The Brooklyn Nets are still searching for their first NBA championship. They won two in the ABA in the mid-1970s, and the franchise felt close in recent years before the disaster unfolded. The Nets had three of the best players in the world and were close to breaking out of the Knicks’ shadow, only for it all to come crashing down in a whirlwind of drama.
With all three gone, Brooklyn faces another rebuild. They acquired some key pieces in the trades and restocked their draft cupboard, but the Nets will again be searching for a superstar to lead their roster. Finding one is never easy, and making it work from there is no picnic.
The Brooklyn Nets have made plenty of mistakes during their 58 seasons as a franchise, including giving up on multiple players before they should have. Here is a look at their 15 biggest blunders in franchise history.
15. Kyle Korver
The Nets technically drafted Korver with the 51st overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, but his rights were sold to the Philadelphia 76ers for $125,000. Selling a second-round pick is not that uncommon, but this one has a unique story. The Nets used the money to cover their summer league costs and to buy a copy machine. Korver being traded for a copy machine was a joke throughout his playing career.
The 6’7 wing had a 17-year career in the NBA, and he became one of the best shooters in league history. Korver made 42.9 percent of his 5,715 3-point attempts, which is currently the tenth-best percentage in NBA history.
This is far from the Brooklyn Nets’ worst trade of all time. Fans would love to forget this one, but watching Korver become an All-Star and all-time was painful for the franchise and their fan base.