Who will rival the Nets in suckitude this year?

[mef730]

My big fear going into free agency this year was that the Nets would be able to pull together just enough decent, if not exciting, free agents on good contracts to keep them from the bottom. Jeremy Lin was a perfect example. No, not gonna set the world on fire, but a half-decent player on a very good contract.

And then it stopped. They signed some guy whose name I can't remember from Spain. And I wondered how they could get their hands on a stud like Booker so early in his career before realizing that it was Trevor Booker. Apparently, they also picked up Tyler Johnson. I have to admit, I've never heard of the guy. Meanwhile, Bazemore, Rondo and Dudley all went elsewhere.

I'm trying to be realistic about this year and I simply can't find any team that will rival BKN in the loss column. Sure, maybe RHJ flourishes. And maybe McCullough and LeVert overcome their injury woes to become strong players. But this team seriously appears to be one Brook Lopez foot injury away from 0-82 (Okay, 2-80; they'll still find a way to beat us twice). I suppose that there are some contenders for the bottom, but this list is all I can come up with:

Sacramento: This is actually the team that scares me the most. Management is beyond inept and, while I suppose they could dump their talent and go for the rebuild, they'd probably mess that up, also. But the attempt at a rebuild could hurt us and, with DMC so agitated, they could challenge for the bottom.

Everybody else is a potential contender, but it would take some seriously bad luck. In particular:

NO loses Davis for the season. Portland loses Lillard.

PHX had a good draft, but both the guys they picked are a couple of years away. An injury or two could stop them.

Milwaukee hasn't done anything right since the MCW trade. Can't imagine that Maker will turn them around. Nothing to make me think that they are an immediate issue, though.

LAL always a threat, but their overpaid mediocre FAs should be enough to make them, well, mediocre.

Orlando, Denver and even OKC could all be lousy, but it is unlikely that they will be Brooklynesque in their suckitude.

Seriously, what am I missing here? Remember, I'm looking for realistic scenarios, one or two standard deviation type scenarios. Since I can't predict the six standard deviation occurrence, I won't try.

Mike

[BigDogPitbull]

Philly is still gonna stink.  The Pelicans have a good chance to be terrible.  The Lakers will surely stink again.  Mozgov isn't the answer there. 

[Smokeeye123]

Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Magic, Lakers, OKC (If they trade Westbrook which they should), Hornets, Suns, Bucks, 76ers.

76ers and Suns could realistically be worse. I'd bet one of the other teams wil be surprisingly bad too. I don't see a scenario where there are 3 teams worse than Brooklyn though.

[ABOS (A bit of Sanity)]

Fortunately from what i understand as long as we can get in the Top 5 will be getting a very good player and that is really all that matters.

[Phantom255x]

Probably Sacramento (hopefully Cousins demands a trade), OKC (If they trade Westbrook), Sixers, Pelicans, maybe the Bucks.

I think by getting Deng the Lakers will win a few more games so they might not be as horrible as the Nets. I predict the Nets have the third worst record after next season.

[apc]

Philly is still gonna stink.  The Pelicans have a good chance to be terrible.  The Lakers will surely stink again.  Mozgov isn't the answer there.

I think Philly has done good with vets signings. but it all about how the young guys will play- i think they will be better than the Nets.

my biggest concern: Chicago, Denver.

[MJohnnyboy]

Orlando won 35 games and added a lot this off-season. I'd be more concerned about them challenging the Celtics in playoff seeding than the Nets in suckitude.

[Phantom255x]

Philly is still gonna stink.  The Pelicans have a good chance to be terrible.  The Lakers will surely stink again.  Mozgov isn't the answer there.

I think Philly has done good with vets signings. but it all about how the young guys will play- i think they will be better than the Nets.

my biggest concern: Chicago, Denver.

Eh I feel Chicago is a dysfunctional team but I think Butler + Lopez + Rondo is at least enough to get them 30-ish wins.

[Ilikesports17]

OKC Sacremento and Chicago are all 1 trade away from the mega-tank.

Other than that... I really dont know. Im sure someone will suck tho.

the thing with the suns is that their suckitude was largely caused by losing Eric Bledsoe. That could happen again, but you have to also account for improvement from Devin Booker.

[jpotter33]

Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Magic, Lakers, OKC (If they trade Westbrook which they should), Hornets, Suns, Bucks, 76ers.

76ers and Suns could realistically be worse. I'd bet one of the other teams wil be surprisingly bad too. I don't see a scenario where there are 3 teams worse than Brooklyn though.

Definitely a step above the Nets - Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Orlando, Los Angeles, OKC, Charlotte, Milwaukee

At Nets level or slightly better - Phoenix, Philadelphia

From the first group, it would take either trading their main guys (Butler, Boogie, etc.) or major injuries (Davis in NO, Batum/Walker in Charlotte, etc.) to get them down to Nets level.

As for Phoenix and Philadelphia, both of them have enough talent to be better than 76ers. The addition of Bender and Chriss, along with developments from Booker and health from bledsoe and Knight, should easily keep that team better than the Nets. And if Embiid is healthy and Simmons is what he is advertised, then they should also be much better than last year and ahead of the Nets with their additions.

I think the Nets are firmly at the bottom.

[Fafnir]

Nets are likely at the bottom but there is often a surprise team that tumbles hugely and one that plays over its head.

Still liking the chances of getting a top 3 lottery ticket again next year.

[Ilikesports17]

Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Magic, Lakers, OKC (If they trade Westbrook which they should), Hornets, Suns, Bucks, 76ers.

76ers and Suns could realistically be worse. I'd bet one of the other teams wil be surprisingly bad too. I don't see a scenario where there are 3 teams worse than Brooklyn though.

Definitely a step above the Nets - Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Orlando, Los Angeles, OKC, Charlotte, Milwaukee

At Nets level or slightly better - Phoenix, Philadelphia

From the first group, it would take either trading their main guys (Butler, Boogie, etc.) or major injuries (Davis in NO, Batum/Walker in Charlotte, etc.) to get them down to Nets level.

As for Phoenix and Philadelphia, both of them have enough talent to be better than 76ers. The addition of Bender and Chriss, along with developments from Booker and health from bledsoe and Knight, should easily keep that team better than the Nets. And if Embiid is healthy and Simmons is what he is advertised, then they should also be much better than last year and ahead of the Nets with their additions.

I think the Nets are firmly at the bottom.

Charlotte won 48 games last year and lost like 2 rotation guys. They are more than 1 notch above the Nets.

[PhoSita]

Sixers and Lakers for sure.  Probably another 2-3 teams will suffer injuries as well and fall to the bottom of the pack.  Bulls or Knicks seem like candidates for that.  Maybe the Kings will finally trade Cousins.

[max215]

Philly, Lakers, Bulls, and OKC if they dump Westbrook. Things are looking pretty good.

[jpotter33]

Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Magic, Lakers, OKC (If they trade Westbrook which they should), Hornets, Suns, Bucks, 76ers.

76ers and Suns could realistically be worse. I'd bet one of the other teams wil be surprisingly bad too. I don't see a scenario where there are 3 teams worse than Brooklyn though.

Definitely a step above the Nets - Chicago, Denver, Sacramento, Orlando, Los Angeles, OKC, Charlotte, Milwaukee

At Nets level or slightly better - Phoenix, Philadelphia

From the first group, it would take either trading their main guys (Butler, Boogie, etc.) or major injuries (Davis in NO, Batum/Walker in Charlotte, etc.) to get them down to Nets level.

As for Phoenix and Philadelphia, both of them have enough talent to be better than 76ers. The addition of Bender and Chriss, along with developments from Booker and health from bledsoe and Knight, should easily keep that team better than the Nets. And if Embiid is healthy and Simmons is what he is advertised, then they should also be much better than last year and ahead of the Nets with their additions.

I think the Nets are firmly at the bottom.

Charlotte won 48 games last year and lost like 2 rotation guys. They are more than 1 notch above the Nets.

Yeah, of course. That should be read as at least one step above the Nets lol I was just using the same teams as the guy in the post above me did.