|
Every weekday until the NBA season starts on October 27th, I will be asking a question that's bugging me (QTBM) about the upcoming campaign and attempt to answer my own query. Comments are welcome.
Okay, so today I'm cheating a bit... or maybe I'm just efficient, but today's QTBM is actually part of the huge NBA Blog Previews 2009 that is being spearheaded by Jeff Clark at CelticsBlog. Pretty soon I'll be starting up a post that links to all of the blog previews (and believe me, they're awesome) along with my commentary for each team. But for now, I'll be taking on my responsibility, the New Jersey Nets - bet you couldn't have gathered that from the pic above, right?
Team Name: New Jersey Nets
Last Year's Record: 34-48
Key Losses: Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson
Key Additions: Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, Terrance Williams
1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?
Obviously the biggest move during the offseason is trading away Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, and Tony Battie. Carter, who spent over four seasons with the Nets, was in decline the past few seasons and did not fit the Nets plan to go hard in the big 2010 free agency bonanza. Thanks to the trade, the Nets will have about $17 million more, so this past offseason was really about next offseason when the Nets place themselves as one of the top buyers for free agents.
2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?
Youth and the talent those youngsters possess. Devin Harris (26), Brook Lopez (21), and the newly acquired Lee (23) form an excellent trio of players to be the Net's future core. Harris was a first-time All-Star last season and led the Nets in scoring (21.3 PPG), assists (6.9 APG), and steals (1.7 SPG). Lopez was a member of the All-Rookie first team leading the Nets in rebounding (8.1 RPG), blocks (1.8 BPG), and field goal percentage (53.1%). Lee showed flashes during the Orlando Magic's run to the NBA Finals that he belonged. Now that he will be one of the main options on offense and not deferring to Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, and Dwight Howard, Lee can utilize his ability to hit the three (40.4%) and hit from almost anywhere in mid-range.
And yet there is even more youth on this team with upside... and I don't mean Yi Jianlin. Josh Boone (24) and Sean Williams (23) took definite steps back last season, in part to the rookie Lopez's emergence, but both have shown to be able rebounders and defenders in the post. There's still enough promise there to think they'll be very good players off the bench and adding depth to the roster. Rookie Terrance Williams (22) brings a very versatile and exciting game to the Nets and could eventually pass Jianlin/Bobby Simmons for the starting small forward spot somewhere down the line this season.
3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?
The same as its strength... youth. The Nets are going to lose a lot of games this season because of it, but for a team knowing it won't necessarily make the playoffs and, for all intents and purposes, in rebuilding mode, there won't be much problem in letting the youngsters take their shots and learn from their mistakes.
Jianlin is hands-down a bust and shouldn't take up the spot another more promising player could be filling. Veterans such as Bobby Simmons, Trenton Hasssell, and Alston may not be willing to help the younger players because they wouldn't want to give up their place in the depth chart. Eduardo Najera and Keyon Dooling would probably be the only ones willing to help the Nets youth get better, so the bench situation could get toxic, particularly from Alston who believes he has the talent and deserves the shot to be a starter.
Head coach Lawrence Frank will keep the team as competitve as possible, but despite his desire and will, that may not translate to a team filled with the extremes of young and old players in regards to chemistry. Plus, it doesn't help that the Nets are such transition this season with the purge to clear cap space and a potential sale of the team and move out of state to Brooklyn, New York. It might be a season where everyone is looking to get his. The likeable Frank could be gone during or after the season because of the chaos.
4. What are the goals for this team?
To go out every night and work hard, hopefully forming some sort of rapport with each other and possibly make the playoffs in the weaker at the bottom tier of playoff teams East.
5. Will the sale and move to Brooklyn happen?
The New Jersey Nets have a new potential owner in Mikhail Prokhorov, a Russian billionaire that made his money through the mining industry. He's also an avid basketball fan, a former player, and an owner of CSKA Moscow, which won the 2008 Euroleague title. Prokhorov is also a younger and Russian version of Hugh Hefner... he likes the women and their company. Straight off the bat, the Nets new (potential) majority owner earns street cred for having skills with the ladies. Of course, if you give me billions of dollars, I'm pretty sure I'd be pimp too, but I'm just playa hatin' right now.
In any case, unless some catastrophe happens, it's pretty much a done deal that Prokhorov and current majority Nets owner, Bruce Ratner, become business bedfellows and consumate their union with millions of dollars and ownership of a professional basketball team and real estate being swapped. Is the NBA ready for its first non-North American born majority owner? David Stern is loving it as this will deepen the NBA brand into the European market and what Stern loves... happens. The other team owners get to vote and it'll take three-quarters of them to say "yes" to approve the deal. Expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to be one team that says, "Noooooooooo!" And, yes, it will be that exaggerated.
However, the biggest opponents to this deal happening may not be the other owners, but various groups trying to shut Ratner's Atlantic Yards project down. The story goes that if the Nets do not break ground by December 31, 2009, they will lose a ton of tax-exempt bonds that Ratner wants to use to put into the project. If the ground breaking doesn't happen, and the opponents of the project are doing their best to stall this through the legal system, then this deal with Prokhorov is not made and the Nets go back on the market.
Yet, we all know that money talks, so as Biggie would say, "Where's Brooklyn at? Where's Brooklyn at?"
Projected Finish: 30-52
Previous QTBM:
9.28.09 - Part I: Can The Lost Angeles Clippers Make A Big Jump This Season?
9.29.09 - Part II: Can LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal Co-Exist?
9.30.09 - Part III: Is Kevin Durant A Superstar?
10.1.09 - Part IV: Can Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry Start In The Same Backcourt?
|
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site.. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account! 