Goran Dragic joined Nets in part to reunite with 'mentor' Steve Nash

Dragic came to the NBA in 2008 when the Spurs selected him 45th overall in the second round of the Draft, though his rights were immediately traded to the Suns. He came over from Europe right away, signing a three-year deal with Phoenix and stepping in as Nash's backup.

The two would play together for most of the next four years, with Dragic's role increasing over time. In 2011, though, the Suns traded Dragic to the Rockets, with whom he'd play for the remainder of that season and the next. At the end of the 2011-12 season, he returned to the Suns as a free agent, though this time as Nash's replacement as he left for the Lakers.

After four years back in Phoenix, Dragic went to Miami where he would end up making his first Finals appearance in 2020. He played seven seasons with the Heat, then was traded to the Raptors last summer before being sent to the Spurs.

Dragic now joins a Nets team that currently sits at eighth in the Eastern Conference. But despite what their record indicates, they have just as good a shot at the title as anyone, as they're set to get Ben Simmons in action and Kevin Durant back from injury before long. Kyrie Irving also appears poised to rejoin the team full-time soon as New York City is planning to phase out the vaccine mandate that is keeping him sidelined for home games.

All of that — coupled with his relationship with Nash — led Dragic to Brooklyn.

"I chose Brooklyn because I think there's a really good chance to win a championship, especially to play alongside Kyrie, [Durant], Ben Simmons, [Lamarcus] Aldridge," Dragic said. "You know, those are the guys who already [have played] in big games"