How bad does Brooklyn's future look?

[Eric M VAN]

and how does that make for a better Celtics team?

SI has just published their offseason grades for the Nets and has this list of where their drat picks are going for the next few years.

2014
First round: No pick. The Hawks can swap picks with the Nets as part of last year’s Joe Johnson deal, and the lesser of the two picks is now owed to Boston from the Garnett-Pierce-Wallace trade.
Second round: No pick. It was traded to Boston (along with the rights to JaJuan Johnson) in 2011 for the rights to MarShon Brooks. Philadelphia now owns this pick.

2015
First round: The Hawks can swap picks with the Nets as part of the Johnson deal.
Second round: No pick. It was traded to Utah for Mehmet Okur in 2011.

2016
First round: No pick. It was traded to Boston in the Garnett-Pierce-Wallace deal.
Second round: The Clippers can swap picks with the Nets as part of the the Evans sign-and-trade deal last year. (The Clippers lose the ability to swap second-round picks if their own choice falls in the 56-60 range.)

2017
First round: The Celtics can swap picks with the Nets as part of the Garnett-Pierce-Wallace deal.
Second round: No pick. It was traded to Atlanta in the Johnson deal.

2018
First round: No pick. It was traded to Boston in the Garnett-Pierce-Wallace deal.
Second round: Brooklyn has this selection.

Not all of those transactions were completed this summer. But during the 2013 offseason, Brooklyn traded most every pick (and right to swap picks) possible as a means of acquiring aging contributors. The moves could push the Nets closer to title contention this season and next but require a daunting financial commitment and what amounts to the selling out of their entire draft stock. Whether that exchange is ultimately worth it is up to the Nets alone, but at the moment it’s easy to see the potential for disaster if Brooklyn slips over the next few seasons.

[manl_lui]

not that bright. They are mostly in win-now mode for the next two years. If KG and PP retires, they lose need to start looking at other options. They are running out of trade chips, because as KG and PP age go up, their value goes down - age, injury etc. How long can Johnson last. How long with Johnson and William's relationship last before they implode. Look at Wallace when he was there. This guy was a borderline all-star every year and a good all around player, then boom, JJ shows up and his production went down dramatically.

When they start sucking after a year or two, and decide to rebuild, those 3 first rounders sure looks good on our part

[StartOrien]

Good write up, that's pretty crazy.

[Eric M VAN]

Good write up, that's pretty crazy.

To clarify, I just cut and pasted this. Credit where credit is due

http://nba.si.com/2013/08/26/offseason-grades-brooklyn-nets-kevin-garnett-jason-kidd/?sct=nba_wr_a1

[Moranis]

I think it is fine.  They could easily replace all of those picks with better ones by moving Lopez and/or Williams and if they aren't moving those guys and are keeping them it is because they are winning and the picks aren't that good anyway.

[nostar]

The Nets made a calculated decision to try to win the next couple of years. That is plain to see.

One argument to be made is that teams in major media markets aren't as reliant on good picks to build good teams. The Nets have a billionaire owner and a very attractive market to lure players in. I think the Celtics got an absolute steal this off season but I'm not sure if the Nets future is as bleak as the lack of draft picks suggest. If you substitute Milwaukee in there then I'd agree they'd be screwed. The reality of the NBA is that major media markets are attractive places to play and that the Nets probably won't have a ton of trouble getting top players to come play on max deals...especially with the Russians footing record breaking tax bills.

[Interceptor]

I'll have my Deron Williams voodoo doll ready for the 2016 season.

[slamtheking]

I'll wait to see what the Nets do over the next few years before proclaiming we got a steal or they're screwed.

They have a billionaire owner who is the subject of rumors that he's funneling outside-the-NBA money to players that sign for less (AK47 for example). 

I suspect their gameplan is to get decent vets rather than unproven rookies.  5 years out, Deron, JJ and Lopez are probably still solid starters in the league.  It's all in how that team fills out the rest of their roster.  KG and PP rolling off the books in 2 years will help them as will JJ's contract when that's up.

still too early to declare this a lopsided victory for us.

[2short]

They have mortgaged the future for a shorter window than we had.  If KG or PP are injured this year that is really going to hurt them.  I actually will be pretty interested to see both JJ and Williams play with good strong vets, our boys, a k47, and see if there is more ball movement.  Last year their offense under 2 different coaches was stagnant, too much 1 on 1.  Williams might not like kg in his face, he has shown to not be able to get along with jerry sloan so the team could just as easily implode.
If they don't what is success for them?  Finals? 

[Eric M VAN]

I posted this elsewhere in the forums, but it's important in looking at the overall picture.

Just an aside pertaining to the Brooklyn salary cap situation. I'm just going to assume this analysis is correct, YMMV.

This summer Mikhail Prokhorov and his checkbook have been one of the biggest stories in the NBA. The Nets owner has let the spending run wild, bringing in a number of players to make the team a competitor this season. The Nets payroll is over $100 million and they will be paying an additional $80 million in luxury tax penalties. Despite the immediate spending by the Nets front office in an effort to win now, they have also improved their cap situation for the future.

When the Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics they took on quite a bit of money owed to the trio, but Pierce is in the final year of his contract and Garnett and Terry’s contracts are up after the 2014-2015 season. Meanwhile in the trade the Nets sent away Gerald Wallace and the $30 million owed to him over the next three years. By dumping this contract the Nets have gotten themselves out of the way of paying the repeater tax in 2015-2016, for the time being.

Going into the 2015-2016 season the Nets only have four players under contract, Deron Williams, Joe  Johnson,  Brook Lopez (who has a player option) and Mason Plumlee (team option.) This means that the Nets will have cap space going into that summer, which has a number of potential big name free agents including Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James (if they don’t opt out in 2014,)LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Kyrie Irving, Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio and Kawhi Leonard.

Also the 2015-2016 season will be Joe Johnson’s final season under contract, which means the team could use this expiring contract as trade bait.

http://www.sportsmedia101.com/brooklynnets/2013/08/05/how-the-brooklyn-nets-have-improved-their-long-term-salary-cap-situation/

This indicates that things may not be as bleak as I painted  using just Draft Picks as the indicator, as NYC is a much more attractive place for FA to sign than, oh, let's say, Boston.

The lack of picks sure would hamper a team trying to unload a contract that's up, but given the owners proclivity to SPEND, maybe not as much as one would think.

[wiley]

The Nets made a calculated decision to try to win the next couple of years. That is plain to see.

One argument to be made is that teams in major media markets aren't as reliant on good picks to build good teams. The Nets have a billionaire owner and a very attractive market to lure players in. I think the Celtics got an absolute steal this off season but I'm not sure if the Nets future is as bleak as the lack of draft picks suggest. If you substitute Milwaukee in there then I'd agree they'd be screwed. The reality of the NBA is that major media markets are attractive places to play and that the Nets probably won't have a ton of trouble getting top players to come play on max deals...especially with the Russians footing record breaking tax bills.

Yup.  Market plus money = a big yawn over draft picks.  Deron, Joe J. and Lopez will learn how to play together from Paul and KG. Then the Nets will sign two prime young studs for the their 3 vets to play with...etc etc....

And see above post..

[Moranis]

I posted this elsewhere in the forums, but it's important in looking at the overall picture.

Just an aside pertaining to the Brooklyn salary cap situation. I'm just going to assume this analysis is correct, YMMV.

This summer Mikhail Prokhorov and his checkbook have been one of the biggest stories in the NBA. The Nets owner has let the spending run wild, bringing in a number of players to make the team a competitor this season. The Nets payroll is over $100 million and they will be paying an additional $80 million in luxury tax penalties. Despite the immediate spending by the Nets front office in an effort to win now, they have also improved their cap situation for the future.

When the Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics they took on quite a bit of money owed to the trio, but Pierce is in the final year of his contract and Garnett and Terry’s contracts are up after the 2014-2015 season. Meanwhile in the trade the Nets sent away Gerald Wallace and the $30 million owed to him over the next three years. By dumping this contract the Nets have gotten themselves out of the way of paying the repeater tax in 2015-2016, for the time being.

Going into the 2015-2016 season the Nets only have four players under contract, Deron Williams, Joe  Johnson,  Brook Lopez (who has a player option) and Mason Plumlee (team option.) This means that the Nets will have cap space going into that summer, which has a number of potential big name free agents including Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James (if they don’t opt out in 2014,)LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Kyrie Irving, Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio and Kawhi Leonard.

Also the 2015-2016 season will be Joe Johnson’s final season under contract, which means the team could use this expiring contract as trade bait.

http://www.sportsmedia101.com/brooklynnets/2013/08/05/how-the-brooklyn-nets-have-improved-their-long-term-salary-cap-situation/

This indicates that things may not be as bleak as I painted  using just Draft Picks as the indicator, as NYC is a much more attractive place for FA to sign than, oh, let's say, Boston.

The lack of picks sure would hamper a team trying to unload a contract that's up, but given the owners proclivity to SPEND, maybe not as much as one would think.

It is correct that the Nets will have cap space heading into 16, but that is if they let at least 2 of the Williams, Johnson, Lopez trio walk and sign no one else long term.  Williams has a 22 million player option that year, and Johnson and Lopez will have cap holds in the 20-30 million range.  Now sure I can't see them keeping Johnson, but if they keep Williams and Lopez they will have a salary (or cap hold) over 40 million, which while giving them some salary cap space, won't be enough for a max deal unless Williams and Lopez both re-sign for far less than the maximum they could.  I could see Williams maybe doing that, but not Lopez.  he will still be too young for that sort of thing (he might give up some money, but not a lot).

[NocturnalRebel]

I think it depends on how well or bad their first year with their new team goes. And of course what happens with Williams, Johnson, and Lopez.

[LooseCannon]

Yup.  Market plus money = a big yawn over draft picks.  Deron, Joe J. and Lopez will learn how to play together from Paul and KG. Then the Nets will sign two prime young studs for the their 3 vets to play with...etc etc....

What size contracts do you expect those two prime young studs to obtain?

[JBcat]

I posted this elsewhere in the forums, but it's important in looking at the overall picture.

Just an aside pertaining to the Brooklyn salary cap situation. I'm just going to assume this analysis is correct, YMMV.

This summer Mikhail Prokhorov and his checkbook have been one of the biggest stories in the NBA. The Nets owner has let the spending run wild, bringing in a number of players to make the team a competitor this season. The Nets payroll is over $100 million and they will be paying an additional $80 million in luxury tax penalties. Despite the immediate spending by the Nets front office in an effort to win now, they have also improved their cap situation for the future.

When the Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics they took on quite a bit of money owed to the trio, but Pierce is in the final year of his contract and Garnett and Terry’s contracts are up after the 2014-2015 season. Meanwhile in the trade the Nets sent away Gerald Wallace and the $30 million owed to him over the next three years. By dumping this contract the Nets have gotten themselves out of the way of paying the repeater tax in 2015-2016, for the time being.

Going into the 2015-2016 season the Nets only have four players under contract, Deron Williams, Joe  Johnson,  Brook Lopez (who has a player option) and Mason Plumlee (team option.) This means that the Nets will have cap space going into that summer, which has a number of potential big name free agents including Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James (if they don’t opt out in 2014,)LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Kyrie Irving, Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio and Kawhi Leonard.

Also the 2015-2016 season will be Joe Johnson’s final season under contract, which means the team could use this expiring contract as trade bait.

http://www.sportsmedia101.com/brooklynnets/2013/08/05/how-the-brooklyn-nets-have-improved-their-long-term-salary-cap-situation/

This indicates that things may not be as bleak as I painted  using just Draft Picks as the indicator, as NYC is a much more attractive place for FA to sign than, oh, let's say, Boston.

The lack of picks sure would hamper a team trying to unload a contract that's up, but given the owners proclivity to SPEND, maybe not as much as one would think.

It is correct that the Nets will have cap space heading into 16, but that is if they let at least 2 of the Williams, Johnson, Lopez trio walk and sign no one else long term.  Williams has a 22 million player option that year, and Johnson and Lopez will have cap holds in the 20-30 million range.  Now sure I can't see them keeping Johnson, but if they keep Williams and Lopez they will have a salary (or cap hold) over 40 million, which while giving them some salary cap space, won't be enough for a max deal unless Williams and Lopez both re-sign for far less than the maximum they could.  I could see Williams maybe doing that, but not Lopez.  he will still be too young for that sort of thing (he might give up some money, but not a lot).

I agree with this, and also I don't see many o the big names making to free agency for the Nets to sign.   They will be either extended by their current team or traded before they reach free agency.   Even with an expiring in Johnson to offer possibly in a big trade, they will not have anything to go with it such as young players, picks that would typically be needed in that kind of deal.