Official 2015-16 Brooklyn Nets Season Watch Thread (21-59, 3rd slot as of 4/12)

[Evantime34]

The Nets will have cap next summer, but why sign there vs somewhere else? There will be a lot of teams with cap chasing a limited pool of talent. The Nets on the face of it will have problems attracting significant talent. It's not like there's anyone doesn't know about their lack of draft picks, their management woes, they lack young talent, AND that their "stars" are Joe Johnson who will be 35 next season and Brook Lopez who is chronically injury-plagued.

We're getting three lottery picks out of the Nets gents.

Here's the hoopshype list of top free agents next summer (from August).

http://hoopshype.com/2015/08/15/nba-free-agency-2016-the-top-players/

If you don't want to go through the whole thing, Durant is #1, DeRozen #10, Jordan Clarkson #20, etc. Pretty steep cliff. You can debate who belongs exactly where, but it looks pretty good to me. It includes all free agents, restricted, unrestricted and team/player options. I see nobody in the top 20 that would be likely to end up in Brooklyn. Al Horford or Demar DeRozan? Too many suitors for them. A lot of big men, which doesn't help them with Lopez at center, since he's the guy who is supposed to attract top talent. Al Jefferson or Gasol? Too old for a rebuild.

After that: I'm not an Evan Turner hater, but he's ranked 27th on the list. They can't bring in a Lance Stephenson or Josh Smith, since you don't want them hanging out with the young guys. We're into Ryan Anderson territory, folks.

I'll admit to being a pessimist (or what somebody here referred to as the "Miserati"), so when I'm getting excited about something, it's gotta be good. The more I look at this list, the more I think two things:

1) If you think they're going to be bad this year, wait until next year!
2) You've gotta be making phone calls about Lopez and Young, the two guys who will bring you any value (maybe, just maybe, JJ). It's too early in the season for teams to know how close they are to the bubble, but you've gotta think that those calls will come somewhere between 20 and 30 games. And given BL's injury history, you can't wait too long.

Mike

One disclaimer: When making these kinds of predictions, I am wrong about 100% of the time, to the extent that it shouldn't be mathematically possible. So, while I'm getting excited, maybe you shouldn't be.

Could not agree more that the Nets should be worse this year than next. So many teams have money in free agency that are more preferential destinations than Brooklyn. Even if someone was dead set on playing in the NYC area the Knicks should have cap space to match most of Brooklyn's offers.

[MJohnnyboy]

Honest question: If the Nets decide to trade Book Lopez, where do they trade him to?

His suitors would probably be a contender trying to get the final piece. One team I thought of was Chicago. They have a conditional pick from Sacramento, they have decent young (albeit not really proven) value with Snell, McDermott, and Portis. They have Gasol and Gibson to give up. It all really depends on how well Lopez plays and how much the Bulls value their guys.

Lopez and Robinson and 2nd rounder to Chicago for Gasol, Gibson, McDermott, Portis and Kings 1st rounder and a protected 1st round pick in 2018. Decent deal for Lopez? Brooklyn would then try to dangle Gasol/Gibson for more picks.

I'd love to hear some ideas.

I appreciate the thought, so don't want to come off as bashing your idea, but that doesn't make any sense to chicago for me. For one, they are obviously trying to win this year. How much of an upgrade is Brook Lopez over Gasol on Chicago? They both play pretty awful defense, Gasol is a better rebounder while lopez is a more effective scorer. On their team lopez is not going to get the same amount of shots he gets on the Nets with Butler and Rose also competing for looks.
So for an upgrade on offense, they lose a key potential scorer off their bench, a guy they starting (snell) and two first round draft picks (and their first rounder from this past year in portis)? That is a trade for anthony davis not Lopez.   

Lopez is younger and better defensively than Gasol. Lopez is actually more spry this year than he was last year which gets me to think he could be more effective as an all-around team player. I think he would open up more scoring opportunities for Butler and Rose with his presence more than Gasol would. Lopez isn't getting enough looks as it is right now with the Nets.

Also I didn't put Snell in the deal. Maybe it was a little bit much. I'm not good with these trade ideas but I was trying to think of contending teams who could use Lopez that have young value to entice the Nets. I'm trying to get the contracts to match and have young value. Chicago is one of the few teams in my opinion who A. Could use Lopez B. Have some young talent and C. Have the contracts to make a deal. Especially since Chicago's downfall has been offensive production the past few years.

Gasol/Gibson/McDermott/Sacramento 1st-rounder for Lopez/Robinson sound better?

And, come on man, that's not a trade for Anthony Davis. Don't make me laugh. New Orleans would hang up the phone instantly.

[GreenShooter]

Looking at their schedule, they will take some beatings this month. This thread will reach epic proportions by seasons end. We will end up with the number 1 pick.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I was making a point to listening to the opponent team's commentary during these games so I could cheer against the Nets along with them, but I am starting to warm up to the BK announcers.  They're pretty good, actually

[celticsclay]

Honest question: If the Nets decide to trade Book Lopez, where do they trade him to?

His suitors would probably be a contender trying to get the final piece. One team I thought of was Chicago. They have a conditional pick from Sacramento, they have decent young (albeit not really proven) value with Snell, McDermott, and Portis. They have Gasol and Gibson to give up. It all really depends on how well Lopez plays and how much the Bulls value their guys.

Lopez and Robinson and 2nd rounder to Chicago for Gasol, Gibson, McDermott, Portis and Kings 1st rounder and a protected 1st round pick in 2018. Decent deal for Lopez? Brooklyn would then try to dangle Gasol/Gibson for more picks.

I'd love to hear some ideas.

I appreciate the thought, so don't want to come off as bashing your idea, but that doesn't make any sense to chicago for me. For one, they are obviously trying to win this year. How much of an upgrade is Brook Lopez over Gasol on Chicago? They both play pretty awful defense, Gasol is a better rebounder while lopez is a more effective scorer. On their team lopez is not going to get the same amount of shots he gets on the Nets with Butler and Rose also competing for looks.
So for an upgrade on offense, they lose a key potential scorer off their bench, a guy they starting (snell) and two first round draft picks (and their first rounder from this past year in portis)? That is a trade for anthony davis not Lopez.   

Lopez is younger and better defensively than Gasol. Lopez is actually more spry this year than he was last year which gets me to think he could be more effective as an all-around team player. I think he would open up more scoring opportunities for Butler and Rose with his presence more than Gasol would. Lopez isn't getting enough looks as it is right now with the Nets.

Also I didn't put Snell in the deal. Maybe it was a little bit much. I'm not good with these trade ideas but I was trying to think of contending teams who could use Lopez that have young value to entice the Nets. I'm trying to get the contracts to match and have young value. Chicago is one of the few teams in my opinion who A. Could use Lopez B. Have some young talent and C. Have the contracts to make a deal. Especially since Chicago's downfall has been offensive production the past few years.

Gasol/Gibson/McDermott/Sacramento 1st-rounder for Lopez/Robinson sound better?

And, come on man, that's not a trade for Anthony Davis. Don't make me laugh. New Orleans would hang up the phone instantly.

While Anthony Davis is a probably a bad example cause he has the highest trade value in the league, my point was that it was just way way too much. McDermott is still a prospect, Sacramento first rounder, Portis and an additional first rounder (your original proposal) is the equivalent of 4 first round picks plus Gasol (a guy coming off an all star-season). I just think that is an insane overpay. I think if the Nets could somehow get a projected lottery pick (about 5-7) and second middle first rounder and an expiring they would take that trade.

[MJohnnyboy]

Honest question: If the Nets decide to trade Book Lopez, where do they trade him to?

His suitors would probably be a contender trying to get the final piece. One team I thought of was Chicago. They have a conditional pick from Sacramento, they have decent young (albeit not really proven) value with Snell, McDermott, and Portis. They have Gasol and Gibson to give up. It all really depends on how well Lopez plays and how much the Bulls value their guys.

Lopez and Robinson and 2nd rounder to Chicago for Gasol, Gibson, McDermott, Portis and Kings 1st rounder and a protected 1st round pick in 2018. Decent deal for Lopez? Brooklyn would then try to dangle Gasol/Gibson for more picks.

I'd love to hear some ideas.

I appreciate the thought, so don't want to come off as bashing your idea, but that doesn't make any sense to chicago for me. For one, they are obviously trying to win this year. How much of an upgrade is Brook Lopez over Gasol on Chicago? They both play pretty awful defense, Gasol is a better rebounder while lopez is a more effective scorer. On their team lopez is not going to get the same amount of shots he gets on the Nets with Butler and Rose also competing for looks.
So for an upgrade on offense, they lose a key potential scorer off their bench, a guy they starting (snell) and two first round draft picks (and their first rounder from this past year in portis)? That is a trade for anthony davis not Lopez.   

Lopez is younger and better defensively than Gasol. Lopez is actually more spry this year than he was last year which gets me to think he could be more effective as an all-around team player. I think he would open up more scoring opportunities for Butler and Rose with his presence more than Gasol would. Lopez isn't getting enough looks as it is right now with the Nets.

Also I didn't put Snell in the deal. Maybe it was a little bit much. I'm not good with these trade ideas but I was trying to think of contending teams who could use Lopez that have young value to entice the Nets. I'm trying to get the contracts to match and have young value. Chicago is one of the few teams in my opinion who A. Could use Lopez B. Have some young talent and C. Have the contracts to make a deal. Especially since Chicago's downfall has been offensive production the past few years.

Gasol/Gibson/McDermott/Sacramento 1st-rounder for Lopez/Robinson sound better?

And, come on man, that's not a trade for Anthony Davis. Don't make me laugh. New Orleans would hang up the phone instantly.

While Anthony Davis is a probably a bad example cause he has the highest trade value in the league, my point was that it was just way way too much. McDermott is still a prospect, Sacramento first rounder, Portis and an additional first rounder (your original proposal) is the equivalent of 4 first round picks plus Gasol (a guy coming off an all star-season). I just think that is an insane overpay. I think if the Nets could somehow get a projected lottery pick (about 5-7) and second middle first rounder and an expiring they would take that trade.

Which is... why I changed the proposal?

If the Nets think they can get that high of lottery pick in exchange for Lopez, they are sadly mistaken. No team is going to give up a pick that high for Lopez. If it was 9-11 maybe but not 5-7. I think the only teams that will want Lopez are ones that are aiming for a championship. Not a lot of teams who are contenders right now have something that high of value. The only other team with championship aspirations off the top of my head that has seem decent young value to offer besides Chicago is Houston, and they don't need Lopez.

[mef730]

I don't like the way this game is going. Atlanta, can't you just pull away please?

Mike

[Quetzalcoatl]

Ha the Nets' Reddit page didn't even bother making a game thread for tonight

[KeepRondo]

Lopez is balling

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

just like the hawks to let me down

[Quetzalcoatl]

Thabo!  They really missed him in the playoffs

[jpotter33]

A Boston loss tonight is enough. A Nets win against the Hawks might make me homicidal...

[SHAQATTACK]

Lopez is balling

It's all on his shoulders .

[SCeltic34]

The Hawks announcers really ripping into Shane Larkin.  It's actually pretty comical.

[SHAQATTACK]

Wow ....nets ball n

Hawks fool around , play no D and they ll loose this