History of the Brooklyn Nets facts for kids

The current Brooklyn Nets logo, designed by Timothy Morris

The Brooklyn Nets are a professional basketball team from the Brooklyn area of New York City. They started in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans. The team later played in Long Island as the New York Nets. They also spent time as the New Jersey Nets before moving to Brooklyn in 2012. The Nets are part of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was also a founding member of the American Basketball Association (ABA).

The Early Years: 1967–1976

The team began in 1967 as the New York Americans. They were a founding member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The owner, Arthur J. Brown, wanted the team to play in Manhattan. However, the New York Knicks of the older NBA made it hard to find a venue. The team ended up playing in Teaneck, New Jersey. They were still called the New York Americans, but played as the New Jersey Americans.

In their first season, the Americans played well. They tied for a playoff spot. But their home arena was busy. So, they had to find a new place to play quickly. They chose the Long Island Arena in Commack, New York. When the teams arrived, the court was not safe to play on. The league commissioner ruled that the Americans could not play. The other team won by default.

After this, the team moved to the Long Island Arena for their second year. They changed their name to the New York Nets. The name "Nets" sounded like the New York Mets (baseball) and New York Jets (football). It also relates to basketball, as the ball goes through a net.

The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum was the home of the New York Nets from 1972 to 1977.

The team struggled in its first New York season. They won only 17 games and had low attendance. The owner, Arthur Brown, sold the team to Roy Boe. Boe tried to get star player Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). But Alcindor chose to play for an NBA team. The Nets then moved to the Island Garden in West Hempstead, New York.

In the 1969–70 season, the Nets made the playoffs for the first time. Their attendance also grew. In 1970, the team got star player Rick Barry. After another playoff season, the team moved to the new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York in 1972.

Following the acquisition of Julius Erving, the Nets would win two ABA championships.

In 1972, the Nets reached their first ABA finals. They lost to the Indiana Pacers. Barry then left the team. The 1972–73 season was disappointing, with only 30 wins.

The 1973–74 season was a turning point. The Nets acquired Julius Erving, known as "Dr. J." With Erving, the Nets won a team record 55 games. Erving was named the ABA's MVP. The Nets then won their first championship, defeating the Utah Stars in the 1974 ABA Finals.

The team continued its success in the 1974–75 season. They won 58 games, which is still a team record. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs.

In the 1975–76 season, the last season for the ABA, Erving led the Nets to another 55-win season. He was named MVP again. The Nets won the last ABA championship series. They beat the Denver Nuggets in six games. This gave the team their second championship in three years.

Joining the NBA and Moving to New Jersey: 1976–1981

In the summer of 1976, the ABA and NBA merged. Four ABA teams, including the Nets, joined the NBA. Before their first NBA season, the Nets traded for guard Nate Archibald.

However, the NBA made the Nets pay a large fee to the New York Knicks. This was for playing in the New York area. Because of this, the Nets' owner, Roy Boe, had to trade Julius Erving. Erving was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers for money. This meant the Nets lost their best player just to join the NBA.

Without Erving, the 1976–77 season was tough. The team finished with the worst record in the league. Due to low attendance, Boe decided to move the team back to New Jersey. The Knicks again tried to stop the move. But the Nets were allowed to move after paying another fee to the Knicks.

The team was renamed the New Jersey Nets. While waiting for a new arena, they played at the Rutgers Athletic Center. In the 1978–1979 season, led by Bernard King, the team made its first NBA playoff appearance. They lost in the first round.

A Promising Start in the 1980s: 1981–1986

Meadowlands Arena, formerly the Brendan Byrne and Continental Airlines Arena, and the Izod Center, was the home of the Nets from 1981 to 2010.

In 1981, the Nets moved to the new Brendan Byrne Arena in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. They had some success, with four winning seasons in a row. In 1982–83, the Nets had their best season since joining the NBA. However, their coach, Larry Brown, left the team before the season ended. The Nets then lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Knicks.

In the 1983–84 season, the Nets had a strong team. They were led by players like Darryl Dawkins and Buck Williams. The team won its first NBA playoff series, beating the defending champion Philadelphia 76ers. They then lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Injuries affected the team in the 1984–85 season. But the Nets still won 42 games. They were eliminated from the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons.

Challenges and Injuries: 1986–1990

Buck Williams led the Nets in rebounding for most of the 1980s and set many all-time team records during his eight seasons in New Jersey.

The 1985–86 season started well for the Nets. But they lost two key scorers. One player was banned from the league. Another star player, Darryl Dawkins, had a back injury. The Nets still made the playoffs but were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. This began a period of losing seasons for the team. They would not reach the playoffs again until 1992.

The 1986–87 season brought more bad luck. Dawkins suffered another back injury, ending his career. Other players also faced injuries. The Nets finished with a poor 24–58 record.

The Nets tried to improve by trading players and drafting Dennis Hopson. But injuries continued to affect the team. Their leading scorer was suspended. The team went through three different coaches that season. They finished with one of the worst records in the league.

Later draft picks also did not help the team much. By the 1989–90 season, the Nets had their worst record ever at that time, winning only 17 games.

Another Promising Start and Decline: 1990–1996

Basketball Hall-of-Famer Dražen Petrović played three seasons with the Nets before he was killed in a car crash. His number 3 jersey has been retired by the team.

In the early 1990s, the Nets started to get better. They drafted Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson. They also acquired Dražen Petrović in a trade. In the 1991–92 season, the Nets made the playoffs. They lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team improved a lot in 1992–93. Petrović, Coleman, and Anderson were playing very well. Chuck Daly was hired as coach. However, injuries to Anderson and Petrović hurt the team late in the season. The Nets finished with a 43–39 record and again faced the Cavaliers in the playoffs. With key players injured, the Nets lost a close series.

A Nets game against the Chicago Bulls in 1991

The Nets faced a sad event when Petrović passed away. Despite this, the team won 45 games in the 1993–94 season. Anderson and Coleman were chosen for the All-Star Game. The Nets made the playoffs again but were eliminated by the New York Knicks.

After this, the Nets struggled for the rest of the 1990s. The team had a reputation for having selfish players. To try and change their image, the team considered renaming themselves the "New Jersey Swamp Dragons." But the idea was eventually rejected. In both the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons, the Nets finished with 30 wins and 52 losses.

Rebuilding the Team: 1996–2001

To start fresh, the Nets traded Coleman and Anderson. They hired John Calipari as coach. They drafted Kerry Kittles and traded for Sam Cassell. After a 26–56 season, the Nets made a big trade in 1997. They acquired Keith Van Horn, Lucious Harris, and others. Jayson Williams became a strong rebounder for the team.

Wordmark logo used on New Jersey Nets home uniforms 1997–2012

The 1997–98 season brought many changes. The team got a new logo and uniforms. The Nets played well under Calipari, winning 43 games. They made the playoffs on the last day of the season. Jayson Williams was an All-Star. The Nets lost to the Chicago Bulls in three games in the playoffs.

The 1998–99 season was shorter due to a player lockout. The Nets were expected to do well, but they started poorly. Cassell was injured, and the team traded him for Stephon Marbury. Coach Calipari was later fired. The team finished with a 16–34 record. Jayson Williams suffered a serious leg injury and could not play again.

The 1999–2000 season also saw the Nets struggle with injuries. They finished with a 31–51 record.

In 2000, the Nets hired Rod Thorn as team president. He began building a strong team. He hired former NBA star Byron Scott as coach. With the first pick in the 2000 draft, the Nets chose Kenyon Martin. Marbury and Van Horn became stars. But despite their efforts, injuries kept the team from reaching the playoffs.

Reaching the NBA Finals: 2001–2004

On the night of the 2001 draft, the Nets made trades to get younger players. They acquired Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins, and Brandon Armstrong.

Jason Kidd was acquired by the team in a 2001 trade and led New Jersey to two NBA Finals before departing in a trade in 2008. He would return to the team in 2013 as the new head coach.

A day after the draft, the Nets traded Marbury for All-Star point guard Jason Kidd. This trade gave the team a leader who made his teammates better. They also signed Todd MacCulloch. The 2001–02 season became the best in the team's NBA history. The Nets won their first Atlantic Division Title, finishing with 52 wins. They were the top team in the Eastern Conference.

In the 2002 NBA playoffs, the Nets faced the Indiana Pacers. They won a thrilling Game 5 in double-overtime. In the Eastern Conference semifinals, they beat the Charlotte Hornets. They then faced the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Championship. The Nets won the series in six games, reaching their first NBA Finals. In the 2002 NBA Finals, the Nets were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Before the 2002–03 season, the Nets traded for Dikembe Mutombo. However, Mutombo was injured for most of the season. Despite this, the Nets finished with 49 wins and won the Atlantic Division again. Kidd had his best season, with strong play from Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson. In the 2003 NBA playoffs, they won their second straight Eastern Conference Championship. They swept the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. They reached the 2003 NBA Finals to face the San Antonio Spurs. The series was tied 2-2. But the Spurs won the next two games, taking the title in six games.

After the 2003 Finals, Kidd re-signed with the Nets. He said he had "unfinished business." The Nets also signed Alonzo Mourning. But Mourning missed most of the 2003–04 season due to health issues.

During the 2003–04 season, the Nets started poorly. Coach Byron Scott was fired in December. Lawrence Frank became the interim coach. The Nets then won a record 13 games in a row. They won the Atlantic Division title again. They swept the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2004 NBA playoffs. But their run ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Detroit Pistons. The series went to seven games, with the Pistons winning the final game.

The Kidd and Carter Era: 2004–2008

After the season, the Nets made changes. They traded Kerry Kittles and Kenyon Martin. The 2004–05 season started badly. Kidd was recovering from surgery, and Jefferson was injured. The Nets made a big trade, getting star Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors. This gave the Nets a powerful trio with Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson. However, Jefferson was injured again, ending his season.

8× all-star Vince Carter arrived in New Jersey in 2004.

With Kidd and Carter, the team made a comeback. They earned the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Even with Jefferson back, they were swept by the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2005 NBA playoffs.

The Nets tried to sign Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 2005. But the deal was canceled after he failed a physical due to a knee injury. The Nets then signed Marc Jackson.

The 2005–06 season started slowly. But with strong play from Carter, Kidd, and Jefferson, the team won 10 games in a row. Later, they had a 14-game winning streak, the longest in the NBA that season. The Nets finished with 49 wins. They won their fourth Atlantic Division championship in five seasons. They beat the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2006 NBA playoffs. But they lost to the Heat in the second round. Vince Carter was named to the All-Star Team, and Kidd was named to the NBA All-Defensive team.

The 2006–07 season was affected by many injuries. Key players like Nenad Krstić and Richard Jefferson missed time. The Nets finished with a 41–41 record. They lost the Atlantic Division title to the Toronto Raptors. Kidd and Carter were both named to the All-Star team. The Nets beat the Raptors in six games in the playoffs. But they lost to the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the next round. This was the last NBA playoff game played in New Jersey.

The 2007–08 season started with hope. But injuries to Carter and Krstić hurt the team. The Nets had a nine-game losing streak. Jason Kidd was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2008. The Nets missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

Final Seasons in New Jersey: 2008–2012

Brook Lopez

The Nets made more changes. In June 2008, Richard Jefferson was traded. This marked a new era for the team. The Nets signed young players like Brook Lopez and Ryan Anderson. They also added veterans. The Nets finished with a 34–48 record. Devin Harris made his first All-Star team. Brook Lopez finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

In 2009, the Nets traded Vince Carter. After starting the 2009–10 season with 16 straight losses, head coach Lawrence Frank was fired. The team set a record for the worst start to a season at 0–18. They eventually won a game. The Nets finished with a 12–70 record, one of the worst in NBA history.

The Nets moved to Prudential Center in Newark in the 2010–11 season. It served as their temporary home until the move to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2012.

In February 2010, the Nets finalized a deal to move to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. They would play there until their new arena in Brooklyn was ready. There was much hope for the off-season. The Nets had a chance to get the top pick in the 2010 draft. But they received the third pick and chose Derrick Favors.

Avery Johnson was named the new head coach in June 2010. The Nets had a new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, and plenty of money for new players. They tried to sign star free agents like LeBron James, but they chose other teams. The Nets' biggest signing was Travis Outlaw, who did not play well.

Rod Thorn, the team's long-time president, resigned. Billy King became his replacement.

All-star point guard Deron Williams

The Nets started their first season in Newark poorly. Trade rumors about Carmelo Anthony affected the team. In February 2011, the Nets traded for All-Star point guard Deron Williams. The team struggled with injuries, including Williams's wrist injury. They finished with a 24–58 record.

Hoping to make the playoffs in the 2011–12 season, the Nets faced a major setback. Brook Lopez suffered a foot injury and missed most of the season. Many other players also got injured. The team had 25 different starting lineups.

The Nets never recovered from their injuries. They finished with a 22–44 record and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season. They also had trade rumors about Dwight Howard. Bright spots included the play of Gerald Green and Gerald Wallace.

On April 23, 2012, the Nets played their last game in New Jersey. They lost to the Philadelphia 76ers. Their final game as the New Jersey Nets was in Toronto, a loss to the Raptors.

Moving to Brooklyn: 2012

Barclays Center, the home of the Brooklyn Nets

In 2004, Bruce Ratner bought the Nets. He planned to move the team back to New York. In 2005, the Nets announced plans to move to Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. The new arena, Barclays Center, would be part of a large building project. The Nets would be the first major professional sports team to play in Brooklyn since the Dodgers left in 1958.

Construction for Barclays Center began on March 11, 2010. On September 26, 2011, the team's new name was announced: the Brooklyn Nets. The team officially became the Brooklyn Nets on April 30, 2012. Their new colors were black and white. Two new logos were shown, designed by Timothy Morris. The new logos were inspired by New York City Subway signs from the 1950s. This change led to a huge increase in team merchandise sales.

New Era in Brooklyn: 2012–2015

Brooklyn Nets wordmark

In the 2012 NBA draft, Brooklyn made some trades. On June 29, 2012, Dwight Howard wanted to be traded to the Nets. But the trade did not happen. Instead, the team traded for six-time All-Star Joe Johnson. On the same day, Deron Williams signed a long-term deal to stay with the Nets. They also re-signed Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace.

The Brooklyn Nets played their first game on November 3, 2012. They won against the Toronto Raptors. Their first game against the New York Knicks was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy. The Nets won that rescheduled game in overtime. The Nets started the season strong, winning 11 games in November. Coach Avery Johnson won Coach of the Month. However, the team struggled in December, and Johnson was fired. Assistant coach P. J. Carlesimo became interim head coach. The team improved again, and Brook Lopez was selected for his first All-Star Game.

With strong play from Deron Williams, the Nets made the playoffs on March 21, 2013. They had their first winning season on the road in team history. Brooklyn played its first playoff series in the borough against the Chicago Bulls. The Nets won Game 1 but lost Games 2, 3, and 4. They won the next two games but lost Game 7 in Brooklyn. After the season, Carlesimo was not brought back as coach.

To replace Carlesimo, the Nets hired Jason Kidd on June 12, 2013. Kidd had just retired as a player. Former Nets coach Lawrence Frank returned as his lead assistant.

The acquiring of Kevin Garnett (left) and Paul Pierce (right) led to great expectations for the Nets in the 2013–14 season.

On June 27, 2013, the Nets and the Boston Celtics agreed to a big trade. The Nets acquired Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry. This created a starting lineup with many All-Star appearances. It was called a new NBA "superteam." The Nets also signed other players like Andrei Kirilenko and Mason Plumlee. With all these moves, Brooklyn had the highest payroll in the league.

The 2013–14 season started poorly. Rookie coach Jason Kidd faced challenges. Injuries also affected the team. The team struggled through December. Lead assistant coach Lawrence Frank was demoted. The season got worse when Brook Lopez needed season-ending foot surgery. Lopez's injury made Kidd change the starting lineup. This change helped the Nets turn their season around. The team started winning, going 10–3 in January. Kidd won his first Coach of the Month award.

On March 23, 2014, the Nets swept the Dallas Mavericks for the first time since 1999–2000. Kidd won another Coach of the Month award in April. The Nets also set a team record with 14 straight home wins. They clinched a playoff spot. On April 8, the Nets became the first team to sweep the Miami Heat in a four-game season series during the "Big 3" era.

On May 4, 2014, the Nets defeated the Toronto Raptors in Game 7 of the first round. Jason Kidd became the first rookie coach to win a Game 7. This was also the Nets' first Game 7 win in team history. The Nets' season ended after losing to the Heat in Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals. Mason Plumlee was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

On July 1, 2014, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Kidd's coaching rights from the Nets. The Nets then hired Lionel Hollins as their new head coach. In Hollins' first season, the Nets barely made the playoffs. They pushed the top-seeded Hawks to six games in the first round.

Challenges and Rebuilding: 2016–2018

The Nets struggled a lot in the next season. By early 2016, they had a 9–23 record. Coach Lionel Hollins and general manager Billy King were let go. Tony Brown became interim head coach. Sean Marks became general manager. Marks said the team would need years to rebuild. The owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, apologized for spending too much money too quickly.

In April 2016, the Nets hired Kenny Atkinson as the new head coach. The team acquired players like Jeremy Lin to help rebuild. However, the Nets had a very tough season, finishing with a league-worst 20–62 record. This was partly due to injuries, especially to Jeremy Lin. As part of an earlier trade, the Nets had to swap their 2017 first-round draft pick with the Celtics.

On June 20, 2017, the Nets traded Brook Lopez to the Lakers. They received D'Angelo Russell in return. The Nets finished the 2017–18 season with a 28–54 record. They missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. The draft picks the Nets traded to Boston for Pierce and Garnett turned into future All-Stars for the Celtics.

Return to Success: The Durant and Irving Era (2018–2023)

On June 20, 2018, the Nets traded for Dwight Howard to clear salary cap space for the future. In February 2019, D'Angelo Russell became the first Nets player since 2014 to make an NBA All-Star team. With Russell and other young players, the Nets did better than expected. They made the 2019 NBA playoffs with a 42–40 record. They lost to the 76ers in five games in the first round.

On June 30, 2019, former MVP Kevin Durant announced he would sign with the Nets. Durant signed on July 7, 2019. However, Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season due to injury. The Nets also signed six-time All-Star Kyrie Irving. Irving played in 20 games before having shoulder surgery. The Nets were invited to the NBA Bubble to finish the season. Even without many key players, the Nets played well. They clinched their second straight playoff spot. The short-handed Nets lost 4–0 in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs to the Toronto Raptors.

The Nets hired Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash as their head coach in 2020. In the 2020–21 season, the Nets acquired former MVP James Harden in a big trade. This created a "Big Three" with Harden, Durant, and Irving. In his first game for the Nets, Harden made history by recording a triple-double. In February, Durant and Irving were named All-Star starters. Harden was also named an All-Star, making it the first time the Nets had three All-Stars in one season. The Nets also signed former All-Stars Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge later retired due to health concerns. The Nets made the playoffs for the third straight year. They defeated the Boston Celtics in five games in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. But they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the Conference Semifinals.

In October 2021, Kyrie Irving was unable to play or practice with the team due to New York City rules. In December, the Nets announced Irving would return as a part-time player for away games. He made his season debut in January 2022. In February, James Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets received All-Star Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond. Simmons did not play for the Nets that season due to health issues. In March, Irving scored a team-record 60 points in a game. He played his first home game of the season later that month. The Nets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2022 NBA play-in tournament to get the seventh seed in the 2022 NBA playoffs. They were then swept by the Boston Celtics.

On June 27, 2022, Irving decided to stay with the Nets. On June 30, Kevin Durant asked to be traded. But on August 23, Durant changed his mind after meeting with team management.

The 2022–23 season started poorly. On November 1, 2022, Jacque Vaughn became interim head coach after Steve Nash left. Vaughn was later named permanent head coach. On December 17, Irving made his first game-winning shot at the buzzer. On December 21, the Nets scored 91 points in the first half against the Golden State Warriors. This was one of the highest first-half scores in NBA history. From November 27, 2022, to January 8, 2023, the Nets had an amazing 18–2 record. On February 3, 2023, Irving asked for a trade and was sent to the Dallas Mavericks. Durant also asked for a trade and was sent to the Phoenix Suns. On February 8, Cam Thomas became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in three games in a row. On March 3, the Nets came back from 28 points down to beat the Celtics. This was the biggest comeback of the season. The Nets were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers.

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