Last season, Rodions Kurucs looked like a keeper. The No. 40 pick in the 2018 Draft, he started 46 out of 63 games, averaged 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds ... played an annoying brand of defense. He was selected for the Rookie Challenge at the All-Star Break. The Nets gave him a four-year, $7 million contract. All good.
Then, things changed —and got worse— in the summer. The Nets traded for Taurean Prince who played the same position, signed the best power forward in the game in Kevin Durant and added Wilson Chandler, a veteran who can also play the 4.