Brooklyn Nets Season Preview

Brooklyn Nets

2014 Record: 33-48

2015 O/U: 28.5

Who are their stars?

Believe it or not Joe Johnson is the second highest paid player in the league. Is he going to play up to it? Probably not. The thing you notice with Johnson is that overall, he is taking less shots, but as far as three pointers, his time in Brooklyn he has shot the same amount if not more than most seasons in his career. To me, it seems he has a lack of ability to create a shot, and I think settling for the three has been a custom to him. Unfortunately he isn’t an above average shooter. Aside from who their star should be, the guy who is actually their best player is Brook Lopez. Lopez is one of the best scoring centers in the NBA. He has himself some injury issues, but when he can play he is a legitimate mismatch against every team. These are the two guys who can take this team the furthest, and ironically; they are the two guys who sit on the trade block entering the season. The Nets seem to be stuck in a hole where they can’t tank, but they have no shot at advancing in the playoffs. Some role players were shipped away and this may cause some regression around the stars.

Who are the Glue Guys?

Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young are the two guys who can stick in this line up though out the season. Young is experienced, but has never been in a winning environment and has himself some injury issues. Bogdanovic enters year two as a guy who can shoot and space the floor with size. He isn’t the best defender, but the Nets traded a glue guy Mason Plumlee for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and RHJ may get some playing time if he can defend wing players this season. RHJ cannot score enough to get serious minutes, but as a spell for Bogdanovic it makes that position potentially a team strength moving forward in Brooklyn.

Rotational Guys

Their point guard position will be a rotation of Jarrett Jack, Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan. Larkin and Sloan are bit of unknowns and will get time to see if they can stick in the lineup. Jack, at 31 is the seasoned vet and he is who is he is. If this team is in a playoff hunt they may go to Jack more, but I think if this team fades out it would be time to see the youth, especially Larkin. Jack is one of the best locker room guys in the league and should help them a long, but it doesn’t leave much to love for a team that may want to contend. I don’t even want to mention Andrea Bargarni because I believe he is a guy that will bring this team down. He cannot play with Lopez, and he brings no defense in relief of Lopez. He isn’t going to score because he isn’t going to play enough, so he doesn’t give you much at all. Thomas Robinson may play more than him, but he is a rotational guy at best, and is better in a lower bench, high-energy role than anything else. Overall when looking at 2014, the depth is little and to put that kind of pressure on Lopez and Johnson is expecting to lose.

Where do they rank? Over Under? How far can they go?

I expect that the management knows they don’t have much hope. They will field the calls for Lopez, and they may eventually want to lose to help build around Lopez while they still have him to play quality basketball for them. Unlike the 76ers, the Nets have an experienced veteran like Lopez to push them through tough times. However, like the 76ers this team needs to spend time seeing what they have in their young options and see if they can put pieces together and find connections. It will result in losses, and even if Lopez is shut down for the season late it wouldn’t hurt for the future of the franchise. All that said this team is not making the playoffs. The East got a little better, and they got a little worse. Again, like the 76ers, do they want the 10th pick, or the 2nd or 3rd pick, depends on if you see a success or a failure. It becomes a very interesting debate, and I expect the Nets to have it this year.

Under 28.5 wins, 14th in the Eastern Conference, 29th in the NBA