New Jersey Nets
2008-09 Record: 34-48
Anticipated Starting Five
PG- Devin Harris
SG- Courtney Lee
SF- Bobby Simmons
PF- Yi Jianlian
C- Brook Lopez
Key Reserves: Rafer Alston, Josh Boone, Eduardo Najera, Sean Williams, Terrence Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts
Biggest Strength: Perimeter players
The Nets have a nice young core of guards in Harris, Lee, Douglas-Roberts and Terence Williams to attack defenses. What’s even better is Lee and Williams will defend as well. Those guys along with Brook Lopez inside will help New Jersey compete every night and make teams work to beat them.
Biggest Weakness: Front court depth
After Lopez they have very little in terms of bigs. Yi has yet to even begin to fulfil his potential. Tony Battie will help while he is there but he could be gone by the trade deadline. Josh Boone, meh. Najera, meh. Bobby Simmons, meh. Unless Yi develops New Jersey should be looking for a power forward in the next draft and there will be a few good ones to choose from
Key Player: Terrence Williams
The small forward spot for this team is in waiting for LeBron James (in their dreams). Bobby Simmons is currently occupying the spot but he isn’t very good. If Terrence Williams can give New Jersey the type of performance he did against our Sixers in the final preseason game the Nets will be in good shape.
Biggest Question: Could this young core woo LeBron?
The Nets have a decent amount going for them in the LeBron James sweepstakes. They are essentially in NYC, and will potentially move to Brooklyn. They have cap room, and unlike the Knicks, they have some decent, young players. Devin Harris and Brook Lopez are both very talented young players at critical positions. Courtney Lee could very well take off in a starting role, and Sean Williams, Terrance Williams, Josh Boone and Yi Jianlian are all under 24 and have promising upside. Add to this that the Nets will be adding another piece in the draft (we both have them as the 5th worst squad) after a bad season, and it might just be enough (though I don’t think it will be) to pry LeBron from Cleveland.
Best Individual Season of All-Time: Julius Erving, 1975-76
29.3 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.5 spg, 1.9 bpg
Had to go back to their ABA roots for this one. A tremendous all-around season for the doctor, and one that fueled the hype of his move to the NBA.
Pete’s 2010 Outlook: 5th place, Atlantic division / 13th place, Eastern conference / 26th place, NBA
As I mentioned before, the Nets have a lot of young talent. Devin Harris is 26, and they have 6 decent prospects 24 or younger. They could be like the Hawks in a couple years if the players reach their potential, or they could be like the Bobcats if they don’t. This season for them is about finding out what they really have in guys like Lee, Williams, Jianlian and Lopez and doing everything they can do woo LeBron in the process.
Dannie’s 2010 Outlook: 4th place, Atlantic division / 12th place, Eastern conference / 26th place, NBA
New Jersey is in rebuilding mode. Luckily for them they already have a few nice young guys to start that process. They will be good enough to keep the Nets out of bottom of the East. But they are still vying for a top draft pick and the LeBron sweepstakes. If they can’t land LeBron, trying to pair Bosh with Lopez is a great alternative option in my opinion.
See all 2010 NBA team previews
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nice post enjoyed it
Greatest strength(s):
-Finally added some frontcourt players
-Real potential (They understand that they won’t make playoffs, but will still play it out!)
-Key role players joined this team when they could’ve been elsewhere!! (Najera, Hayes, Dooling)
-Point guard depth (depending on if Alston stays)
Management (Rod Thorn has Stefanski like qualities)
-Devin Harris, one of the quickest scoring point guards
-6th as a team in assists (Last season)
-Media popularity:
1. Jay-Z, part owner
2. Marv Albert /Mike Fratello doing the play by play
Greatest weakness(es):
Greatest weakness(es):
-Perimeter shooting (offensively and defensively)
-Who is the leader? (this will show Frank’s true coaching skills!)
-Raw, young team
- How will the team act the minute they start hitting some slumps?
-Devin Harris’ injury woes
-Attendance (in the same low category as Philly at home)
-Looking ahead at FA while a season needs to played out!
With that said, the Nets will be 5th in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the East.
(On a side note, the Sixers will split the series with the Nets (2-2). Until the Sixers can focus and shut down everyone else not named Devin Harris because he is too tough to shut down an entire game, then perhaps I can say the Sixers will win that series. Last year, the Sixers lost to the Nets in some weird ways, 18 missed FGs in the 4th qt one game and then a weird Devin Harris half court shot. Hopefully with former Nets assistant coach and now Sixers head coach Eddie Jordan, perhaps the Sixers will have the offense. Now what about the defense? We Sixers’ fans will have to wait soon enough!)