Revisiting the disastrous Net's offseason

[celticsclay]

I think one thing that almost all Celtics fans can enjoy right now is the train wreck that is the Nets season.  For those that do here is today's article from ESPN

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/23281/for-floundering-brooklyn-nets-one-has-to-wonder-whats-next

However, that being said, how did things get so bad so quickly in Brooklyn. While this was fiercely debated at the time, the Nets actually had a horrible horrible offseason that has completely destroyed their depth and decimated their front court. While most acknowledged losing Deron Williams could hurt, did many think Williams had this much left in the tank?

After a slow start to the season Deron is averaging 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. and has led the Mavericks to a better than expected start. For the year he is averaging 15.5 points, 6 assists and 3.3 rebounds. While the shooting percentage is still a bit low, this is definitely missed in Brooklyn.

However, what about the other guys. People dismissed Teletovic leaving as equivalent to nothing. The Nets have become far and away the worst 3 point shooting team this season for a variety of reasons. This has really hurt their ability to come back when falling behind as well as general floor spacing. So then they see Teletovic hitting 2.1 3's a game for Phoenix at nearly 44% from the floor while averaging 8.5 points and 3 rebounds as a solid part of the Suns rotation.

It doesn't end there, you look out West and see Plumlee having a complete resurgance in Portland. Guy is averaging 9.5 points, a shade under 8 rebounds and 1 block a game on 54% shooting (all career highs). Do we think the Nets could use a 25 year old like him instead of willie reed (or barg).

The only guy that seems to have worked out parting ways with is Anderson, and I can only say that because the guy has missed the whole season so far with injuries.

Taking a step back none of these moves really make sense. Why did Plumlee fall out of the rotation to the point that he was traded for a bag of balls coming off an all rookie first team season? If the team was desperate for 3 point shooting, why not at least replace teletovic?

[PhoSita]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

[max215]

Letting valuable depth go definitely hurt them, but ultimately I think the Nets only got marginally worse. They were a mirage last year, and now their record shows it. Take a look at their SRS and PW/L last year. The Nets were pretty clearly a bottom ten team, yet wound up in the playoffs due to the quality of the East and lucky breaks. They lost their 2nd or 3rd best player and are now a bottom five team, and while the drop off in record is huge, they're just a bad team that got slightly worse.


http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2015.html?lid=header_seasons

[celticsclay]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

[Moranis]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

People don't sell 1st round picks like they used to. 

spotrac has Deron's cap hit as only 5.5 million this year.

[celticsclay]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

People don't sell 1st round picks like they used to. 

spotrac has Deron's cap hit as only 5.5 million this year.

You honestly think the price of a 22nd or 23rd pick is a promising young big on his rookie contract for several years?

This is a 3 way trade so it is a little confusing but it basically looks like the 15th pick was traded for two future second round picks and the 24th pick was traded for hardaway jr.

[tazzmaniac]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

2nd round picks are sometimes sold for cash but I can't recall that happening with a 1st rounder.  Personally I think trading Plumlee for RHJ was a positive move for the Nets. 

Regarding the Williams buyout, the Nets saved over 40mil in salary and luxury tax.  They also freed up a bunch of cap space for next season.  They did extend the buyout over 5 years so there was a minor cap hit the following three years.  They went from a 2yr/43.3mil contract to a 5yr/27.5mil buyout.  That's one of the best buyouts that I can recall. 

The Nets were open about their desire to retool a team that had fallen short of expectations and trying to dip below the luxury tax threshold and avoid the dreaded repeater tax. The move allows the Nets to save more than $40 million and go below the luxury tax threshold of $84.7 million

   
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/deron-williams-nets-discussing-buyout-article-1.2287837

[tazzmaniac]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

People don't sell 1st round picks like they used to. 

spotrac has Deron's cap hit as only 5.5 million this year.

You honestly think the price of a 22nd or 23rd pick is a promising young big on his rookie contract for several years?

This is a 3 way trade so it is a little confusing but it basically looks like the 15th pick was traded for two future second round picks and the 24th pick was traded for hardaway jr.

What 3 way trade are you referring to?  The Plumlee/Connington for RHJ/Blake trade was just between the Blazers and Nets.  The Nets later traded Blake to the Pistons in a salary dump. 

[Quetzalcoatl]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

2nd round picks are sometimes sold for cash but I can't recall that happening with a 1st rounder.  Personally I think trading Plumlee for RHJ was a positive move for the Nets. 

Regarding the Williams buyout, the Nets saved over 40mil in salary and luxury tax.  They also freed up a bunch of cap space for next season.  They did extend the buyout over 5 years so there was a minor cap hit the following three years.  They went from a 2yr/43.3mil contract to a 5yr/27.5mil buyout.  That's one of the best buyouts that I can recall. 

The Nets were open about their desire to retool a team that had fallen short of expectations and trying to dip below the luxury tax threshold and avoid the dreaded repeater tax. The move allows the Nets to save more than $40 million and go below the luxury tax threshold of $84.7 million

   
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/deron-williams-nets-discussing-buyout-article-1.2287837

That's literally how we got Rondo

http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/06/most-important-nba-draft-pick-trades/suns-trade-rajon-rondo-to-celtics

[tazzmaniac]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

2nd round picks are sometimes sold for cash but I can't recall that happening with a 1st rounder.  Personally I think trading Plumlee for RHJ was a positive move for the Nets. 

Regarding the Williams buyout, the Nets saved over 40mil in salary and luxury tax.  They also freed up a bunch of cap space for next season.  They did extend the buyout over 5 years so there was a minor cap hit the following three years.  They went from a 2yr/43.3mil contract to a 5yr/27.5mil buyout.  That's one of the best buyouts that I can recall. 

The Nets were open about their desire to retool a team that had fallen short of expectations and trying to dip below the luxury tax threshold and avoid the dreaded repeater tax. The move allows the Nets to save more than $40 million and go below the luxury tax threshold of $84.7 million

   
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/deron-williams-nets-discussing-buyout-article-1.2287837

That's literally how we got Rondo

http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/06/most-important-nba-draft-pick-trades/suns-trade-rajon-rondo-to-celtics

The Suns got a future 1st not just cash in the Rondo trade.  The Nets didn't have a future 1st to give up. 

[celticsclay]

My understanding is that most of those moves were luxury tax related.  Team knew they weren't gonna be better than mediocre this year, no use paying luxury tax again.

Plumlee's contract is 1.5 million this year, 2.3 million next year. While I like RHJ, I feel like they could have gotten a pick around where he was picked (23rd) for cheaper than that. Often times picks in that range can be outright bought.

You could be right on that being the reason they lost teletovic (his deal was for 1 year 5.5 million)

My understanding is that they saved little to no money with the buyout of Deron Williams.

People don't sell 1st round picks like they used to. 

spotrac has Deron's cap hit as only 5.5 million this year.

You honestly think the price of a 22nd or 23rd pick is a promising young big on his rookie contract for several years?

This is a 3 way trade so it is a little confusing but it basically looks like the 15th pick was traded for two future second round picks and the 24th pick was traded for hardaway jr.

What 3 way trade are you referring to?  The Plumlee/Connington for RHJ/Blake trade was just between the Blazers and Nets.  The Nets later traded Blake to the Pistons in a salary dump.

i was referring to three way trade between washington atlanta and knicks in which two first round picks were exchanged to express that a young promising big is a steep price for the 23rd pick. I believe they could have gotten the 21st or 22nd pick for less than plumlee.

I do obviously think RHJ was a good pick in that spot.