Nets Are Scorching

Over at Terrence Williams’ blog, RookieChronicles.com, Terrence posted some video he shot during the draft with his flip camera:

This video is just plain awesome in so many ways, but my favorite part is just seeing all the nervous energy from all of the players, including Terrence.  They are about to realize their dreams, and you can see it in their faces and they way that they interact with each other.

Posted by Sebastian Pruiti

In this episode Mark and I discuss Yi’s performance in FIBA Asia, David Lee, the state of the roster, and Terrence Williams.  It is a pretty good listen, if I do say so myself, and I am sure that Mark would agree.  You can listen to the whole thing here in this post or download it in iTunes.  Enjoy, and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section here.

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Like most of you who read this blog, I live and die with the Nets.  During the season, it seems like there are so many highs and so many lows.  It feels like I age 10 years during a close Nets’ game, and at the end I am both mentally and physically (I tend to jump up and down and yell) exhausted.  I am willing to go through all of this though, because the Nets are in fact my favorite team, the team that I root for.

Earlier this week, the big wigs of the TrueHoop Network asked us about our second favorite team, and it got me thinking about the purpose of a second favorite team and which team is in fact my 2nd favorite team:

The beauty of having a second favorite team is that when you watch them play, you don’t have to be emotionally invested in the game at all.  You can just sit back, watch the game, and enjoy the beauty of the game.   This is why the Golden State Warriors are the perfect “second favorite” team.  With a roster full of young athletic freaks, most notably Monta Ellis, Anthony Morrow, and Anthony Randolph, this team was built to fit in Don Nelson’s “run & gun” system.  Throw rookie Stephen Curry, who in my opinion is so much fun to watch work off of the ball, into the mix and you got a team you can get behind.  These guys will run up the score without even thinking twice about playing defense, and their coach isn’t even bothered by it, as long as they take the ball out of the hoop quickly.  If the Golden State Warriors were my favorite team, that would make me pull my hair out, but they are not, they are my second favorite team.

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What do you guys think?  Do any of you guys have a second favorite team?  If so, for what reasons?  Or am I wrong?  Is it completely blasphemous to enjoy watching another basketball team?  Please leave your opinions in the comments.

Posted by Sebastian Pruiti

With their roster currently at the 15-player maximum, there seems to be little to no chance that the Nets will be adding anyone new between now and the start of the regular season. But the quiet lull of the NBA off-season is not always the ideal time to look at stark realities, so I took it upon myself to take a look at a player that’s still seemingly out there for the taking.

Dime Magazine reminds us that restricted free agent David Lee still hasn’t signed a contact to stay with the Knicks, making him the last somewhat sexy name remaining on the open market. With their eyes towards cashing in on next year’s crop of free agents, it appears that the Knicks are only willing to sign Lee to a one-year contract or they’ll work out a sign-and-trade. I know it’s a slow economy, but who knew there was so little demand for a 26 year-old forward/center who consistently puts up double-doubles while sinking about 55 percent of his shots from the field?

Let me be perfectly clear: there have been no reports of either factual or speculative nature that have linked Lee to the Nets, but I think he would be an interesting fit in New Jersey. In the case of a sign-and-trade, the Nets would obviously be able to open up some roster space for Lee. If the Knicks are desperate to have cap flexibility next summer, the expiring contracts of Bobby Simmons and/or Rafer Alston are probably a good place to start a conversation.

Read more…

TheRealTWill, aka, Terrence Williams, gets the final word (for now) via Twitter on the pseudo-controversy regarding being in the car with Nate Robinson yesterday when the New York Knick was arrested  for driving with a suspended license:

Facts people need to get off this whole driving situation it is what it is, yall worry more about another person then you self so get off it about 1 hour ago from UberTwitter

He’s understandably irritated. People have been advising him all day via Twitter about who he should be friends with. Gotta love the new media order. But with that said, stuff like this tends to go away and be forgotten when the person in question stops bringing it up. Not that I’m giving TWill any advice via the Internets.

Posted by Mark Ginocchio

The Nets ownership and their decisions have been much discussed recently, and that makes now the perfect time for Ben Couch to sit down with Nets CEO Brett Yormark.  There is a lot of good stuff in the interview (which can be found here), but I wanted to show one of Yormark’s answer:

NJNets.com: How have you reasoned with fans concerned about the direction of the team following the Vince trade?

Brett Yormark: You try to appeal to their senses. Rome wasn’t built in a day. This team is not rebuilding, but in many cases is retooling. We loved Vince, and still do. He’s a terrific guy on and off the court. But we’ve decided to go in a different direction, and that direction is based on youth. It’s also based on being good and competitive now, but being great for the next couple of years.

We think that with Courtney Lee and some of the other pieces we got back in return for Vince, we have the opportunity to do just that. When you have Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Courtney Lee, CDR, Terrence Williams and Yi, you’ve got a nice young foundation. They’re only going to get better and next season we’re going to add more to the core. I certainly feel that Rod and Kiki have us going in the right direction.

I guess it does comfort me as a fan to see that the CEO knows this is a process.  It is also comforting to learn that Brett Yormark trusts Rod and Kiki.  If he trusts them, I don’t see him going over their heads next offseason.  Heck, maybe he will even let them spend some money.

I know a lot of you were disappointed when the NetsAreScorching podcast stopped after only two episodes, so I have some good news…it is coming back!  Starting Friday, Mark and I are going to be doing a podcast every two weeks for the remainder of the off-season.  Remember, if you have any questions you want Mark or I to address, send the over to podcast@netsarescorching.com.

When Tony Battie arrived in New Jersey (along with Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston) as part of the deal that sent Vince Carter to Orlando on draft day, the Nets’ roster reached 15, the maximum number of players that a NBA team can have under contract.

Since then, Nets fans itching to see some moves this offseason have been clamoring for someone to get their contract bought-out, and Tony Battie’s name has been mentioned the most, both by fans and in rumors.

At first glance, it kind of makes sense.  We have 4 power forwards with Yi and Sean Williams (if he can keep his head on straight) expecting the most minutes, and then you have to take Eduardo Najera into consideration as he continues to work his way back from injury.

However, if you examine the situation closer, the reasons to keep Tony Battie on the roster just jump out at you.  First, who are you going to replace him with?  Early in the summer, names like Leon Powe and Ike Diogu being thrown around, but they both signed.  The best FA PFs you got out there (you would assume that the Nets would be signing another PF to replace Battie) are the Collins twins and Stromile Swift, the Nets already had the (dis?)pleasure of having two of those guys on their roster.  I think Battie can out perform any of those guys.  Also, if you buy out Battie’s expiring contract, you are probably going to replace it with a multi-year contract, and that hurts the Nets during next year’s free agency period (we are going to go ahead and assume Battie will only be here one year).

Tony Battie’s flexibility is another reason why he should be kept on the roster.  Battie has the ability to playing either the 4 or the 5, and he gives coach Lawrence Frank plenty of options.  As Zachary McCann of OrlandoMagicDaily told me just days after the trade:

Battie can play the 4 or 5… Three seasons ago Battie started at power forward alongside Dwight Howard.

Do you guys trust Josh Boone as Brook’s only backup?  I sure don’t.  Having Tony Battie on the roster serves as a nice security blanket in case either Brook Lopez or Josh Boone get injured.

The final, and in my opinion, most important reason Tony Battie needs to stay a Net is that he brings a maturity level to a team that is suddenly lacking in that department.  Don’t misinterpret what I am saying here, the Nets aren’t a bunch of wild kids running around and getting themselves in trouble (well, everyone except Sean Williams), but this is in fact a young team.  Tony Battie, the man who Dwight Howard  said was “like a big brother to him,” could help these young guys in many ways.  He can show them the ins and outs of NBA life and show them how to be professional.  There are much worse people that you can have taking up a roster spot.  Hell, maybe he can even get Sean Williams to straighten his act.

On a related note, the Nets must know that Courtney Lee looks up to Tony Battie and he is close with him.  The Nets also know that Courtney is still struggling to deal with being traded by the Orlando Magic.  So, why on earth would the Nets buy out Tony Battie’s contract and give Courtney Lee another reason to be upset and unfocused.

All in all, Tony Battie provides a number of positives if he is kept on the roster.  Even if most of these positives won’t effect what happens on the court, I see Battie having an important role on this Nets team…that is, if his contract isn’t bought out.

Published by Sebastian Pruiti