“A trade is always a possibility, but it is not very likely to happen, we have a pretty good mix of players lined up for the Chicago interviews.”
But still there is some interesting stuff going on in Chicago that is leading me to think otherwise. What exactly? Well, Timothy Varner and Graydon Gordian of the great Spurs blog, and TrueHoop Network associate, 48 MinutesOfHell are in Chicago covering the combine, and they were given the opportunity to interview Omri Casspi (PF/SF from Israel), who the Spurs have been interested in for a very long time. It is a great interview, and I strongly suggest that you guys check it out. Especially the 7th paragraph:
Casspi hasn’t worked out for the Spurs. He’s not sure if he will. In the coming weeks, he’s slated to work out for Minnesota, Golden State, Portland, Sacramento, and, curiously, New Jersey. In other words, picks #11, 24, 28, 31 and 32. The 37th pick, which once belonged to Golden State, is now the property of San Antonio. It’s hard to see Casspi falling that far in the draft, especially after some of the early entries pull their names. Some consider the question of whether or not Casspi will slide to 37 a moot discussion, however.
So it seems that the Nets are working this kid out. Now he is a solid player, but most mocks have him going late first/early second, so that is why he wasn’t on my big board. The Nets certainly won’t be reaching for him, so what is the point of the workouts? I don’t really know what the deal was, and Timothy was planning on asking Thorn, but couldn’t find him at the combines, he did get a chance to ask Chad Ford about it though, and this is what he told me while we were chatting on GoogleChat:
Timothy: i just talked with Chad Ford about it
he said it was a little odd
he didn’t raise an eyebrow
just said, “yeah, that is a little odd”
if I see Thorn, I’ll ask him
I’ve not see him, though
I have a couple theories that I am knocking around in my head:
The first is that we are looking to trade down because Casspi is our guy and Thorn a) doesn’t want to reach with the 11th pick for him and b) by trading down, we will probably be picking up a second round pick in this year’s draft as well.
The second theory, is that Casspi is a back-up option. Let’s say all of the top guys on the Nets’ board are gone by 11, and they don’t want to pay a player they don’t like 11th pick money. The Nets then trade down with a team that has a late first round pick (perhaps a team that needs a PG or something) and we sit and hope that Casspi is there.
My final and most interesting theory. We are looking to move Vince Carter, Yi, or Bobby Simmons. The trade is either with a late round team and we swap picks, or the deal helps land us a early second round pick. We use said pick to draft Casspi.
Now with all this being said, Casspi hasn’t worked out with us yet and he might not even impress Rod Thorn and the rest of the guys. I am just saying the fact that we are interested in him is obvious because we are working him out, and if we like him, we may trade down for him (Taking him at 11 would be such a freakin reach).
Quick little side-note: Sorry for the sporatic posting this week (this is my last post until Monday), it has been a bit hectic for me, but I am coming back full force next week!
Every Wednesday I will go through some of the Mock Drafts that can be found on the web and tell you who they say the Nets will be picking. Here are what the mocks say this week (If there is a mock draft I am missing, or one that you think should be taken off the list, let me know via e-mail or in the comments):
*These have not been updated since the last Following The Mock.
So that is 9 mock drafts, here are the totals:
Earl Clark – 3
Ty Lawson – 2
DeJuan Blair – 2
DeMar DeRozen – 1
James Johnson – 1
Chase Budinger (REALLY?) – 1
James Harden – 1
OK, so the lack of updates have really messed up my Following The Mocks. I will update this from now on as the the mocks update. We will see what kind of schedule they go by.
Sup guys, I am finally back after a long holiday weekend. I hope you all enjoys yours as much as I enjoyed mine.
With the draft coming up, I thought it would be a cool idea if I did a “Big Board” for the Nets. On this board are players that may be there for the Nets (for example you won’t be seeing Blake Griffin here – though maybe we can still get him). The order is put in is based on how much I want them. This will be updated from time to time as workouts continue to happen.
Despite his size and his frame, the guy is very explosive and athletic. He also has great lateral speed, which is key defensively. He would be a great fit on the Nets because he can block shots from the help side while Brook contests. He is a physically tough player, which is something the Nets need from their 4 because they already got a bunch of finesse 4s on their roster. He is a great rebounder especially on the offensive end (11 per game – 1oth in the NCAA/4.2 ORB per game – 3rd in the NCAA).
Weaknesses
Isn’t good from the foul line (65.4 %), and he is a very raw player (has only been playing basketball for a few years), and we have had problems with raw players here in NJ during Lawrence Frank’s tenure (think Marcus Williams & Sean Williams). He is also very foul prone (3.0 per game in college – 5 is a foul out) and he doesn’t have the best hands in the world.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
5%. If he is there we will take him. I just don’t think he will be there.
2. James Johnson – 6’8″/235 – Wake Forest
The Nets are very high on James Johnson, and they have every reason to be. There are many reports out there saying that if Johnson falls to the Nets, the Nets will be drafting him. That makes me happy.
Strengths
For a big, Johnson has some great feet. He has a nice touch around the basket and can hit from the free-throw line extended. Johnson, like Jordan Hill, is an athletic freak and this athletic ability allows for him to cover multiple positions if the Nets decide to go big with a Johnson/Boone/Lopez line-up. Also, reports show that he has a high basketball IQ. Not a great free throw shooter (about 70%), but he is solid enough where with work he can turn into a good free throw shooter.
Weaknesses
Despite his strong footwork, James doesn’t possess good lateral quickness. He also isn’t a great shooter off the dribble, but that shouldn’t matter too much because if drafted by the Nets he will be playing the 4. Sometimes Johnson settles for bad shots and he has been noted to have a poor attitude, a lack of focus, and poor determination. He also needs to work on his defensive awareness.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
50%. The Nets are totally enamored with him (and so am I), but there are some things that worry me (Poor attitude and such). That being said, I believe the Nets will take him if he is there. The Raptors may take him as the future replacement to Chris Bosh, and he may not make it to the Nets.
DeJuan Blair – 6’7″/265 – Pitt
DeJuan Blair is a big boy. He is also a very hard worker on the court, and a fun loving guy off of the court. It could be very entertaining to see him in New Jersey. Right now I am still waiting for some reports from his workouts to see if he will bump up to #2 on this board.
Strengths
DeJuan Blair is a offensive rebounding machine with a nose for the ball. He lead the NCAA in ORPG with 5.8 and was 4th in the NCAA with 12.3 RPG. He has great hands for a big man, and he is very active/productive when he is in the game. He loves contact, and he has no problem dishing it out as well. He also has great body language, when he is on the court. He is a solid passer out of the post.
Weaknesses
His size. He is listed at 6’7″, and he might be even shorter than that. He isn’t a great shooter, and he doesn’t shoot well from the free throw line. He doesn’t really have any moves with his back to the basket, in college he could just bully his way into the paint, he won’t be able to do that in the pros. He plays under the basket, doesn’t really finish around the basket with dunks. Isn’t the most athletic big around…
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
30%. I think we will be drafting him if James Johnson isn’t there, and the Nets still want to draft a PF.
4. Earl Clark – 6’9″/220 - SF/PF – Louisville
Jersey boy Earl Clark is up next. While he is still young, Earl Clark is the type of talent that could possibly turn into a Lamar Odom type of player as he develops.
Strengths
First thing you notice about Earl Clark is his size. He is 6’9″ and many teams have him projecting out to a SF in the league. This type of size can lead to endless matchup problems. He can handle the ball with both hands, and he has the ability to create his own shot. He is good in transition and in pick and roll play, plus he has excellent hands. He can defend multiple positions which is something that is very important in the NBA.
Weaknesses
He is somewhat turnover prone, and he isn’t as physically tough as you would want a guy to be. He also can’t score with his back to the basket, but that shouldn’t be a huge problem for the Nets because he would be drafted to play SF. His work ethic has been questioned and he can’t catch and shoot too well.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
35%. I think he will be there, but this all depends on whether or not James Johnson will be there when we pick. If he isn’t there, Earl Clark will be the pick. You have to remember that he is a Jersey kid, he’s said he wants to play for the Nets, and his agent is the same agent that Yi and Eduardo Najera.
5. DeMar DeRozen – 6’7″/207 – SF – USC
DeMar DeRozen is young (Just finished his freshman year), but he is a very interesting prospect. He could turn into a great scorer in the league.
Strengths
DeMar DeRozen is a pure scorcer, and he can score with ease. He can defend multiple positions, and his size may cause problems at the 3. He has great work ethic, and everything written about him says that he is a great coachable kid. He is an athletic freak, and he is a great rebounder from either the 3 or the 2. He showed to be a pretty solid shooter.
Weaknesses
Raw. Raw. Raw. He could turn into a great player, but if he isn’t developed correctly, he could turn into a huge bust (Let’s keep in mind Lawrence Frank doesn’t have the best track record developing rookies. Granted that could be we wern’t drafting the right guys, but L. Frank has to be blamed for some of it. Right?). He is a terrible free throw shooter. This is especially important when you consider the frequency he drives to the basket. Despite his willingness to play defense, he isn’t really good at it, and won’t be able to play D at the NBA level without some work. He is a 65% shooter from the free throw line. He doesn’t make the correct pass enough, and he has a poor assist/turnover ratio. Doesn’t have the best basketball IQ. Won’t have a big impact his rookie year.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
15%. He could be a great player in this league, but he could be a bust. I think Rod Thorn will take Lawrence Frank’s track record into consideration and he will pass on DeRozen. If we do take him, it will tell you what Thorn thinks about our playoff chances next year. If he drafts him we are in full rebuilding mode.
6. Sam Young – 6’6″/210 – SF – Pitt
It seems like I have been hearing about Sam Young for forever now, but when you think about it (has been a big name his whole college career, and he stayed all 4 years), it makes sense.
Strengths
Sam Young had the best pump-fake in the college game (No matter how many times in a row he did it, it always worked), and I think it will work with in the block-happy NBA. He can score with his back to the basket, and he has the ability to finish around the rim. He is an athletic freak, his dunks are all over SportsCenter. He can catch and shoot, and he is a great rebounder for his size.
Weaknesses
First, he is an old-man by NBA terms. I know it might not be a big deal, but there are ton of pros in the NBA that are younger than him (Sam Young is 23 years old). Besides his pump-fake, he can’t really create his own shot. His defensive ability has been questioned, and he can’t shoot off of the dribble.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
5%. Now he is here mainly out of my enjoyment (Hey, it’s my blog!), I think he is a great player and who knows what the Nets think. Now maybe if DeMar and Earl are gone by the time it reaches our pick and Rod Thorn has his heart set on drafting a SF, I guess I can see us taking him.
7. Eric Maynor – 6’2/175 – PG – VCU
Having Maynor up here might be a shock to you guys, but I think he is the most pro ready point guard on the board (Don’t you guys remember his March Madness effort 3 years ago?). If the Nets go PG, which is what some people have us thinking, he would be my #1 choice.
Strengths
He is a scoring first PG, who is a great assist man. He is a better PG than a certian other scoring PG that is lower on this list. He is pro ready, and he has a great body. As a senior, he is already well-seasoned and I think the transformation to the pro game will be an easy one. He has a great floater in the paint and an excellent mid-range game. He has a great basketball IQ, can hit from 3, and he is a pretty solid pick and roll player. He is also a winner who has experiences playing in (and winning) big games. When surrounded by scorers has the potential to become a pure PG.
Weaknesses
He is a streaky shooter. He is also prone to going a little out of control some times and taking crazy shots (This could be due to the fact that he was the main guy on a so/so team. Maybe he felt like he needed to take every shot). He isn’t the most athletic guy, and he lacks lateral quickness. This lack of lateral quickness also leads to his lack of defensive skill. Besides his floater, he doesn’t really have the ability to finish around the basket consistantly.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
1%. If the other PGs on this list are there at 11 we will take them instead of him. But if he preforms well in pre-draft camps and we like him, I can see us trading down, adding a second round pick, and drafting him. Unlikely, but that is a possibility.
8. Stephen Curry – 6’3″/185 – PG/SG – Davidson
Here is the man everyone is talking about. I think he can turn into a great pro, but it will take a while.
Strengths
Stephen Curry is a crafty scorer who moves very well without the ball. He is a tremendous shooter from 3, and he has a high basketball IQ. He is a hard worker, and he is great off screens (Mainly because no matter how you play him, he will end up getting a shot off). Cold-blooded. Clutch shooter.
Weaknesses
Stephen Curry isn’t a true point (last year was his first year at the position), and since he will most likely be a point in the pros, that could be a problem. He turned the ball over too much playing the point last year, and in big games he had too many 3-20 type games (he got his points, but with way too many shots). Won’t make an imidiate impact, and could never turn into a starter. His frail body type could lead into a lack of defensive ability. Not quick enough to cover PGs and too small to cover SGs.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
20%. If we go PG and he is on the board (Knicks have been rumored to be very interested), I see us taking him. When he first made his decision to come out, the Nets were on the short-list of the teams who were interested.
9. Jonny Flynn – 6’0″/172 – PG – Syracuse
Jonny Flynn has been sky-rocketing up the draft board since the start of his season last year. He is a score first PG who fits into the Allen Iverson mold.
Strengths
Jonny Flynn is a flat-out scorer who has a great ability to get to the free throw line. He has great confidence he plays very aggressively. He is mentally tough as seen by his overtime performances during the Big East Tournament last year. He is very explosive, with great court vision, and a great mid-range jumper.
Weaknesses
The spelling of his name. Seriously. If we draft him this would suck for me because I guarantee that I will spell is name wrong a ton of times. Small. Too much of a scoring point, not a true point. He isn’t great defensively, and he can’t really contest shots due to his lack of size. He can be out of control at times and he is turnover prone.
Video
Chances We Will Draft Him?
5%. If we go PG and Steph Curry is off the board, it will come down to either him or Ty Lawson.
10. Ty Lawson – 6’0″/195 – PG – North Carolina
Ty Lawson comes from a powerhouse college team where he played big in big games.
Strengths
Ty Lawson is quicker than most, even when he is dribbling the ball. He is a true point with great hands, and he was a great defensive player in college. He is a great assist man while keeping his turnovers down. He has a great work ethic. He has one the big games and has played well in them.
Weaknesses
Smaller than most PGs, and that might hurt him defensively in the NBA. He tends to be injury prone, and the physical nature of the NBA may increase this. Sometimes he has shown a lack of focus on the court when he wasn’t playing in the big games. There are questions about his basketball IQ.
Video
Chances We Will Take Him?
5%. As I said above, if we go point and Steph Curry is off the board it is between Ty and Jonny.
—
Well there it is. This is my big board for the NJ Nets, and I think it is a pretty solid list. I think you can tell what position I want the Nets to take based on the way they are ordered here. Although with solid work-outs, I can see the Nets getting a SF. I will update this from time to time as I please. Leave your own top ten in the comments, this could be an interesting discussion.
There is a chance. It is a small chance (I would say it is worse than our chances of getting the top pick three days ago), but there is a chance.
Don’t give me that look. I am not completly crazy. Check out this report from HoopsHype via The Sacramento Bee:
“One league source on Wednesday even indicated the seemingly unthinkable, that the Clippers would be willing to trade the top pick – which they have already confirmed would be Griffin – for the right package.”
The right package. That is an interesting phrase. Is it expiring contracts? Is it picks? Is it a proven youngish player?
Who knows really, it is interesting to note that the Nets have three first round picks in the next two drafts. What if we approach the Clippers, tell them we are willing to take Zach Randolph’s contract off their hands, give them an expiring contract in return (Bobby Simmons), and then give them all three of our first round picks. Would the Clippers accept? I mean, they are the Clippers, so who knows.
Let’s say the Clippers accept this offer? Is Blake Griffin worth mortgaging our future? I say yes. The Nets are a Blake Griffin away from making the playoffs, and if we make the playoffs our pick next year wouldn’t even be that high anyway. So I say Rod Thorn needs to call up the Clippers and offer them this deal. Who knows, they might accept.
Way back when Rod Thorn gave his state of the team address, he called this upcoming free agent class average at best. While he was unable to talk about any specific player (due to NBA rules), you just got the feeling that the Nets wouldn’t be too active in free agency. With that being said, there is one guy I want the Nets to take a serious look at. He is Brandon Bass, an Unrestricted Free Agent.
Rod Thorn has been on record saying he wants a “moose.’ It is my opinion that if you poll coaches in the NBA, and ask them who is a “moose,” Bass’ name will come up a number a times. Brandon Bass is a very physical player who just seems to love contact. Bass is very imposing at 6’8″ and 250 pounds. He is not all size though, he mixes his size with great athletic ability. Casual NBA fans may recognize Bass from his numerous highlight reel blocks or dunks.
Looking at Brandon’s numbers, they don’t really jump out at you, but when you think about the minutes he gets and you look at the fact that he is still a young guy (next year will be his 5th in the NBA), one may think he is on the verge of breaking out. Here are his numbers compared to all of our 4s:
Like I said, nothing too spectacular. So why sign him? Well, for one, he will come cheap. The contract that he signed in July of 2007 (the one that just expired) was worth $1.59 million…total. This year he made under a million ($826,269). Now he will obviously want more than that, but he will still come cheap compared to guys like Carlos Boozer for example. Everything Brandon Bass excels in is what the 4s we have on the roster right now don’t. He is a physical rebounder who plays defense and enjoys playing down low. Yi and Ryan Anderson are the exact opposite of that. Also, if Brandon Bass is added to the roster, Josh Boone won’t have to play at the 4 anymore (Late in the year when Yi started losing time Boome was splitting time with Anderson at the 4). Coach Frank can move him back to where he is comfortable, and that is the center position backing up Brook.
Despite all my praise, Brandon Bass is far from being the perfect player. He possesses some weaknesses that may prevent some teams from giving him a big deal. He doesn’t really pose a scoring threat from outside 10 feet. He can’t really shoot a lick from outside the paint as his hot shot chart shows:
Bass also fouls a little too much for my liking. Now they aren’t bone-headed fouls or anything like that, mostly he picks up fouls because he is trying to block everything. Also teams may be hesitant to give him a big contract because he has never played more than 19.7 minutes per game in a year.
I said some teams will shy away from signing Bass, but will the Nets be one of those teams? Well they shouldn’t be. Much like how Bass’ strengths equal our 4s weaknesses, Bass’ weaknesses are our 4s strengths. Ryan Anderson and Yi are shooters, guys who like to play on the perimeter. Worried about Bass’ minutes? Well you shouldn’t be, because if Bass is signed, I would like to see him and Ryan Anderson/Yi split time. So Bass won’t be playing minutes that he isn’t already used to.
Having an inside PF in Bass and an outside PF in Ryan Anderson means we would be able to play multiple styles and match up to teams styles. Look at this situation for example. We play Orlando, Ryan Anderson will probably see more minutes because they play small (starting Rashard Lewis at the 4). The next night we are playing Cleveland, and Brandon Bass would get more time. This is because the Cavs play a more traditional roster with Anderson Verajo starting at the 4.
Brandon Bass is an option we should explore to see if we can get him cheap. So how will we know if the Nets are thinking about this? Just take a look at who we draft. If we draft a guy like DeMar DeRozen or Earl Clark when there are some PFs on the board, the Nets may be thinking about killing two birds with one stone. Drafting a SF and signing a PF in free agency.
Here are some highlight clips of Brandon Bass so you guys can get a little more familiar with him:
So Brook Lopez was spotted at the Sun God Festival (whatever that is) during Sara Bareilles’ performance. Not only was he spotted there, but the cameras catch him singing along to her song Umbrella:
Pretty funny if you ask me. This is just another example of Brook’s personality. He isn’t sitting in the VIP (not sure if there is one), but he is right up front singing along.
In Dave D’Alessandro’s article about the draft, there is an interesting tidbit about Yi’s situation. He interviewed Rod Thorn, who said we aren’t shopping “Yi”:
“Shop is not the right term with what we do with a lot of our players. We have conversations — about almost everybody. Shopping is when you tell everyone in the league, ‘Anyone want this guy?’ We’re not doing that. So that’s not true.”
I like what Thorn is doing. It is obvious that we are trying to trade Yi, but while he is still on the team, we have to look like we have his back. Also, this could be true, maybe Thorn isn’t shopping him. Maybe other teams are calling for him, if that is the case, we have to listen. Try to get something for Yi.
Every Wednesday I will go through some of the Mock Drafts that can be found on the web and tell you who they say the Nets will be picking. Here are what the mocks say this week (If there is a mock draft I am missing, or one that you think should be taken off the list, let me know via e-mail or in the comments):
I guess I am not really surprised with the wide range of players the experts say we are taking, mainly because there have been no work-outs and teams haven’t really began to show their hands in terms of who they are interested in. The thing that does surpise me is that there are only two true PFs listed. This surprises me because Rod Thorn has been on the record as saying he wants a “moose”. Maybe the guys in the media haven’t seen that interview yet.
Equally surprising is seeing James Johnson’s name listed only once. Especially since the awesome blogger Tommy Dee at TheKnicksBlog.com is reporting that the Nets are VERY interested in Johnson. I know it’s a Knicks (blah!) blog, but this is the man who first reported that the Nets were keeping Lawrence Frank, so he has to know his stuff. Oh and he must be on to something, especially if the New York Post is following up his report with a report of their own, saying basically the same thing.
I know most mocks have him going top 5, but I have included him because there are 
The Nets are very high on James Johnson, and they have every reason to be. There are many reports out there saying that if Johnson falls to the Nets, the Nets will be drafting him. That makes me happy.
DeJuan Blair is a big boy. He is also a very hard worker on the court, and a fun loving guy off of the court. It could be very entertaining to see him in New Jersey. Right now I am still waiting for some reports from his workouts to see if he will bump up to #2 on this board.
Jersey boy Earl Clark is up next. While he is still young, Earl Clark is the type of talent that could possibly turn into a Lamar Odom type of player as he develops.
DeMar DeRozen is young (Just finished his freshman year), but he is a very interesting prospect. He could turn into a great scorer in the league.
It seems like I have been hearing about Sam Young for forever now, but when you think about it (has been a big name his whole college career, and he stayed all 4 years), it makes sense.
Having Maynor up here might be a shock to you guys, but I think he is the most pro ready point guard on the board (Don’t you guys remember his March Madness effort 3 years ago?). If the Nets go PG, which is what some people have us thinking, he would be my #1 choice.
Here is the man everyone is talking about. I think he can turn into a great pro, but it will take a while.
Jonny Flynn is a flat-out scorer who has a great ability to get to the free throw line. He has great confidence he plays very aggressively. He is mentally tough as seen by his overtime performances during the Big East Tournament last year. He is very explosive, with great court vision, and a great mid-range jumper.
Ty Lawson comes from a powerhouse college team where he played big in big games.
