Who can the Nets realistically pick up in free agency?

[mef730]

Not my strength, so I thought I'd open this one up to the community. Assuming that the Nets decide to go the "win now, don't trade anyone, pick up decent free agents" route, who do they have a realistic shot at next summer? For the sake of argument, let's assume that the Nets finish around where they are now, 4th or 5th worst team in the NBA, and that Lopez & Young stay mostly healthy for the year.

They have a ton of cash, but so do most of the other teams. Any star who comes in will be "the man" on the team but will also have to accept that it is unlikely to be a playoff team without a few more pieces.

Last assumptions: Centers are off the table, and Young can play either the 3 or the 4 (maybe, maybe not).

I'm using the Hoops Hype list from a few years ago as the baseline for free agents. Not perfect, but good enough.

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

Top 5

Durant? I don't think so. LeBron? No. Howard? He'll keep his $22m player option. Bradley Beal? No way he's gooing anywhere.

Next 10

Al Horford, Pau Gasol and Dwayne Wade: Horford? Unrestricted, but 30. Doesn't contribute to a rebuild but might be obtainable with a max contract. He's an 8+ guys, so he's looking at $25m+. Gasol and Wade? Both are signing contracts for their last shot at titles. Nope.

Mike Conley: Now it gets interesting. He can earn a heck of a lot more by resigning with Memphis and I can't see why he would want to go to Brooklyn unless he wasn't getting the max at home. Don't know what his relationship with Hollins was, so that could be a positive.

DeMar DeRozan: See "Conley, Mike"

Nic Batum: I know nothing about this guy. No idea if he is a possibility.

The Rest

What's after that? Maybe Brandon Jennings, since RJ is the new point guard?

I don't know, it just looks like there isn't much out there for the Nets this year, and what is out there will have a heck of a lot of competition.

Mike

[Moranis]

I think the Nets are going to go for JR Smith type players on 2 year deals.  You know 2 yrs, 20 million for Smith.  A bit of an overpay, but that is what it will take and a guy like Smith can help them win games in the next 2 years when they have no draft picks.  During the summer of 2018, the Nets can then decide if they want to tank or go for winning and make decisions on Lopez, Young, and the guys like Smith that they sign this summer.

[Evantime34]

I think the Nets are going to go for JR Smith type players on 2 year deals.  You know 2 yrs, 20 million for Smith.  A bit of an overpay, but that is what it will take and a guy like Smith can help them win games in the next 2 years when they have no draft picks.  During the summer of 2018, the Nets can then decide if they want to tank or go for winning and make decisions on Lopez, Young, and the guys like Smith that they sign this summer.

How much better do you think, guys like JR Smith make the Nets? I feel like even if they are able to overpay for a couple more guys on their roster they probably won't be a playoff team while we have their pick.

[TheFlex]

Looking at NYK's 2015 offseason is a good benchmark. They'll pick up Afflalo/R. Lopez types, but since their best player is not nearly as good as Melo and they won't get a rookie like Porzingis, they'll likely be worse than the Knicks this year, who themselves are more likely to miss the playoffs than make them. Good times ahead for the Celts.

[Moranis]

I think the Nets are going to go for JR Smith type players on 2 year deals.  You know 2 yrs, 20 million for Smith.  A bit of an overpay, but that is what it will take and a guy like Smith can help them win games in the next 2 years when they have no draft picks.  During the summer of 2018, the Nets can then decide if they want to tank or go for winning and make decisions on Lopez, Young, and the guys like Smith that they sign this summer.

How much better do you think, guys like JR Smith make the Nets? I feel like even if they are able to overpay for a couple more guys on their roster they probably won't be a playoff team while we have their pick.

If you sign 2 or 3 guys in the Smith quality (one of which is a PG), I think they are a playoff contender as long as Lopez is healthy.  The Nets starting lineup, even with Jack, and before RHJ got hurt was actually pretty good.  The problem the team has (aside from Jack) is that its bench is horrible.  Signing Smith and a Smith esque PG (Bayless, Chalmers, Rondo, Lin, etc.) makes not only the starting lineup better, but adds two quality players to the bench.  If you look at Brooklyn this year, they are in pretty much every game but their starters get tired and the bench is terrible. 

[PhoSita]

Demar Derozan, Brandon Jennings, Chandler Parsons, Nic Batum.

Those are the most notable names that seem like they could be in play, to me.

[Big333223]

The only free agent I would be afriad they have a chance with would be Conley, because of the Hollins connection (assuming he's still the coach by the end of the year) and because the Grizzlies might be disintegrating. If the Grizzlies have a disappointing year, Conley could look around and question whether its wise to return to a team where everyone is over the hill.

But even in that situation, he'd have to be okay with giving up a ton of money and gambling on the Nets situation. This also assumes no other team would bid on him but I'm sure there will be.

[trickybilly]

Dwight might opt out for a longer deal somewhere. Hard to see his stock ever increasing again..

[2short]

Hate to think bad of someone's health but I doubt Lopez plays full season without injury.  He gets hurt they aren't going to bomb cuz it doesn't help them but I can see them going exciting  and developing guys.
No free agent of any means is signing with that train wreck

[colincb]

In summary, no one who is really good.

[LooseCannon]

Since Nets have no draft picks, does it make them more likely to overpay to sign a restricted free agent to a huge offer sheet?  What if they decide that leaning on a three-big rotation is the way to go and are willing to give Jared Sullinger a contract starting at 75% of the max or more.?

[saltlover]

They'd be much better off trading Lopez (and Young and Jack) for picks, and using their cap space to take on bad salaries next summer for more assets.  Then they can have a cleaner slate in the new CBA with some youth, as well as a better free agency class.  Could they make some moves to maybe become a first-round playoff exit again? Sure.  But that ship has sailed, and to have sustained success they need to be patient for a year or two.

[tazzmaniac]

They'd be much better off trading Lopez (and Young and Jack) for picks, and using their cap space to take on bad salaries next summer for more assets.  Then they can have a cleaner slate in the new CBA with some youth, as well as a better free agency class.  Could they make some moves to maybe become a first-round playoff exit again? Sure.  But that ship has sailed, and to have sustained success they need to be patient for a year or two.

So basically you're advocating they follow Hinkie's multi-year tank strategy except they don't have their own picks for the next couple years to benefit from that strategy.  Following that strategy, its going to be a lot longer than a year or two before they have sustained success.  I don't see them getting enough in return for Lopez and Young to justify trading them. 

[saltlover]

They'd be much better off trading Lopez (and Young and Jack) for picks, and using their cap space to take on bad salaries next summer for more assets.  Then they can have a cleaner slate in the new CBA with some youth, as well as a better free agency class.  Could they make some moves to maybe become a first-round playoff exit again? Sure.  But that ship has sailed, and to have sustained success they need to be patient for a year or two.

So basically you're advocating they follow Hinkie's multi-year tank strategy except they don't have their own picks for the next couple years to benefit from that strategy.  Following that strategy, its going to be a lot longer than a year or two before they have sustained success.  I don't see them getting enough in return for Lopez and Young to justify trading them.

Yes.  They are far from being contenders.  They can clog up their future salary cap now by going in on some third-tier free agents and maybe sneak into the 8th slot if everything goes wrong for a few other teams, or they can take their medicine and start preparing for the future now.  They are out of draft picks to trade.  They don't even have any seconds until I think 2020.  So they can sign a free agent or two, but can't make any in-season moves to get help.  Look at the teams ahead of them in the East.  A lot of them are younger with key players under contract for multiple years.  The longer they wait to scrap everything, the longer it will be before they're a contender

Clear the books, grab whatever draft picks you can in doing so, and hope that there are 2, maybe 3, free agents in a couple years who think Brookyln is cool and want to play together.

I don't think they should completely Hinkie it, mind you.  I think you keep the bad salaries you take on for picks and have them try to win games with your young players, and that's especially true when you don't control your own picks.  But they're losing now, and they are behind too many teams in terms of franchise development to catch up quickly.  The quick fix didn't work the last time, and they've paid the price.

[tazzmaniac]

They'd be much better off trading Lopez (and Young and Jack) for picks, and using their cap space to take on bad salaries next summer for more assets.  Then they can have a cleaner slate in the new CBA with some youth, as well as a better free agency class.  Could they make some moves to maybe become a first-round playoff exit again? Sure.  But that ship has sailed, and to have sustained success they need to be patient for a year or two.

So basically you're advocating they follow Hinkie's multi-year tank strategy except they don't have their own picks for the next couple years to benefit from that strategy.  Following that strategy, its going to be a lot longer than a year or two before they have sustained success.  I don't see them getting enough in return for Lopez and Young to justify trading them.

Yes.  They are far from being contenders.  They can clog up their future salary cap now by going in on some third-tier free agents and maybe sneak into the 8th slot if everything goes wrong for a few other teams, or they can take their medicine and start preparing for the future now.  They are out of draft picks to trade.  They don't even have any seconds until I think 2020.  So they can sign a free agent or two, but can't make any in-season moves to get help.  Look at the teams ahead of them in the East.  A lot of them are younger with key players under contract for multiple years.  The longer they wait to scrap everything, the longer it will be before they're a contender

Clear the books, grab whatever draft picks you can in doing so, and hope that there are 2, maybe 3, free agents in a couple years who think Brookyln is cool and want to play together.

I don't think they should completely Hinkie it, mind you.  I think you keep the bad salaries you take on for picks and have them try to win games with your young players, and that's especially true when you don't control your own picks.  But they're losing now, and they are behind too many teams in terms of franchise development to catch up quickly.  The quick fix didn't work the last time, and they've paid the price.

The Nets lack of picks is exactly why they shouldn't clean house.  However they do still have their 2020 1st to trade.  They can build around Lopez and Young.  RHJ was looking pretty good before the injury.  They need to improve their guards and there are a number of free agents that they could go after this offseason.  They'll have to spend money to get to the minimum team salary anyway.  I'd expect them to sign free agents to 2 or 3 years contracts.