At PF, Can the Nets Live with Kris Humphries?
by Mark Ginocchio
Jul 21, 2010 Hump Day, Kris Humphries
With all this talk lately about the Nets needing to trade for a Power Forward, I’ve started thinking more about the merits of just sticking with Kris Humphries to start the season, especially if the ultimate goal for the Nets is to play their starting four for 20-25 minutes a game, while bringing along Derrick Favors. Without even considering his stats, I can conclude that sticking with Hump nets the organization two positives: it eliminates their need to move any worthwhile assets for a stopgap and it keeps the Nets at their current, super-flexible, cap zone. What it doesn’t do is address the current logjam at SG and SF due to the acquisitions of Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow and Damion James. Given that Avery Johnson has reportedly been very involved in the front office since being named head coach, I believe these three guys wouldn’t have been imported if they weren’t expected to be part of the rotation immediately – meaning that either Courtney Lee or Terrence Williams is getting relegated to the bench or shipped out of town.
But back to Hump. What the Nets have in Kris Humphries, is, from a statistical perspective, a league average player who is very affordable and only under contract for one more year. His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 15.1, is the epitome of average based on ESPN’s John Hollinger’s metrics and given he accomplished that while logging about 20.6 minutes a night in New Jersey last season, there’s no reason to believe he can’t replicate those overall numbers in the role of Derrick Favors’ caddy.
What the Nets also have in Hump is a very strong rebounder – something the front office has repeatedly said they desired to have alongside Brook Lopez in the frontcourt. His rebound rate of 17.8 was good for 22nd in the entire league, better than a lot of other PFs including Chris Bosh (17.7), Udonis Haslem (17.0) and Louis Amundson (16.7), who have all be linked to the Nets in various capacities. Meanwhile, his turnover ratio of 6.2 is exceptional for a PF, which means he’s very likely to hold on to most of the rebounds he corrals.
Where Hump’s game is deficient is on the offensive end, namely as a shooter. Bottom line if Hump is ever going to be a regular rotation guy in the NBA, he has to learn to resist the jumper. About 58 percent of all of his field goal attempts were jumpers, according to 82games, good for an eFG of 37 percent. That’s just not going to cut it. There’s also some questions about Hump’s defense, though you hope now that the Nets have a coach who actually stresses defense, those issues become less noticeable.
So while Hump is not the ideal starting PF for the Nets, the organization could do far worse. It’s a proposition I’m not entirely comfortable with, but I’m more comfortable with that rather than trading Williams, Lee or draft picks, for someone who will give you the same or less production.
July 21st, 2010 at 9:09 AM
once again signing kurt thomas would be the perfect fit for the nets, and could serve as a mentor to favors i dont understand whats stopping the nets from making this happen
July 21st, 2010 at 9:16 AM
I’m with you on the pf. I’d be sorry to see Lee or Willaism go I think they can both do a lot the new people brought in can’t.
July 21st, 2010 at 9:25 AM
If Favors isn’t already better than Hump, we’re in real trouble… Seriously though, Hump would be a fine stop-gap measure if you could somehow get him to STOP JACKING UP SHOTS EVERY TIME HE GETS THE BALL!! Sorry for the caps, but that guy really pisses me off. The whole offense stops every time he touches the ball because everyone knows he’s going to turn and clank one off the rim. If AJ can somehow get him to just distribute the ball on offense, we’d be fine.
July 21st, 2010 at 9:28 AM
Hump really isn’t bad. He himself is only 25 as well. If we can get him to lay off the jumper and look for an extra pass, I think we can live with him.
There are 48 minutes of basketball in a game. If we play Hump for 20-25, Favors for 12-18 (at least early), that eats up 38 of the 48 minutes, well enough.
We can still play Outlaw and James at the 4 to make up for another 10 minutes a game. As Favors develops we cut down on that.
Outlaw is 6-9, 207 lbs. James is 6-7, 230 lbs. Hump is 6-9, 235 lbs.
The problem is weight. Power Forwards in the league are usually 245 lbs to 265 lbs. So our rotation is routinely giving up a lot of weight. I think we might have to consider giving Petro a few minutes at the 4 against guys too.
If we bring in anybody we should look at Kwame Brown for the league minimum, or Josh Boone, or Sean May. Just to give us the option of a little bit of weight up front to handle front lines like the Celtics and Lakers.
But I’m in agreement a trade is a bad solution. Next years crop of PF’s is far too rich. Lee for Brandon Bass is the only one I’ve heard that I could give the benefit of the doubt to.
July 21st, 2010 at 9:34 AM
Hope that scenerio doesn’t come true.Hump is a 3rd PF off the bench. Always has been always will, regardless how we use him. And yes, there is a logjam at SG, SF…by design? I guess we’ll just have to sit back and see what Proky and King(Avery) have in mind.
July 21st, 2010 at 9:37 AM
I like the alternative Kerber mentioned the other day:
“But King echoed the need for a starting power forward, one who can produce until rookie Derrick Favors ascends to the throne. One line of thinking says the Nets should start Favors early with a veteran (a Kurt Thomas type) behind him. Then, if there is success, they could look at players in the last year of deals (Troy Murphy, Kenyon Martin if healthy) to finish the season.”
This should be the way to go, IMO.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:46 AM
Does anyone know of any glasses that will effectively block-out the PF position while watching games? If the NFL’s ‘yellow line of scrimage’ can accidentally block out portions of football players, we should be able to get something that actually does it on purpose to effectively hide bad basketball players. Just parquet right over those scrubs! =)
July 21st, 2010 at 11:06 AM
http://www.nba.com/nets/video/2010/07/15/NETSBillyKingGMCoachAvery071510m-1373811/index.html
Avery says they want a veteran guy at the PF, even if it’s not a rotation player, but someone who can be a good presence in the lockerroom.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:36 AM
OK, I heard it again and I’m not sure he was referring to the PF.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:57 AM
The Nets do not want to spend big money on a PF especially since TOutlaw can play pf part time. Favors should be starting next year if not starting the 2nd half of this year so why spend $ and waste cap space. Hump could start and get 24 mins a game leaving the rest to Favors and Outlaw or Petro in emergencies. Don’t forget DJames
July 21st, 2010 at 12:12 PM
Via John Hollinger in an April 8th Insider article about the NBA’s biggest ball-hogs:
“When a team trades you for Eduardo Najera and feels good about it, you know there might be a problem.
Humphries is a good athlete who can rebound, yet has never adjusted his worldview of his role in an offense to match the reality of his life as a 10th man in the NBA. Humphries has a TS% of just 48.9 but has matched Nocioni hoist for hoist; only five power forwards have a worse assist ratio.”
Enough said, this guy is not a team player. Kurt Thomas would be a great addition, depending on how cheap he can be had- I’m not sure the years matter too much, the veteran leadership will be a good thing for this team even if Favors is playing big minutes next season.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:14 PM
Favors will not be able to consistantly play major minutes this year IMO bc he is going to struggle with foul trouble. He needs to learn the NBA game (and probably the game in general due to his age), will get touch fouls called against him (like all rookies), and needs to gain some weight so that all the other PF’s don’t push him around.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:18 PM
If looking for a good locker room guy, I dont think Kurt Thomas is the answer. Wasnt he a major cancer in the Knicks locker room? Why bother to just get a good locker room guy. Didnt we already try that w Najera? Personally I would rather take a shot on an athletic or sharp shooting rookie than a good locker room guy. AJ, Devin, and even Brook can provide leadership and take care of the locker room.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Sadly, the longer the Nets go without addressing PF, the more likely I think it is that they re-sign Boone bc he could be the 3rd option at PF/C at the league minimum.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Couldn’t Popeye just be Favors mentor? He was a power forward after all. Mitchell could certainly be a mentor as well.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:41 PM
With a title like this, the column should just read “NO” over and over again.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:53 PM
I think the way our team is designed reminds me a little of the magic. A powerful force underneath at the center position surrounded by shooters and scorers. That’s the magic. So the formula is there, Outlaw playing the role of Rashard Lewis at times is a possibility. Hump is a good third string PF, but his role as a possible starter must be well defined, his job is to do the basics. Rebound, box out, fight for position and do the dirty work, NOT to score, protect the players who are scorers like Lopez and Harris. That was a huge problem on the Nets even with Frank and especially Kiki, the lack of clear cut roles. So Hump-de-Hump ya better Bump-de-Bump and get inside and bang with the other teams muscle and let Lopez get the glory. At first the same thing should go for Favors, get in there and work, do all the little things that make winning happen. Then in time get your game more polished and start becoming a force inside on the offense also. Right now just rebound, block shots and make going inside the paint hard for the other team not a red carpet event. The coaching staff has people now who will work with this very young group and get their games to a much higher level, I hope. I think right with the Thunder we must be the youngest team in the NBA.
July 21st, 2010 at 2:15 PM
Humphries is fine, and will be okay with stepping aside as Favors grows into a star. A more established player might not relinquish the playing time so readily. As for the abundance of wing players, keep them for injury backups or trade bait, or ship a few out for more draft picks next year.
July 21st, 2010 at 2:27 PM
yeah, keeping hump makes a lot of sense. he wasn’t too bad last year. way better than yi. i really hope travis outlaw is worth it though. it’s his signing that caused the log jam.
July 21st, 2010 at 2:40 PM
Is it just me or does it seem like Brook could take the role of a leader whether he likes it or not the young guys will probably look up to him since hes still young but hes so good, he just needs to become more mature and control his temper. Right now Brook is the first banana and when your the first banana you get respect from your teammates, so Brook could definitely Lead this team
July 21st, 2010 at 2:46 PM
i dont understand the idea of trading twill or even clee for a power forward for right now, while we have a guy whos our 3RD OVERALL PICK to play pf. theres no point in giving away talent/potential for someone whos not going to be a factor in a year,
July 21st, 2010 at 3:33 PM
With Hump’s PER at the league average, you have to look at any trade and ask, is what we’re giving up worth the difference between a league average power forward and what we get back.
My sense of Hump is that he plays hard and physical. He’s a very strong kid, who rebounds well, looks to dunk everything near the rim, and is tough enough that he’s not afraid to stick his nose in anywhere. I don’t know why people hate on the guy. He’s blue collar.
Could he pass more and shoot less? Yes. Could he be more athletic? Yes. But that’s why he’s not a long-term answer. Still, to give up something of real value to replace him, whomever we bring in would have to be a truly above average talent, at a position that we’re hoping to hand over to Favors as soon as possible.
July 21st, 2010 at 3:45 PM
id be fine with letting Kris be the starter if its only for a maximum of 25 mins a night. he should get 20 mins a game and he will be fine. i like that better then wasting an asset for a guy who is SLIGHTLY better then Kris. Favors gets the rest of the time and if both get into foul trouble we have Petro, Outlaw, and James. “Log Jam at the wing positions”? i dont get that. we have 6 players who are considered wing players. Ross, Twill, CLee, Morrow, Outlaw, and James. Sorry Ross but ur not going to play unless avery is punishing one of the other guys or one or two of the others are injured. so now we have 5 wing players who need playing time at 2 positions. so thats 48 SG mins and 48 SF mins. 96 mins (plus about 5 to 10 when we go small and put outlaw or James at the PF) for 5 guys. i say that Twill is our starting SG and Outlaw is our starting SF. so both should get combined 50- 60 mins a game. now we have 46-51 mins left for Clee, Morrow, and James. CLee is probably the 1st SG off the bench since AJ likes him a lot so he can get about 18 mins a game.so we have 28-33 left. then James is our Backup SF and he gets about 16 mins a game. so that leaves Morrow with about 12 to 17 mins a game playin a little bit of both wing positions as avery said he could. This is really for the beginning of the season so as the games go on Avery chooses who to give slightly more mins to and who to give less mins to. all guys can play and bring different things to the game so IMO this is a luxury not a Jam.
July 21st, 2010 at 3:51 PM
Agree with JDoc lee for bass is the only trade that makes any sense. I like landry but not for TWill
July 21st, 2010 at 4:19 PM
The reason Humphries shoots all the time is almost certainly because he knows most GMs pay on the basis of ppg, not PER or WARP or PAWS or any other more useful stat. If he has a coach who makes it clear that his chucking will put him on the bench, costing him minutes and points, he’ll be fine.
July 21st, 2010 at 5:12 PM
He probably shoots a lot because he’s left wide open a lot , especially when the shot clock running down. It’s not like the offense runs through him and he refuses to pass.
July 21st, 2010 at 5:14 PM
Might as well use Hump and force feed Favors. Trading T-will for a stop gap measure is not wise. Stick Outlaw and James in there also. What the hell, we played Yi and Hassel at PF last year. This year will be an other rebuilding year. Wait for the right move, not the desperation move. One day we will get our PF, and his name better be Derrick
July 21st, 2010 at 5:14 PM
All these issues are fiaxable by a good coach.
July 21st, 2010 at 5:51 PM
A good coach won’t make that much difference. Players make the ultimate difference in the NBA. We bet the ranch on Favors and he must deliver. Unless Lopez becomes a dominant impact player, or somebody else steps forward, Favors has to be the “man”. NBA championships are won by mega talented players with good coaching, not the other way around. Sure we can play .500 and make the playoffs if everything goes great, but to be real contenders takes more then that. It takes stars. Welcome to the NBA. Hope you enjoy the ride, newbies. If we win 30 games with this lineup, that would be something.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:20 PM
I strongly disagree, Mike. A great coach can make a great impact. A terrible coach can have a HORRIBLE impact.
See: Larry Brown (‘04 Pistons, anyone?) and Don Nelson.
Get players to commit to defense and play smart. If not, pull them. “Good coaches” who let their players run and showcase their weaknesses (with the exception of maybe Zen Masta Phil), aren’t “good” at all.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:59 PM
CLee for Ryan Anderson!
July 21st, 2010 at 7:08 PM
C.Lee for Yi!
July 21st, 2010 at 7:14 PM
Proky is an amateur. So far we have AJ + Billy King. If these two guys where worth anything… we wouldn’t have been able to get them! Morrow, Outlaw, Farmar, and whoever. Gimme a break. Sure I could say all the things you want to hear…. but I respect you to much to do that. “One for my baby, and one for the road… and it’s a long, long road”…
July 21st, 2010 at 7:35 PM
nope
July 21st, 2010 at 7:36 PM
Nets are going to be horrible
July 21st, 2010 at 7:50 PM
Now your talking, and don’t worry about the log jam they will be running this year so they going to be subbing players the 3 and 2 spot out all game long..
Avery told me Pressing, Turnovers, Quick buckets.. can you say Dallas of the East Coast.
July 21st, 2010 at 7:59 PM
The bloom is off the rose. Me thinks Nets fans are starting to realze what is “to be and not to be”. Poor management = poor results. Thorn had his plush job and now it’s gone. Proky knows nothing about basketball and hopefully he learns… keep making the wrong choices and surprise! What do you get? You’ve got it! The Nets might still be the worse team in basketball next year.
July 21st, 2010 at 8:28 PM
We might win 25 games next year and be in worse shape the we were this year. Amazing but true… The Knicks look better then we do. And we all know the reason why! Play it safe, yeah that’s the answer…
July 21st, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Are you guys Net fans?
July 21st, 2010 at 9:10 PM
More then you will ever be. Sure I could tell you everythinhg will be just fine. That would be a lie. You want to hear lies. Turn on the evening news… Wake up and smell he coffee. The Nets screwed up big time. But hey… everything is just great!
July 21st, 2010 at 9:26 PM
I love the Nets but I agree with Mike.Proky is full of it.He promised something special and how the Nets were going to make the playoffs the 1st year.I would rather see them not sign anyone at all and try to get the 1st pick than sign 4 guys who would be on the bench for most teams.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:21 PM
You guys are lame and don’t know enough about basketball to really suggest the Nets are going to be horrible. They will not be horrible-not even close.
_
Also, everyone needs to stop trolling. If you are bored go outside, get some fresh air. Stop your negative rant. On one end we have Big Daddy who is mostly optimistic, thats GOOD. On the other end we have people who are totally pessimistic, no not realistic, pessimistic, this is bad for the rest of us who are actually excited about this upcoming season.
_
By the way, Chris Paul has finally publicly stated tonight that he wants OUT of New Orleans. Now, the Nets are one of only a few teams that have the assets to acquire him. So, for all you HATERS you have something to look forward to. But let me remind you that we are only in a position to make THIS kind of move because of our current roster and assets. Right now we are not a championship team, but for those of you who have no vision or ability to see how could we could be listen up, WE HAVE THE OPTIONS TO BE. So shut up or get off this site. Enough internet trolling.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:48 PM
Thanks gabe, but we need guys like LJ23 and Mike to provide the opposite spectrum. So long as they stay within boundary (aka, they don’t start attacking and insulting people), I welcome their insight.
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So…while we’re on the topic, let’s go CP3 trade possibilities. The report is that the Nets aren’t an option, but let’s say it was! Devo + 2 draft picks + Favors (wait until Aug 17) + Lee for Okafor + CP3? Unloads tons of salary for the Hornets and gets a project (Favors) so they don’t have to resign West either. They will then have Collison, Devo, Lee, and Favors as building blocks for the future + draft picks. Meanwhile, we get CP3 and Okafor’s terrible contract….yeah actually I don’t even like that..
July 21st, 2010 at 10:55 PM
It’s funny how many posts say if only Hump wouldn’t jack up so many shots, but to be any good a team needs to have guys that can hit the open shot. After all open shots are not east to come by.
We need to add a PF that can make an open shot, like Kurt Thomas.
At least then we’s have three players (Morrow, Outlaw and Thomas) who could hit an open shot. Harris, Lee, Hump and TWill proved to be awful in this regard. Playing TWill at PG and having him and Brook (when doubled) distributing to these three guys would look pretty good. DJames may be another guy who could hit an open shot as well from what I’ve seen.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:12 PM
CP3 will end up in Charlotte or with the Knicks, but it’s nice to dream. Even without CP3, other than Lopez we don’t have a player that could crack their starting lineup or an expiring contract that would inspire them.
TWill still has the potential to be amoung the top five PG’s in the eastern conference after Rondo, Rose and Jennings. He’s going to have to play well to stay ahead of Wall, Calderon and Holiday tho.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:12 PM
Geeze, with fans like you guys who needs rivals?
The Nets have played exactly 0 games under Avery Johnson, Proky, and King. Championships are not won on paper.
The Spurs of the last decade had one superstar big man in Tim Duncan, and a bunch of great role players. They were a Dynasty.
Didn’t Avery play for that team? Wait yea, yea he did.
Let’s make some comparisons shall we?
Nazr Mohammed vs Brook Lopez: Easy Edge to Brook. Be honest with yourself. How many Centers in the league today would you trade Brook for straight up?
Tim Duncan vs Derrick Favors: This comparisson is obviously a joke right now, but Proky said a contender within 5 years. 5 years from now, Favors may be a very dominant big just like Duncan was.
Bruce Bowen vs C-Lee: Defense matters. Bowen was an excellent perimeter defender. So is Lee, and again keep the 5 year window in mind.
Manu vs T-Will: Again give some time for the kid to develop, but Ginobli is a slasher and a passer. Not a shooter. Who does that remind you of?
Tony Parker vs Devin Harris: Parker is the better player, but again. What he did well was facilitate points. Harris is still a good PG. It’s not a bad place to start.
Bench:
Brent Barry vs Anthony Morrow: Shooter? Check!
Robert Horry vs Travis Outlaw: Mr. Big Shot? Check!
Devin Brown vs Jordan Farmar: I’ll take our back PG.
Glen Robinson vs. Damian James: Robinson played 8 minutes a game. At that point of his career. James is the guy I’d rather have.
Nesterovic vs Petro: Again this is pretty close. Nester averaged 6 points, 6.5 boards, and 2 blocks in 25.5 minutes. Petro can get close to the points and boards per minute. And our starter is better.
Sean Marks vs Hump: Hump wins this one in a landslide.
Udrih vs Quinton Ross: At this point who cares?
Massenberg vs TBD: Again who cares?
The bottom line is the Spurs were a Dynasty. We have a guy who came from that Dyansty and our team actually is comparable. Factor a couple of years for our young guys to develop. Add in draft guys like Sullinger or Kanter. Add in next years crop of FA’s to fill out the PF depth like Nene.
We can have a damn good team on our hands very soon.
As for this year. Proky said we’d compete for the playoffs. That means 42 wins. I think this team has a shot at that. We’re significantly better at every position. EVERY POSITION. We have a better coach. Better bench. Better arena.
So take the 12 games we won last year and throw them out. My expectation is 35 wins for the Nets. That’s not factoring in a mid season trade that ships out Ross for a guy like Brandon Bass.
This is a better team than you guys are giving credit for. There is plenty to be excited about. Now quit pouting like a bunch of sorry losers.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:22 PM
Regarding CP3. I’ll be surprised if Charlotte doesn’t land him. I’d be surprised if the Knicks did. They just signed Felton. How many guys get traded before they even put on the Jersey? That’d be nuts.
Regarding our chances. I’d love to see CP3 in a Nets uniform, but it all depends in what we give up. I’m really excited about the guys we have. I want to see where they are a year from now. I’m not saying any of them will be better than CP3 and we should most definitely be asking. But if CP3 ends up in Charlotte, I’m not calling it a failure.
I don’t even thing Free Agency was a failure. We wanted Lebron, Wade, or Bosh. Miami and chump character won out. We weren’t in this market for Carlos Boozer.
We’ll see what we can pull off for CP3. That guy will be great for the Nets, great for the community, and great for the move to Brooklyn. I don’t know if their is a player I like more than him. I just hope netting him doesn’t leave the cuppard bare.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:27 PM
I love Chris Paul! Coolest Player in the NBA.
Best Carolina Product since Jordan. (and I mean home grown, not UNC).
July 22nd, 2010 at 12:06 AM
I sure hope Avery doesn’t read this blog….he might have a stroke before the season even starts…..
July 22nd, 2010 at 12:36 AM
@Everyone.
We don’t reall know how the nets are going to be this comming season. We know we didn’t sign major impact players do don’t expect too much. By mip’s I mean all star talent. Like I’ve said many time the team would improve a lot with better roleplayers and a real coach with a system. Now we could surprise people, we could be really bad. Or somewhere in between which my guess (in the lines of 30 games).
But at this point its too far away to tell.
July 22nd, 2010 at 3:23 AM
i agree with gabe with everything except the chris paul stuff. i agree we have the assets but we simply dont have a big name that will turn cp’s head to our direction. i mean we can try to lure josh howard to the nets and trade courtney lee for a pf or sign shelden williams to a minimum (i think he’s the only decent fa out there right now). but all in all i like where the nets are heading and who knows? this season might be full of surprises.
July 22nd, 2010 at 5:11 AM
This team has players that are all 25 or under, our star is all of 22 and future star 19. Who knows what we’ll get this season and the next few. I think we will be much, much better. Look at what Oklahoma has done, we’re doing the same thing. Some of the players have to improve, it’s the law of averages and the better players will get more minutes. All this negative stuff is baseless and just whining fans. We had a great team a few years ago and a cheap owner. So we tore it apart and are in the process of rebuilding. Big deal….most teams have to do that. We are moving to a new modern Arena IN Brooklyn, New York City. Everything is looking good, what’s the problem? Oh I see y’all want instant gratification like little children, we didn’t get lebron, we didn’t get wade, we didn’t get Bosh…boo hoo hoo wah wah wah. That’s NOT the way the real world works. Maturity is looking at a situation from a realistic standpoint. NO free agent wants to come here NOW…..once we’re in New York and the team is winning they will. That’s why it’s crucial to keep cap space and flexibility and continue to acquire assets. If y’all understood that basic principle you would see what a great job this team has done under Prokhorov and Avery Johnson with the help of Thorn. This team will be much better and when the time comes we will be able to sign that great free agent or 2. But if we keep drafting well we might end up with a few of our own and not have to sign someone else’s, which is even better. NOT one game has been played and so called fans are crying. I can see if by the all star break things haven’t gone well to be a little upset. But we won 12 games last season anything will be an improvement. Little steps in the right direction is the best way to go. Lopez is a 20/10 guy with a better cast around him. Favors is a potential beast, the rest of the roster are all young athletic players who will improve, plus we have a coach who has a vision and a plan of action. Things look good from were I’m sitting. Some people don’t know when they have a good thing in life, they just are negative people who are never happy or satisfied, that’s a HUGE problem in our society. Enjoy watching this team grow, suffer through the growing pains and watch a victorious team develop.
July 22nd, 2010 at 6:00 AM
If Nets get CP3 maybe they will have a shot at the playoffs. But the team right now will win 20-25 games. The Knicks are also horrible they lost a good PF and gained a good PF so how did they improve?
July 22nd, 2010 at 8:17 AM
I’m saying 25-30, as the the team is currently configured. Add a decent player, up to 40. Of course you never know about injuries..it may even bring the Heat down to earth.
July 22nd, 2010 at 11:17 AM
@ LJ23 The Knicks did not improve all that much and that’s going to be a disaster there. I can’t wait to play them and beat their the hell out of them at their own game.
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:13 PM
There PF is a littl better. They improve the supporting cast a little bit with Felton etc. I still don’t think they make the playoffs. Also Amare’s production will go down with out Steve Nash. His best years are behind him already he’ll still be good for another few years but his game is very reliant on athletisim. If the knicks can’t put anyone around him the next two to three years while he’s still playing at an all star level they’ll be screwed. Either way when his play had gone down hill a lot in 3 years that contract is going to be a nightmare. Players with injury histories and that relly on athetisim usually don’t age as well as others.
July 23rd, 2010 at 11:55 PM
Nets need to be patient like Oklahoma Thunder and build through the draft, keep their caproom, and don’t do anything stupid and overpay players. I am a huge Nets fan and I am fine with them making decent/moderate progress each season going forward until they end up in Brooklyn. Everyone knows they really were not as bad as a 12 win team last year, but the boat load of injuries at the beginning of the season, the losing streak started and no team wanted to be the first to lose to them and played like it was the 7th game of the championship every night, and then having no competant coaching alone for the last 60 games cost them close to 10 wins alone. They should win about 28-32 games this year as long as Avery just makes them play defense. Then another offseason to draft good players and add free agents.