Re: the Nets improving, this is assuming miraculous collapses in the East. They have no picks, they have no cap space, and their "assets" they can exchange for picks/talent are ones nobody would want w/o the Nets giving up plenty themselves (D-Will, Iso Joe). Lopez might leave this offseason, and even if he doesn't, he's a major injury risk. So, at best, they will be as good as they were last year, which seems unlikely given Williams and Johnson being a year older, Lopez possibly being gone, and lots of teams in the East improving. Again, miracles can happen, but I can't see them NOT being a lottery team next year (possibly quite bad, as I think its very likely that the Heat, Knicks, Hornet, Pacers, and Heat will all be better than the Nets next season), and worse following that.