trades 2016

Christmas just ended which means we have entered the trading season! Before Christmas is the feeling out process with teams. After Christmas and between the trade deadline is obviously trade season and after that is the stretch run.

Every team needs to look at the standings today because it is most likely where they will end up unless they make a trade.

The Nets are 9-22 and in 14^th place with no chance of moving up. The Nets are obviously sellers, but what do they have to sell?

Untouchables

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson- Before his injury was the best player on the Nets. With him being on his rookie contract there is no reason to trade him.

Chris McCullough- Some of you may be wondering who this is. He was also a first round pick this year but hasn’t played due to an ACL injury. He’s untouchable because he’s young and under a rookie contract; players like him and RHJ are exactly what the Nets need.

Offers that need to blow you away

Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young- If I’m the Nets, I wouldn’t trade these two this year and my reasoning isn’t basketball. This offseason Lopez signed a three year $60 million contract and Thad signed a four year $50 million contract. It isn’t a good look to trade players in year one of a big contract. Thad Young’s family is all over social media and they love Brooklyn. Basketball players are more than contracts (someone tell Sam Hinkie). They are actually people and it would be wise for the Nets to hold onto these two. Plus, they probably will have more value when some years come off their contracts.

Young guys you shouldn’t trade, but might

Shane Larkin “Lighting”- Larkin has been a good find for the Nets. He should be kept around in case the Nets trade Jarrett Jack. If Jack is traded, Larkin would be the logical guy to start at point and it would be smart to let him play 30 minutes. But how good is Larkin? Trading him for another young player or a pick might be wise. I would keep him but he certainly isn’t untouchable.

Thomas Robinson- This poor guy is traded every five months and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got traded again. First off he should be playing, not nailed to the bench. T-Rob has one of the best net ratings on the team but can’t crack the rotation. At some point he will start getting some burn.

Markel Brown- Unfortunately for Markel, he is blocked by other talent, I don’t think he gets traded but he could get playing time if the Nets move a wing 

Willie “Showtime” Reed- Reed has only played 12 games but his impact has been noticed. He has jumped Bargs in the rotation and is the first big off the bench. Reed isn’t untouchable but the Nets might have found a diamond in the rough. He deserves to be looked at for a full season by the Nets.

No value  

Andrea Bargnani- Yupp, that about sums that up.

Donald Sloan- Sloan played OK when Larkin was out, but if you can’t crack the rotation on a team that is 9-22 where are you going to crack the rotation? Hello China!

Sergey Karasev- He doesn’t play. This leads me to believe he has no value. I don’t see him cracking an NBA rotation anywhere. Maybe it’s best for him to play in Europe for a year or two and boost his value.

Joe Johnson-… Oh how the mighty have fallen. Johnson not only has no value but he’s untradeable! He is making almost $25 million this year. Joe Johnson might be the worst player in the NBA considering his production at his pay rate. Johnson will probably be bought out post trade deadline and (just a guess) ends up on the Clippers. That sounds like Doc Rivers.

Some Value?

Wayne Ellington- If you would have asked me this a month ago I would have laughed in your face, but now? Meh? Maybe? In December he shot 42% from the three. If a team wants a vet toward the end of the bench Ellington might be that guy. His value is a 2^nd round pick.

Guys who should be traded

Jarrett Jack- He gets a lot of hate from Net fans, some deserving some not, but he is still an effective NBA point guard. Teams looking to make the playoffs and need a backup point guard will be calling the Nets about Jack. He has two years left on his deal but can be bought out after this year at $500k. What teams will be interested? Jack ranks 21 (out of point guards) in ESPN real plus minus at 0.05. A lot of teams in the East could use Jack; and I think he will be traded because there is no value in keeping him. He could bring back a young player or MAYBE a pick late first round or heavily protected first round pick.

Bojan Bogdanovic-The Nets dangled Bojan around during the draft but opted to keep him, but now might be the time to trade him. He’s a role player on a playoff team, and the Nets are certainly not a playoff team. Bojan is on a good contract. Bojan started the season slowly but in December he’s shooting 44% from three. What playoff team doesn’t want that? He could net a second round pick which won’t float many people’s boats but I think it’s worth a trade.

Yeah, the Nets don’t have much to look forward to this year come trade deadline.

For everything Brooklyn Nets and NBA follow @threwthenet

Some Lineup fun

Last week we went over individual players on the Nets. Which resulted in me puking on my laptop because of Wayne Ellington and Bargnani, but today we will look at which lineups work for the Nets and which ones don’t.

The starters

  The Nets starting lineup of Jack-Johnson-RHJ-Young-Lopez is really good, that lineup has a net rating of 14.6!!!! That’s one of the best starting lineups in the league. The Nets record is obviously bad but they are in pretty much every game and the starting lineup is a big reason why.

 Now if you keep the starting lineup together but substitute Bojan for RHJ what happens? Well a negative 28 difference!! Bojan has net rating of -15… it is time for him to benched along with Wayne Ellington and time to unleash Markel Brown and Karasev.

2 man lineups

 Last year Lionel Hollins had an obsession of playing two point guards and two centers at the same time even though the numbers were horrible so how’s that going this year?

Lopez and Bargs

These two have played 69 mins together and have a Net rating of -24.7 which makes sense since they are both below average defenders. If these two are in together teams will just pick and roll the Nets to death.

Jack and Larkin

These two have only played 27 mins but they have a net rating of 5.7. One reason why this combo is working is because of Larkins lights out shooting. If Larkin is the best three point shooter on the Nets (which the numbers say he is) he should spend some time off the ball which would allow some more of this lineup.

The really bad

This is basically the Bargnani show he has so many ugly numbers with guys like Jack, Thad Young and Joe Johnson. It was a bad signing when it happened and the early part of the season has only confirmed it. When Willie Reed is healthy he needs to play and Bargs needs to sit.

The good

   Welcome to the Rondea Hollins-Jefferson Show! Most of this numbers are just RHJ with a member of the starting unit, but there is one combination that isn’t part of the starting lineup. Shane Larkin and Thomas Robinson have played together for 114 mins and have a net rating of 4.1. Robinson was a cheap signing but has been one of the Nets better players. He needs more minutes.

(All stats from NBA.com)

There is nothing that gets me more frustrated while watching the Nets when they play players/lineups that don’t work. If I can look at these numbers while I am in bed and drinking a Dr Pepper the coaching staff and front office should be doing it and enforcing it!

For everything Brooklyn Nets and the NBA follow @threwthenet on Twitter. 

12 games in

          The Nets have played 12 games so far in the 2015 season and they are pretty much where I thought they would be. Maybe not 2-10 but standings wise, it is what I thought. But the team itself has played better lately, they have been in games they had no business being in and they have even lost games they should have won.

      So what’s gone right and wrong? Let’s start with the negatives.

The bad.

Basketball

           The Nets have played better recently but they are still a bad team and the numbers prove it. They are 29^th in offensive rating 97.2, the team is shooting 44% that is 15^h in the league and they are dead last in three point shooting 28.9% YUCK they are also 29^th in attempts 16.4. But if they can’t hit the three should they be taking threes? Probably not. The Nets only have two players shooting over 30% and they are both point guards. Which means the Nets wings are not shooting, Bojan is only at 27% and Joe Johnson is at 25%. The Nets need to figure their outside shot by doing this it opens up the paint for Brook Lopez.

Defensively it’s not much better. The Nets pick and roll defense is still miserable, Brook Lopez isn’t a center who can defend a pick and roll. Last year the Nets defense had a problem with closing out on shooters (Deron Williams) this year the problem has been defending off the ball and keeping their eyes on the ball and their matchup. Too many times are guys left open because of this. Also Nets bigs in the pick and roll turn their backs on the ball handler before the guard has recovered from the pick. It usually results in an open three for the opponent. Brook and Thad each did this in the Hornet game.

Wayne Ellington

                When Wayne Ellington was signed I was a bit confused but he’s a veteran wing and adding those for depth isn’t the end of the world. But the experiment is over! Ellington has played in all 12 games averaging 14.6 minutes a game with a net rating of -21.1!!!!! He has an offensive rating of 79.8, Ellington is also shooting 26.1% from three and he is the worst off ball defender, he always loses his man. It’s time to glue him to the bench. He’s courtblocking Markel Brown a young player who should be playing in this disastrous season.

Andrea Bargnani

                Time for everyone’s Net, Andrea Bargnani. The Nets decided to go with Bargs over a young player Cliff Alexander and of course it hasn’t been well. Bargs has a net rating of -19.1 and that’s all you need to know. At the moment Lionel Hollins has no one else to play instead of Bargs but when Willie Reed comes back from his injury he better be the backup center.

The Good

There is good with this team!!!

RHJ

                Hollis-Jefferson has been a great for the Nets so far. He has a net rating of 6.4 the highest on the Nets, but he only plays 19.7 minutes a game that needs to go way up. But the only problem with RHJ is the he can’t shoot which means he can’t play late in the fourth. But he should be around 30 minutes.

T-rob

 Thomas Robinson sign for the minimum this offseason and it was Billy King’s best move. T-rob has a net rating of 0.0 THAT’S THE SECOND BEST ON THE TEAM!!! He is only playing 11.6 minutes per game that needs to be around 18. He brings great energy off the bench and is always on the boards.

Shane Larkin

                Another good signing by Billy King (November 20, 2015 4:30 PM the first time I have complemented Billy King twice without a negative comment in between) Larkin started out slow but he has started to turn it around. Defense is an issue but he is shooting lights out at the moment he’s the Nets best shooter at 52.9% from three.

Jarrett Jack

                Jack has been pretty good since recovering from his injury and he is important for the Nets this year, If Jack plays good all year he could become a decent trade chip come February. 2^nd round pick!!

The Nets probably won’t be a good team this year but if the team can make some adjustments they could make things interesting for a while.

For everything Nets and NBA follow threwthenet on Twitter.

2015 free agency

The NBA season and draft are over but the NBA is a year round sport. Now begins the most exciting part of the NBA year; free agency. Last year’s free agency changed the landscape of the NBA with Lebron going back home to Cleveland. This year won’t be as monumental, but there are big names on the market that could make some teams championship contenders. The first group of free agents are the guys who are on the market but aren’t really on the market. This group involves Lebron James, Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol, Kevin Love, Draymond Green and Tim Duncan. There’s a better chance of Billy King making a smart move than these guys leaving… Okay maybe not, but you get the point. Now that we got those guys out of the way let’s go through the list.

LaMarcus Aldridge- Lakers

All signs point to Aldridge leaving the Trail Blazer; they even know it. They’ve started to rebuild (with really smart moves) so where does Aldridge go? The favorites are the Spurs, but in order to get Aldridge they need to shed salary real quick. Duncan and Parker are said to be coming back at cheaper contracts and if Manu doesn’t retire he will also be back on a cheaper contract. The problem is the Spurs have to trade Splitter or Diaw and they seem hard pressed to trade them. The Spurs have been talking to the Cavs about trading one of them for Brandon Haywood who has a non-guaranteed contract, but if you’re the Cavs why would you make that deal? They don’t need Splitter or Diaw and you give the Spurs cap room to make themselves a threat to yourself? I don’t think Aldridge is a Spur when free agency ends because too much has to happen. I think Aldridge ends up with the Lakers. The idea of being the face of the Lakers is an attraction for any NBA player. With this probably being Kobe’s last year, Aldridge would suffer for one year in LA but after that he will have the opportunity to play with younger stars because of free agency.

Jimmy Butler- Bulls

Now, Jimmy Butler should be part of the group above because he isn’t leaving the Bulls but, the contract is going to be tricky. It has been reported he wants to be a Laker but he is a restricted free agent so the Bulls will match any offer. Butler can do one of two things if he wants to be a Laker in the near future. 1) Sign the offer sheet from the Bulls that would pay him roughly five million next year, but he would be an unrestricted free agent and he could sign with the Lakers in 2016-2017 or 2) sign a contract from the Lakers that’s two years (Bulls match that offer) with a player option so he opts out after the second year and goes to the Lakers in 2017-2018 when the cap jumps to 107 million. Butler will be a Bull next year but the contract is something to watch out for.

DeAndre Jordan- Mavs

Deandre was born in Texas, went to school in Texas, and now I think it’s time for a home reunion. There has been a lot of friction in the Clippers locker room over the past couple of years; rumors are that Jordan and Chris Paul don’t have the best relationship. Besides that there hasn’t been any indication of DeAndre leaving but there hasn’t been any about him staying either which should be concerning. The Clippers can still offer him the max and apparently they can offer him Jamie Foxx (who was at his meeting with the Clippers). If the Clippers brought out Jamie Foxx what will Mark Cuban bring out?

Brook Lopez- Nets

I am not ready to talk about this yet… I’ll write something about this after free agency.

Dwyane Wade- Heat

This will be a good old fashioned game of chicken but at the end of the day where is D-wade going to go if he leaves the Heat? The Cavs? You think Gabrielle Union is going to move to Cleveland and take a 10 million dollar pay cut? No way Dwyane is leaving Miami.

Brandon Knight- Suns

Remember last year when the Suns signed Isiah Thomas to a great deal in free agency? Things looked good for the Suns but now they look like an organization being ran by a chicken with his head cut off. They have no direction. They traded away the Laker pick! Why would you trade the Laker pick??? They got Brandon Knight mid-season for that Laker pick so they have to resign him right? RIGHT? It sounded like they gauged the market for Eric Bledsoe but they held onto him. The Suns in all likelihood will resign Knight but I won’t be surprised if some crazy happens.

Goran Dragic- Heat

There’s no way he leaves right? The Heat gave up a lot for him. He seemed happy in Miami they can sell him on being on a good team long term. But it only takes one team; he’s unrestricted so if one team decides to throw all of their money at him it could get interesting. However, I don’t see that happening; he’ll be enjoying sunny South Beach.

Danny Green- Spurs

This is real interesting if LaMarcus Aldridge signs with the Spurs. Green is gone but if the Spurs fail to sign Aldridge they still won’t be able to match offers from other teams that will offer a lot more money. But the Spurs organization has probably brain washed him and he will take less and resign. But if LMA goes to the Spurs, Green could probably make 10 million a year on the open market.

Greg Monroe- Knicks

This has been done for a long time according to respected writer. Monroe is someone Phil Jackson loves he will probably get 10-12 million. He isn’t a bad player the only problem is that the Knicks defense is going to be pretty bad with him and Melo. If the Knicks sign him they need to get a defensive.

Tristan Thompson- Cavs

GM Lebron loves him. He will be in Cleveland but the contract will be something to watch. He’s going to get paid, but how much? I think his number will surprise people. Maybe the Raptors offer him the max? He’s Canadian and very good at basketball. If that happens, will Cleveland match? (Also I doubt the raptors offer the max but I’m rooting for chaos)

Paul Millsap- Hawks

The Hawks have to choose between Millsap and Carroll. From everything I’ve read it sounds like Carroll will be the guy leaving. It’ safe to say Millsap stays but again for how much? Millsap might reach the max or come very close to it.

Kris Middleton- Bucks

This decision was made when the Bucks traded Brandon Knight. They couldn’t keep Knight and Middleton so they picked the wing defender that could guard multiple positions. The only concern here is what if The Celtics offer the max? Would the Bucks match? I think they would but it would make things interesting.

Robin Lopez- Clippers

Someone has to replace Deandra Jordan. Lopez would be a solid replacement. He does all the things DJ does just not as good; but with Chris Paul he could become a pretty good center in the league.

DeMarre Carroll- Pistons

I have no idea where he is heading, but this makes sense right? He can play the four here and open the floor for Drummond to work inside. Carroll is a very important player, but he picked the wrong time to be a free agent. Teams are going to be careful with their money this year with the cap going way up next year and they might not spend as much as they should on Carroll. I also wonder if Coach Budz can create the Spurs culture in ATL by convincing guys to take less money. I think it may be possible with the group of guys in Atlanta.

Wildcards and personal favorites

Tyson Chandler- Bucks

If the Mavs get Jordan where does that leave Chandler? With his good friend Jason Kidd. Could you imagine Chandler anchoring that Bucks defense it would be a nightmare to play against, also an ugly thing to watch as a fan but a great ugly thing, think Sharkando. (The Bucks have your attention now don’t they?) I love the fit in Milwaukee for Chandler and I am rooting for it to happen.

Wesley Matthews- Portland

The city and fan base adore him. Which is important in this case because the Blazers can’t lose LMA and Wes in one offseason. They are rebuilding but Matthews is also recovering from a torn Achilles. It makes sense for Matthews to resign with Portland for a one year deal. He’s in a system he knows and is comfortable with the area. He can have a nice rebound season and hit the market next year expecting a big contract.

Tobias Harris- Magic

There are a lot of questions around Tobias Harris. First, is he good? I think he is a good player. He’s only 23 and has improved every year. What position does he play? Who cares! In a year or two there may not be positions. Do the Magic want him? It seems like they do. But if a team comes along and offers Harris more money than the Magic want, will they match? That’s the most interesting question because a team won’t sign anyone and come day five of free agency a team will get desperate and drop a four year, 60 million dollar offer. Do the Magic match?

The Nets

They’ll resign Mirza, Thad Young, and Brook Lopez and give the mini mid level to some washed up vet. I would offer the mini to guys like Justin Holiday, KJ Mcdaniels, Thomas Robinson, and Will Barton. The Nets overpay old guys so why not overpay a young who’s unproved and take a chance!

For everything NBA and Brooklyn Nets :( follow@threwthenet on twitter.

2015 Draft

MC: Tonight is the NBA draft and it’s a rare combination, it’s a deep draft and it could have a lot of trades which could make it a night to remember. To help us out we bring in our friend John Kluepfel. Now there’s a lot to get into but I think we need to address what the first three picks are going to be because I don't see a trade happening in the top three and depending on who gets pick I think it will set the tone for the whole night, so you’re top three picks are?

JK: I agree with the thought that there won’t be any major trades in the top three and think (and hope) it goes Towns, Okafor and Russell. I’m really high on Towns and think he has the chance to be a special type of player in a guy that can stretch the floor but also be a dominant defender. The only guy that comes to mind is Serge Ibaka and Towns has the chance to be Ibaka on steroids. What’s your view on Towns? I’m not high on Flip and both he and Byron Scott are traditional coaches who hate three pointers but I’d love to see Wiggins and Towns together shutting down teams for the next 10+ years.

MC:Towns will be the best big out of this draft easily, I didn’t watch much of him since I don’t watch college basketball but hands down the best big. But I am happy that that is your top three because that three will create the craziness I want! But I think the Lakers take Russell and the 6ers take Mudiay and the Knicks get lucky and take Okafor. Which means the craziness does not happen

JK: I’d be very, very surprised if the Lakers took Russell. I love Russell’s game and think he can be a special player. He’s not a great athlete but his game is silky smooth. I’ve heard James Harden and Brandon Roy before the injuries so that’s certainly high praise. I don’t think the Lakers take him because of the fit with Kobe. Russell needs the ball in his hands and as much as the Lakers want people to believe Kobe doesn’t influence the pick, he does. I’d say the Lakers take Okafor.

Okafor, the accepted number one pick before the tournament, has lost a lot of value because of his inability to defend the pick and roll and his low ceiling compared to some of the other players available. I think Okafor will be a nice player but I wouldn’t put my money on him being a star. Al Jefferson and Brook Lopez come to mind when thinking of a comparison and it makes sense: a big that can control the offense but can also slow it down. A guy that can single handedly win a game but can also slow down the defense and have to be taken out during the last few minutes of the game. We’ll see with Okafor but I’m not high on him just like I wasn’t too high on Parker last year. What’s your take on the Cousins rumors? Would you take Randle and the #2 pick for him? People usually throw the Lakers with any team but Randle, Clarkson and the #2 pick seems like pretty good value right?

MC:For Boggie? No, first why would the Kings trade their franchise player to their biggest rival? Why would I trade for a guy who missed the whole season and Clarkson whose numbers were inflated because he was on a horrible team? No way I do that if i am the Kings, but you bring a great segway. TRADES!! Let’s start off with teams most likely to trade up. My two are the Suns and Raptors. There’s the rumor of Bledsoe and the 13th pick for the Knicks 4th pick, I love this rumor because it’s an interesting trade. I have the Raptors here because they have to do something, do they package their pick and Derozan or Valanciunas to move up? Masai is up to something I can feel it! So who’s trading up?

JK: I would trade Boogie but I don’t think the Lakers offer is that bad. The Wolves got a great return for Love and I know Okafor/Russell/Kristaps/Mario isn’t Wiggins but I’m willing to bet that Randle is better than Bennett. The Knicks trade is pretty interesting but I’d keep the pick if I were them. I understand Phil Jackson is crazy but does Bledsoe, Melo and the Suns pick really make them contenders? I’m not so sure. Whenever we talk about the Knicks it’s “do they fit the triangle?” Does Bledsoe fit the triangle? The Knicks could pass on a legitimate star which would be very Knicks. On the flip side if I’m the Suns, why trade Bledsoe for a top pick when they have a top pick in Alex Len who has yet to turn into a surefire starter in the league? Raptors would be interesting and you’d have to think someone would want to take a chance on Derozan and Jonas but I’d put the Nuggets here instead. I think the Nuggets might take Mudaiy which then begs the question with where Ty Lawson goes. The Nuggets have way too many assets to not make a trade and I think they’ll be the most active team in the draft.

MC: Maybe the Knicks trade 4 for 7 and take Lawson? that makes sense, I think. As for the Raptors I don’t know what the trade would be but Masai is always three moves ahead maybe the Nuggets and Raptors make a deal? Derozan and 20 plus the Raptors pick next year for 7. (remember Toronto has the Knicks pick next year so they can move their own) Before we get into the rest of the top 10, who can trade down? I think the Heat are a team to watch I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade 10 and Deng for lets say pick 19 from Washington? Clears the Heat cap and gives the Wizards a Paul Pierce replacement. Who do you see trading down?

JK: I wouldn’t bet on the Raptors and Nuggets making a deal. Remember, Masai left the Nuggets and not in a Derek Jeter kind of way. Trading down is a little tough but I don’t think the Heat are looking to trade down. First, they traded two picks for Dragic so they’re definitely trying to win now. They’re paying Bosh, Dragic, Deng and hopefully Wade in order to win now. If Wade leaves town, they need a replacement, fast. The Heat are interesting, do they take a Wade replacement or do they take a forward?  

 

MC: Okay we have your top three now gives us the next seven picks. No trades just picks.

Knicks: Kristaps- The European guy who jumped up everyone’s boards. A 7 footer, who possesses great athleticism, is a skilled shooter and has potential to be a rim protector might have the highest ceiling behind Towns. He is European though so many will be quick to label him as a bust. Needs to add strength but this guy could be the best player in the draft, or one of the worst. The Knicks need just about everything so if they think Kristaps is the guy, they should go for him.

Magic: Winslow- one word comes to mind when thinking of Winslow: solid. The Magic continue to stockpile assets and Winslow fits the bill as a safe pick, much like Oladipo, Payton and Gordon. Hopefully Winslow can shoot NBA range because that’s the one thing the Magic need. Many people fell in love with him in the tournament but my love doesn’t stretch this far. I’d much rather have WCS, Mudiay (the one other guy I could see the Magic taking) or Hezonja. The Magic really just need a star and I’m not sure Winslow is that guy but he fits their draft style.

Kings: WCS- The perfect fit to Cousins. Has the potential to be a great player in today’s NBA. A tremendous shot blocker who fits the mold as a Tyson Chandler, Andre Drummond, Andrew Bogut kind of player. A guy who doesn’t need the ball but can be very effective and efficient. Huge fan of WCS and would rather have him than Winslow or even Okafor.

Nuggets: Mudiay- Mudiay is an athletic point guard, much like the John Wall, Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook’s of the world. He’s not a European guy with little scouting (which is his reputation since he played in China) since he’s played with a lot of these guys in showcases before. He’s got a high ceiling but he needs to learn how to shoot in order to expand his game. The Nuggets seem to be content on trading Ty Lawson and this pick gives them the chance to deal him.

Pistons: Mario Hezonja- The Croatian Kobe! This guy is nuts and I love him. This guy has the swagger but the skills to back it up. Watch his YouTube videos and you’ll see why so many people are hoping this guy becomes a star. Hezonja is an athletic monster who throws down windmills before quarter’s end and takes wild three pointers that would make Jimmer proud. I’m not sure Hezonja will be good, but I’m sure as hell hopeful he will be. It’ll be interesting to see how coaches interact with Mario, as he seems like someone who will torture SVG. I’d also see Stanley Johnson being drafted here but can’t see Hezonja falling much after this. Crazy potential but also just plain crazy.

Hornets: Kaminsky- Frank Kaminsky seems like a bust. Just like the European guys (Hezonja and Kristaps), there’s a negative connotation when thinking about White American born big men. Think Tyler Hansbrough, Adam Morrison, Jimmer Fredette or Douggy Buckets. But I’m here to play devil’s advocate. I think Kaminsky can be a very useful player in today’s game. He’s never going to dunk on you but Kaminsky is a legitimate stretch four who can handle the ball, post up and create offense on his own. Think Boris Diaw or Josh Mcroberts. He’s not going to be a star but Kaminsky can be a really useful tool to a good team.

The Hornets desperately need scoring, shooting and someone to create offense, a Frank fills all of those holes.

Heat: Stanley Johnson- Johnson was a consensus top five pick before the college basketball mostly because of the potential he has. He’s got a Lebron James body with tremendous length and athleticism. Johnson carries a lot of risk and could be another Wesley Johnson. But If he puts it all together, watch out. Johnson fits the Heat as a guy who could potentially take the weight of the offense if Wade were to leave or be a key cog and take up Deng’s minutes.   

MC: Four through eight seems like it can go multiple ways. I guess Kristaps will be a Knicks if they keep the pick but I keep hearing the Knicks love Trey Lyles, I think the Knicks trade the pick and draft Lyles later on. I can see the rest of your mock be a reality but WCS to the Kings is interesting I think they might go with Mario, if they pick WCS it will be crazy with the Cousin rumors.

JK: I think WCS is a perfect fit with Cousins. Cousins is a “center” but in today’s positionless basketball, two big men might be a nice response to small ball. Cousins as the anchor on offense and WCS as the rim protector/ pick and roll specialist seems like a match made in heaven.

MC: Before we wrap this up since it’s a Nets blog what are the Nets doing? this is Billy King’s sweetspot! late twenties he’s going to pick a decent player isn’t he?

JK: He has to. This might be the only reason why King is still the GM. We only have late first rounders and that’s just about the only thing he’s good at. So let him do it right? Why hire someone else when there’s no flexibility at all? Let’s hope!

MC:The Nets have two picks entering the night how many picks do they end up making on Thursday? I say three they’ll probably buy one second pick. What say you?

JK: The Nets might buy a pick but they really need to hit on their first rounder. I’d love to get someone like Justin Anderson or RJ Hunter but if Hollis-Jefferson or Montrezl Harrell fell to 29, I wouldn’t pass on them either. The back of the draft is mostly a crapshoot and I’d shoot for the stars if I’m King.

MC: I agree, go for the highest ceiling. I like Anthony Brown he shot 44% from three and can defend pretty good.

Well that’s your 2015 draft preview let the weirdness begin! For everything NBA and Brooklyn Nets follow @threwthenet on twitter.

It's Just Getting Started

The NBA season is over L and the Warriors are the champs but it occurred to me during the finals that the Cavs and Warriors may have created a rivalry and that we may see these two teams match up in the finals again. The Cavs are a lock to be in the finals over the next couple of years since they have the best player in the world and they play in the worst conference in the world. For the Warriors it will be tougher since they play in the west but they will get better as a unit, remember this is only year one under Kerr they should only get better over time. But both of these team face challenges over the offseason, first let’s look at the Cavs.

The Cavs offseason plan is pretty simple bring everyone back. A full season of Kyrie, Shumpert, JR, Lebron, Delly, Love, Mozgov and Thompson is a great top 8 and if you add some pieces around that it’s a championship team. The Cavs have a first round pick and I would use that pick on a big man and try to move Anderson Varejao. He makes a lot of money over the next two years, he can’t stay healthy and the Cavs have too many big men. Love, Lebron and Thompson all are power forwards and Mozgov is your center. With Thompson he is on the verge of getting a HUGE contract the Cavs can’t have Varejao, Mozgov, James, Love and Thompson it’s too much money and the Cavs aren’t a big market team so they can’t pay the tax bill that the Nets pay. Moving Varejao would be very tough but it should be something they look to do.  The Cavs have the mini mid-level exception and Lebron James so they should be able to get a good player to sacrifice on money to play with Lebron for a title. For the mini the Cavs need to find another wing off the bench who can shoot. Matt Barnes just got traded and is expected to get waived, he would be a great fit In Cleveland. If Lebron is healthy next year they should cruise to the NBA Finals once again.  Also Lebron should play like 66 games next year and not play over 32 minutes a game. He has played so many minutes it would be wise for Cleveland to keep him fresh and put more of a load on Kyrie and Love during the regular season.

For the Warriors the road back will be a lot tougher than the Cavs but with one of the best front offices in the game they should be okay. All of their core is coming back their top 9 is loaded Curry, Klay, Iggy, Barnes, Livingston, Draymond, Bogut, Ezeli and Mo Speights. The Warriors have a pick and also the Mini mid-level exception, I’d like the Warriors to pick up a shooter off the bench this has been a glaring weakness for them in my opinion and it showed itself during the finals. If they can find a shooter off the bench they might be unstoppable. Now the Warriors have David Lee a guy who doesn’t fit in Steve Kerrs system but is still a good NBA player as we saw in the NBA finals. The Warriors should trade him but, the problem is he has a huge salary and the Warriors might not want to trade him. It might be wise to let his contract run out so the Warriors have cap room for the summer of Durant. If they can swap Lee for another expiring I think GS should do it, having 16 million be a bench warmer isn’t what you want.  There aren’t many trades out there that would make sense which means the Warriors might be the same team next year with a few minor tweaks. Matt Barnes would be a great fit in Golden State as well. (Matt Barnes and Draymond on the same team! Please and thank you)

Regardless both of these teams should be good for a while and we could see a Warriors vs Cavs finals for a while.

Off Season Plan

The 2014-2015 Net season is thankfully over and all things considered they did what we expected, make the playoffs and lose in round one. Maybe there was some hope early in the year that they could be a second round team but injuries early on and bad play changed the expectations for this team. The Nets head into the first off season of doom they don’t have their own first round draft pick until 2019!! And they have two very bad contracts. So how do the Nets succeed next year and into the future? They follow these steps.

                The main goal GET DRAFT PICKS. The Nets keep saying they will compete in 2 years when they have a lot of cap room and they are wrong! They will have cap room but they won’t compete, in order to compete you need a foundation and you build that foundation through the draft and the Nets don’t have enough of a foundation to compete. Why would a big free agent after next year want to come to Brooklyn? They can get the money elsewhere and compete which isn't something that is happening in Brooklyn. Also is Lionel Hollins attractive? The Nets are an unattractive destination for free agents at the moment because they aren't good. If the Nets want free agents they need a foundation and the only way to get that foundation leads me to my first off season step…

1.       Sign and Trade Brook Lopez

This may not make sense but let me explain Brook Lopez’s stock is at an all-time high he’s a 7 foot center that is lethal on the offensive end and he is also a good rim protector. He’s also 27 he’s going to opt out of his contract and he would like to return to Brooklyn and it would make sense for the Nets to resign him but he’s their only major assist and their only chance to start a new foundation.  Also if you’re the Nets do you want to give a center with two major foot surgeries a big contract? You let another team do it and if Lopez turns out great you deal with it because if you resign him what does he do for you? WOO another year at 40 wins! No free agent in the future is lining up to play with Brook Lopez. The Nets can give Lopez the most money of any team so a sign and trade would make sense the question is who would sign and trade for him and what would it cost? The Nets would have to take back a big contract to match up with Lopez but most importantly the Nets would have to receive a draft pick and/or young players. For example the Pacers want to get rid of Roy Hibbert who has one year left on his contract and would love to replace him with a center of Lopez’s caliber. Let’s say the trade is Lopez for Hibbert 2016 first round pick and 2019 first round pick? Maybe the Nets can only get one pick out of the deal but it’s a deal you consider.  Would Charlotte do a similar deal including Big Al? (Last year of contract) Denver is a team that likes Lopez maybe the Nets trade Lopez for JJ Hickson, Wilson Chandler, young player and Pick? Again this idea isn’t about next year it’s about the long term. Signing Lopez long term just doesn’t make the Nets better in 2 or 3 years which should be the goal.

2.       What to do with Thad Young

This is a tricky situation because if you sign and trade Lopez what is the point of resigning Thad Young? He’s a very good role player so if you sign and trade Lopez you should probably do the same for Thad Young although that would be a lot harder to pull off (probably impossible to pull off). If I am the Nets I sign Young to a contract that is no longer than 3 years and if he wants more he can walk he doesn't fit into the plan. Thad Young is a good player and if the Nets decide to resign Lopez they should resign Thad Young but according to my plan they should sign and trade him or be very careful with his contract. (Random thought I don’t like the way he runs… he had a couple of scares with his knees and ankle with the Nets this year, I would be careful because of that)

3.       Brooklyn Back Court

What to do with Joe Johnson and Deron Williams… Both looked finished this past season and they make sooooo much money next year. Joe Johnson 24 million Deron Williams 21 million next year and 22 million the year after. Best case might be to have those contracts run out and be happy with the cap space but Brooklyn should explore the market, Joe Johnson might be expendable if the right team comes around the Nets would probably have to take a contract that runs past next year but if they get some picks out of the trade it’s something to consider. Most likely they will be on the Nets next year and if Joe Johnson can rebound next year he could become a good trade chip at the deadline for Brooklyn.

4.       Role players

Alan Anderson and Mirza are both free agents Mirza will be offered a qualifying offer which would allow the Nets to match any offer. Now I love me some Mirza but the same thing applies to him as Thad Young, accept a 3 year deal and if not you let him walk. As for Alan Anderson… thanks for your services but you’re no longer need. Anderson was one of Brooklyn’s best players the last two months of the year and he earned himself a nice free agency he is a good role player on a contender, but the Nets have Markel Brown and he needs to play more and Anderson is blocking his growth.

5.       Draft

The Nets have the 29^th and 41^st pick in the draft. The Nets should use both picks unless they have the opportunity to move up, if they have that chance they should do it. But you do NOT trade a pick to move Joe Johnson, Deron Williams or Jarrett Jack. A positive for the Nets heading into the draft is that they have Billy King… Yeah you read that right since the move to Brooklyn Billy King’s draft resume has been pretty good (trades with these picks no) but when he actually uses the picks he’s been pretty good. He got Mason Plumlee with the 22^nd pick which was a good pick and he also got Markel Brown in the second round, Brown was one of two rookies who started in the playoffs this year. At the moment Draft Express have the Nets taking George Lucas point guard in the first round.

6.       Mini mid-level

The Nets do have their mini mid-level exception to sign a free agent, the Nets will be over the cap so this is their only chance to sign a free agent. (Outside of players taking the league minimum)  The most they can offer a player is 3 years at 10.5 million the focus should be on a young player so who can they sign?

KJ McDaniels wing player- he’s young but restricted if the Nets offer the full 3 years 10.5 maybe the Rockets pass but I think they match but it’s worth a shot.

Cory Joseph point guard - he is also young and also restricted but the Spurs might let him go if he is offered the full 3 years because they are rumored to be in play for a big free agent and they need cap room.

Matthew Dellavedova point guard- he is also restricted and Cleveland will most likely match any offer but I am one of the leaders of the Dellavedova fan club and if he became a Net I would throw my own parade down Flatbush. Again unlikely this happens but try it!

Justin Holiday guard-  giving Holiday the full mini might be too much but he is an undrafted free agent who crack the Warriors rotation at times during the year he might be a player you take a chance on, it’s a high risk type of deal because you don’t know what is potential is.

Some overseas guy- The Nets used the mini to bring over Mirza and Bojan (Even though Bojan was drafted I never got that) but there are talented free agents overseas which the Nets could use the mini on I don’t know any of them but I’m sure the Nets do (I think, okay probably not) but still an overseas guy is worth the mini contract.

7.       Markel Brown

The Nets need to take Brown hostage take him to an island lock him in a gym with two basketballs and a shotgun (not an actually gun the shooting machine thing) and make him shoot 500 threes a day. If Brown can hit three consistently he can become a good NBA player.

8.       Jarrett Jack

Now we all aren't fans of Jarrett Jack but he is on an expiring deal so there’s a chance he can be traded and if the Nets can swap an expiring contract for an expiring contract that’s fine but if they trade Jarrett Jack you don’t send a pick or a young player with him. If the Nets keep Jack until the deadline they might be able to trade him for something decent.

Once again the goal is to get younger and get picks for the future who cares about next year? The focus should be getting better long term not in in 2015-2016.

But this is something the Nets probably won’t do, so what will they do? Resign Lopez and Young try to trade Johnson and Williams but they’ll fail at it and they’ll use the mini to sign someone they probably shouldn't. WOOOO Nets basketball!!!

For everything Nets and NBA follow @threwthenet on twitter.

2nd half rotations

The second half of the season is upon us and the Nets are 21-31 and one game out of the 8^th seed. The Nets are better than the Hornets and they should make the playoffs but the key to making it is Lionel Hollins rotations. This is something he has struggled with this season, but I’m here to fix that problem. The first thing is no more starting Jarrett Jack. The Nets have a -8.6 net rating with Jack on the floor!!! That is horrible! He shouldn’t be a starter on most teams. When Jack is on the bench the Nets have 5.6 net rating. All the numbers say the Nets are better when Jack doesn’t play; so stop starting him!!! Even though Deron Williams is having a down year the Nets have a net rating of -1.2 with him on the floor. Now that’s not good but it’s a lot better than Jarrett Jack. It’s time to start Deron and it’s not even a debate. When it comes to the 1^st wing position it’s a no brainer, Joe Johnson. The 2^nd wing is interesting Bojan Bogdanovic and Alan Anderson have basically the same net rating, Bojan is a better shooter than Anderson but Anderson is a better defender. I would go with Anderson (I can’t believe I’m writing this) because of the defense and he doesn’t hurt the spacing. Both players should certainly get a lot of minutes. It would be smart to sprinkle in another wing player like Karasev or Markel Brown. They would only play like 5 minutes, but they are needed. When it comes to power forward, Thaddeus Young needs to play a lot. He’ll be pushing 34-36 minutes a night. The Nets only backup is Cory Jefferson and he bare plays as it is. Mason Plumlee is the starting center and Lopez is off the bench when it comes to the center position.

Minute’s breakdown (warning, my math skills are 76ers bad)

PG Deron Williams (32-36 mins) Jarrett Jack (12-16 mins)

Wings Joe Johnson (34-36 mins) Alan Anderson (26-30 mins) Bojan Bogdanovic (18-22 mins) Markel Brown (5-7 mins)

Power forward Thaddeus Young (34-36 mins) Cory Jefferson (12-14 mins)

Center Mason Plumlee (28-32 mins) Brook Lopez (16-20 mins)

It’s important to note that these minutes wouldn’t allow Deron Williams and Jarrett Jack to play alongside each other, as well as Brook Lopez and Mason Plumlee. Those two combinations have not worked all year so let’s not try this in the second half. Okay?  

Nets Trade Deadline Roller Coaster

At 1pm I was sitting in my communication arts class (what does that even mean?) and I see that the Nets are on the verge of trading Brook Lopez, Kevin Garnett and Jarrett Jack. If you follow me on twitter or have read anything I have written you would know trading those guys would make me thrilled. So I was in class smiling pretending to pay attention but I was violently swiping my timeline looking for the confirmed tweet from Woj or Stein. So at around 2:30 I was working on a project with some people I looked back at my phone and I see Kevin Garnett has been traded for Thaddeus Young (good trade we’ll get into that later). I was happy with that the only thing left was Lopez and Jack. At this time I am wondering why this trade hasn’t been completed yet. So I go away from my phone I come back at 2:55ish and devastation, Reggie Jackson has been traded to the Pistons. WHY WOJ!!! Enes Kanter has been traded to the Thunder. All hope is dead.

At one point today the Nets looked like they were going to be HUGE winners. They were going to get a young point guard in Reggie Jackson but instead Sam Presti played Billy King. Brook Lopez is now in a really awkward stage, he’s playing for a team that has tried to trade him multiple times in the past month. By not trading Lopez Mason Plumlee is a trade deadline loser today. Without Lopez Plumlee would be able to play freely and not be worried about being pulled for making a mistake. But the Nets did get Thaddeus Young so let’s look at that.

Thaddeus Young was drafted by Billy King in 2007 in Philadelphia and Billy has always been a fan of Thaddeus and now he got him back. KG for Thaddeus is a good trade for Brooklyn I thought KG had no value but Flip Saunders really wanted him back and offered the Nets a good player but he’s having a down year he’s averaging 14 points on 13 shots! And shooting 29% from three but he’s Thaddeus isn’t having a bad year due to a decrease in talent or athleticism it’s because he’s being asked to do too much. Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic have been hurt a majority of the year making Young the 1^st or 2^nd option. Young isn’t good enough to be the 1^st or 2^nd option on Brooklyn he will be the 3^rd or 4^th option which is a much better fit. In Brooklyn he will play off the ball more and he will be able to slash a lot more which is strength in his game. He also fits nicely in Brooklyn having him on the floor with Plumlee will allow the Nets to operate at a much faster pace. Young had good on/off #s in Minnesota their offensive rating was +2 with him on the floor. Young brings the Nets youth and athleticism which is something they needed, Young has a player option for next season, and The Nets need Young to opt-in because they have no cap room so they won’t be able to sign a power forward. Young should play a lot for Brooklyn since the Nets don’t have a backup power forward, they have Cory Jefferson but Hollins has been hesitant to use him. If Young can play good defense and help offensively he can boost the Nets to the eight seed. (GO CRAZY) It’s hard to predict future success, especially in this case with Young but I think he’ll be a good fit on this team is it enough to make them a playoff team? We will find out.

For everything Nets and NBA follow @threwthenet on twitter

What to do without Mirza?

      Even though Mirza was having a bad season his season ending injury is a big one for the Nets. No one on this team does what Mirza can do; he’s a big that spaces the floor and can hit the three. Mirza was the only big that could work with Lopez in 389 minutes. They are a +0.4 which isn’t that good, but Lopez only has three two man combinations that result in a positive. With Mirza out who should get his minutes? The answer should be Kevin Garnett, but the Nets won’t extend his minutes. So who else is there? The answer is not Jerome Jordan; in 52 minutes with Mason Plumlee they’re a -32. This will probably be Lionel Hollins first choice and it will fail. The guy who should get Mirza’s minutes is Cory Jefferson. He was the last pick of the draft and has done okay when called upon this season. He has the potential to become a stretch four. In college he shot 34% from three, granted it was 50 shots but it’s a start. The main reason why Jefferson deserves the minutes is when he and Mason Plumlee share the floor they are a +9.9 in 84 minutes.  Another reason why Jefferson should get Mirza’s minutes is because he’s a rookie on a one year contract this is the time to see if he’s an NBA player. The Nets should also sign another young power forward in case Jefferson doesn’t work out, but they need to sign a young guy from the D-league or Xavier Thames, who the Nets drafted right before Jefferson but Thames was playing overseas and was just bought out. The Nets still hold his rights; they could assign him to the D-league or sign him to the main roster. The Nets shouldn’t look to trade for a PF (No more giving away assets) but if they decide to trade Lopez, KG, Joe Johnson or Deron Williams they should probably look to include one in a trade.

All stats are from Basketball-reference.com

For Everything NBA and Brooklyn Nets follow @Threwthenet on Twitter

TRADES!!!

                We are about one month away from the trade deadline and it’s time for the Billy King to pick up his phone and start making deals (Oh man that’s a scary thought). But the Nets are screwed for this season and until 2019. 2019 is the next time the Nets have their own first round pick!!!2019!!! That is crazy! How is this real?!?! The Nets can’t hit the restart button because they don’t have their own pick! So what can the Nets do? We’ll take a look at the plan for the rest of this season. The Nets current plan is to shed salary but contend. The Nets don’t want to add salary beyond next year because they want an empty cap for the free agency of 2016. The Nets should currently look to shed salary and contend because what else do they have going for them? But the problem I have with that plan is the empty cap for 2016. Look, the Nets are screwed so why would a big free agent want to come to Brooklyn? There’s no reason. Also the Nets shouldn’t even sign one because if they sign a big free agent they won’t win anything! The way you become a championship contender is by drafting 2 or 3 good to great players and then signing players. What the Nets should be doing this season is looking to trade everyone but Mason Plumlee for draft picks, young players and other teams’ horrible contracts. The only way the Nets can build towards the future is by taking horrible contracts and getting picks/assets in return. The Nets shouldn’t be looking to contend for the next 1-3 years; just add bad contracts endure the horrible seasons but get picks and assists with those horrible contracts. The Nets also have a couple of role players that they might be able to deal for a second round pick. TRADE MACHINE TIME!

           This is a trade that saves the Nets some money and it works for the Clippers; they NEED bench depth and Anderson provides it. Anderson is shooting 34% from three and is a good defender, and Anderson is cheap for the Clippers. The Nets could ask for a second round pick in return but I doubt they get a pick in return. Trading Anderson could open up a rotation spot for Markel Brown. The Nets need a young wing player to emerge and Karasev isn’t the answer (I still have hope for Bojan). By trading Anderson, Brown gets playing time. If the Nets get Chris Douglas Roberts they should waive him and sign a D-league guy and see what the D-Leaguer has.

               

         Okay I know Ray Felton isn’t someone you want and I don’t want Felton, but Mirza is probably gone after this season and the Nets should let him walk. He’s a fun player to watch, but he isn’t that good. The Mavs need another big right now. Charlie Villanueve is their back up four. They need to upgrade that position and Mirza is a good player for that role. Felton adds salary to Brooklyn and has a player option for next season (he’ll opt in for next year) but this is an example of adding salary but taking a pick back. The only way the Nets do this trade is if the Mavs send a pick the Nets way. I don’t even care if it’s a second round pick just get me some picks!

                I’ve been spending too much time on trade machine during my winter break. But the Clippers bench is bad and adding KG and Alan Anderson to it helps. KG and Doc have their relationship which is why it could happen. Spencer Hawes hasn’t been good this year and Doc Rivers isn’t a fan of him which means he might do something stupid. Hawes has 3 years left but in this deal the Nets add C.J. Wilcox, a young player under control for a while and should ask for a pick of any type; first or second Doc Rivers throws picks around almost worse than Billy King. The rest of the players in this trade are just old vets that take up roster spots. The Nets could waive some and add a D-leaguer or two.

 

                This is a trade I’m not a fan of because of Lance Stephenson, but the Nets need to do something. The Hornets might do it because Michael Jordan isn’t good at his job and the team really wants to make the playoffs; Joe Johnson would get this team in the playoffs. But the Nets get Williams and Henderson who are just taking up roster space. The Nets could take a chance on Lance because of the talent and hope they can figure his head out. The Nets could get a pick in this deal as well.

                This trade saves the Nets cash and that’s about it. The three players in the trade don’t help you win but you only do this trade if you receive a first round pick. The Pelicans need to get Anthony Davis in the playoffs and by adding Joe Johnson it might make the Pelicans the 8^th seed out west.

 

                Chris Mannnix suggested the Celtics take a shot on Brook Lopez which is why I made this deal. I highly doubt this trades happens, but hey why not! The Nets add salary  but they add salary with the Celtics who have so many draft picks and young assets that maybe the Nets can steal a few away in a deal like this. If the Nets did this they could trade Bass for a second round pick; he does have value. I doubt the Celtics do this because they’re in rebuilding mode and Zeller and Oylnk have been playing great of late.

           

 

                I wouldn’t rule out the Lakers pulling this trade off. They love big names and these are big names (kinda). The Nets get a good player in Lin and can buyout Steve Nash. Also, throw in a draft pick and it’s a win for the Nets!

                Those are all the trades for now there will be more in the coming weeks. Make sure to follow @threwthenet on Twitter for everything NBA and Brooklyn Nets.