Nets Of the Round Table X: Melo, Shaq, Lottery No More
Aug 6, 2010 2010 Free Agents, 2010 Offseason, Free Agents, Nets of the Round Table
Obviously, this is a New Jersey Nets blog, however, the NAS crew absolutely love the NBA in general. So, every week, Sebastian, Mark, Devin, and myself will answer questions regarding the L.
1) The rumor goes that Carmelo Anthony won’t sign the $65 million extension offer from the Denver Nuggets and become an unrestricted free agent next year. Of the rumored teams and teams that will have cap space, which is the best fit for Melo?
Sebastian: I am going to be biased here and say the Nets. The Nuggets just aren’t going to give Carmelo away for expiring contracts like Eddy Curry (despite what Knicks fans will try to tell you). The Nets have the most tradeable young talent, and I can see the Nets sending over Devin Harris, Terrence Williams, and picks for Carmelo. This gives the Nets a real solid front court in Brook Lopez, Derrick Favors, and Carmelo Anthony. Not too shabby.
Mark: I’m going to let the NYC media influence me and say either the Knicks or the Nets. Unless Pat Riley found a way to create more cap room for talent in South Beach, both NY-area teams will have the cash on hand to make a big push for ‘Melo and as Brooklyn native, I can see him being sold on either franchise. That’s why I think it’s important for the Nets to become a functional franchise this season because as we learned this past summer, the all-stars aren’t just looking for money… they want a good shot of winning it all.
Devin: I’d love to see him on the Nets, obviously, but I doubt he comes to Newark. Personally, I think it’s between New York and Denver. He’s spent his entire career there and he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to just skip town like that, but if he was going anywhere it would be to the Garden with Amare and potentially Chris Paul.
DV: If the Denver Nuggets go the trade route, I’d say the New Jersey Nets because they’ll probably want Melo out of the conference and the Nets have some solid supply to meet the Nuggets’ demand. If it’s a free agency situation, the Knicks because they’ll have the money after Eddy Curry comes off the books. With the Knicks, Melo would get to play in a high-scoring offense again and have a high-caliber (albeit with an injury history) big man in Amare Stoudemire and a very good point guard in Raymond Felton. Melo would fit right in.
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Nets Of the Round Table IX: Super Teams, Non-Superstars, Super Position
Jul 30, 2010 2010 Free Agents, 2010 Offseason, Nets of the Round Table
Obviously, this is a New Jersey Nets blog, however, the NAS crew absolutely love the NBA in general. So, every week, Sebastian, Mark, Devin, and myself will answer questions regarding the L.
1) The NBA has a “super team” in Miami and Chris Paul is angling to be traded to join forces with an NBA superstar to form another power team. Are these sort of teams good for the league?
Sebastian: I think with all of the talent in the league, seeing it happen to one team isn’t really a big deal. I think there are enough good teams and individuals to prevent teams like the Heat from going for 65-70 wins. With that being said, I am probably going to be sick of seeing the Heat on national television after like the first week of the season.
Mark: I’ve already been on the record as saying “no.” I’m a big fan of parity in sports and while I appreciate a team going out building a dynasty through the draft and smart trades, the idea that the NBA’s top players are colluding to play with each other is something I don’t think the league will ultimately be better for.
Devin: No. No, no, no. Before I launch into my anti-superpower tirade, I have to say that they probably make the league a lot of money, and in this instance we’re going to be privy to a lot of amazing basketball next year in Florida. They’ve got perhaps the best 1-2-3 punch in NBA history, and if CP3 goes to Orlando, we’ll have four of the top five players in the NBA (Paul, Howard, Wade, and LeBron) on two teams in the same state. Throw in Bosh, Rashard, and VC (if they don’t move him for Paul) and these battles are going to be akin to basketball warfare. They’ll be very, very fun to watch. That being said, I hate what this does for the league. As I mentioned in last week’s NORT, parity is dwindling and friendships are dominating. I don’t want NBA players to want to kill each other, or scream “F*** YOU, MAJERLE!” for no reason like Jordan did, but I would like some competitive pride. I just don’t see any when you’re conspiring to play with other superstars instead of pushing yourself to be better than them. I hope Oklahoma City wins the next four championships (the fifth, of course, to be won by New Jersey).
DV:I honestly don’t mind there being one super team in the league like the one Miami has. I think how it all went down is sketchy, but if David Stern doesn’t have a problem with it (and he usually has a problem with everything), then I guess we need to move on. I view the Heat like the New York Yankees in baseball at this point. Love them or hate them, you’re going to watch and pay attention to them. Ask yourself this question if you’re not a Miami Heat and/or LeBron James fan – do you want them to lose? I mean, not just against your team, but lose as much as possible. Or maybe in the first round of the playoffs when as the top seed in the east after they play the eighth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers? Maybe you want them to lose in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Well, the thing is, if you’re anticipating them losing in whatever manner, and the trio of LeBron, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh haven’t even played an NBA game together yet, you’re paying attention… and the NBA loves it. There’s nothing wrong with having a team that other teams’ fans hate and want to lose.
Nets Of the Round Table VII: Heat Forecast, Trade Impact, Best Value
Jul 16, 2010 2010 Free Agents, 2010 Offseason, Nets of the Round Table
Obviously, this is a New Jersey Nets blog, however, the NAS crew absolutely love the NBA in general. So, every week, Sebastian, Mark, Devin, and myself will answer questions regarding the L.
1) Since the Miami Heat locked up LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, are they automatically going to win the Eastern Conference? Who will be in the hunt for the conference?
Sebastian: I don’t know if the Heat are a lock to win the East, but they are certainly the favorites. In the playoffs I see a team like Orlando giving them trouble. A team with a big man that can do work against either Bosh or Haslem. Plus, that team can defend.
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Nets on the Net: More on the Off-Season
Jul 13, 2010 2010 Free Agents, 2010 Offseason, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn
On a day where the Nets are expected to announce their free agency pick-ups, the beat writers are taking stock in the team’s off-season. Al Iannazzone says the team hopes they can sneak into the playoffs next year if everything breaks right – though so far, in the team’s coaching search, draft lottery pick, GM position and free agency pursuit, nothing has broken right. Meanwhile, Daniel Marks, an admitted Nets fan writing for Dime, believes the Nets didn’t have such a terrible summer.
Dave D’Alessandro believes the vacant GM position is between team VP Bobby Marks and former Sixers President Billy King.
For the vacant PF position, Fred Kerber believes with Udonis Haslem off the board, the team will go the trade route or look to sign Phoenix Suns “energizer” Louis Amundson.
Nets Of the Round Table VI: Amar’e, Wade, Bosh, and That LeBron Guy
Jul 9, 2010 2010 Free Agents, 2010 Offseason, Nets of the Round Table
Obviously, this is a New Jersey Nets blog, however, the NAS crew absolutely love the NBA in general. So, every week, Sebastian, Mark, Devin, and myself will answer questions regarding the L.
Hey NAS readers, thanks for your support first of all. Second, everything will be okay. Finally, breathe. In any case, it’s been awhile since the last NORT went up on here, but we had more important things to worry about, such as pondering why only the first two-thirds of Stripes is so good and the last third so boring in comparison? Same sort of goes for Full Metal Jacket, except with the first segment in basic training versus the rest of it. Oh, and there was also the NBA Draft and Free Agency that had to put NORT on the backshelf. However, we’re back!
1) Thoughts on the Amar’e Stoudemire signing with the New York Knicks?
Sebastian: While Amar’e is on two bad knees with a bad eye, I think this is a decent signing. Before the Amar’e signing, the Knicks had Danilo Gallinari and that is about it. Amar’e brings star power and pairing him with a guy like Anthony Randolph will make the Knicks so fun to watch. Not saying they are going to make the playoffs, but with coach Mike D’Antoni running the squad, it’s going to be interesting.
I also like the Stoudemire signing because it kept the Nets from signing him. Stoudemire and Lopez together on defense is too much of a liability, and I think the Nets have a good enough core where they didn’t need to give Amar’e the max to be competitive.
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The Day After: We’re Going to be Okay Nets Fans
Jul 9, 2010 2010 Free Agents, Opinion
So who needed that LeBron guy anyway?
Now that all of the big name free agents are off the board, the Nets can get back to doing what they were supposed to be doing in the first place: rebuilding a roster. I understand that names like Travis Outlaw and Kyle Korver are not sexy choices, but they’re not bad building blocks either. All playoff contenders have good role-players like an Outlaw and Korver. Where the Nets lack right now is star power, but with some of the pieces that are already in place, maybe that point is overstated as well.
Obviously, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed in how the Nets struck out with the “big guns.” A LeBron-Bosh duo is the stuff dreams are made of, and while he has his flaws, I’ve always been bullish on David Lee and thought he could make for a scary three-man rotation frontcourt with Brook Lopez and Derrick Favors. But just because the Nets missed out on these players doesn’t mean they’re doomed to repeat as 12-win also-rans. If you remember the circumstances behind last year – an injury decimated roster in November followed by a clueless head coach in Kiki Vandweghe is an easy recipe for disaster. With new ownership that’s willing to spend, a new coach, new draft picks, and a stronger, more well-rounded bench that’s not overstuffed with expiring contracts, there’s no reason to believe this coming season will mirror last season. It’s also worth noting, HOW the Nets are rebuilding. As noted by ESPN’s Chad Ford yesterday, by spending about $20-$30 million this summer and leaving about $10 million for midseason acquisitions, the Nets are following a blueprint drawn up by the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that’s evolving into a force in the Western Conference, all through this kind of intelligent roster building.
I think if we all sit down, take a deep breath, and think long and hard about the past year, we would realize that this team is right where we expected them to be. Brining LeBron and Bosh to New Jersey was always the longest of long shots, given the competition. Amare Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer do not have project to be good long-term contracts. Rudy Gay and Joe Johnson are not max players. So why should we lose face because our best option was never realistic and the Plan B’s were all rolls of the dice?
Perhaps, many of us were caught up in the way the Nets have been selling themselves the past week. The swagger, the taunting billboards, the “leaks” of information from negotiations… maybe it all created a false sense of accomplishment. They always tell a fighter not to lead with the chin, and Team Prokhorov has certainly put it all out there, inviting a backlash. But personally, after the past six years of Bruce Ratner’s focus on real estate, rather than basketball, I welcome an owner who’s willing to take calculated risks and not be ashamed if they don’t hit the bullseye when it comes to assembling a roster.
With or without the big free agents, we are entering a new era with this organization, Nets fans. Remember, Prokhorov spoke of a five-year, not a five-week plan. Let’s also remember that there’s more to roster building than just bidding on the best guys. There may not be playoffs next season. But who knows. After watching the 2008-09 season, would you have predicted the Thunder would give the Lakers a major run for their money in the playoffs last year? It’s going to take time, but the Nets have plenty of it – or at least five years.
Nets on the Net: The King is Off His Throne
Jul 9, 2010 2010 Free Agents, LeBron James, Mikhail Prokhorov
So, how about that one-hour television special last night? Gotta give props to Jim Gray who conducted a terrific interview …. ah who am I kidding. What an egomaniacal bunch of hooey that was. I’ll have more thoughts on LeBron and the state of the Nets in a bit, but let me fill your morning cup of coffee with some links:
For starters, Mr. Prokhorov has a message for you all: “We have a vision of a championship team and need to invest wisely and for the long term. Fortunately, we have more than one plan to reach success, and, as I have found in all areas of my business, that is key to achieving it. To Nets fans past, present and future, the goal of making the playoffs this season remains intact and we reiterate our commitment to winning a championship within five years.”
Record columnist Tara Sullivan is one of many to call LeBron James cold, selfish, stupid, a poopy-head, etc.
Al Iannazzone has measured, yet critical words for Prokhorov and the “Blueprint for Greatness”: There is nothing wrong with confidence, putting yourself out there because you believe this is the dawn of an era of exciting things. It seems times and philosophies are changing for the Nets, which is a good thing. To win, you have to have a good owner with deep pockets and willing to spend. The Nets have that now, but they jumped the gun a little bit or were a little overzealous in Prokhorov’s first go-around as an NBA owner.
Steve Politi, not so much: Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov issued a statement not five minutes after the decision to “reiterate our commitment to winning a championship within five years.” But that billboard outside Madison Square Garden, the one declaring that Prokhorov and Jay-Z had the “blueprint for success” is 30 stories worth of hubris today, and the new owner looks as feeble as the old one.
Speaking of bug-eyed crazy, anyone read Cavs owner Dan Gilbert’s letter to fans about LeFraud?
Dave D’Alessandro talks about tbe bidding war developing between the Nets and Bobcats over Tyrus Thomas of all people. With Derrick Favors being asked to spend the first half of the season on the bench, will PF be another major point of weakness for the Nets again?
Nets Sign Forward Travis Outlaw For 5 Years And $35 Million
Jul 8, 2010 2010 Free Agents, 2010 Offseason
Ric Bucher is reporting that the Nets have come to an agreement with Travis Outlaw, giving the forward $35 million over the course of 5 year:
Forward Travis Outlaw has agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal with the Nets, his agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher.
The 25-year-old Outlaw averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 23 games for the Los Angeles Clippers after being acquired as part of a trade that sent Marcus Camby to the Portland Trail Blazers. In 11 games for Portland last season, Outlaw averaged 9.9 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Outlaw is a small forward, and with Avery Johnson saying that he wants to use T-Will at the SG spot, the team needed another SF on the roster besides Damion James. This is a terrific signing in my opinion, Outlaw is a good shooter who will help spread the floor, and he is a guy who is willing to take (and make) big shots in the fourth quarter of games. The reason this signing works is that Outlaw can be effective either starting or coming off the bench, depending on how well Damion James does. Gut feeling though, Outlaw will be the Nets’ starting SF on opening night. Also, at 25 Outlaw already has 7 years of NBA experience.
I don’t want to hear the “we whiffed on the big three free agents and now we are rushing to sign average players” comments. The Nets only have 6 or 7 guys on their roster so this seems like a signing the Nets would have made even if they got a big free agent to sign with the team. I will have a breakdown of Outlaw’s game later in the week, but this is a really good signing for the Nets. He is already an immediate upgrade over CDR.
Nets on the Net: Decision Day
Jul 8, 2010 2010 Free Agents, Nets on the Net
It’s looking less and less likely that the Nets will end up with the crown jewel of free agency, as Yahoo has sources saying LeBron James is leaning towards destroying the NBA joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
Dave D. thinks LeBron should stay in Cleveland and quotes the always grumpy Stan Van Gundy: “It takes 15 seconds to say, ‘I’ve decided to stay in Cleveland,’” Van Gundy said. “But we’ve got another 59 minutes and 45 seconds to. . . .what? Promote LeBron James? As if we don’t do that enough.”
Stefan Bondy of the Daily News pokes holes in the “Blueprint for Greatness.”
No Boozer for Nets Either
Jul 7, 2010 2010 Free Agents, Mikhail Prokhorov
The Nets options in FA are dwindling rapidly, as multiple reports have Carlos Boozer going to Chicago. Dave D’Alessandro says the team will likely turn to David Lee now, but notes that the optimism the organization was riding after last week’s meeting with LeBron and Co. has wanted considerably.
The Nets are dangerously close to be completely shut out from all of the main free agents this summer which now begs an all too-important question for this organization – what good was shedding all those contracts the past two years? Hopefully Mikhail Prokhorov learned a hard and fast lesson in all this: it’s going to take more than money to bring this franchise out of the muck.
Update: Looks like David Lee isn’t coming this way either, as he’s likely going to Golden State in a sign-and-trade.