So we don't actually have the Nets picks -- the Hawks do?

[pokeKingCurtis]

I'm not sure that anybody expected the Nets to be that bad this year.

The real prizes look to be the 2016 and 2018 picks, plus the Celtics right to swap with the Nets in 2017.  Those are still valuable assets.

All of these are unprotected. I'm still baffled how the Nets allowed us to practically draft from their spot for 3 years during which they'll likely not be very competitive.

Big time gamble for a very short period to win a championship; Prokhorov likes to make risks (his Russian football team has already won a European title);

if all this does not pan out, Billy King's head is on the table;

These picks have very little value.  No way the nets rebuild under Prokhorov. Only way we get any value out of them is if they sustain a major injury.

Looks like Hump is the only real asset we got.

Why?

My understanding is they're tied up to Deron Williams, Lopez and Joe Johnson, making them incredibly inflexible. Joe Johnson's contract extends all the way to 2016 along with Lopez's contract. Deron Williams will be 32-ish when his contract ends in '17.

Without any assets to trade for players, they're basically the big three era Celtics minus a slew of firsts and an un-charismatic, complacent star in Deron Williams instead of KG and Pierce (and Rondo). They HAVE to hit the jackpot in the free agency. In all likelihood they're going to sign injury prone and/or back-end-of-career vets, as you've seen in the past few years.

Them not rebuilding does not equate to them contending or being a top seed. Hell, not even the playoffs are guaranteed. Especially in '18.

[D.o.s.]

I think the point is that Prokhorov, possibly alone among NBA owners, doesn't care about paying the luxury tax, so he'll continue to spend as much money as he is able to in order to keep his team competitive.

I'm sure the other owners are stoked about it, too--remember, the money from the luxury tax is redistributed.

[BballTim]

I'm not sure that anybody expected the Nets to be that bad this year.

The real prizes look to be the 2016 and 2018 picks, plus the Celtics right to swap with the Nets in 2017.  Those are still valuable assets.

All of these are unprotected. I'm still baffled how the Nets allowed us to practically draft from their spot for 3 years during which they'll likely not be very competitive.

Big time gamble for a very short period to win a championship; Prokhorov likes to make risks (his Russian football team has already won a European title);

if all this does not pan out, Billy King's head is on the table;

These picks have very little value.  No way the nets rebuild under Prokhorov. Only way we get any value out of them is if they sustain a major injury.

Looks like Hump is the only real asset we got.

  They want to stay good forever, just like every other team. How do they replace the older players? They don't have many draft picks, they don't have tradeable assets. They have a lot of money tied up in a few players.

[LooseCannon]

The 19th + 20th picks combined can probably allow us to move up to like 12th overall.

My guess is that you're looking at being able to move up 2-4 spots, based on past draft day trades.

Usually, the trade is because you are in love with a specific player who you think is going to be taken by the team drafting 17th or 18th, so you try to leap-frog them by finding a team just ahead that doesn't feel strongly about any player who won't be available before the 20th pick rolls around.

This isn't necessarily true. We moved up from #16 to #13 this year by only throwing in two 2nd round picks (really just one since we picked up Iverson for cash). It was even more impressive since we moved into the lottery.

It will be interesting to see what happens to our team by next draft day.

I'd value those two seconds as close to the value of a late first, but I tend to see second-round picks as more valuable than most people.  That, combined with Dallas wanting to save money and move down to get Shane Larkin, made the deal possible.

[Fan from VT]

The 19th + 20th picks combined can probably allow us to move up to like 12th overall.

My guess is that you're looking at being able to move up 2-4 spots, based on past draft day trades.

Usually, the trade is because you are in love with a specific player who you think is going to be taken by the team drafting 17th or 18th, so you try to leap-frog them by finding a team just ahead that doesn't feel strongly about any player who won't be available before the 20th pick rolls around.

This isn't necessarily true. We moved up from #16 to #13 this year by only throwing in two 2nd round picks (really just one since we picked up Iverson for cash). It was even more impressive since we moved into the lottery.

It will be interesting to see what happens to our team by next draft day.

There's nothing inherently special about moving into the lottery once the picks are set. Then it's just #13.

[Fafnir]

The 19th + 20th picks combined can probably allow us to move up to like 12th overall.

My guess is that you're looking at being able to move up 2-4 spots, based on past draft day trades.

Usually, the trade is because you are in love with a specific player who you think is going to be taken by the team drafting 17th or 18th, so you try to leap-frog them by finding a team just ahead that doesn't feel strongly about any player who won't be available before the 20th pick rolls around.

This isn't necessarily true. We moved up from #16 to #13 this year by only throwing in two 2nd round picks (really just one since we picked up Iverson for cash). It was even more impressive since we moved into the lottery.

It will be interesting to see what happens to our team by next draft day.

I'd value those two seconds as close to the value of a late first, but I tend to see second-round picks as more valuable than most people.  That, combined with Dallas wanting to save money and move down to get Shane Larkin, made the deal possible.

They had less value for the C's given that with our many picks we won't have roster spots to spend on 2nd rounders unless we let first rounders go...

[hwangjini_1]

I'm not sure that anybody expected the Nets to be that bad this year.

The real prizes look to be the 2016 and 2018 picks, plus the Celtics right to swap with the Nets in 2017.  Those are still valuable assets.

All of these are unprotected. I'm still baffled how the Nets allowed us to practically draft from their spot for 3 years during which they'll likely not be very competitive.

Personally K, I think you should be GM of the nets. god knows you seem to understand basketball much better. 

[hwangjini_1]

I'm not sure that anybody expected the Nets to be that bad this year.

The real prizes look to be the 2016 and 2018 picks, plus the Celtics right to swap with the Nets in 2017.  Those are still valuable assets.

All of these are unprotected. I'm still baffled how the Nets allowed us to practically draft from their spot for 3 years during which they'll likely not be very competitive.

Big time gamble for a very short period to win a championship; Prokhorov likes to make risks (his Russian football team has already won a European title);

if all this does not pan out, Billy King's head is on the table;

These picks have very little value.  No way the nets rebuild under Prokhorov. Only way we get any value out of them is if they sustain a major injury.

Looks like Hump is the only real asset we got.

Why?

My understanding is they're tied up to Deron Williams, Lopez and Joe Johnson, making them incredibly inflexible. Joe Johnson's contract extends all the way to 2016 along with Lopez's contract. Deron Williams will be 32-ish when his contract ends in '17.

Without any assets to trade for players, they're basically the big three era Celtics minus a slew of firsts and an un-charismatic, complacent star in Deron Williams instead of KG and Pierce (and Rondo). They HAVE to hit the jackpot in the free agency. In all likelihood they're going to sign injury prone and/or back-end-of-career vets, as you've seen in the past few years.

Them not rebuilding does not equate to them contending or being a top seed. Hell, not even the playoffs are guaranteed. Especially in '18.

I like you pkc. 

[LarBrd33]

Those picks in 2016/18 COULD be good... but who knows

Pierce is an expiring contract for them this year.  There was a (probably bogus) rumor today about them trading Pierce for Randolph.  Don't rule out an upgrade this year.

KG is an expiring contract next year... more of the same.

Johnson and Lopez are expiring the year after.  That money is only tied up until the end of the 2015/16 season.

Lopez and Williams aren't that old.  Brooklyn will be willing to spend money.  And that team is going to make the playoffs this year.

[kozlodoev]

I'm not sure that anybody expected the Nets to be that bad this year.

The real prizes look to be the 2016 and 2018 picks, plus the Celtics right to swap with the Nets in 2017.  Those are still valuable assets.

All of these are unprotected. I'm still baffled how the Nets allowed us to practically draft from their spot for 3 years during which they'll likely not be very competitive.

Big time gamble for a very short period to win a championship; Prokhorov likes to make risks (his Russian football team has already won a European title);

if all this does not pan out, Billy King's head is on the table;

These picks have very little value.  No way the nets rebuild under Prokhorov. Only way we get any value out of them is if they sustain a major injury.

Looks like Hump is the only real asset we got.

Unfortunately for Prokhorov, salary cap realities make it impossible to simply spend your way into an NBA title.

I am actually quite of the opposite opinion: Humphries is probably not going to net you anything that enticing, and those picks have the chance to be really, really good.

[BballTim]

Those picks in 2016/18 COULD be good... but who knows

Pierce is an expiring contract for them this year.  There was a (probably bogus) rumor today about them trading Pierce for Randolph.  Don't rule out an upgrade this year.

KG is an expiring contract next year... more of the same.

Johnson and Lopez are expiring the year after.  That money is only tied up until the end of the 2015/16 season.

Lopez and Williams aren't that old.  Brooklyn will be willing to spend money.  And that team is going to make the playoffs this year.

  They don't have much (if anything) in terms of sweeteners for the deals they make though. They can trade PP's contract for a player making the same money, but they aren't going to be able to get a really good player who makes the same money as PP because they don't have picks and prospects to trade along with PP. The best they'll probably be able to do is take back players that are decent players but aren't worth the contract they're on, or teams trying to shed years off of deals. If that's the case they'll eventually run out of gas, hopefully while we're still using their picks.

[Spicoli]

Looks like the Hawks are going to make the playoffs AND get a lottery pick. They couldn't ask for a better situation to be in.

[obnoxiousmime]

Those picks in 2016/18 COULD be good... but who knows

Pierce is an expiring contract for them this year.  There was a (probably bogus) rumor today about them trading Pierce for Randolph.  Don't rule out an upgrade this year.

KG is an expiring contract next year... more of the same.

Johnson and Lopez are expiring the year after.  That money is only tied up until the end of the 2015/16 season.

Lopez and Williams aren't that old.  Brooklyn will be willing to spend money.  And that team is going to make the playoffs this year.

  They don't have much (if anything) in terms of sweeteners for the deals they make though. They can trade PP's contract for a player making the same money, but they aren't going to be able to get a really good player who makes the same money as PP because they don't have picks and prospects to trade along with PP. The best they'll probably be able to do is take back players that are decent players but aren't worth the contract they're on, or teams trying to shed years off of deals. If that's the case they'll eventually run out of gas, hopefully while we're still using their picks.

I think Teletovic and Blatche have trade value, but yeah picks are usually more attractive to teams looking to deal stars.

[tenn_smoothie]

Danny is always itching to make trades - well this year is his chance - do not blow a high pick in this year's draft just because the conference is so weak.

we've already half blown this up - if we really want to rebuild and get out of our current mediocre status, then do it right. anyone who is not going to be contributing to a title contender team in the next 3 - 8 years needs to go. the main guys I see are Lee, Bass, Green and as much as I hate it, Rondo. Green just doesn't have the competitive DNA needed and Rondo will become impatient. Move them for draft picks or young talent and let's get on with it !!!