Why the Nets aren’t going all in on the lottery hunt for Cooper Flagg

It seems like every time Jordi Fernandez leads the Nets to victory—and, frankly, every time Brooklyn’s veterans play well after a loss—some fans openly root for the team in pursuit of the ping pong balls that will solve all problems . their franchise problems.

There is a belief that defeat is their only path to victory. And the message sent to Duke reads: Help us, Cooper Flagg; you are our only hope.

But rebuilding—or even tanking—is not that easy. Or straightforward.

Make no mistake, Nets management, from general manager Sean Marks to team owner Joe Tsai, is pleased with Fernandez’s performance. They don’t wring their hands over every win for a rookie head coach.