The Hawks are actually good and are adding the Nets' pick to their roster

[Quetzalcoatl]

I swear if they weren't switching picks with a 3-8 team or whatever the Nets are now, they wouldn't be playing this well.  They must have the Nets record all over their bulletin boards.  To think that they will be adding like Marcus Smart next year is ridiculous, with the Nets saying on course they could even get Exum.

We're going to be drafting with Hawks pick where we thought we would be drafting with the Nets pick so it's hard to be too upset, but come on.  Millsap is really good on there

[jambr380]

It's hard to believe that the Nets won't find some way to at least become a .500 team and sneak into the playoffs. I will be totally floored if they end up with a top ten pick.

As for the Hawks, they seem good, but not really good. Because of how weak the east looks, they could make some noise, but they won't be elite.

I imagine we will end up with a pick around #20, which is better than most expected when we made the trade.

[Fafnir]

I had us getting the pick of the 4th/5th seed in the east before the season, thought it would be the Nets. Turns out it'll be the Hawks probably so the C's outlook hasn't changed.

ATL has to be excited by the Nets struggles though.

[Moranis]

We are barely into the season and people are writing the Nets off.  Seems a bit silly.  The Nets have a ton of roster turnover and a new coach.  It takes time to build up cohesion.  I would be surprised if the Nets don't win 45 games on the year.  They have way too much talent to totally flame out.

[Fafnir]

We are barely into the season and people are writing the Nets off.  Seems a bit silly.  The Nets have a ton of roster turnover and a new coach.  It takes time to build up cohesion.  I would be surprised if the Nets don't win 45 games on the year.  They have way too much talent to totally flame out.

I think it comes down to Deron Williams health.

If he can get healthy they should be fine, but if he can't all bets are off.

[Moranis]

We are barely into the season and people are writing the Nets off.  Seems a bit silly.  The Nets have a ton of roster turnover and a new coach.  It takes time to build up cohesion.  I would be surprised if the Nets don't win 45 games on the year.  They have way too much talent to totally flame out.

I think it comes down to Deron Williams health.

If he can get healthy they should be fine, but if he can't all bets are off.

Even if he isn't healthy a team with Johnson, Pierce, and Garnett (never mind Lopez) should be able to muster 40 wins together.  I mean KG and PP were above .500 last year with a lesser collection of talent (after Rondo went down).  It is just a learning curve, adjusting to new roles, new teammates, etc.

[Jeff]

I had us getting the pick of the 4th/5th seed in the east before the season, thought it would be the Nets. Turns out it'll be the Hawks probably so the C's outlook hasn't changed.

ATL has to be excited by the Nets struggles though.

I'm in kind of the same boat but a little more skewed. 

I figured the pick would be in the 22 - 26 range if the Nets really got hot.

Now I think the Hawks make the playoffs and they might be the 4 or 5 seed, but the West will have better records so that's still probably only good for a pick in the 18 - 21 range.

Bottom line, the Nets struggles already improves that pick - if only because it brings it down to the Hawks level.

[PhoSita]

I had us getting the pick of the 4th/5th seed in the east before the season, thought it would be the Nets. Turns out it'll be the Hawks probably so the C's outlook hasn't changed.

ATL has to be excited by the Nets struggles though.

I'm in kind of the same boat but a little more skewed. 

I figured the pick would be in the 22 - 26 range if the Nets really got hot.

Now I think the Hawks make the playoffs and they might be the 4 or 5 seed, but the West will have better records so that's still probably only good for a pick in the 18 - 21 range.

Bottom line, the Nets struggles already improves that pick - if only because it brings it down to the Hawks level.

Agreed.

I think the Hawks will be selecting at 15 or 16 with that Nets pick.

[moiso]

The Hawks team may overachieving a little bit.  They don't look like they have much depth.  An injury to Horford or Milsap and they will probably finish behind the Nets.

[BballTim]

  Right now the Hawks are 19th or so (in terms of the draft) and none of their 7 wins have come against teams that currently have winning records. I wouldn't be surprised to see both picks in the mid-high teens.

[BballTim]

We are barely into the season and people are writing the Nets off.  Seems a bit silly.  The Nets have a ton of roster turnover and a new coach.  It takes time to build up cohesion.  I would be surprised if the Nets don't win 45 games on the year.  They have way too much talent to totally flame out.

I think it comes down to Deron Williams health.

If he can get healthy they should be fine, but if he can't all bets are off.

Even if he isn't healthy a team with Johnson, Pierce, and Garnett (never mind Lopez) should be able to muster 40 wins together.  I mean KG and PP were above .500 last year with a lesser collection of talent (after Rondo went down).  It is just a learning curve, adjusting to new roles, new teammates, etc.

  I don't think they'll be this bad all season but you have to wonder if their talent is enough to overcome their lack of speed/athleticism.

[csfansince60s]

We are barely into the season and people are writing the Nets off.  Seems a bit silly.  The Nets have a ton of roster turnover and a new coach.  It takes time to build up cohesion.  I would be surprised if the Nets don't win 45 games on the year.  They have way too much talent to totally flame out.

I think it comes down to Deron Williams health.

If he can get healthy they should be fine, but if he can't all bets are off.

Even if he isn't healthy a team with Johnson, Pierce, and Garnett (never mind Lopez) should be able to muster 40 wins together.  I mean KG and PP were above .500 last year with a lesser collection of talent (after Rondo went down).  It is just a learning curve, adjusting to new roles, new teammates, etc.

  I don't think they'll be this bad all season but you have to wonder if their talent is enough to overcome their lack of speed/athleticism.

Agreed, but this Nets team was built for the halfcourt, grind it out game that is the playoffs.

[moiso]

We are barely into the season and people are writing the Nets off.  Seems a bit silly.  The Nets have a ton of roster turnover and a new coach.  It takes time to build up cohesion.  I would be surprised if the Nets don't win 45 games on the year.  They have way too much talent to totally flame out.

I think it comes down to Deron Williams health.

If he can get healthy they should be fine, but if he can't all bets are off.

Even if he isn't healthy a team with Johnson, Pierce, and Garnett (never mind Lopez) should be able to muster 40 wins together.  I mean KG and PP were above .500 last year with a lesser collection of talent (after Rondo went down).  It is just a learning curve, adjusting to new roles, new teammates, etc.

  I don't think they'll be this bad all season but you have to wonder if their talent is enough to overcome their lack of speed/athleticism.

This is supposed to be Williams and Lopez's team with the old farts as complementary pieces.  So far the old farts have been the ones staying healthy.  If everyone gets healthy I think things will fall into place for them.  The team has a lot of injury prone players though, so that may be wishful thinking on their part.

[CelticG1]

Unless you thought both teams would suck than we are in the same position so who cares.

And yes its still early

[Vermont Green]

In terms of the Nets, I guess I had no idea how injured Williams was.  He played at a high level the 2nd half of last year and I anticipated he would be at least that good this year.  That does not appear to be the case.  I am not sure what to expect out of Brooklyn now.

As for Atlanta, I still think their bubble will bust and they will be middle of the pack at best in the end.  Maybe sneak into the playoffs, maybe not.  Much can still happen though, injuries hurt the team, a trade to help the team.  We'll see but I think it is a stretch to say "The Hawks are actually good".