best a 6th man on a healthy Nets team, the insurance and experience he provides makes him a welcome addition to Brooklyn as they head into the second half of the season.
For more NBA coverage, click here.
