Around the NBA, 2017-18 Season thread

[Rich Rane]

yeah that's just it, casuals love it. meanwhile, actual fans of teams are deluding themselves into thinking their team will one day win a title when in reality their team's best player will probably jump ship after his first big contract to play on an already loaded team.

I'm not saying I like what's going on, but if you're the NBA front office, casuals simply take precedence over the hardcore fans. They still buy the merchandise that hardcore fans do, they still watch the games that hardcore fans do (or better yet for the NBA, the ones hardcore fans don't want to watch), they still buy the same tickets, and they still go on the same social media to talk about it, except they're a lot more excited and they certainly outnumber hardcore fans.

Think of it like the iPhone. Many hate phones without a headphone jack and the notch. Sadly, that's where the mobile industry is headed.

[Vae Victus]

yeah that's just it, casuals love it. meanwhile, actual fans of teams are deluding themselves into thinking their team will one day win a title when in reality their team's best player will probably jump ship after his first big contract to play on an already loaded team.

The key is to then try to be that next loaded team that stars want to flock to.

*looks at own Lakers*

We're doing our damndest to be like that, if only our youth took off like PHI did. With luck we get PG13 and next year we turn into a legit up and coming team that next year crop of star FAs would want to join.

It sucks how we kept getting #2 picks when the #1 turned out so much better (Tatum was the true #1 last draft just the Lakers were too damn stupid to realize it even when having the opportunity). But i shouldnt complain, it could be worse, we coulda suffered the indignity of the humiliation and damage Billy King subjected the Nets too.

[steady]

LeBrons leaving Cleveland, that seems certain
He wants to be on a Championship contender
He wants to be somewhere that makes sense for his kids (Whatever that means)

If they can make money work, HOU would be best candidate, but hard to see CP3 and LBJ taking salary cuts

Cant see Celtics being up for drama LBJ would bring, and potentially messing up good thing they have going

Sixers do not seem ready, and the fit with BSimmons (heavy ball handler / nonshooter) always seemed problematic

Lakers are both too young and not good enough ... even if PG13 joined him there

I think that leaves
Raptors
Heat
Spurs
Pelicans
?

The comfort of familiarity in MIA,the better supporting cast in SA if they can make salary work. Intriguing combo in NOLA and TOR

[shakendfries]

The best option for Bron to win is San Antonio. Their franchise is literally based on getting the most out of veteran players.

Bron
Green
Kawhi
Aldridge

Imagine adding a big man who can stretch the floor to this lineup. Bron could run the point and match up against Steph.

+Parker & Manu off the bench

They're pushing the Warriors to 7 at least

[shakendfries]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[MrDollarBills]

yeah that's just it, casuals love it. meanwhile, actual fans of teams are deluding themselves into thinking their team will one day win a title when in reality their team's best player will probably jump ship after his first big contract to play on an already loaded team.

The key is to then try to be that next loaded team that stars want to flock to.

*looks at own Lakers*

We're doing our damndest to be like that, if only our youth took off like PHI did. With luck we get PG13 and next year we turn into a legit up and coming team that next year crop of star FAs would want to join.

It sucks how we kept getting #2 picks when the #1 turned out so much better (Tatum was the true #1 last draft just the Lakers were too damn stupid to realize it even when having the opportunity). But i shouldnt complain, it could be worse, we coulda suffered the indignity of the humiliation and damage Billy King subjected the Nets too.

It doesn't work like that though. You guys are prime real estate in the NBA, players grew up dreaming to play for your team. You will always be an option for players. Teams like the Nets, unless they draft a superstar that will attract people here, will be forever **** ed. Big time FAs aren't going to come to losing franchises unless they have historical success. Lakers, Celtics have historical success. Houston has historical success. 76ers even, have historical success. The Nets? lol.

i hope we tank now for the next 4-6 years. seriously i hope we just tank, this league is a joke. its not even worth it to play this game ethically. just tank relentlessly like the sixers and pray that 3 out of the next 6 years we can draft three superstar type players.

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

I think that we should be actively trying to assist the Spurs in obtaining Lebron James' services.

Cap gurus: How much salary can we absorb in trades that would free up the spurs' cap room in exchange for future first round picks?

[shakendfries]

Marks should definitely tank for RJ Barrett next year. I will literally start a fire Marks movement if we wind up with a late lottery pick next year, and we don't immediately trade whoever it takes to end up with a top 5 prospect

[MrDollarBills]

Marks should definitely tank for RJ Barrett next year. I will literally start a fire Marks movement if we wind up with a late lottery pick next year, and we don't immediately trade whoever it takes to end up with a top 5 prospect

unless Russell, LeVert, RHJ and Allen make insane leaps next year (which would be great), the Nets are going to be a lottery team within the top 10-12

if we start winning games with those 4 getting the most mins, i would stay the course. if we hit jan/feb and our record is really bad, we should probably go through with the fire sale scenario and tank.

i really don't care anymore.

[Vae Victus]

yeah that's just it, casuals love it. meanwhile, actual fans of teams are deluding themselves into thinking their team will one day win a title when in reality their team's best player will probably jump ship after his first big contract to play on an already loaded team.

The key is to then try to be that next loaded team that stars want to flock to.

*looks at own Lakers*

We're doing our damndest to be like that, if only our youth took off like PHI did. With luck we get PG13 and next year we turn into a legit up and coming team that next year crop of star FAs would want to join.

It sucks how we kept getting #2 picks when the #1 turned out so much better (Tatum was the true #1 last draft just the Lakers were too damn stupid to realize it even when having the opportunity). But i shouldnt complain, it could be worse, we coulda suffered the indignity of the humiliation and damage Billy King subjected the Nets too.

It doesn't work like that though. You guys are prime real estate in the NBA, players grew up dreaming to play for your team. You will always be an option for players. Teams like the Nets, unless they draft a superstar that will attract people here, will be forever **** ed. Big time FAs aren't going to come to losing franchises unless they have historical success. Lakers, Celtics have historical success. Houston has historical success. 76ers even, have historical success. The Nets? lol.

i hope we tank now for the next 4-6 years. seriously i hope we just tank, this league is a joke. its not even worth it to play this game ethically. just tank relentlessly like the sixers and pray that 3 out of the next 6 years we can draft three superstar type players.

Big time FAs havent chose us the past 4-5 years even when we had cap space.

Now i'll admit we had our hands tied by paying the corpse of Kobe a super duper ultra grandfather max for 2 of those years and didnt have enough time to tank and properly and accrue assets. But when we finally had our massive amount of cap 2 years ago we pissed it all away on **** Mozgov, Deng, and giving Clarkson that stupid extension for no good reason.

Lonzo Ball hasnt shown ****, while Ingram has finally shown serious flashes and Kuzma has been a godsend, the Clarkson trade was quite honestly a miracle that really set us up to realistically be in the 2 max agent boat. We're in the best position we're ever going to attract top flight talent. If we whiff again, it truly goes to show that playing in LA doesnt mean **** to anyone

I just hope you're right and playing LA really does give us a leg up.

[kamaze]

Marks should definitely tank for RJ Barrett next year. I will literally start a fire Marks movement if we wind up with a late lottery pick next year, and we don't immediately trade whoever it takes to end up with a top 5 prospect

unless Russell, LeVert, RHJ and Allen make insane leaps next year (which would be great), the Nets are going to be a lottery team within the top 10-12

if we start winning games with those 4 getting the most mins, i would stay the course. if we hit jan/feb and our record is really bad, we should probably go through with the fire sale scenario and tank.

i really don't care anymore.

I think the team will get better if Lin is healthy and they add some pieces to shore up the defense. I'm torn between wanting them to do good and wanting a 8-10 lottery pick.

[shakendfries]

Marks should definitely tank for RJ Barrett next year. I will literally start a fire Marks movement if we wind up with a late lottery pick next year, and we don't immediately trade whoever it takes to end up with a top 5 prospect

unless Russell, LeVert, RHJ and Allen make insane leaps next year (which would be great), the Nets are going to be a lottery team within the top 10-12

if we start winning games with those 4 getting the most mins, i would stay the course. if we hit jan/feb and our record is really bad, we should probably go through with the fire sale scenario and tank.

i really don't care anymore.

I think the team will get better if Lin is healthy and they add some pieces to shore up the defense. I'm torn between wanting them to do good and wanting a 8-10 lottery pick.

The Sixers have Embiid and Simmons
The Bucks have Giannis and Middleton
The Celtics have Tatum, Brown, Rozier, Smart (all Nets draft picks), and Kyrie + Hayward = stacked
--
The Warriors have KD, Steph, Klay, Draymond, and the rest of their roster either dunks or doesn't miss (Livingston, Bell, etc) = stacked
---

Boston and Golden State is the model. Acquire blue chip prospects, develop a team that can make the playoffs, trade & use free agency to add star talent to a good core. The Nets are one or two true prospects away from having a legitimate core.

If the Nets build a team that can compete & make a playoff run next season, in the very best case scenario, they'll get washed in the playoffs against Boston + wind up with a mediocre draft pick + and will wind up running the treadmill of the Eastern Conference along with Detroit and Charlotte.

The Nets have to do whatever it takes to acquire true blue chip prospects. Dlo & Allen are the only ones currently on their roster. RHJ and LeVert are borderline. Crabbe is a decent player that Marks needs to trade, and Joe Harris is the equivalent for our 3pt shooting to what Smart is for Boston's defense.

[MrDollarBills]

The key is to then try to be that next loaded team that stars want to flock to.

*looks at own Lakers*

We're doing our damndest to be like that, if only our youth took off like PHI did. With luck we get PG13 and next year we turn into a legit up and coming team that next year crop of star FAs would want to join.

It sucks how we kept getting #2 picks when the #1 turned out so much better (Tatum was the true #1 last draft just the Lakers were too damn stupid to realize it even when having the opportunity). But i shouldnt complain, it could be worse, we coulda suffered the indignity of the humiliation and damage Billy King subjected the Nets too.

It doesn't work like that though. You guys are prime real estate in the NBA, players grew up dreaming to play for your team. You will always be an option for players. Teams like the Nets, unless they draft a superstar that will attract people here, will be forever **** ed. Big time FAs aren't going to come to losing franchises unless they have historical success. Lakers, Celtics have historical success. Houston has historical success. 76ers even, have historical success. The Nets? lol.

i hope we tank now for the next 4-6 years. seriously i hope we just tank, this league is a joke. its not even worth it to play this game ethically. just tank relentlessly like the sixers and pray that 3 out of the next 6 years we can draft three superstar type players.

Big time FAs havent chose us the past 4-5 years even when we had cap space.

Now i'll admit we had our hands tied by paying the corpse of Kobe a super duper ultra grandfather max for 2 of those years and didnt have enough time to tank and properly and accrue assets. But when we finally had our massive amount of cap 2 years ago we pissed it all away on **** Mozgov, Deng, and giving Clarkson that stupid extension for no good reason.

Lonzo Ball hasnt shown ****, while Ingram has finally shown serious flashes and Kuzma has been a godsend, the Clarkson trade was quite honestly a miracle that really set us up to realistically be in the 2 max agent boat. We're in the best position we're ever going to attract top flight talent. If we whiff again, it truly goes to show that playing in LA doesnt mean **** to anyone

I just hope you're right and playing LA really does give us a leg up.

lol stop being modest dude. Paul George and Lebron are supposedly interested in playing for you. Worst case, I wouldn't be shocked if you end up with Paul George and Demarcus Cousins.

when is the last time you've ever heard of a marquee free agent being interested in playing for the Nets.

NEVER,

[MrDollarBills]

Marks should definitely tank for RJ Barrett next year. I will literally start a fire Marks movement if we wind up with a late lottery pick next year, and we don't immediately trade whoever it takes to end up with a top 5 prospect

unless Russell, LeVert, RHJ and Allen make insane leaps next year (which would be great), the Nets are going to be a lottery team within the top 10-12

if we start winning games with those 4 getting the most mins, i would stay the course. if we hit jan/feb and our record is really bad, we should probably go through with the fire sale scenario and tank.

i really don't care anymore.

I think the team will get better if Lin is healthy and they add some pieces to shore up the defense. I'm torn between wanting them to do good and wanting a 8-10 lottery pick.

Don't get me wrong. I want these guys to make a leap and do well next season. But in reality, I'm not getting my hopes up.

If we aren't showing progress by February, fire sale everything and obtain first round picks. I'm pretty jaded right now and frankly despite how much I love the young players on this team none of them are even as good as Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Ben Simmons. that's not going to cut it. I want to be where the Celtics and Sixers are and if it means sucking balls for the next decade so be it. Until the Warriors run out of gas and Lebron retires no one is winning anything anyway. lets build a stacked roster that will make Tsai cry as he pays the luxury tax in 2028

[MrDollarBills]

unless Russell, LeVert, RHJ and Allen make insane leaps next year (which would be great), the Nets are going to be a lottery team within the top 10-12

if we start winning games with those 4 getting the most mins, i would stay the course. if we hit jan/feb and our record is really bad, we should probably go through with the fire sale scenario and tank.

i really don't care anymore.

I think the team will get better if Lin is healthy and they add some pieces to shore up the defense. I'm torn between wanting them to do good and wanting a 8-10 lottery pick.

The Sixers have Embiid and Simmons
The Bucks have Giannis and Middleton
The Celtics have Tatum, Brown, Rozier, Smart (all Nets draft picks), and Kyrie + Hayward = stacked
--
The Warriors have KD, Steph, Klay, Draymond, and the rest of their roster either dunks or doesn't miss (Livingston, Bell, etc) = stacked
---

Boston and Golden State is the model. Acquire blue chip prospects, develop a team that can make the playoffs, trade & use free agency to add star talent to a good core. The Nets are one or two true prospects away from having a legitimate core.

If the Nets build a team that can compete & make a playoff run next season, in the very best case scenario, they'll get washed in the playoffs against Boston + wind up with a mediocre draft pick + and will wind up running the treadmill of the Eastern Conference along with Detroit and Charlotte.

The Nets have to do whatever it takes to acquire true blue chip prospects. Dlo & Allen are the only ones currently on their roster. RHJ and LeVert are borderline. Crabbe is a decent player that Marks needs to trade, and Joe Harris is the equivalent for our 3pt shooting to what Smart is for Boston's defense.

I keep Allen, I give Russell 18-19 to prove that he's really the real deal. if not, obtain picks, trade expirings and tank.

[Iceman66]

unless Russell, LeVert, RHJ and Allen make insane leaps next year (which would be great), the Nets are going to be a lottery team within the top 10-12

if we start winning games with those 4 getting the most mins, i would stay the course. if we hit jan/feb and our record is really bad, we should probably go through with the fire sale scenario and tank.

i really don't care anymore.

I think the team will get better if Lin is healthy and they add some pieces to shore up the defense. I'm torn between wanting them to do good and wanting a 8-10 lottery pick.

Don't get me wrong. I want these guys to make a leap and do well next season. But in reality, I'm not getting my hopes up.

If we aren't showing progress by February, fire sale everything and obtain first round picks. I'm pretty jaded right now and frankly despite how much I love the young players on this team none of them are even as good as Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Ben Simmons. that's not going to cut it. I want to be where the Celtics and Sixers are and if it means sucking balls for the next decade so be it. Until the Warriors run out of gas and Lebron retires no one is winning anything anyway. lets build a stacked roster that will make Tsai cry as he pays the luxury tax in 2028

I wouldn’t say this is the right way tbh. I mean look at teams like the Magic, Suns or Kings they have had top Picks for like 10 years now but they are still crappy teams who are not better than we are right now. And teams like Utah or San Antonio have shown that you can get top player with Picks between 10 and 20.

So i think we should continue the way we started last season and try to improve our young core and add young talent via Trade and descent Draft Picks. And tbh i would much rather compete for P4 to 8 in the east the next 5 years than tank and be awful again, just to maybe have a chance to compete in like 10 years which is uncertain considering bad drafting or especially injuries. Also that would be horrible for the development of our current promising young players like Allen or LeVert.

[MrDollarBills]

I think the team will get better if Lin is healthy and they add some pieces to shore up the defense. I'm torn between wanting them to do good and wanting a 8-10 lottery pick.

Don't get me wrong. I want these guys to make a leap and do well next season. But in reality, I'm not getting my hopes up.

If we aren't showing progress by February, fire sale everything and obtain first round picks. I'm pretty jaded right now and frankly despite how much I love the young players on this team none of them are even as good as Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Ben Simmons. that's not going to cut it. I want to be where the Celtics and Sixers are and if it means sucking balls for the next decade so be it. Until the Warriors run out of gas and Lebron retires no one is winning anything anyway. lets build a stacked roster that will make Tsai cry as he pays the luxury tax in 2028

I wouldn’t say this is the right way tbh. I mean look at teams like the Magic, Suns or Kings they have had top Picks for like 10 years now but they are still crappy teams who are not better than we are right now. And teams like Utah or San Antonio have shown that you can get top player with Picks between 10 and 20.

So i think we should continue the way we started last season and try to improve our young core and add young talent via Trade and descent Draft Picks. And tbh i would much rather compete for P4 to 8 in the east the next 5 years than tank and be awful again, just to maybe have a chance to compete in like 10 years which is uncertain considering bad drafting or especially injuries. Also that would be horrible for the development of our current promising young players like Allen or LeVert.

You're 100% correct....I just feel very pessimistic right now because i see two teams in our division primed to dominate for the next decade while we're sitting here wondering if D'Angelo Russell will somehow wake the hell up and start using his head more, or whether LeVert and RHJ can improve more. We're betting on a #2 overall who has not really improved much in his first 3 years and three late 1st round picks to really turn a corner....its a long shot bet.

Watching the playoffs has been very sobering. I knew Mitchell, Simmons, Tatum, and Brown were good but getting a chance to really see them play on a nightly basis and comparing them to our young guys....man we really lack severe talent. When Russell is on his game, that gives me hope. but he's very inconsistent. LeVert is very inconsistent. I hope to god we can somehow move up in this draft and land a steal prospect, in 2019 Marks drafts a real difference maker with our lotto pick.

[steady]

Don't get me wrong. I want these guys to make a leap and do well next season. But in reality, I'm not getting my hopes up.

If we aren't showing progress by February, fire sale everything and obtain first round picks. I'm pretty jaded right now and frankly despite how much I love the young players on this team none of them are even as good as Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Ben Simmons. that's not going to cut it. I want to be where the Celtics and Sixers are and if it means sucking balls for the next decade so be it. Until the Warriors run out of gas and Lebron retires no one is winning anything anyway. lets build a stacked roster that will make Tsai cry as he pays the luxury tax in 2028

I wouldn’t say this is the right way tbh. I mean look at teams like the Magic, Suns or Kings they have had top Picks for like 10 years now but they are still crappy teams who are not better than we are right now. And teams like Utah or San Antonio have shown that you can get top player with Picks between 10 and 20.

So i think we should continue the way we started last season and try to improve our young core and add young talent via Trade and descent Draft Picks. And tbh i would much rather compete for P4 to 8 in the east the next 5 years than tank and be awful again, just to maybe have a chance to compete in like 10 years which is uncertain considering bad drafting or especially injuries. Also that would be horrible for the development of our current promising young players like Allen or LeVert.

You're 100% correct....I just feel very pessimistic right now because i see two teams in our division primed to dominate for the next decade while we're sitting here wondering if D'Angelo Russell will somehow wake the hell up and start using his head more, or whether LeVert and RHJ can improve more. We're betting on a #2 overall who has not really improved much in his first 3 years and three late 1st round picks to really turn a corner....its a long shot bet.

Watching the playoffs has been very sobering. I knew Mitchell, Simmons, Tatum, and Brown were good but getting a chance to really see them play on a nightly basis and comparing them to our young guys....man we really lack severe talent. When Russell is on his game, that gives me hope. but he's very inconsistent. LeVert is very inconsistent. I hope to god we can somehow move up in this draft and land a steal prospect, in 2019 Marks drafts a real difference maker with our lotto pick.

I'm ok with Jarrett Allen, LeVert, and RHJ's development. They may not be the all stars that some of the above players will be, but they already are very good to good rotational players. Nets are lucky to have them

But the entire team's disappointing play at the end of the season -- especially DLo's - put a real damper on things. Its going to be a strange off season, because the player most likely to be traded is Spencer, and yet he was one of, if not the key, player for many of the teams' best wins last season. Whereas DLo -- who the team is putting a lot of investment in right now (as they should be)-- has not really shown a stretch of good games yet. The picture is further complicated by Lin, who if he returns healthy, could definitely help the team, but could take development time away from DLo, LeVert and Din if he's still here.

All of these factors make the future somewhat murky -- and in the last interview I saw of Marks, he looked more stressed than I have seen him in past =) -- but the team is still in a much better position than they were last year. And several guys are poised for a big step in improvement this year.

I think chances are they get substantially better this coming season ... unless Marks decides to overhaul the roster this summer.

will they be good enough to justify not tanking though? That question will probably hang in the air all season.

--

If they trade a player, my predictions are the following with likelihood of trade really falling off after AC (if he has any takers)

Din
AC
RHJ
DLo

[Prokorov]

I wouldn’t say this is the right way tbh. I mean look at teams like the Magic, Suns or Kings they have had top Picks for like 10 years now but they are still crappy teams who are not better than we are right now. And teams like Utah or San Antonio have shown that you can get top player with Picks between 10 and 20.

So i think we should continue the way we started last season and try to improve our young core and add young talent via Trade and descent Draft Picks. And tbh i would much rather compete for P4 to 8 in the east the next 5 years than tank and be awful again, just to maybe have a chance to compete in like 10 years which is uncertain considering bad drafting or especially injuries. Also that would be horrible for the development of our current promising young players like Allen or LeVert.

You're 100% correct....I just feel very pessimistic right now because i see two teams in our division primed to dominate for the next decade while we're sitting here wondering if D'Angelo Russell will somehow wake the hell up and start using his head more, or whether LeVert and RHJ can improve more. We're betting on a #2 overall who has not really improved much in his first 3 years and three late 1st round picks to really turn a corner....its a long shot bet.

Watching the playoffs has been very sobering. I knew Mitchell, Simmons, Tatum, and Brown were good but getting a chance to really see them play on a nightly basis and comparing them to our young guys....man we really lack severe talent. When Russell is on his game, that gives me hope. but he's very inconsistent. LeVert is very inconsistent. I hope to god we can somehow move up in this draft and land a steal prospect, in 2019 Marks drafts a real difference maker with our lotto pick.

I'm ok with Jarrett Allen, LeVert, and RHJ's development. They may not be the all stars that some of the above players will be, but they already are very good to good rotational players. Nets are lucky to have them

But the entire team's disappointing play at the end of the season -- especially DLo's - put a real damper on things. Its going to be a strange off season, because the player most likely to be traded is Spencer, and yet he was one of, if not the key, player for many of the teams' best wins last season. Whereas DLo -- who the team is putting a lot of investment in right now (as they should be)-- has not really shown a stretch of good games yet. The picture is further complicated by Lin, who if he returns healthy, could definitely help the team, but could take development time away from DLo, LeVert and Din if he's still here.

All of these factors make the future somewhat murky -- and in the last interview I saw of Marks, he looked more stressed than I have seen him in past =) -- but the team is still in a much better position than they were last year. And several guys are poised for a big step in improvement this year.

I think chances are they get substantially better this coming season ... unless Marks decides to overhaul the roster this summer.

will they be good enough to justify not tanking though? That question will probably hang in the air all season.

--

If they trade a player, my predictions are the following with likelihood of trade really falling off after AC (if he has any takers)

Din
AC
RHJ
DLo

We lack talent. period. MDB hit it on the head, we like our young guys but we over rate them. we dont have a Tatum or a brown or a mitchell here. It will take 2-3 years of drafting in the lottery to do that -- which is fine because we are year 3 into a 6 year lan with 3 years of lotto picks in front of us in 19, 20, 21

[steady]

You're 100% correct....I just feel very pessimistic right now because i see two teams in our division primed to dominate for the next decade while we're sitting here wondering if D'Angelo Russell will somehow wake the hell up and start using his head more, or whether LeVert and RHJ can improve more. We're betting on a #2 overall who has not really improved much in his first 3 years and three late 1st round picks to really turn a corner....its a long shot bet.

Watching the playoffs has been very sobering. I knew Mitchell, Simmons, Tatum, and Brown were good but getting a chance to really see them play on a nightly basis and comparing them to our young guys....man we really lack severe talent. When Russell is on his game, that gives me hope. but he's very inconsistent. LeVert is very inconsistent. I hope to god we can somehow move up in this draft and land a steal prospect, in 2019 Marks drafts a real difference maker with our lotto pick.

I'm ok with Jarrett Allen, LeVert, and RHJ's development. They may not be the all stars that some of the above players will be, but they already are very good to good rotational players. Nets are lucky to have them

But the entire team's disappointing play at the end of the season -- especially DLo's - put a real damper on things. Its going to be a strange off season, because the player most likely to be traded is Spencer, and yet he was one of, if not the key, player for many of the teams' best wins last season. Whereas DLo -- who the team is putting a lot of investment in right now (as they should be)-- has not really shown a stretch of good games yet. The picture is further complicated by Lin, who if he returns healthy, could definitely help the team, but could take development time away from DLo, LeVert and Din if he's still here.

All of these factors make the future somewhat murky -- and in the last interview I saw of Marks, he looked more stressed than I have seen him in past =) -- but the team is still in a much better position than they were last year. And several guys are poised for a big step in improvement this year.

I think chances are they get substantially better this coming season ... unless Marks decides to overhaul the roster this summer.

will they be good enough to justify not tanking though? That question will probably hang in the air all season.

--

If they trade a player, my predictions are the following with likelihood of trade really falling off after AC (if he has any takers)

Din
AC
RHJ
DLo

We lack talent. period. MDB hit it on the head, we like our young guys but we over rate them. we dont have a Tatum or a brown or a mitchell here. It will take 2-3 years of drafting in the lottery to do that -- which is fine because we are year 3 into a 6 year lan with 3 years of lotto picks in front of us in 19, 20, 21

To me the lack of comparable talent is a given right now, unfortunately.