| 2007-2008 Season Preview: New Jersey Nets Authored by Dennis Silva II - October 5, 2007 - 7:30 pm
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Prospect Report: Brook Lopez Of StanfordFor a team looking for a well-developed offensive game at center, Brook Lopez is the 2008 Draft’s best option.
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They needed an interior presence; preferably offensively.
They also needed another outside gunner who could hit open shots. The “Big Three” of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson are better used driving and creating to the basket, not standing on the perimeter.
Well, one of those needs was addressed. But with the significant progress made by the Boston Celtics, and the up-and-coming Toronto Raptors, the Nets may find themselves third in the Atlantic Division, followed closely by an improved New York Knicks club and a hungry Philadelphia 76ers team.
New Jersey is betting that the free-agent acquisition of forward-center Jamaal Magloire and the return of a healthy Nenad Krstic is the lone remedy for a third NBA Finals appearance in the last six years.
As well, Nets players missed a combined 167 games last year, unsettling the rotation and altering the lineup every now and then for coach Lawrence Frank.
Jefferson and Krstic together missed a combined 83 contests.
But the “Big Three” are not getting younger, and the reliance upon them to carry a team is waning on fans.
Then again, when you have top-10 players at the guard and wing spots, you can at least expect to be in contention on a consistent basis.
The Nets are looking for their seventh consecutive postseason appearance, continuing a franchise record.
POINT GUARD
Jason Kidd continues to be the face of the franchise and is the ultimate team leader.
He struggled for the early part of last season before finishing to average 13 points, 9.2 assists, 8.2 rebounds and 1.56 steals per game, playing in all but two.
He became only the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire postseason – 14.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 10.9 assists.
He’ll never be a marksman from the perimeter, but who cares? His job is to defend and get the ball to Carter, Jefferson and Krstic in places where they can be most effective, and he almost always does.
He’ll even have a new playmate in Magloire, who has soft hands around the basket and will draw attention and double-teams.
His backup, Marcus Williams, will be a great one someday. The Nets can be comfortable that when Kidd decides to hang up the Nikes, Williams will be a capable successor.
The lefty Williams is quick and a solid floor leader. Like Kidd, he struggles shooting the ball.
But he showed immense potential in limited time. In just 16 minutes per game, Williams tallied 6.8 points, 3.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds per contest.
If he can get his play consistent enough to where he can be around 25 minutes per game, the Nets will be grateful.
The more rest for Kidd, the better.
GRADE: A-
SHOOTING GUARD
From one perennial All-Star to another.
Vince Carter re-upped with the team this off-season instead of opting out of his contract, and the Nets are better off for it.
The 6-6 YouTube mainstay posted a solid 06-07 year, compiling a team-high 25.2 points per game to accompany six rebounds and 4.8 assists while starting all 82 games, the first time since 1999-2000.
Not only that, but Carter, even after nine years in the league, remains a man on a mission – he has yet to lead his team past the second round of the playoffs.
That will be another daunting task this season, with Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Boston all looking to finish as the East’s Dynamic Duo.
Carter gives the Nets a diverse scorer. Whereas Jefferson is almost exclusively a slashing scorer, Carter is just as deadly attacking the rim as he is behind the 3-point stripe.
He’s one of the streakiest shooters in the NBA from behind the line, but once he gets it going, it’s a nightmare for defenses. His range extends all the way to 27 feet.
Backup guard Antoine Wright is heading into his third NBA season, which is generally the breakout year for NBA players.
The 6-7, 215-pound Wright is athletic and has a flair for scoring, but he’ll need to improve his defense.
He averaged 4.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in limited time last year, but the Nets will rely on him for significant contributions in the backup guard and wing role.
GRADE: B
SMALL FORWARD
Richard Jefferson has had his name engraved in Nets trade rumors.
Yet one look at last season tells all you need to know about his significance.
While missing 27 games due to injury, New Jersey posted an 11-16 record in his absence.
He’s the team’s best defender, and is the ideal third wheel to Kidd and Carter.
He compiled 16.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists last year.
His middle game is a perfect complement towards Kidd’s penetration and Carter’s penchant for long range bombs.
He also posted a career-best 35.9 percent from 3-point range.
The small forward spot may be the Nets’ most secure. Backing up Jefferson is 6-9 Bostjan Nachbar, who came into his own last season by averaging 9.2 points and 3.3 rebounds off the bench.
Nachbar is an aggressive slasher but also is one of New Jersey’s reliable marksmen from downtown, hitting 42 percent.
He’s an able substitute for Carter or Jefferson and adds scoring punch.
Nachbar always plays with intensity and is improving as a defender, though 3.3 rebounds per contest are disappointing for a player of his size and athleticism.
Swingman Bernard Robinson is another athletic player who could afford work on his jump shot and improvement in his defensive game.
GRADE: B+
POWER FORWARD
The 6-11, 265-pound Jamaal Magloire gives this spot a much-needed injection of offense and rebounding.
Magloire will fill the forward spot while Krstic returns to the center spot.
He’s a banger, tough inside scorer while Krstic is comfortable in the midrange shooting jumpers.
Magloire gives the Nets their first true inside presence in years. He’s a solid rebounder and loves to score.
He holds career averages of nine points and seven rebounds per game, but the Nets are hoping he can rekindle his glory years of when he was with New Orleans, where he posted 10.3, 13.6, and 11.7 points, respectively, in three seasons.
Magloire’s backup will likely be rookie Sean Williams, the 17th selection of this year’s draft.
Williams can play either forward or center at 6-11, but is athletic and boasts raw talent that makes him an intriguing prospect.
He’s a solid defender and rebounder, but needs to establish more of an offensive game.
Josh Boone is more in the mold of Williams but is a better defender and rebounder. He thrives off put-back opportunities and is solid in the pick-and-roll game.
He’ll see his share of minutes at both center and power forward.
GRADE: C+
CENTER
The 7-0 Nenad Krstic will be welcomed with open arms after suffering an ACL injury last year.
Prior to that, he was a reliable scorer and rebounder. He boasts a soft touch and nifty moves around the basket.
For his career, he’s compiled 12 points and six rebounds per contest, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be somewhere along those same numbers.
His backup is one of the best post defenders in the league, Jason Collins.
Collins does not do anything on the stat sheet except in the rebounding and shot-blocking categories.
But he uses his 7-0, 260-pound frame to bang down low and disrupt opposing post players.
Frank knows what to expect out of Collins night in and night out.
GRADE: B-
2007-08 PROJECTED RECORD: 49-33
PLAYOFFS: Eastern Conference Finalists |
