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The season is officially over, let's have some fun and see everybody's grades for each player on the team.

Here's the roster for easy cutting and pasting.

Brook Lopez
Jeremy Lin
Caris LeVert
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Isaiah Whitehead
Trevor Booker
Spencer Dinwiddie
Sean Kilpatrick
Quincy Acy
Joe Harris
K.J. McDaniels
Archie Goodwin
Justin Hamilton
Randy Foye
Andrew Nicholson

Will provide explanations later:

Brook Lopez - B+
Jeremy Lin - A
Caris LeVert - B+
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson - A
Isaiah Whitehead - B
Trevor Booker - B
Spencer Dinwiddie - B+
Sean Kilpatrick - B
Quincy Acy - B
Joe Harris - C+
K.J. McDaniels - B+
Archie Goodwin - A
Justin Hamilton - C
Randy Foye - F
Andrew Nicholson - F

Here are my grades, which are based on what I feel a player could have accomplished, and what they actually ended up accomplishing.

Brook Lopez: B+
- I'd give Brook a B normally, as he had a few "dam u weak" moments throughout the year, and generally awful rebounding... but seeing as he basically changed a large portion of his game up to become a 3-point shooting Center... That was a drastic change, and yet he took the changes in stride and still put up some very wonderful offensive numbers. Also became the all-time Nets leading scorer to boot? Give him the + on that B, baby.

Jeremy Lin: B+
- Wonderful season, hampered by injuries. Career bests in shooting percentages and rebounding. Averaged 21/7/5 per36. Just think about that line for a moment... That's an amazing line. Felt like he was great 2/3 of the time, and just okay 1/3rd of the time. Would've given him an A if he was a bit more consistent.

Caris LeVert: B+
- Rook has real potential. Love his vision most of all, and it's super obvious he has great Basketball IQ. Had regular flashes where you could really see how great this kid could become once he honed his skills more. Some people here have tried comparing him to Nic Batum, but I think this guy has way more scoring potential. With more consistency, he would get an A... but you can't really expect consistency out of a rook.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: B
- Started off terribly at SF... ended up playing tremendous at PF. Obvious that his place in the league is at PF since he can't shoot, but can drive by every defending 4 at will. Finally see why some on this board love the dude. Always plays with a lot of heart. Ultimately, still not sure if he's a true starting caliber 4--but he's young--and we'll see how much he improves next season.

Isaiah Whitehead: B+
- Another great rook. Strong combo-guard, his bruising drives to the rim became one of my favorite things to watch as the season progressed. Where almost half of his drives used to be crazy and out of control, now most of them are just strong. Love his spin-move. Very good D as well, and always plays within the system and himself. Interested to see how his shooting comes along. For a 2nd Round Pick, this guy went way above and beyond expectations. Tempted to even give him an A for the expectations he started out with.

Trevor Booker: B
- High energy, brought heart all game. Sometimes got too hyped and would make reckless decisions, but did good more often than bad. Wish he was a better finisher, but he had a great rebounding year, and is a legit rotation player.

Spencer Dinwiddie: B+
- Super underwhelming at first... but as he became comfortable in the system, he showed some real heady play in certain games. Such great length for a PG, and I love his ability on D to switch on the perimeter. Used to play super conservatively, but started becoming more aggressive near the end of the season. He's already a solid backup point IMO, and that's tremendous value for a guy who got cut multiple times this season. At the end of the season, I'd rather have him than Yogi. Definitely didn't think that when Yogi was first cut...

Sean Kilpatrick: C+
- Had some great games where he scored a ton, but man, I hate watching this guy on defense. Started out okay on D to start the season, but at some point it became horrible. If he were more consistent on offense, I could see him as a 6th man, but this season the consistent scoring ability wasn't really there. Seems like he kind of needs a point to set him up to be a consistent offensive threat, but needing a point kind of defeats the purpose of a 6th man...

Quincy Acy: B
- Great hustle, and surprisingly solid 3-point shot in limited attempts. Undersized as he has always been, but solid bench big. Love him as a player, but he has clear limitations.

Joe Harris: B-
- Always played hard, and had some surprisingly good blocks throughout the course of the season. On offense, he shot the ball relatively well on pindowns and hard Js, but man, I really dislike his defense. Not as clueless as Skil on D, but he just doesn't really have the lateral footspeed to defend well, despite his good size. Still a good addition, seeing as he was a free pickup after being cut.

K.J. McDaniels: B?
- Late addition. Give him a B? Showed some promise here and there.

Archie Goodwin: B?
- Late addition. Give him a B? Showed some promise here and there.

Justin Hamilton: C-
- Started off shooting the ball great, ended up shooting terribly... Was it the migraines/injuries? Who knows, but he's a terrible rim protector either way...

Randy Foye: C+
- He had nothing left in the tank before the season even began, and that was pretty obvious. Gave ya mostly nothing for the season. Pretty much as expected, but I think he was good for the young guys on the team. Always up and cheering on the bench and doing all the good stuff. B+ in terms of vet leadership, C- on the court. Guess we average it out to a C+ or something...

Andrew Nicholson: INCOMPLETE
- Barely played...

I thought 30 wins was an ambitious but fair goal heading into the season so my grades are reflective of each player's contributions towards that goal. When the team was reasonably healthy (first few weeks and last few weeks) that assessment seemed pretty fair, and most of the team would have received A's had they been able to keep it up over the whole year. But those brutal stretches in between had a lot of bad thins (and some good things) so that's where grades fell. Also 1 guy not on the list is Atkinson who I'd give an A (Marks too) - those are really the most important things we got out of this season.

Brook Lopez - B+ he's never going to be the all around player we'd hope for but he fit into the new system, worked hard and adding the 3 was huge.

Jeremy Lin - C on the court his performance was closer to an A, but his injuries killed this season.

Caris LeVert - A not sure how much more you can expect from a rookie in the 20's with major injury questions. He looks like a potential core player.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson - B some things got better in year 2, some things got worse. Overall I don't know that he locked himself in as a starting level player any more than he did his rookie season.

Isaiah Whitehead - B in terms of 2nd round pick expectations he way overachieved. He can get to the basket and plays hard.

Trevor Booker - B a lot more tools than expected when we signed him. Really nice depth PF.

Spencer Dinwiddie - B very solid find from the DL. Has some Shaun Livingston to his game.

Sean Kilpatrick - B+ basically carried the team early on, but also showed his athletic limitations. Curious to see if he comes back next year or if they trade him.

Quincy Acy - C+ nice hustle player, but not much more than that.

Joe Harris - B really nice find who was basically a poor man's Allen Crabbe when healthy.

K.J. McDaniels - Incomplete but flashed athleticism big time

Archie Goodwin - Incomplete but flashed athleticism big time

Justin Hamilton - C not a terrible backup center, stretches the floor, but not much more to his game than that.

Randy Foye - D I know he was brought in mostly to be a leader so it's hard to evaluate, but on the court he was pretty bad.

Andrew Nicholson - Incomplete played so little I have nothing to say

Great topic.

Brook Lopez: B+...frankly, if he was on another team he would have been all star nomination worthy. He was excellent offensively, and adding the 3 ball was just incredible to see. Defense and rebounding was meh.

Jeremy Lin: C+, love the guy's effort, professionalism and skill set. Lin only gets a C+ here because of the injuries. Best competitor on both ends we've had at PG since Jason Kidd. It is a breath of fresh air to have a PG that gives a damn about playing hard and winning games.

Caris LeVert: B+, I was livid when Marks traded Thad, a guy who I liked a lot, for this kid who was coming off of injuries and was considered a reach. Frankly, he has become one of the steals of the draft, and one of the more skilled players we've drafted in YEARS. Easily the best Nets draft pick since Brook Lopez and the highest IQ youngster we've had going back to maybe Kerry Kittles. Sky is the limit for this kid.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: B, it is no secret that this is my guy right here. Loved his attitude and effort last year, but this year after a rough start he found his NBA niche and was next to Brook the most consistent player on the team. He's found his NBA position, now he has to put the work in to actually excel at it. Long road ahead, but the upside is there big time. Always shows up for work, always plays hard. Just has to cut down the mistakes, gain strength, and add some tools to his midrange set.

Isaiah Whitehead: C-, a pleasant surprise, I didn't expect much out of the kid. The game versus the Clippers was a real treat to watch this kid, green as the **** ing grass on a June afternoon play his tail off versus a hall of famer in Chris Paul. He definitely projects to be more of a combo guard, he really needs to improve his jump shooting, take care of the ball, and look to score more.

Trevor Booker: B, great pick up, started the season really hot but I think he became a bit undisciplined as time went on and tried to do too much on offense. Still, awesome pick up for a good price and he gave max effort.

Spencer Dinwiddie C, I was unsure about him but he really has played himself into a back up PG role for us. He just needs to stay consistent mentally because some nights he has the confidence of a world beater, other nights he looks like he's afraid to mess up and that kills his aggressiveness. When he gets rolling his shot is water, and he competes on defense. Our defense in the backcourt will be excellent next season with Lin/Dinwiddie rotating in and out.

Sean Kilpatrick C-, I think he had the misfortune of being asked to do too much early on with Lin out. Playing PG really exposed a lot of his flaws, his best games were when he just had to focus on scoring. I hope this guy gets a good deal from someone, he's earned it.

Quincy Acy: B, solid signing. Great competitor, plays on both ends with max effort, and his 3pt shooting was a great surprise. He'd better be on this roster in 6 months or I'll be pissed.

Joe Harris: D, i like Harris but injuries and a lack of consistency killed him. He had some great flashes, but I don't know if he's a keeper.

K.J. McDaniels: N/A, solid late season trade for him, he's shown flashes of two way ability. We'll need to see more.

Archie Goodwin: N/A, same, solid pick up, and he plays hard every time he hits the floor. I don't know what position he'll play in the league. Time will tell.

Justin Hamilton: F, this dude started strong but flamed out really quick. Horrible defense and he lost a ton of confidence in his shot.

Randy Foye: D, he did the best that he could but he's clearly done as an NBA player.

Andrew Nicholson: F, not really worth retaining but i guess he helps us hit the cap min.

Brook Lopez: A
- Great offensive season from the big guy, and he added the 3 point shot. Congrats on being the Nets all time scorer. Love this guy. Interior defense was good, PNR defense was bad, rebounding was meh but he boxes out pretty well.

Jeremy Lin: B+
-I would give this guy an A-, but he was injured, and I am still a little skeptical about his court vision (but our passing approved a ton when he was back). I know I am ripping off MRDB, but this guy is just a competitor.

Caris LeVert: A-
-Love this guy, just needs to be more aggressive. So smart, quick, and gifted offensively. Can't wait to see what he can do next season

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: B
-At first I hated him at PF, but actually I think he might be a good fit next to Brook. He's quick which is nice but I would love to see him with a better shot selection, as well as a better mid range jumper

Isaiah Whitehead: B
-He get a Bs because I was extremely impressed with his play after writing him off as a player who would develop in the d-league. He didn't have the same kind of production as RHJ but he gets a B because he was a suprise

Trevor Booker: C-
-Started out the season liking him, but his fast break offense got old fast. He started playing better at the end of the season but by then I had already grown to dislike him

Spencer Dinwiddie: B-
-Started out putrid, but by the end of the season had transformed into a solid back up PG.

Sean Kilpatrick: F
-Seemed to have a brain injury after the Clippers game. Offense flowed much better without him, even if we did occasionally miss his scoring off the bench

Quincy Acy: B-
- Good suprising pick up, hope he can keep his 3 point shooting up

Joe Harris: C+
-Solid shooter, our bench needs his accuracy
K.J. McDaniels: C+/B-
-If he can keep up his 3 point shooting he can be a solid player. Gets a lower rating for less games played
Archie Goodwin: C+/B-
-Love the guys energy off the bench, but you never know with players like this if its indicative of how he will play a full season. Gets a lower rating for less games played
Justin Hamilton-D
Randy Foye-C
Andrew Nicholson-F

Well I already ranked our players using my GCP computations but will roughly break them down into the following grades:

In case people are wondering, A+ > 40 GCP, A >30 GCP, B+ > 25 GCP, B > 20 GCP, C+ > 15 GCP, C > 10 GCP, D < 10 GCP

Brook Lopez - 36 (A)
Jeremy Lin - 26 (B+)
Caris LeVert 16 (C+)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson 18 (C+)
Isaiah Whitehead 12 (C)
Trevor Booker 23 (B)
Spencer Dinwiddie 15 (C)
Sean Kilpatrick 21 (B)
Quincy Acy 14 (C)
Joe Harris 13 (C)
K.J. McDaniels 11 (C)
Archie Goodwin 17 (C+)
Justin Hamilton 14 (C)
Randy Foye 9 (D)
Andrew Nicholson 6 (D)

So for me, I'd prefer if we can get players better than Foye and Nicholson to replace them.

MrDollarBills wrote:Great topic.

Brook Lopez: B+...frankly, if he was on another team he would have been all star nomination worthy. He was excellent offensively, and adding the 3 ball was just incredible to see. Defense and rebounding was meh.

Jeremy Lin: C+, love the guy's effort, professionalism and skill set. Lin only gets a C+ here because of the injuries. Best competitor on both ends we've had at PG since Jason Kidd. It is a breath of fresh air to have a PG that gives a damn about playing hard and winning games.

Caris LeVert: B+, I was livid when Marks traded Thad, a guy who I liked a lot, for this kid who was coming off of injuries and was considered a reach. Frankly, he has become one of the steals of the draft, and one of the more skilled players we've drafted in YEARS. Easily the best Nets draft pick since Brook Lopez and the highest IQ youngster we've had going back to maybe Kerry Kittles. Sky is the limit for this kid.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: B, it is no secret that this is my guy right here. Loved his attitude and effort last year, but this year after a rough start he found his NBA niche and was next to Brook the most consistent player on the team. He's found his NBA position, now he has to put the work in to actually excel at it. Long road ahead, but the upside is there big time. Always shows up for work, always plays hard. Just has to cut down the mistakes, gain strength, and add some tools to his midrange set.

Isaiah Whitehead: C-, a pleasant surprise, I didn't expect much out of the kid. The game versus the Clippers was a real treat to watch this kid, green as the **** ing grass on a June afternoon play his tail off versus a hall of famer in Chris Paul. He definitely projects to be more of a combo guard, he really needs to improve his jump shooting, take care of the ball, and look to score more.

Trevor Booker: B, great pick up, started the season really hot but I think he became a bit undisciplined as time went on and tried to do too much on offense. Still, awesome pick up for a good price and he gave max effort.

Spencer Dinwiddie C, I was unsure about him but he really has played himself into a back up PG role for us. He just needs to stay consistent mentally because some nights he has the confidence of a world beater, other nights he looks like he's afraid to mess up and that kills his aggressiveness. When he gets rolling his shot is water, and he competes on defense. Our defense in the backcourt will be excellent next season with Lin/Dinwiddie rotating in and out.

Sean Kilpatrick C-, I think he had the misfortune of being asked to do too much early on with Lin out. Playing PG really exposed a lot of his flaws, his best games were when he just had to focus on scoring. I hope this guy gets a good deal from someone, he's earned it.

Quincy Acy: B, solid signing. Great competitor, plays on both ends with max effort, and his 3pt shooting was a great surprise. He'd better be on this roster in 6 months or I'll be pissed.

Joe Harris: D, i like Harris but injuries and a lack of consistency killed him. He had some great flashes, but I don't know if he's a keeper.

K.J. McDaniels: N/A, solid late season trade for him, he's shown flashes of two way ability. We'll need to see more.

Archie Goodwin: N/A, same, solid pick up, and he plays hard every time he hits the floor. I don't know what position he'll play in the league. Time will tell.

Justin Hamilton: F, this dude started strong but flamed out really quick. Horrible defense and he lost a ton of confidence in his shot.

Randy Foye: D, he did the best that he could but he's clearly done as an NBA player.

Andrew Nicholson: F, not really worth retaining but i guess he helps us hit the cap min.

I agree with all of this except for:

Lin: Incomplete overall, B+ for his 33 games played. Lin's per36 numbers showed career highs in many areas.
Booker: A-, his per36 stats showed career highs in many areas, and he was the defensive anchor in 1st half of the season
Dinwiddie: B+, an early season afterthought ended up shooting 44/38/79 and became the defacto backup PG
Hamilton: C-, for a backup center, I thought he did his job. Early in the season, he was the team's best 3pt shooter, but then his vision was messed up and he had migraines, and then he went into a tailspin. There is some salvagable value here.

- Foye and Nicholson are clearly out. I'm guessing Levert and Skil will each pick up about 6 of Foye's minutes. That's a positive right there.
- One of the two 1st rd picks will probably take one roster spot. Net neutral, just some development for the rookie.
- Ideally, there will be a major FA or trade acquisition but no idea how this affects the team.

From the baseline of 20 wins in 2016-17, I think we gain 16 wins from the following:

+8 from healthy Lin's individual contributions
+4 from team cohesion from full season with a starting PG
+2 from replacing Foye's deadweight with Levert
+2 from one additional year of overall team development
+X from FA or trade

So my initial prediction for 2017-18 is 36 wins (contingent on FA/trade acquisition).

Blind without looking at anybody else's assessments:

Brook Lopez - B+

Would have been an A but he played poorly earlier in the season while Lin was injured. Also takes games off with lack of effort. The last couple of months were very good though, he was playing at his best for a nice little stretch there.

Jeremy Lin - B

My bar for him is set higher than the others, I expected more out of him tbh. His injuries played a big part and he had an ugly streak of game in March as well. Ended the season on a high note though.

Caris LeVert - B+

He's maturing very quickly and next year should break out. You almost forget that he was a rookie out there.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson B

Started the season rough but settled in nicely as a PF, the last few of weeks he showed aggressiveness and was effective driving to the basket.

Isaiah Whitehead - B-

Nice rookie season for him, I'm sure many were wondering if he was NBA calibre and he proved that he is. Got a lot of minutes during Lin's absence which helped him to develop quicker.

Trevor Booker - C+

Started the season as a starter, was a bit disappointed to see him impact erode as the season went on. He had a monster game last week but in large he's become a bench player.

Spencer Dinwiddie - B-

Good pickup, he has length and is not afraid to take the big shots in the moment.

Sean Kilpatrick - B

Started the season very aggressively and was a big part of giving some pop from the bench. Injuries hampered him and wasn't quite able to get back to his 1st half self.

Quincy Acy - C+

Started off strong after the signing, think his long range shooting cooled off after that.

Joe Harris - C+

Can shoot but a bit too one-dimensional for me. Injury derailed the 2nd half of his season.

K.J. McDaniels - C+

Started of nicely, I call him a Gerald Green lite. Provides some good D but inconsistent offensively.

Archie Goodwin - B

Didn't expect much of him but he's impressed, hope to see him back next year as a regular contributor.

Justin Hamilton - D

I think his time is done as a Net. Doesn't offer much if he can't shoot.

Randy Foye - C

Good vet but when the Nets pick up more talent, I'm afraid that he will no longer be needed.

Andrew Nicholson - D-

Expected more out of him especially inside. I feel bad for my Canadian brothers (Bennett and Nicholson) but they have been softer than anticipated.

Roy Tarpley wrote:

MrDollarBills wrote:Great topic.

Brook Lopez: B+...frankly, if he was on another team he would have been all star nomination worthy. He was excellent offensively, and adding the 3 ball was just incredible to see. Defense and rebounding was meh.

Jeremy Lin: C+, love the guy's effort, professionalism and skill set. Lin only gets a C+ here because of the injuries. Best competitor on both ends we've had at PG since Jason Kidd. It is a breath of fresh air to have a PG that gives a damn about playing hard and winning games.

Caris LeVert: B+, I was livid when Marks traded Thad, a guy who I liked a lot, for this kid who was coming off of injuries and was considered a reach. Frankly, he has become one of the steals of the draft, and one of the more skilled players we've drafted in YEARS. Easily the best Nets draft pick since Brook Lopez and the highest IQ youngster we've had going back to maybe Kerry Kittles. Sky is the limit for this kid.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: B, it is no secret that this is my guy right here. Loved his attitude and effort last year, but this year after a rough start he found his NBA niche and was next to Brook the most consistent player on the team. He's found his NBA position, now he has to put the work in to actually excel at it. Long road ahead, but the upside is there big time. Always shows up for work, always plays hard. Just has to cut down the mistakes, gain strength, and add some tools to his midrange set.

Isaiah Whitehead: C-, a pleasant surprise, I didn't expect much out of the kid. The game versus the Clippers was a real treat to watch this kid, green as the **** ing grass on a June afternoon play his tail off versus a hall of famer in Chris Paul. He definitely projects to be more of a combo guard, he really needs to improve his jump shooting, take care of the ball, and look to score more.

Trevor Booker: B, great pick up, started the season really hot but I think he became a bit undisciplined as time went on and tried to do too much on offense. Still, awesome pick up for a good price and he gave max effort.

Spencer Dinwiddie C, I was unsure about him but he really has played himself into a back up PG role for us. He just needs to stay consistent mentally because some nights he has the confidence of a world beater, other nights he looks like he's afraid to mess up and that kills his aggressiveness. When he gets rolling his shot is water, and he competes on defense. Our defense in the backcourt will be excellent next season with Lin/Dinwiddie rotating in and out.

Sean Kilpatrick C-, I think he had the misfortune of being asked to do too much early on with Lin out. Playing PG really exposed a lot of his flaws, his best games were when he just had to focus on scoring. I hope this guy gets a good deal from someone, he's earned it.

Quincy Acy: B, solid signing. Great competitor, plays on both ends with max effort, and his 3pt shooting was a great surprise. He'd better be on this roster in 6 months or I'll be pissed.

Joe Harris: D, i like Harris but injuries and a lack of consistency killed him. He had some great flashes, but I don't know if he's a keeper.

K.J. McDaniels: N/A, solid late season trade for him, he's shown flashes of two way ability. We'll need to see more.

Archie Goodwin: N/A, same, solid pick up, and he plays hard every time he hits the floor. I don't know what position he'll play in the league. Time will tell.

Justin Hamilton: F, this dude started strong but flamed out really quick. Horrible defense and he lost a ton of confidence in his shot.

Randy Foye: D, he did the best that he could but he's clearly done as an NBA player.

Andrew Nicholson: F, not really worth retaining but i guess he helps us hit the cap min.

I agree with all of this except for:

Lin: Incomplete overall, B+ for his 33 games played. Lin's per36 numbers showed career highs in many areas.
Booker: A-, his per36 stats showed career highs in many areas, and he was the defensive anchor in 1st half of the season
Dinwiddie: B+, an early season afterthought ended up shooting 44/38/79 and became the defacto backup PG
Hamilton: C-, for a backup center, I thought he did his job. Early in the season, he was the team's best 3pt shooter, but then his vision was messed up and he had migraines, and then he went into a tailspin. There is some salvagable value here.

I was being cautious with handing out high grades because we have to remember, this was a 20 win team despite the high effort.

Brook Lopez: A-
I called this before the season started and he delivered that he will be shooting 3s. I love the fact that he adapted towards the new NBA and can be an asset for a while. You can't really expect him to rebound the ball or play great help defender because he is who is at those categories. I want him on the team only for the right price.

Jeremy Lin: C+
Lin is the catalyst on how good this team could've been this season. Unfortunately, he was plagued with his ankle injury Which was dissappointing because he didn't have any history of this and C's fans just crapped all over me on how bad the Nets were. Yet, when Lin plays you see the potential on how good this team was.

Chris LeVert: A
He exceeded my expectation coming into the season. I thought he was going to be scoring 7 PPG who is a great spot shooter. Yet, he is way more than that. Ever since I saw how he'd look against other NBA players I have no doubt this guy is going to be an all-star one day. I hope he doesn't loose focus on defense and get major injuries.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: B+
I called this out early in the season that he will be PF. AND it happened. He plays big, he plays tough, he plays with a lot of energy. All he needs to do is work on his body and he will be a great contributor for us for years. He just needs more time as a PF.

Isaiah Whitehead: B-
As a Seton Hall fan I expected a lot from this guy watching him and knowing him for a while. I thought he'd be a much better shooter than what he portrayed. He was playing great by the end of the season but I want to see more. I know people would think i'm being too harsh on him. However, coming into the season I knew he'd be a pretty good player. I just wanted to see him grow faster.

Trevor Booker: C
I wanted see if he could expand his game as a starter. Unfortunately, he can't he has no skills outside of his motor and highlight real dunks. I was disappointed

Spencer Dinwiddie: B
This guy still has a lot to develop as a PG but already he is productive and a great contributor. I hope he can keep this up for next season because i'm expecting him to be first guard off the bench.

Sean Kilpatrick: C+
We all know what he is capable of doing on offense. He is a great spot shooter, good off the dribble and play off-ball a bit. Yet, he didn't improve a lick in defense. I love this guy as a person but I don't think he will get any better than what he is right now.

Quincy Acy: C+
Great spot shooter, still an awful finisher. Lacks any moves he is a 3rd string and he had done his job in that role. I wouldn't mind him playing a bit if we can't more talent at PF.

Joe Harris: C-
I thought he'd be a better shooter than what he showed. Yet, he did show other offensive skills. Just not good enough. Good back up, but easily expendable.

K.J. McDaniels: C
Great defender. No fluidity on offense. He is who he is. If he can shoot the ball more consistently next year. I'm still 50/50 on keeping him.

Archie Goodwin: B-
I like him as a player. I think he can dramatically improve if he is given time in our system under KA. I see bright things with him as long as he improve his shot.

Justin Hamilton: C-
Way too inconsistent. Good 3rd string if we get with injury. I'd replace him if we can.

Randy Foye: C
Showed leadership. I'd like to see him in the front-office next year.

Andrew Nicholson: D
He is awful.. I wanted the Nets to sign him as well last year. He has no hands, plays very slow, inconsistent shooter, offensive game is not good enough. Just get rid of him

Brook Lopez A
Jeremy Lin A
Caris LeVert A
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson B
Isaiah Whitehead B
Trevor Booker B
Spencer Dinwiddie A
Sean Kilpatrick C
Quincy Acy A
Joe Harris A
K.J. McDaniels B
Archie Goodwin C
Justin Hamilton D
Randy Foye B
Andrew Nicholson F

MrDollarBills wrote:I was being cautious with handing out high grades because we have to remember, this was a 20 win team despite the high effort.

If someone is giving grades based on overall level of performance among the league [Like Westbrook = A+, Harden = A+, LBJ = A+], then nobody on this team deserves an A... Brook would probably top out the team at a B-, and that would explain why this team has the worst record in the league.

But I think that method of evaluating a team is probably not the best, especially when it comes to evaluating if a team performed up to their potential <and especially when most of the team is full of really young guys>.

The way I think is fair, is to just see if players played up to their potential.

For example, going into this season, I thought the team would MAX out their talent level, and win 27 games in a best case scenario. That's 27 wins IF most of the players played to their best ability, AND IF the coaching staff performed well. Factoring in the injuries this season, the team was about (or above?) that win rate when they were healthy, so I take that as a clear sign that the team pretty much maxed out their abilities when they had a chance. I think the eye-test aligns with that idea too, so with that criteria, it just makes sense that most guys deserve a rather high grade. They played the best they could--and I think that is definitely at least better than a C in most cases. It may seem like a lackadaisical way to grade to some, but there is A LOT of underwhelming player performances in the league from year to year, and the Nets actually didn't have that many. That's why it was easy to root for the entire team this year.

But anyway, at the end of the day, the grades are all based on how you want to define them. I like the way above, because it's more indicative of who is a keeper and who isn't. Even if a guy isn't the most talented in the world, as long as he has a role and can play it at a high level, you probably want to keep him. The Nets have a lot of guys who fit this mold, but they need a few players with higher ceilings. And the fact that the Nets have a lot of solid role players is what makes me optimistic about this team potentially vying for an 8th spot next year. If they can get a 2-3 more players with starter-caliber ceilings, I think they'd be on the cusp of an 8th seed.

JohnStockton wrote:For example, going into this season, I thought the team would MAX out their talent level, and win 27 games in a best case scenario. That's 27 wins IF most of the players played to their best ability, AND IF the coaching staff performed well. Factoring in the injuries this season, the team was about (or above?) that win rate when they were healthy, so I take that as a clear sign that the team pretty much maxed out their abilities when they had a chance.

Lin believes your 27 mark was too low, today said he believes had Nets been healthy all season, we would have made the playoffs and he alluded to many in the locker room who believed such.

Not politically correct, but my how a little end-of-season-winning tints everything rosy.

Imagine if you will, your feelings this instant, had the many who wanted Lin to sit out this lost-season gotten their wish?

(If your imagination isn't capable, then pull up a video of last night's Bulls game - a vivid reminder of much of 68% of our season and re-exposed weaknesses behind the curtain)

Who among us believes we come closer to the 20-wins we got rather than break the 12-win franchise record for infamy had Lin not returned when we had just 9 wins?

Based on that run alone, Lin deserves an A. But of course he didn't do it alone, personally I don't think it gets DONE PERIOD had he not returned this season.

Lin, Lopez - A's (Positioning/Delivering Wins)
Dinwiddie, Levert - B's (largest improvement)
Booker, RHJ, Acy, Harris, KJ, JHam, Foye, SKil, IW - C's
Nicholson - D

My grades below. My criteria includes overall performance, performance against expectation, attitude, team play, growth during season, and growth potential. I did not dock players for injuries that were not their fault (e.g., Lin, Harris, Kilpatrick), i.e., if someone had injured himself in a drunken knife fight outside a bar at 4 am, that would've been another story.

I'd like to drop Foye and Nicholson and move Booker and Kilpatrick if we get something of value because I feel that Booker and Kilpatrick, though both very likeable, have essentially maxed out and do not add winning value "above" their stat lines, and hence should return more in trade value than in winning value for being on the team. My most unsure rating is for Acie, who started very strong (I would have given him an A if he had kept it up) but seems to have significantly tapered off after signing his contract--I'm hoping that this drop was just due to some lingering injury, not a drop in desire or effort).

Brook Lopez - A
Jeremy Lin - A
Caris LeVert - A-
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson - B
Isaiah Whitehead - B
Trevor Booker - C+
Spencer Dinwiddie - B
Sean Kilpatrick - C+
Quincy Acy - B
Joe Harris - B
K.J. McDaniels - B-
Archie Goodwin - B-
Justin Hamilton - B-
Randy Foye - C-
Andrew Nicholson - D+

reelsgm wrote:

JohnStockton wrote:For example, going into this season, I thought the team would MAX out their talent level, and win 27 games in a best case scenario. That's 27 wins IF most of the players played to their best ability, AND IF the coaching staff performed well. Factoring in the injuries this season, the team was about (or above?) that win rate when they were healthy, so I take that as a clear sign that the team pretty much maxed out their abilities when they had a chance.

Lin believes your 27 mark was too low, today said he believes had Nets been healthy all season, we would have made the playoffs and he alluded to many in the locker room who believed such.

Lin should believe the Nets are a playoff team... he's supposed to be competitive.

27 was what I predicated before the season, and if Jeremy was healthy for the year (with this current roster), I would predict more wins than than 27 (I'd pick 32)--because the opening season roster was MUCH WORSE than the roster the Nets ended with IMO.

Either way I still don't think they make the playoffs.

Even if Lin was healthy, that opening roster with Scola/Bennett/Harris playing (while Whitehead was still too green, and LeVert was still injured) was one of the worst teams in the league on defense, and that would have been too much to overcome.

In my mind, the reason this team improved so much near the end of the season was because of the combination of Lin coming back, the emergence of LeVert/Whitehead, shifting RHJ to PF, and also the addition of various bench guys who could actually play defense (Dinwiddie/Acy). Basically, the team got like two times more athletic than at the beginning of the year. Anyway, the point is that the team wouldn't of had the good versions of LeVert/Whitehead/RHJ/Dinwiddie/Acy until after the All-Star break anyway--so no playoffs for them.

JohnStockton wrote:

reelsgm wrote:

JohnStockton wrote:For example, going into this season, I thought the team would MAX out their talent level, and win 27 games in a best case scenario. That's 27 wins IF most of the players played to their best ability, AND IF the coaching staff performed well. Factoring in the injuries this season, the team was about (or above?) that win rate when they were healthy, so I take that as a clear sign that the team pretty much maxed out their abilities when they had a chance.

Even if Lin was healthy, that opening roster with Scola/Bennett/Harris playing (while Whitehead was still too green, and LeVert was still injured) was one of the worst teams in the league on defense, and that would have been too much to overcome.

History isn't on your side, when Lin first went down with Scola/Bennett/Harris playing early in the season - we were also winning.

Perhaps it's time for some to acknowledge that Lin just makes most players he plays with better.

Jeremy Lin , B
Forced to sit out half the season. Importance and impact pushes him up a partial grade.

Randy Foye , D
Complete liability but won us a game and provided leadership.

Caris LeVert , B+
Instant starting role production from a non-top 10 pick.

Rondae Hollis-Jeffereson , B-
Quality production at the 4, but fell short of being the defensive force at the 3 due to no improvement in jump shot.

Brook Lopez , B
You know what you will get from Brook, but he has surprised us with his new-found range. Worth a complete grade increase.

Spencer Dinwiddie , C
Bright average.

Isaiah Whitehead , C
Exceeded second-round pick expectations.

Sean Kilpatrick , C
Increased production value. Getting paid and tradable. Win-win.

Joe Harris , C-
Compared to Korver who started as an average player. Injuries.

Trever Booker , C-
Didn’t fit starting role but filled a role. Tradable defensive asset.

Justin Hamilton , D-
No fault. Became a father.

Quincy Acy , B
Did everything. Sharpshooting. Defense. Aggression.

K.J. McDaniels , C-
Potential

Archie Goodwin , C-
Potential

Andrew Nicholson , E
Emergency