Can we rely on Brook to be THE GUY?

[BasketBrain]

Many skeptics are saying the Nets are lottery bound once again next year because we traded away our best player for some role players. With VC gone, do you guys think Brook has it in him and is capable of being our go to guy? Do you think there is a chance he can make the all star game?

With VC gone, there is no doubt in my mind Brook will have many more scoring oppurtunities. Here's hoping he comes back with atleast two new post moves and improved footwork.

[Hansel]

I don't think he necessarily needs to be "the guy". It's not him and a bunch of garbage players. Harris is still the best offensive player on the team and will be at worst a joint #1 option with Brook. I expect him to up his ppg with more touches but hopefully not at the expense of his efficiency. I do think he'll be a lot better though with a season under his belt. Harris should be the guy more affected by losing Vince than Brook IMO.

[vincecarter4pres]

I think Brook is going to be beastly this season, but one of the major disadvantages to losing VC is it makes it a lot easier for the defense to cheat and double to team or even play zone basically every single play over the course of a game.
Let alone a couple go to post moves, if Brook hasn't significantly improved his ability to pass out of the post in general and more specifically out of double teams we are going to be straight up hard to watch. He also has to take care of the ball more in general, not getting stripped as much and not allowing players on double teams to get two hands on the pill and force a jump ball.
Brook should be fine though, at least as fine as he can be. He plays with a mean streak and has a lot of fire and passion to his game, sometimes that trumps all.
Devin might literally lead the league in scoring and average 8 or 9 assists per game if the wings are hitting their jumpers and everyone if finishing on attempts in the paint.

I am going to cautiously optimistic again this season.
Last year I was realistic yet optimistic and gave them the very real hopes of the 8th seed, but I predicted 30 to 38 wins and I think I predicted exactly 36 wins, but I don't fully remember and I ain't going through 70 pages of old threads to find out.

I am not so sure this year. We are really talented, a lot more so then people outside of our fanbase or organization would like to admit, but we are REALLY young and inexperienced and Devin is almost a lock to have nagging injuries that will effect his play and force him to miss around 10 games.
We also have a long way until the season starts and might make more moves, small and big.
The one thing that scares me is this is just the type of team to thoroughly overchieve again and be seriously involved in the playoff race later in the season and then Devin gets injured(nothing too serious) and we fall out the race, but still win games in the low 30's.
That means we miss the playoffs like everyone said we would but again we wind up with a bunk lotto pick, somewhere between the 9th and 11th.
That would be the worst possible thing that could happen to this team and it very likely will be what happens, yet again.

[Hansel]

Yeah, nothing is worse than continually picking 10-13. Either win or lose, but mediocrity is just brutal. That's true on teams potentially doubling Brook/cheating without VC there, but I think a lot of that help will go towards stifling Harris. That's why Lee, TWill, and even Simmons are important hitting their jumpers. If this team can't hit shots then Harris/Brook have no chance of playing straight up.

[vincecarter4pres]

Yeah, nothing is worse than continually picking 10-13. Either win or lose, but mediocrity is just brutal. That's true on teams potentially doubling Brook/cheating without VC there, but I think a lot of that help will go towards stifling Harris. That's why Lee, TWill, and even Simmons are important hitting their jumpers. If this team can't hit shots then Harris/Brook have no chance of playing straight up.

Yeah, but I don't see teams doubling Harris much at all.
I see team's playing him straight up and a lot of zone.
There is almost no point what so ever to double Harris.
He's quick as lightening and has a yo-yo handle. He's going to split double teams like crazy and continue right into the lane, completely collapsing the defense, then he forces the defense to leave guys just way too wide open and leaves open all the slashers to back cuts, come off screens go backdoor, go for lobs etc. and gets all their bigs into foul trouble and gives up easy layups and wide open three's. Doesn't make any sense.
What he hasn't proven is his ability to make wide open shots outside or when spotting up, and he hasn't proven his ability as a passer or shown his court vision to create without a pick and roll or to hit cutters with no looks, bounce passes and bullets off back doors, etc. when he is stationary at top waiting for the ball to repost the big men or off an around the horn sequence.
They will double Brook or play a loose zone and force Brook and Devin to create quick opportunities and dare our shooters to hit shots with very little spacing.
Doubling Devin plays the utmost to his advantages and is a recipe for the opposing team's big men to get posterized and wind up sitting most of the game on the bench worried about thier 3rd and 4th fouls and questioning thier coaches schemes and intelligence.

[S.I.C. GM]

I think Brook is going to be beastly this season, but one of the major disadvantages to losing VC is it makes it a lot easier for the defense to cheat and double to team or even play zone basically every single play over the course of a game.

Let alone a couple go to post moves, if Brook hasn't significantly improved his ability to pass out of the post in general and more specifically out of double teams we are going to be straight up hard to watch. He also has to take care of the ball more in general, not getting stripped as much and not allowing players on double teams to get two hands on the pill and force a jump ball.

This is exactly what has to happen. Brook needs to become comfortable with this aspect of his game. As far as doubles and zone, if Brook improves his low post passing, teams wont be able to do this often. With Harris, Dooling, Simmons(if not traded), CDR, Lee, TWill, Yi, and Hayes, teams wont be able to leave shooters open. Granted these guys are not great shooters, but they will be open shots.

Devin might literally lead the league in scoring and average 8 or 9 assists per game if the wings are hitting their jumpers and everyone if finishing on attempts in the paint.

I am going to cautiously optimistic again this season.
Last year I was realistic yet optimistic and gave them the very real hopes of the 8th seed, but I predicted 30 to 38 wins and I think I predicted exactly 36 wins, but I don't fully remember and I ain't going through 70 pages of old threads to find out.

I am not so sure this year. We are really talented, a lot more so then people outside of our fanbase or organization would like to admit, but we are REALLY young and inexperienced and Devin is almost a lock to have nagging injuries that will effect his play and force him to miss around 10 games.
We also have a long way until the season starts and might make more moves, small and big.
The one thing that scares me is this is just the type of team to thoroughly overchieve again and be seriously involved in the playoff race later in the season and then Devin gets injured(nothing too serious) and we fall out the race, but still win games in the low 30's.
That means we miss the playoffs like everyone said we would but again we wind up with a bunk lotto pick, somewhere between the 9th and 11th.
That would be the worst possible thing that could happen to this team and it very likely will be what happens, yet again.

I am going to be optimistic but I dont want to win too many games. I want development but I also want a lottery pick between 1-7(max).