New Jersey Nets
Coach: Lawrence Frank
2007-08 Record: 34-48
Pythagorean Record for 07-08: 27-55
Offensive Rating: 104 (25th in the league)
Defensive Rating: 109.4 (20th)
Possessions per 48: 91.5 (16th)
Min%: 38% (30th)
Four Factors:
|
eFG% |
TOV% |
RB% |
FT/FGA |
|
| Offensive | 48.1 (25th) | .142 (26th) | .266 (18th) | .255 (10th) |
| Defensive | 49.7 (12th) | .127 (23rd) | .738 (11th) | .271 (29th) |
Roster (Red indicates new acquisition, Blue indicates rookie)
There aren’t a whole lot of rosters out there worse than this one. The vets they have are on the downside of their careers and weren’t ever that good anyway, and most of the young guys are too raw to contribute/just not very good.
The biggest bright spot on the roster is easily Devin Harris, who could be into one of the top point guards in the East this year. He reminds me a bit of a young Tony Parker, with his speed and ability to finish around the rim. He needs to improve his jumper significantly to open up the floor, and his decision-making could still use some work, but he’s improving every year. His playmaking continues to get better, and he’s a terrific defender.
After Harris, things get a bit dicey. The verdict is still out on guys like Josh Boone and Yi. Boone strikes me as a good role player for the future, but not much more. He’s efficient with his touches and he’s a strong rebounder, but he’s not going to be a go-to post option, and he’s not going to be a defensive game-changer.
I know he’s got talent, but I’ve never been impressed with Yi when I watched him. He doesn’t finish well at all (27% of his attempts inside were blocked) and it’s not like he’s a lights out shooter either. Obviously, he’s still young, but I’m skeptical that he’ll ever become a star. Other than being an athletic 7-footer, I haven’t seen much in the way of outstanding skills from him.
I’m always torn on Vince Carter. Statistically, he’s always a great offensive player when he wants to be. However, he’s prone to mailing in games/entire seasons as he proved in Toronto. He’s also not much of a defender. The Nets aren’t going to be very good this year, and I would be surprised if Vince basically phoned in the season halfway through. They shouldn’t have resigned him last year, and now they’ll be stuck paying him through the next few years of futility if they can’t unload him.
I love Edjuardo Najera, I really do. He’s a terribly underrated role player off the bench. He’s a gritty, high-energy guy who can guard PFs, convert inside when given opportunities, and hit 3s. Of course, the problem is that he’s 32, he’s not going to help that much on a bad team, and his deal runs for the next 4 years.
One of the exciting things for Nets fans to look forward to is this rookie class. Brook Lopez is a legit 7-footer with solid offensive skills. He needs to work on his strength and quickness, but he definitely has starting center potential. Ryan Anderson might have been a bit of a reach with the 21st pick, but he looked good this summer, and he’s a great shooter for a 6′10 guy. If he can work on his defense, he has a lot of potential as a Troy Murphy-type role player. Chris Douglas-Roberts might be the most exciting of the three, despite being the lowest pick. He’s a good athlete with natural scoring instincts, and he’s a good defender too. I can easily see him making the All-Rookie team if he gets the playing time.
X-Factor: Sean Williams – There might not be another player on the roster with the vast potential of Williams, there also might not be anyone more likely to disappoint. The ultimate high-risk, high-reward player, Williams is a freakish athlete. He’s 6′10, extraordinarily quick, has long arms, can get up and down the floor, and can jump through the roof. He’s a natural shotblocker with the potential to be a devastating defensive presence. He absolutely smothered Michael Beasley in the Summer League, guarding him inside and out on the perimeter, and contesting/blocking every shot. He has to continue adding strength, but the biggest issue is his head. A lot of the time, Williams is just incredibly stupid, both on and off the court. It got him kicked off the team at Boston College, and he makes some truly idiotic decisions on the court. If he learns to play within himself, he can be a real force, but there’s also a good chance that none of that potential ever amounts to anything.
Overview
There were playoff expectations in New Jersey last year, and why not? The Nets had made the playoffs 6 straight years and they still had the core of Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter. However, things didn’t quite work out that way. Nenad Krstic never really recovered from his knee surgery, and Jason Kidd’s age caught up to him rapidly. The result was a tailspin out of playoff contention in a bad Eastern Conference. The team was wildly turnover-prone, and their lack of dependable post scoring option was evident in their poor shooting percentages. So, the plan for New Jersey has changed quite a bit over the last year. Instead of playoffs, they’re now aiming for youth and cap space in hopes of luring a big free agent in the 2010 offseason. They started their rebuilding process in midseason by trading Kidd, and they continued by jettisoning Jefferson this offseason.
Prediction
If you weren’t sure before, the Nets made their priorities real clear this offseason when they traded their best player (Jefferson) for the mediocre offering of Yi and cap relief. They aren’t concerned about winning this year, they’re focused on the LeBron Sweepstakes. Even if all the young guys play up to their potential, Vince turns the clock back, and the team stays completely healthy, they’d be a borderline playoff team. Realistically, the team is going to struggle mightily this year, and odds are good that the Nets are going to be shopping VC around at the deadline (VC makes $15 mil this year. Cleveland has Wally Szczerbiak’s expiring $13 mil deal. Just saying…). This team has some good young players, but nobody who screams “Future Star” yet, and they’ll need to find that via free agency or the draft over the next two years.
14th in the East – Let’s Not Mince Words, These Teams Suck
BallerBlogger contributing writer ‘xphoenix87′ will be writing a season preview for all 30 NBA teams. Up next are the New York Knicks.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
I keep thinking about VC for Wally.
It kinda feels like a longshot. If NJ’s entire reason for existance is to try to lure LeBron in 2010 then why would they make a move to improve the Cavs Championship chances.
My other thought is that Danny Ferry wouldn’t make that move anyway because it then becomes “THE MOVE” and then the roster is pretty much solidified for the next 2 seasons – with no more big expirings other than Eric Snow’s 7 mil. What the Cavs need is a frontcourt player that can run the floor, play D, and score around the hoop – not another guard that handles the ball a lot.
October 5th, 2008 at 6:40 am
This team could be the worst in the league.
I don’t like Harris–I think he’s best-suited as a sixth man on a title-contending team. But as a guy who’s going to get 36-40 minutes per night? Yeesh. How long before he gets hurt?
As for Vince, man, he is one of the best players I have ever seen. As a Nets fan, I was really impressed watching him every night. He is a great passer, an excellent shooter, a solid rebounder and an adequate defender (he tries). The only thing I cannot stand about Carter is his fear of contact. He gets to the basket at will and then tries some acrobatic shot–in effort to avoid contact–instead of simply drawing a foul and getting to the line. Carter with the Nets was not the same player he was in Toronto (I think Kidd had much to do with it). Still, he’s frustrating, because we all know how good he CAN be, and he seems content giving it 85% instead of his all.
I think Keyon Dooling is going to be very important.
Why are we talking about this team anyhow? They’re tanking.