<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jason Kidd is 34. Vince Carter is 30. Richard Jefferson is 27. In a nutshell, what that should tell you is that it's no time for the Nets to be thinking about the future. With the three best players rapidly approaching their sell-by dates, this team's window is shutting fast. In turn, those facts should tell you that the Nets' off-season is far from over. Yes, they're pretty much done in free agency, because the signing of Jamaal Magloire (ugh) has put them at the luxury tax limit. In fact, the only move left is to re-sign Eddie House or bring in another combo guard of his ilk, just as soon as they can dispose of Mile Ilic's contract (geez, they sure soured on him fast, huh?). But the Nets can't possibly bring this group back next year with a straight face ... right? Especially after the non-events of last summer led directly to last season's disappointment. Standing pat would pretty much be a one-way street to 43-39, and while that kind of mark would make the Knicks ecstatic, the Nets are at a very different point in their history. With perhaps a two-year opening for the Kidd-Carter-Jefferson combo to re-climb the Eastern Conference mountain, the Nets need to be pulling out all the stops to get them the necessary help. And pulling out the stops, in this case, means making a trade. If you accept that standing pat is not a realistic option, then team president Rod Thorn should be burning up the phone lines this August trying to get the final piece of the puzzle. Fortunately, he has a few assets to work with. Chief among them is Jefferson, who likely would be the centerpiece of any trade proposal because he's the youngest of the three. He also makes a lot of money, which is actually helpful -- it allows the Nets to match contracts in a trade so that it meets the constraints of the salary cap for both sides. In addition, Thorn has accumulated some interesting complementary pieces in the past few drafts. Promising young players like Nenad Krstic, Marcus Williams, Josh Boone, and Sean Williams are the kind of assets rebuilding clubs crave, so a team trading a star player would expect one or more from that group in return. Fortunately for New Jersey, the trade market is unusually heavy with power forwards. Four standouts have been particularly prominent on the rumor mill of late, each of which offer potential solutions. Here's a quick look at the menu and pricing: LAMAR ODOM: The Nets supposedly had a three-way deal on the table that would have essentially swapped Jefferson for Odom, but the Bobcats put the kibosh on it because they wouldn't get rid of Gerald Wallace. Odom would be an odd fit anyway -- his best skill is as a point forward, but the Nets already have a pretty decent point guard if I recall. Plus, Odom has no post game -- he's more a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type. He's a slight improvement on Jefferson, mainly due to durability, but this doesn't move my pulse much. JERMAINE O'NEAL: The Nets and Pacers already talked about this deal once and are likely to revisit it if nothing else can be found. Reportedly, Indiana asked for a king's ransom -- Jefferson, Krstic, Jason Collins, and Williams -- while the Nets would only do the deal without Williams in it. Given O'Neal's injury proneness and erratic offensive output the past two years, I'm not sure he's worth the price. However, he's become a monster on D and would fit well in Jersey's system. PAU GASOL: Now we're talking. This is easily the best post player available, though I use that term loosely ?-- Memphis seems to have cooled on the idea of dealing him. Though prying him away from the Griz would be expensive -- Jefferson, Krstic, and a first-rounder would be the minimum ante -- this is the one player who fits in the best. He can run the floor with Kidd and Carter, he can score in the post, and he's a great passer. Plus, he's still in his prime at 27. Of course, those all are reasons the Grizzlies probably will relent and keep him. KEVIN GARNETT: Ah, dare to dream, people. The Nets can't realistically absorb his salary and he's not really a post scorer, but he's far and away the best player out there. That's why the Nets ?-- like nearly every other team -- are trying in vain to find a way to make this work. Don't hold your breath.</div> <div align="center">Source: New York Sun</div>
KG is staying, the Jermaine deal is dead, Odom isn't too much better than Jefferson, and I haven't heard rumors about Pau Gasol. I think Maglorie was the last big move that we are gonna do this off season. I could see a big trade going down before the trade deadline if we get off to a bad start.
Well Minny declined our trade offer, and Bird is no longer looking to trade O'Neal. I really don't see how we can pull off a big trade, if none of the teams are interested in what we offer them. I am surprised that the Nets didn't offer anything for Pau Gasol. Everyone seems to really underrate him.
<div class="quote_poster">Kidd Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I am surprised that the Nets didn't offer anything for Pau Gasol. Everyone seems to really underrate him.</div> I'd trade Gasol for Kidd if I were the Grizzlies' GM, but then again, I'm a huge Kidd homer. Realistically, the Nets have nothing that the Grizzlies would have wanted. A package of Jefferson and Krstic is not only a step down talent-wise for the Grizzlies, but they wind up with a logjam on the wing and a weak frontcourt. Jefferson wouldn't start over Miller, and management has put too much stock into Gay to sit him on the bench. If they would have traded Gasol, it would have been for another elite big man, like Kevin Garnett or Amare Stoudemire.
gosh, trade jefferson nenad marcus and what ever else it takes to get Jermanie, then sign and trade for boykins! omg !!!! lol
I have a lot of faith in this currents New Jersey nucleus, as long as they can stay healthy. I don't understand why everyone feels the need to move Jefferson for a post player when the Nets still have Krstic on the roster.
^^ idk i dont feel Nenad is what we need, hes a 15 foot big man, he isnt that physicial down low. and im just a Boykins fan so im all for him coming lol
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I don't understand why everyone feels the need to move Jefferson for a post player when the Nets still have Krstic on the roster.</div> Krstic is a good jump shooting big man, but he isn't a good player in the post. We need someone who could get in there and do the dirty work for us.
<div class="quote_poster">Legacy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Krstic is a good jump shooting big man, but he isn't a good player in the post. We need someone who could get in there and do the dirty work for us.</div> Isn't that why they signed Magloire? I understand that Magloire's not the kind of offensive post player that the Nets would ideally want, but no team is perfect. From the Spurs to the Suns, every team has flaws. At the end of the day though, not every team has a backcourt of Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson. That's the top backcourt in the league, hands down. They shouldn't mortgage that just to get a grittier big man.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Isn't that why they signed Magloire? I understand that Magloire's not the kind of offensive post player that the Nets would ideally want, but no team is perfect. From the Spurs to the Suns, every team has flaws. At the end of the day though, not every team has a backcourt of Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson. That's the top backcourt in the league, hands down. They shouldn't mortgage that just to get a grittier big man.</div> I've been thinking this ever since we have gotten Magloire, but so many of these little things kept us from being close to contenders these previous years that I don't even know what to expect anymore. I think we should still sign a few players that could deepen up our bench. Then I would be satisfied.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Isn't that why they signed Magloire?</div> That and, the fact that Moore signed with the Kings. He's probably better suited for the Nets than Mikki, but I don't have sense of accomplishment with just this signing.
<div class="quote_poster">Legacy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I've been thinking this ever since we have gotten Magloire, but so many of these little things kept us from being close to contenders these previous years that I don't even know what to expect anymore. I think we should still sign a few players that could deepen up our bench. Then I would be satisfied.</div> I don't understand why the Nets let Adams go. I'd take him over Wright on the wing any day. There are still some decent options out there though. Alexander Johnson's not getting any attention, but he started 16 games last season as a rookie and posted some very solid numbers for a reserve (12.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 54% FG). He had a few great nights last season that really made me wonder why he didn't get heralded as one of the league's top rookies. He's really athletic, yet he's also scrappy and fights for every rebound. I honestly think he's the X-factor the Nets need.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I don't understand why the Nets let Adams go. I'd take him over Wright on the wing any day. </div> My thoughts exactly. Just goes to show you that we make some real dumb moves at times.
