What to do if Brooklyn is as bad as advertised at the New Year mark?

[jpotter33]

Nets Schedule through New Year - 32 games, currently 0-3:

vs Mil
@ Atl
vs LAL
@ Mil
@ Hou
@ Sac
@ GS
vs Atl
@ Cha
@ Bos
vs Bos
@ OKC
@ Cle
vs Det
vs Pho
@ NYK
vs GS
vs Hou
vs Phi
vs LAC
vs Orl
vs Mia
@ Ind
vs Min
@ Chi
vs Dal
vs Was
@ Mia
@ Orl

So realistically without any injuries or trades, they could be as bad as 6-24 or as good as 12-18. But let's assume they're closer to the bad side and start the new year between 5 and 8 wins. Remember, December through February is when trades start picking up in advance of the trade deadline.

What is their best move at that point? Since they'd pretty much already be out of the playoff race at that point, should they: a) blow it all up and try and bring in picks and younger pieces, or b) still keep it together since they have no incentive to blow it up or be bad?

What is our best move at that point? With the Nets picked firmly entrenched in a race for a bottom three seed, do we act proactively and try and utilize that pick to trade for a disgruntled star, or do we keep it until this summer when we know exactly when the pick will be?

[Eddie20]

They're actually 0-3.

Bulls
Spurs
Grizz

[jpotter33]

They're actually 0-3.

Bulls
Spurs
Grizz

TP, thanks for the info. I changed it.

[Evantime34]

What do we do if the Nets are really bad by new years?


I think at that point they will trade Lopez/Young for picks/young players. IN that ase they will become even worse which is great for us.

[PhoSita]

Rejoice, as shown above, and start scouting the top prospects in the draft.

If that Nets pick has a real chance of being top 5, short of trading it for Demarcus cousins I don't think it would be worth trying to trade it for one of the established players likely to be available. We can revisit the trade possibilities around the time of the draft.

[LooseCannon]

The Nets should do whatever best positions them to sign free agents next summer, which means not making the team look like it is committed to a long-term rebuild.

The Celtics should....point and laugh.

[slamtheking]

What do we do if the Nets are really bad by new years?

TP - I thought this would self evident

[Big333223]

Rejoice, as shown above, and start scouting the top prospects in the draft.

If that Nets pick has a real chance of being top 5, short of trading it for Demarcus cousins I don't think it would be worth trying to trade it for one of the established players likely to be available. We can revisit the trade possibilities around the time of the draft.

This. A bottom 5 record and a real shot at a top 3 pick would be worth hanging on to in almost any situation. It would have to be a sure fire all star coming back in return.

[jpotter33]

So where's the line with a trade?

I think DMC is a yes, obviously. What about Melo? Love? What if the Brooklyn pick allows us to get a guy like Melo or Love without giving up Smart? At that point I think it'd be worth it.

[BigAlTheFuture]

So where's the line with a trade?

I think DMC is a yes, obviously. What about Melo? Love? What if the Brooklyn pick allows us to get a guy like Melo or Love without giving up Smart? At that point I think it'd be worth it.

Not sure why CLE would trade Love at this point. I honestly would rather hold onto the pick if its going to be a high one.

[jpotter33]

So where's the line with a trade?

I think DMC is a yes, obviously. What about Melo? Love? What if the Brooklyn pick allows us to get a guy like Melo or Love without giving up Smart? At that point I think it'd be worth it.

Not sure why CLE would trade Love at this point. I honestly would rather hold onto the pick if its going to be a high one.

I guess it depends upon how this season goes for us, too. If we don't improve from last year, then I'd rather probably keep the pick, too, because it means we probably need to start from the ground up.

[LarBrd33]

I can see this team going in a number of directions.  We will keep open the possibility of landing a star... But if we are hovering under .500 mid season and don't have an option to trade for a star, don't be too shocked to see ainge trade off assets and tank.  It might be easier to do that when you know you have a shot at a star prospect through the Brooklyn pick.  And if people aren't given up stars for the pick, it might make more sense to build around the prospect.

[max215]

I really would like home grown talents as the faces of the franchise, but if the opportunity arises to acquire Boogie or Paul George, then we must pull the trigger.

[crimson_stallion]

What is their best move at that point? Since they'd pretty much already be out of the playoff race at that point, should they: a) blow it all up and try and bring in picks and younger pieces, or b) still keep it together since they have no incentive to blow it up or be bad?

They have no chance of competing now, and they have no potential to improve as a team in the short term (i.e next 2-3 seasons).

The way I see it, the only thing that makes any sense for that team is to break it up completely and start from scratch - try to acquire assets that can help them in the long term. 

I'd start by trading away anybody on the team who can actually offer some form of production to another team - Lopez, Johnson, Young, Bargnani.  I'd try to trade those guys out to teams with playoff aspirations, hope that you can get young prospects and / or future first round picks for  Lopez and Young. Try to find a veteran team who will give you a first for Johnson, if not keep him and let his contact expire after this season. 

Basically just sell any guy you have who is over 25 and can play, and try to get a combination of picks, prospects and cap relief in return.

Their present is non-existent, so may as well put yourself in a position to build a future.

I know rebuilding sucks in a way because we have their picks, and so it would burn for them knowing that going into a rebuild basically gifts Boston a goldmine...but at the same time it's what they MUST do if they want to have any hope of salvaging the next 2-3 years.  They can try to win some games just to make the picks worse out of spite, but in the long term they are only hurting themselves.

What is our best move at that point? With the Nets picked firmly entrenched in a race for a bottom three seed, do we act proactively and try and utilize that pick to trade for a disgruntled star, or do we keep it until this summer when we know exactly when the pick will be?

I would keep the picks. 

If you can get a pick in the top 5, then it's a valuable thing to have, so I'd hold on to it for flexibility.

If a legit star (who can really help the team take the next step) becomes available, then I'd make the pick available.  If not then I wouldn't try to force anything - no shame in waiting for the draft and, and drafting a top 5 prospect. 

[dreamgreen]

So where's the line with a trade?

I think DMC is a yes, obviously. What about Melo? Love? What if the Brooklyn pick allows us to get a guy like Melo or Love without giving up Smart? At that point I think it'd be worth it.

DMC is not obvious for me IMO he has not proved that he can win in this league, only thing he has proven is that he is a total idiot!

Otherwise I'd have to be educated  as to who the top picks will be and how good they are suppose to be.