Where to go from here?

[vincecarter4pres]

yea vc4p i see your points and their all valid i just tend to err on the side of optimism... especially the way we've been playing the last 2 weeks. however, to revisit someone elses point earlier in the thread... we really do have assets to move up in the lottery on draft night. u tell me a team wouldnt take a top 20 and a top 10 pick plus maybe damion james for a top 5 pick... a young team rebuilding would jump on that IMO

I don't see it, unless you're talking a 2 or 3 spot jump and even then I don't know.

I mean especially a rebuilding team isn't going to want to do that.

A young team rebuilding is in exactly the same position that we're in, they want a franchise guy or at least a star, so I don't see them trading that away for a slimmer chance at it unless they are in love with a certain guy who is destined to be there, say around 8 through 10 and is a big reach to take at say 4.

Moving up from that far back for the #1 overall pick, or whatever pick Irving goes for some meager assets like Damion James and another mediocre pick is a pipe dream though.

He's widely considered a likely franchise guy and even if the team that wound up with him really wanted to deal him, there will be deals that **** on the one you're suggesting we could offer.

Draft jumps have happened before, numerous times, but they're usually a 2 spot jump for small assets where the two prospects are considered relatively even prospects, but each team wants the player that plays a different position and the team picking first has the upper hand to extract a little value.

[Lamak]

I think we should play to win, but give our young guys a lot of minutes. Which means increased minutes for Favors and James (whenever he gets back). Right now we're in between tanking and competing for the playoffs, but neither matters if we don't give Favors, Lopez, and James a chance to improve.

I would also like to trade Murphy for a draft pick, but I doubt anyone bites without taking back a player we don't need.

I would like to see Scottie Reynolds get called up, but I doubt that happens.

[NyCeEvO]

1) Most of you guys already know my position but VC4P, Rockice, and I are all on the same page. I'm glad I didn't have to re-type everything I said in other posts. VC4P took care of that for me

2) Here's a copy of what I said in another thread:

Although, do we really want to play ourselves out of a top pick? We would have the opportunity to nab one of the top picks and then really have something to build around with 3 talented young players. The draft pick can't say I don't want to go to the Nets and the pick doesn't even get paid $5 million per season. If we play ourselves out of a top draft pic, I'll be pretty pissed considering that we're not going to attract any top FAs in the next few years with our roster. We'll be the in the worst position for an NBA team: not good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to get a top-tier player in the draft to rebuild around. In my eyes, this is the last season where we actually need to suck so that we can get our third good draft pick and have a great young core to send to Brooklyn. We'd be much more attractive to a 2012 FAs with a core of Lopez/Favors/+ top draft pick (like Irving or one of the Joneses) then with the team we currently have constructed. I honestly don't want us to play great because it will be a greater benefit to us for the long term.

Let's say we get the 10th pick and yet we really want to get to the top 5 range. We'd probably have to trade Harris + future 1st(s) to move up. Well, if we play bad enough this season, we could get that 4th pick without a trade and use that potential trade to get a better PG, SG, or SF which we really need. The easiest and most beneficial thing for us to do for the future is to lose now so that we can win big later. Just look at Sacramento's position. They're currently in a position to get a Perry Jones and then they'll have a three of Evans/Jones/Cousins and they'd all be playing on their rookie contracts. That's sick! We should be doing something similar. I know a lot of us hate losing but if there is any season where it is actually important for us to get a top pick, it is this one. Injuries aside, if we get one of those top picks, we will be a force in the East pretty soon. We just need to be patient.

3) And here's what I said about tanking:

Ok, well there is a difference between tanking and straight up losing. And second, there is a difference between being a player and being a fan. Herm was addressing and asserting a player's and coaches mentality. Everyone in a Nets uniform wants to win and I support their desire to win 100%. I want them to try hard. They would like to win every game that they play because that is their profession. Would you want to suck at your job and have everyone laugh at your company because you're bad? Of course not.

But...when the Knicks, Nets, Heat, Clippers, Bulls and a few others cleared cap space last season, they intentionally did so just so they could have an OPPORTUNITY to get LBJ, Wade, Bosh, Amare, Boozer, etc. They purposefully did not sign players (who could have helped them get wins during the last 2-3 seasons) in preparation to have an opportunity to have a player that could help them for the next 8+ seasons. We all wanted in on the race to get a top FA. We were essentially tanking (i.e. not getting better players) because we didn't want to sign anyone or take on a new player that would eat away at cap space. We struck out big time there and came away with Farmar, Outlaw, Petro, and Morrow.

Now we have an opportunity again to get a player that will ultimately be a huge piece for the Nets for the next 10+ seasons and build on a talented young core. But that will not happen if we 1) make the playoffs or 2) are at the end of the lottery. I know the mantras, slogans, and mottos about winning and playing the game but this year's draft potentially has 5-7 future NBA stars like the class of '03. We have a chance to get a player who won't just be average but will most likely be a good to great player. I don't want to be the Sixers who barely make the playoffs get swept out of the first round but played too good to draft a player that will take them over the hump. I want to be the Thunder who sucked for a little bit but got a few players and are now one of the best in the West and who should be good for a long time. We've got a chance to really do what the Thunder have done by getting a stellar player on quickly rise in the standings for the next decade. But if we don't get that player this draft and we play good enough to just miss or just make the playoffs we will always be like the current Sixers. Unable to attract good players because we're not a contender and not able to get a rookie who will become a beast because we're ineligible for the lottery. I'm sorry but we've got a second chance to right this ship by getting the likes of Irving, the Joneses, and other great college players. And I don't want to miss out again on that opportunity.

4) Have a great day!

[Pugsley_2491]

I think it's important for us to keep winning and shed the losing culture placed upon us the past few seasons. In the past 2 seasons I was all about us tanking to get a high pick, but now I'm all for us winning as many games as possible whether that means we squeak into the playoffs or not. You could see the toll all the losing put on our players (especially Brook) earlier in the season, it's important that out players learn how to win and what it means to win.