The 2011-12 New Jersey Nets season kicks off in a little over five hours. Here’s what we do know.
The points
The Nets boast, at worst, the third-best point guard in the league in Deron Williams, and two quality backups behind him. No one will argue that Jordan Farmar and Sundiata Gaines are starters, but as your second and third point guards, they add up to a deep point guard slot.
Despite his wrist injury last season, Deron put up averages of 20 points & 10 assists for the first time in his career. He’s the catalyst of the franchise’s offense, its de facto leader, and the unofficial assistant to the assistant GM. At full health, he’s a top-10 player in the NBA.
The Nets ran a fair amount of sets with two point guards, though they’ve bolstered the wings enough to temper that possibility going forward. With Deron likely playing anywhere from 35-40 minutes each night, both Farmar and Gaines are both expendable should the Nets seek a trade or buyout.
Drafted: 2nd round, 37th overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2001
High School: Cem Sultan in Gazicilar Bursa, Turkey
Salary: $10,890,000
Per Game Statistics
Totals
617
29.1
.460
.377
.797
7.1
1.7
0.5
0.7
13.7
Year
Age
G
MP
FG%
3P%
FT%
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
2002-03
23
72
19.0
.426
.339
.733
4.7
1.0
0.3
0.5
6.9
2003-04
24
71
22.3
.463
.375
.775
5.9
1.0
0.5
0.9
9.6
2004-05
25
82
28.5
.468
.270
.850
7.5
2.0
0.4
0.8
12.9
2005-06
26
82
35.9
.460
.342
.780
9.1
2.4
0.5
0.9
18.0
2006-07
27
80
33.3
.462
.384
.765
7.2
2.0
0.5
0.5
17.6
2007-08
28
72
33.2
.445
.388
.804
7.7
2.0
0.8
0.4
14.5
2008-09
29
72
33.5
.485
.446
.817
7.7
1.7
0.8
0.7
17.0
2009-10
30
73
29.4
.458
.385
.820
7.1
1.6
0.5
1.1
13.5
2010-11
31
13
12.9
.355
.313
.750
2.3
1.5
0.3
0.3
4.9
Per 36 Minutes
Totals
6.0
13.0
2.5
6.2
8.7
2.1
0.6
0.9
1.9
16.9
Year
Age
FG
FGA
ORB
DRB
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PTS
2002-03
23
4.7
11.1
3.1
5.7
8.8
1.9
0.7
1.0
1.7
13.0
2003-04
24
5.7
12.3
3.6
5.9
9.6
1.6
0.8
1.4
2.3
15.5
2004-05
25
5.5
11.8
3.0
6.6
9.6
2.6
0.5
1.1
2.2
16.5
2005-06
26
6.3
13.8
2.6
6.5
9.1
2.4
0.5
0.9
2.0
18.0
2006-07
27
6.6
14.3
2.2
5.7
7.8
2.1
0.5
0.5
1.7
19.0
2007-08
28
5.6
12.7
2.0
6.4
8.4
2.2
0.8
0.4
1.6
15.8
2008-09
29
6.4
13.3
1.9
6.5
8.3
1.8
0.8
0.8
2.0
18.3
2009-10
30
5.9
13.0
2.2
6.4
8.6
2.0
0.6
1.4
2.1
16.6
2010-11
31
4.7
13.3
1.9
4.5
6.4
4.1
0.9
0.9
1.5
13.7
Advanced Stats
Totals
17.3
.560
14.6
10.1
0.9
2.0
11.4
21.6
113
105
Age
PER
TS%
TRB%
AST%
STL%
BLK%
TOV%
USG%
ORtg
DRtg
23
14.8
.514
14.5
9.5
1.0
2.1
12.1
19.3
106
99
24
18.3
.538
15.4
8.2
1.2
3.0
13.7
21.7
107
95
25
18.9
.569
16.6
12.8
0.8
2.5
13.2
21.3
115
108
26
19.0
.554
15.4
12.8
0.7
2.1
10.9
23.5
113
106
27
18.1
.571
13.2
9.9
0.7
1.2
9.2
22.8
117
108
28
15.2
.556
14.2
9.0
1.2
1.0
9.9
19.6
114
107
29
17.5
.592
13.8
8.1
1.2
1.7
11.3
21.7
115
107
30
15.6
.561
14.2
8.5
0.9
3.0
12.6
21.0
109
104
31
12.6
.452
10.8
17.7
1.3
1.9
9.0
21.2
102
111
Offense: Offensively, Okur’s game is actually pretty similar to Brook Lopez’s, with just a bit more range. Okur has a nice shot behind the arc (career 38% from there) and up around the key. Like Lopez, Okur isn’t as strong in the post as he probably could be. He prefers mid-range to outside jumpers and takes the majority of his shots from that area. If he stays healthy, Okur’s scoring numbers should go up, potentially to the point of his All-Star years. Kris Humphries simply isn’t a strong scorer and Okur will have to immediately replace Brook’s production. I think the former Jazz center will be the guy to carry that load. Read more…
Drafted: 1st round, 3rd overall by the Utah Jazz in 2005
College: The University of Illnois at Urbana-Champaign
2011-12 salary: $16,359,805
Per Game Statistics
Totals
451
35.7
.463
.355
.808
3.2
9.2
1.1
0.2
17.2
Note: years played with the Nets in bold.
Year
Age
G
MP
FG%
3P%
FT%
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
2005-06
21
80
28.8
.421
.416
.704
2.4
4.5
0.8
0.2
10.8
2006-07
22
80
36.9
.456
.322
.767
3.3
9.3
1.0
0.2
16.2
2007-08
23
82
37.3
.507
.395
.803
3.0
10.5
1.1
0.3
18.8
2008-09
24
68
36.8
.471
.310
.849
2.9
10.7
1.1
0.3
19.4
2009-10
25
76
36.9
.469
.371
.801
4.0
10.5
1.3
0.2
18.7
2010-11
26
65
37.9
.439
.331
.845
4.0
10.3
1.2
0.2
20.1
2010-11 (NJ)
26
12
38.0
.349
.271
.793
4.6
12.8
1.3
0.3
15.0
Per 36 Minutes
Totals
6.2
13.5
1.2
3.3
3.3
9.3
1.1
0.2
3.1
17.4
Note: years played with the Nets in bold.
Year
Age
FG
FGA
3P
3PA
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PTS
2005-06
21
5.3
12.6
1.4
3.4
3.0
5.6
0.9
0.3
2.3
13.5
2006-07
22
6.0
13.2
1.0
3.1
3.3
9.1
1.0
0.2
3.0
15.8
2007-08
23
6.7
13.1
1.0
2.5
2.9
10.1
1.1
0.3
3.3
18.2
2008-09
24
6.7
14.1
1.0
3.2
2.8
10.4
1.0
0.3
3.3
19.0
2009-10
25
6.3
13.5
1.2
3.3
3.9
10.3
1.2
0.2
3.2
18.2
2010-11
26
6.3
14.2
1.5
4.6
3.8
9.7
1.2
0.2
3.4
19.1
2010-11 (NJ)
26
4.7
13.3
1.3
4.7
4.3
12.1
1.2
0.2
3.4
14.2
Advanced Stats
Totals
19.0
.560
5.5
42.2
1.5
0.5
16.6
23.3
114
110
Note: Age played with Nets in bold.
Age
PER
TS%
TRB%
AST%
STL%
BLK%
TOV%
USG%
ORtg
DRtg
21
12.4
.500
5.1
28.6
1.4
0.6
14.4
20.3
103
110
22
17.1
.535
5.5
41.6
1.4
0.4
16.9
22.2
111
110
23
20.8
.595
4.9
43.6
1.5
0.6
17.7
23.1
118
110
24
21.1
.573
4.6
47.8
1.5
0.6
16.5
14.7
116
111
25
20.6
.574
6.4
44.5
1.8
0.5
16.9
23.8
116
107
26
21.1
.566
6.3
45.9
1.7
0.5
16.6
25.8
114
112
26 (NJ)
17.0
.463
7.1
55.9
1.8
0.5
18.1
24.2
103
110
Offense: Deron Williams is one of the most offensively dangerous players in the game, for a number of reasons. One reason is that he’s a natural scorer, something that he developed being an off-guard for most of his pre-NBA years. His career scoring average is 17.2, but it’s probably going to go up, as he now has more freedom to freelance and control sets, something that was not much of an option when he played for the grizzled Jerry Sloan in Utah. Having averaged a career-high 20.1 points per game in 2011, it’s likely that Williams will increase that in a “full” season with New Jersey. Read more…
As the season draws nearer, as does our need to improve our blog’s ranks with great writers. The latest? Chris Hooker. Here’s a little about him:
Chris Hooker is currently a junior at Susquehanna University, located near Amish country Pennsylvania, with a major in creative writing. He grew up in Livonia, New York, a small suburb outside of Rochester. He’s been a diehard New Jersey Nets fan since he discovered them on the YES Network during the first year of the Jason Kidd era, and has continued following the team closely since then. More recently, the days of “The Decision,” the Melodrama and the Dwightmare have all taken a difficult toll on Chris’ social and academic life.
Before joining Nets Are Scorching, Chris published both fiction and nonfiction in the Eunoia Review and, wrote sports columns at the sports site BareKnucks. Despite his love of writing fiction and memoir, sportswriting has always been his goal. Nets are Scorching is Chris’s first chance to get his foot in the door with real basketball analysis and opinions that don’t result in brutal arguments with his friends. You can follow him on Twitter @chrishooker9.
Join me in welcoming Chris to the NAS crew. You’ll see his writing here in the days, weeks, months, et al to come.
According to the Springfield Armor, the New Jersey Nets D-League affiliate, it was announced yesterday that Armor forward Dennis Horner made the opening day roster.
Horner played in three games in the D-League with Springfield. The 6-foot-9 former NC State star averaged 15 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Springfield had four players attend NBA training camps this past week. Center Jeff Foote was invited to Portland, while guards JamesOn Curry and Jerry Smith joined Horner in New Jersey. Foote, Curry, and Smith are all back with the Armor (6-4).
Horner is the second Armor player in history to be called up to the NBA, and the first under the hybrid Nets-Armor affiliation.
Drafted: 1st round, 26th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006
College: The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
2011-12 salary: $4,000,000
Per Game Statistics
Totals
374
19.4
.421
.359
.698
1.9
2.7
0.8
0.1
7.4
Note: years with the Nets marked in bold.
Year
Age
G
MP
FG%
3P%
FT%
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
2006-07
20
72
15.1
.422
.328
.711
1.7
1.9
0.6
0.1
4.4
2007-08
21
82
20.6
.461
.371
.679
2.2
2.7
0.9
0.1
9.1
2008-09
22
65
18.3
.391
.336
.584
1.8
2.4
0.9
0.2
6.4
2009-10
23
82
18.0
.435
.376
.671
1.6
1.5
0.6
0.1
7.2
2010-11
24
73
24.6
.392
.359
.820
2.4
5.0
0.8
0.1
9.6
Per 36 Minutes
Totals
5.2
12.4
2.0
5.6
3.6
5.0
1.5
0.2
2.4
13.8
Note: years with the Nets marked in bold.
Year
Age
FG
FGA
3P
3PA
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PTS
2006-07
20
4.1
9.7
1.5
4.5
3.9
4.5
1.5
0.2
2.4
10.6
2007-08
21
6.2
13.4
2.4
6.5
3.9
4.8
1.6
0.1
2.3
16.0
2008-09
22
4.9
12.4
1.5
4.4
3.5
4.7
1.7
0.3
2.6
12.6
2009-10
23
5.5
12.6
2.1
5.6
3.2
3.1
1.3
0.3
1.8
14.4
2010-11
24
5.1
13.0
2.2
6.1
3.5
7.4
1.2
0.1
2.8
14.1
Advanced Stats
Totals
12.8
.520
5.7
22.1
2.1
0.4
15.2
19.5
103
108
Note: Years with the Nets marked in bold.
Age
PER
TS%
TRB%
AST%
STL%
BLK%
TOV%
USG%
ORtg
DRtg
20
10.8
.515
6.4
19.0
2.1
0.5
19.0
15.8
99
110
21
15.4
.563
6.0
20.5
2.3
0.2
14.0
20.2
109
107
22
9.9
.466
5.5
18.6
2.4
0.6
16.3
19.6
95
106
23
12.3
.535
5.0
13.4
1.8
0.6
11.5
19.0
105
106
24
14.1
.504
5.7
34.9
1.8
0.3
16.7
21.6
102
111
Offense: Jordan Farmar isn’t a bad player, and has discernible talent. But between early inexperience and missed opportunities to capitalize on keeping the spotlight, Farmar has yet to meet the expectations that were first placed upon him during his second season in the league, a minor breakout year while playing for the L.A. Lakers. Read more…
Drafted: 1st round, 25th overall by the New Jersey Nets in 2011
College: Providence
2011-12 salary: $1,110,120 (approximate)
No NBA Stats
Offense: MarShon Brooks predicated his stellar senior season on his multifaceted offensive game, one that scoring-sapped Providence rode night in and night out. Brooks scored in double figures in each game of his senior year, and scored over 32% of his team’s total point output. Brooks confidence on the offensive end is palpable — at Providence, he played as if he could make any shot, any time. Read more…
