Brooklyn’s Bubble Has Burst

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When the Nets left New Jersey in favor of Brooklyn, New York in 2012, they brought with them a ton of excitement. The Nets won 49 games in their first season in Brooklyn and the future appeared to be bright for them. And although the Nets have made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, their win total has declined in each year. But for a franchise that’s all-time winning percentage is just .439, the Nets are off to one of the worst starts ever. The Nets lost their first seven games to begin this NBA season and even though they’ve been able to be more competitive in their recent games, Brooklyn’s record is now 2-11. A championship cannot be won this early into the NBA season, but a start like the Nets have had can surely diminish their chances of being a contender.

Lionel Hollins

Lionel Hollins is in his second season as the Nets head coach which in itself is a miracle due to the fact that Brooklyn hasn’t had a head coach last more than one season since they crossed backed over the Hudson River. Hollins is a no-nonsense head coach that will hold his players accountable. Hollins’ approach led the Nets to buying out the contract of point guard Deron Williams over the summer which marked the end of his disappointing tenure with the club. And although the victories have not been there for the Nets so far this NBA season, Williams is one less headache that they have to worry about.

The Nets surely weren’t going to win with Williams, but this is a team that still needs an upgrade at the point guard position. Point guard Jarrett Jack was brought in last season to push Williams, but he ended up becoming the Nets starting point guard when Williams fell out of favor with Hollins. Jack is an NBA journeyman, but this season he is enjoying his best start as a professional as he is averaging 14.7 points and 7.3 assists per game. However, Jack is a solid backup point guard. And for the Nets, they have lacked a franchise player at point guard ever since they traded Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks in 2008 which is what they thought they were getting with Williams.

(l-r) Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson, Thaddeus Young

What the Nets currently have is a team consisting of a few solid players in center Brook Lopez, power forward Thaddeus Young, and shooting guard Joe Johnson. This is a trio of good players, but no of these players has the ability to put the Nets on his respective back.

But regardless of who is currently on the Nets roster, they must find a way to win in spite of their unfavorable schedule to begin this season. 13 of the Nets first 16 opponents this season were playoff teams last year which has included them losing four of their first five games by at least 10 points. And as the losses have piled up for the Nets, general manager Billy King is watching with a keen eye as it might be time to wave the white flag soon if this trend continues in Brooklyn.

Johnson is in the final year of his contract as he is earning nearly $25 million this season. Expiring contracts are like gold in the NBA and for a player like Johnson who is 12th on the NBA’s all-time list for made three-point field goals, he could provide a spark to a contending team should the Nets attempt to trade him. But at the same time, what the Nets need to practice most is patience.

Mikhail Prokhorov

When Mikhail Prokhorov purchased the Nets in 2010, he vowed to deliver a championship within five years. And in hoping to make good on that boast, Prokhorov allowed King to trade away draft picks along with young players in order to bring in veterans that he felt would lead Brooklyn to a title. But that hasn’t worked out as the Nets have not made it past the conference semifinals since coming to Brooklyn. And what the Nets need to do is to develop some patience while also attempting to get younger.

With Lopez and Young under contract with the Nets through 2018, the Nets should build around them which starts with bringing in a quality point guard. Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley Jr. is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. And although Conley is not a top-tier point guard, he is a player that is familiar with Hollins’ system from their time together with the Grizzlies while he is also a player that could potentially team with Jack to provide the Nets with two serviceable point guards which would improve their play. The Nets already have nearly $57 million committed to player salaries for next season which surprisingly puts them under the NBA’s salary cap and it could also give them flexibility to contend; as long as they discontinue their recent practice of taking on massive contracts for aging players.

This NBA season doesn’t have the makings of a good one for the Nets, but should Prokhorov and King decide to display some patience with Hollins, this is a team that could turn it around. But at the same time, it isn’t a good sign when you’re beginning to look forward to next NBA season for a team and we’re not even at Thanksgiving.

Source: Basketball-reference.com

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