Free Agency Midnight Open Thread
Jun 30, 2010 2010 Offseason
OK guys, the Ray Allen thread kind of turned into an open thread, but I wanted to give you guys a blank canvas to work with. Post any rumors, comments or reactions in the comments just make sure you adhere to the commenting constitution…because if something doesn’t follow it, I reserve the right to delete any comment…
Have fun guys!
A Final Adios to Yi
Jun 30, 2010 Yi
I know I haven’t been kind to Yi Jianlian recently (though, I’ve certainly never eviscerated him the way Kelly Dwyer did this morning at Ball Don’t Lie), but his trade yesterday to the Washington Wizards for Quinton Ross does mark the end of an era for one of the more fascinating players in Nets history. There clearly wasn’t a more polarizing figure amongst Nets fans, as we all seemed to be battling between the mounds of potential he oozed and his lack of basketball IQ which led to some maddening mistakes. In an effort to be kind, I thought I’d go back to happier times and repost a video I did on Yi when he first returned from injury in December. In typical Yi fashion, it’s one of the more highly viewed videos I’ve done in my short NAS tenure:
Nets FA Targets: Ray Allen
Jun 30, 2010 2010 Free Agents
Ray Allen
Age: 34
Height: 6-5
Position: SG
Key 2009-10 Stats: 16.3 ppg, 36.3% 3p%, 15.22 PER
What to Like About Allen: His outside shooting. The Nets were terrible from the three point line last year, and it really hurt the productivity of their offense. When you have a three point shooter like Ray Allen, he doesn’t even need to have or shoot the basketball to help an offense. Teams are so worried about Allen, that when he comes off screens away from the basketball defenses tend to focus on him, and that opens things up for the rest of the team, especially a big man like Brook Lopez. Looking at what Brook Lopez was able to do with no outside shooting presence to take away double and triple teams, and you have to be impressed. Lopez didn’t have a ton of chances to work in the post one on one, but a shooter like Ray Allen will create more opportunities for Brook Lopez. Oh, and when he does get the basketball, Ray Allen has one of the quickest, most effective releases I have ever seen. Ray Allen is a knock-down shooter.
Nets FA Targets: Chris Bosh
Jun 30, 2010 2010 Free Agents
Chris Bosh
Age: 26
Height: 6-10
Position: PF
Key 2009-10 Stats: 24 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 25.11 PER
What to Like About Bosh: Just about everything. I have been saying that Chris Bosh should be the Nets’ number one target going into this offseason, and I really stand by that statement. Chris Bosh can play inside effectively, and he can play on outside effectively (Bosh shot about 44% from 10-15 feet, and that is without a post presence taking pressure off of him) and that makes him the perfect compliment to Brook Lopez. In my opinion, the key to two big men playing together is whether they can pass to each other (going from high post to low post and vice-versa). We already know that Brook Lopez is a pretty good passer, and in my opinion Bosh can pass the ball a little as well. Bosh’s assist to ratio was right around 1, and close to half of his assists lead to baskets at the rim (which tells me he should do just fine making entry passes into the post, when he isn’t receiving them). One more effect a Chris Bosh signing will have is that he will help in the development of Derrick Favors…yup, I said help. We all know that Favors is raw on the offensive end, with Chris Bosh on the team the Nets can use Favors as a defensive/transition spark plug (what many hoped Sean Williams would develop into) and let him develop and a nice pace on the offensive end.
Nets on the Net: Blueprint for Greatness
Jun 30, 2010 Jay-Z, LeBron James, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn
Well, now the Nets have gone and done it. Earlier this week, Al Iannazzone hinted that “big things” were afoot with this organization, and while the biggest dreamers in us might have thought it was going to be a major trade, I suspect it was in fact something a little more gleeful. Like, say, a 225-by-90-foot mural of Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z on 34th Street and 8th, which is adjacent to some building the Knicks play in… can’t remember the name … it used to be an important part of New York sports culture but it’s hard for me to remember things that happened 20 years ago.
Still, despite the chatter focusing more on Miami and Chicago, and with the Nets firing a shot across the bow attracting attention of their own, the Knicks still believe they are major players for LeBron James.
Meanwhile, Dave D’Alessandro rolls out the team’s itinerary over the next few days. Interestingly enough, outside of Bosh, the team hasn’t scheduled anything (yet) with the other bigs out there, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire and David Lee. That’s not to say they won’t, but it seems pretty clear this team is aiming for the biggest fish first. Love the aggression.
Still, Steve Politi of the Star-Ledger has to throw cold water all over us mouth-foaming Nets fans and remind us that with Rod Thorn stepping down, but not “retiring,” it just doesn’t look terribly good for the organization right now.
NAS Interview on WCWP Sports Tonight
Jun 29, 2010 Devin Kharpertian, NAS on the Net
Tonight at 6:30, our very own Devin Kharpertian (that’s me) will be interviewed by WCWP Radio in New York about all things Nets. Topics sure to come up include the draft, impending free agency, Devin’s likes and dislikes in a partner, and today’s Yi trade. (Just kidding. We won’t talk free agency!)
You can find the interview at 6:30 on http://wcwpsports.blogspot.com. Check it out!
Update: Yi Jianlian On The Way Out
Jun 29, 2010 2010 Offseason, Al Iannazzone, Devin Kharpertian, Trade Rumors, Yi Jianlian
Update: Sure enough, NJ.com is reporting that Yi Jianlian will be traded to the Wizards for Quinton Ross. While the other player in this deal would normally be irrelevant, Ross is a great defensive player who fits the Avery Johnson mold of “guys who work their butt off on the defensive end.” This is both a good salary move and a good basketball move. Today is a great day in Nets history.
Now John Wall can have his soul slowly sucked out of him as he throws beautiful alley-oop passes to Yi that he can’t finish.
See ya, Yi!
Today, Al Iannazzone is reporting that the Nets may finally be close to ending their professional relationship with Yi Jianlian:
They are working on a deal with the Wizards that would send Yi and cash to Washington for a player who makes “significantly less” than what the Nets’ power forward earns. Three sources confirmed this could happen.
The player could be Quinton Ross ($1.14 million) or one of their draft picks. Yi makes $4.05 million this season. Either way, the Nets are close to getting Yi’s salary off their books.
The Nets would do this to get as far under the cap as possible so they potentially could sign two max players. Yi for Ross would save the Nets close to $3 million and put them around $30 million.
Obviously, this would be a fantastic move. The failed Yi experiment can finally be over and the Nets are able to clear up even more cap space. While they would still be a little short for two max contracts, every dollar counts in this year’s free agency and they still have the potential of moving Kris Humphries’s $3.2 million contract (he picked up his option yesterday). I was originally a supporter of the Yi experiment, but after watching Yi stumble over his own two feet for the past two years, it’s safe to say that any value we can get for him is certainly good. His hopefully imminent departure represents more than just a poor power forward leaving: it’s a mark of both erasing an idea from the Kiki era and a statement that the Nets, while attempting to become a global brand, are looking for talent over global marketability.
Nets FA Targets: Amare Stoudemire
Jun 29, 2010 2010 Free Agents
Amare Stoudemire
Age: 27
Height: 6-10
Position: PF
Key 2009-10 Stats: 23.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 22.69 PER
What to Like About Stoudemire: Simply put, Stoudemire is an offensive beast and would fill two critical holes for the New Jersey Nets: scoring and stability at Power Forward. With his various injuries over the years (microfracture on his knee and retina surgery for his eyes), Stoudemire’s demise has been long projected and proven to be greatly exaggerated. His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 22.69 last year was fourth best among qualifying power forwards and 11th best in the entire NBA. He’s an outstanding finisher around the rim, shooting 67 percent from up close last season according to Hoopdata. He’s not too shabby away from the rim either, shooting 54 percent from 10-feet and in, 44 percent from 10-15 feet and 42 percent from 16-23 feet, all amongst the top percentages for a PF. And for someone who is so effective at the rim, his 77 percent from the free throw line last season is good enough. The presence of Stoudemire helped turn Robin Lopez, Phoenix’s Center, into an effective player in the middle. Imagine what it would mean for Brook Lopez, the superior twin in the family. Finally, you also have to like his performance in game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers – a must win for the Suns: 42 points on 14-22 shooting.
Damion James Can Help Defensively Right Away
Jun 29, 2010 Damion James, Film Session
When the Nets traded their two late draft picks in the NBA Draft last week a lot of people were left scratching their head. The Nets gave up a chance at getting a shooter or a point guard to trade and get a guy like Damion James. I think most Nets’ fans were reacting at the trade of the picks rather than James himself, and I was in the same boat.
After taking a few days to watch Damion James’ play, I gotta say, I understand why Avery Johnson said the Nets had him 12-13 on their big board. James brings toughness and attitude, which is exactly what the Nets lacked last year. In a chat a few days ago Rob Mahoney from TheTwoManGame (TrueHoop’s Mavericks Blog) told me James is a perfect Avery Johnson type player. He should know, in addition to covering the Mavericks (the team Avery Johnson had his first coaching stint with) he goes to Texas University so he has been able to see James in action up close.
After getting my hands on some of Texas’ games and watching them, I am totally convinced that Damion James will be able to contribute right away. More specifically, he will be able to help turn the Nets into a better team defensively. Here’s how:
Chasing Shooters
Throughout the playoffs this year, we saw how important defending a shooter running off of screens. The Miami Heat did a poor job of it, and they allowed Ray Allen to go off, losing the series. The Lakers did a very good job of it (except for game two), and they were able to keep Allen in check which was part of the reason they were able to win the championship. Here is James doing the same thing defensively.
After watching Damion James work through screens off of the ball, I would totally be willing to have James on the court defending the opponent’s best shooter. Working through screens off the ball is sheer want to, and it seems like James wants to do it real bad. Look at where he makes is man (Xavier Henry) catch the ball, initially it is a good 35-40 feet away from the basket. He forces his man to give the ball up, but his job isn’t done. Henry goes to the post and then comes off of a downscreen set by Cole Aldrich. James is able to fight through it and contest Henry’s three pointer.
Nets FA Targets: Rudy Gay
Jun 29, 2010 2010 Free Agents
Rudy Gay
Age: 23
Height: 6-8
Position: SF
Key 2009-10 Stats: 19.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 16.3 PER
What to Like About Rudy Gay: The Nets were one of the worst offensive teams in the league last year and Rudy Gay brings scoring punch and he brings it to a position (small forward) that the organization is desperate to fill this off-season. His mid-range offensive game is fantastic for the position. He shot 48.3 percent from 10-15 feet according to Hoopdata, which would place Gay third among SFs who played in 40+ games and averaged 20+ minutes per game last season. He finished in the top 20 (18th) in scoring last season and his 16.3 Player Efficiency Rating (PER), ranked him 10th among all SFs in the league, according to ESPN’s John Hollinger. Despite getting hammered before last season for his lack of defensive effort, those numbers weren’t that bad in 2009-10. Opposing SFs put up a PER of 16.2 when Gay was on the floor and the Grizzlie’s defense let up .2 points more per 100 possessions when Gay was off the court. The bottom line on Gay is that he is young and athletic and wouldn’t even be 30 by the time his presumed contract expired.