Peter Vecsey didn’t just revisit a few old Nets stories on a podcast - he went straight to the heart of the franchise’s biggest maybes. From Kobe Bryant to Drazen Petrovic to Julius Erving, the Hall of Fame columnist unpacked a string of turning points that still hang over Brooklyn history.
The Bryant story remains the headline. Vecsey said the Nets were fully aware of what they had in front of them before the 1996 NBA Draft, and that the organization was “totally in love with him.”
Bryant had worked out for New Jersey multiple times, but there were real reservations about taking a player straight from high school. John Calipari also backed off once Bryant’s agent, Arn Tellem, made it known that Bryant could play in Italy instead of joining the Nets.
New Jersey ultimately went with Kerry Kittles at No. 8.
Bryant went 13th to the Charlotte Hornets and was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Vecsey said he had been on television urging the Nets to draft Bryant, and years later he put the question directly to Bryant about whether he would have signed with New Jersey.
“Of course I would,” Bryant told him.
Vecsey followed that up by asking what Bryant thought would have happened if he had landed with the Nets.
“Calipari would still be coach.”
He also pushed back on the old notion that Roy Boe alone was responsible for Erving’s exit. Vecsey said Erving and his agent, Irwin Weiner, helped force the situation after the Nets declined to immediately renegotiate Erving’s contract after the ABA-NBA merger.
Petrovic’s story was just as revealing. Vecsey said the guard was unhappy with the Nets’ handling of his contract and was also angry with Kenny Anderson and Derrick Coleman after the 1993 playoffs. He added that Petrovic was talking with two Greek teams and was reportedly close to signing overseas before his death in June 1993.
Vecsey also described being in Portland when Petrovic was traded to the Nets. He said Petrovic was emotional, cried in the locker room, and that he and Clyde Drexler stayed behind to witness it. Drexler told Petrovic the move could end up being the best thing that ever happened to him, and Vecsey said that proved true as Petrovic became one of the most important players in Nets history and made the All-NBA Third Team in 1993.
The conversation eventually moved to the modern Nets, where Vecsey said he would never have traded for James Harden and criticized the idea of valuing production without enough attention to chemistry and character. He was even harsher when asked about Sean Marks, saying he believes the Nets executive should have been out of the NBA years ago.
Vecsey also said he hasn’t followed the current Nets closely enough to speak on the present roster.
In Other News...
Egor Demin's Next Step Could Decide How Far The Nets Go
Egor Demin heads into his second NBA season with the Brooklyn Nets in a spot that should feel familiar to any young guard trying to carve out a bigger role. After a rookie year that gave the organization a baseline to work from, Demin spent the offseason piling up workouts and getting game reps in summer league, a stretch that offered a glimpse of the skill growth Brooklyn has been hoping to see. With the Nets adding Julius Randle to help stabilize the roster around Demin and Michael Porter Jr., the team has given itself more structure, but there is still a clear need for Demin to keep taking steps forward.
For Brooklyn, the issue is not just whether Demin can improve in isolation, but whether his next leap can help unlock the broader ceiling of the team. The front office has already brought in help, and Porters presence gives the Nets another productive option, yet Demins development remains one of the biggest variables in how far this group can go. The offseason work matters because it has to carry over into the regular season, where consistency will matter as much as flashes. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Veterans Face Added Pressure As Brooklyns Offense Takes Shape
Brooklyns offense is starting to take on a clearer identity, and that comes with real pressure for Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle. ESPNs latest top-100 list slotted Porter at No. 60 and Randle at No. 54, a reminder that both veterans are being judged not just on reputation but on whether they can anchor a team that is trying to build something more coherent under Jordi Fernandez. For a Nets group leaning on established scorers while bringing younger players along, those two names sit at the center of the plan.
Porter arrives off a career-high scoring average, while Randle is still carrying the weight of a postseason stretch that didn't match his regular-season production. Brooklyn is counting on both to do more than pile up points, since their roles also include steadying the locker room and helping shape the next wave of players. The offense may be taking shape, but the bigger question is whether these two veterans can turn that shape into something sustainable when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Rebuild Just Got More Complicated For Sean Marks
The Nets rebuild has entered a trickier phase, and Sean Marks now has to navigate it with less margin for error than before. Brooklyn has been busy reshaping the roster, adding Julius Randle and making other signings with an eye toward staying competitive while still keeping one foot in the long-term plan.
The problem is that the new NBA lottery reform rules make it harder to count on a top draft pick as the escape hatch if this version of the roster does not take off. If the growth curve stalls, the pressure could shift back toward the kind of aggressive superstar pursuit that has defined Brooklyns more dramatic roster swings, only this time with the draft offering less help as a backup plan. [Read more 🡒]