--The Nets may not hit their stride for a while. Nenad Krstic is still working his way back into basketball shape, although there are encouraging signs every time he takes the court. The team is adjusting to Frank's attempt to revive the Princeton offense. You wonder why Vince Carter seems out of sorts? It isn't age. Not to mention integrating FOUR bigs who were not with the team most of last year: Krstic, Jamaal Magloire, Malik Allen, Sean Williams. Problem is that unless they get out of the first 10 games (8 at home) with a good record, patience may start to wear thin.</p> --Antoine Wright keeps playing well. I don't think it's a transitory thing. He did a very solid job defensively last night and is now averaging 13.0 ppg, shooting 51.7% from the floor, 46.4% from the arc in 27 minutes of action per game. Lawrence Frank even played him at point in the fourth quarter of the Raptor game. Why not? My understanding of the CBA: the Nets have Wright's Bird Rights but can't give him a contract with a starting salary above $2.56 million per, what he would have gotten if the Nets hadn't decided against extending him. They would then have to use part of their MLE. Nets will have to pay the tax next year unless they can perform some roster magic. Of course, if they are mediocre again, who knows who goes.</p> --The two three pointers Boki Nachbar hit in the fourth quarter last night represented the first time since the first preseason game that he has hit more than one in a game. In preseason and regular season, he had shot 9 for 35 from beyond the arc before last night. He has been 1-for-7, 1-for-6, 1-for-5 in games. A lot of those shots were off the back of the rim.</p> --The two players the Nets considered taking in the 2005 and 2006 drafts before taking Wright and Marcus Williams were not extended as well. The 2005 decision on Wright came down to Wright vs. Gerald Green, the Nets international scout told NBADraft.net in 2006. Timberwolves decided against extending an offer to Green and now he sits on their bench. With the Wolves having no reason to play him, and a lot of other young players, he won't get playing time. Word was that if Williams hadn't been available in 2006, the Nets would have taken Shannon Brown. He didn't get his contract extended either. Cavs are now looking to send him elsewhere. They won't accept a player in return since they are trying to get under the cap...and no one will give them a first rounder for Brown, who is seen as a one year bust. Problem for the Nets is that even if they wanted him, who knows if they still do, taking on his contract--$687,456--would put them once again over the luxury tax. Of course, the Cavs could work out a buyout if all else fails.</p> --Only three teams are carrying 13 players--Nets, Suns, Wizards.</p> --If you're wondering what Christian Drejer did in Europe after his 23-point game against the Raptors, here's the short answer: very little. In his one Euroleague game, against perennial power Panathinakos, he played 12 minutes, took a three pointer and missed it. He finished with three personal fouls...that's it. No points, rebounds or assists. In the Italian League, he has played five games and scored 34 points on 61.3% shooting, but has been hurt. He didn't play in today's game. Speaking of Italian League, Jumaine Jones has joined Eldo Napoli and is expected to play his first game today. Hassan Adams is reportedly negotiating with a European team as well.</p>
I can't believe the Nets considered taking Shannon Brown.</p> You forgot to mention Hackim Warrick. People kept insisting he was better than Wright, now that Pau is back he is glued to the bench.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM3)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I can't believe the Nets considered taking Shannon Brown.</p> You forgot to mention Hackim Warrick. People kept insisting he was better than Wright, now that Pau is back he is glued to the bench.</p> </div></p> Ed Stefanski listed him high on the Nets draft list in 2006, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer said the Nets would have taken him. As for Warrick, the Nets didn't consider him, according to Meurs interview. It came down to Green vs. Wright. Both had slipped. Granger was out of the picture because of fears about his knee which had been swollen during his workouts. Indiana smartly took a chance. And remember, the reason the Nets were thinking swingman is that they were very optimistic they could sign a free agent power forward, either Shareef Abdur Rahim or Stromile Swift, optimism that turned out to be justified. Within 48 hours of the draft, Lawrence Frank was at SAR's doorstep.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM3)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I can't believe the Nets considered taking Shannon Brown.</p> You forgot to mention Hackim Warrick. People kept insisting he was better than Wright, now that Pau is back he is glued to the bench.</p> </div></p> When given playing time, he can produce but he's not so hot on the defensive side. He now is stuck finding himself behind Darko and now evenSwift who both won of the coach.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM3)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I can't believe the Nets considered taking Shannon Brown.</p> You forgot to mention Hackim Warrick. People kept insisting he was better than Wright, now that Pau is back he is glued to the bench.</p> </div></p> Warrick is really good,he's athletic,rebounds and blocks shots as well.</p> </p>
Here's what Stefanski said the day before the 2006 Draft, which in retrospect is interesting. Who they liked, in apparently the order of preference...</p> We like a lot of players out there. At point guard, I think that Marcus Williams from UConn is terrific. I think Kyle Lowry from Villanova is an interesting character. Jordan Farmar from UCLA, Rajon Rondo from Kentucky and Will Blaylock from Iowa State; all five of those guys played very well for us in workouts. So they would be in the mix.</p> In the shooting guard situation, Hassan Adams from Arizona is very good. Then there are the Michigan State kids, you’ve got Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown. Both were real good in our workouts here. James White from Cincinnati was interesting. And you know Quincy Douby from Rutgers is going to be able to score.</p> We like Rodney Carney from Memphis, but we don’t think he’s going to get to us. Ronnie Brewer from Arkansas would be on our list, but we don’t think he’ll get to us.</p> And then when you go to the power forward spot, it’s a situation where a lot of the “Bigs” may not be on the board when we get there. Cedric Simmons from N.C. State is an excellent candidate. Patrick O’Bryant from Bradley and Hilton Armstrong from Connecticut are really interesting to us. We like Josh Boone from Connecticut. And Saer Sene, the kid from Senegal, has a wingspan that is an incredible 7’8. He’s going to be an NBA shot blocker. Will he be on the board? Could he fall to 22, 23? That would be somebody we’d consider. That would be exciting. He’s a nice project to work with. Then there’s Paul Davis, who is very steady, from Michigan State. Ryan Hollins from UCLA was in here. He’s a very, very athletic kind of kid, runs the floor. Alex Johnson from Florida State was a real strong kid, an athletic kid.</p> http://www.nba.com/nets/features/stefanski_blog.html</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Republican)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM3)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I can't believe the Nets considered taking Shannon Brown.</p> You forgot to mention Hackim Warrick. People kept insisting he was better than Wright, now that Pau is back he is glued to the bench.</p> </div></p> Warrick is really good,he's athletic,rebounds and blocks shots as well.</p> </p> </div></p> Give me Wright any day.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM3)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Republican)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM3)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I can't believe the Nets considered taking Shannon Brown.</p> You forgot to mention Hackim Warrick. People kept insisting he was better than Wright, now that Pau is back he is glued to the bench.</p> </div></p> Warrick is really good,he's athletic,rebounds and blocks shots as well.</p> </p> </div></p> Give me Wright any day.</p> </p> </div></p> Ya,Wright is provin' himself</p> </p>
--Wright played 30 minutes yesterday, I believe. Frank has shown full confidence in a small lineup consisting of a combination of three of rj, careter, wright, and Boki, and so far Wright is playing ten mintes or so more than Nachbar. I think it'll continue.</p> --some pundits--although not the nets brass--mentioned Joey Graham as a possible draft pick instead of Wright. Graham has done little, but did have his option picked up.</p> --I'd like to see the nets pick up a young player or two with potential and try to develop them.</p>
Why am I not surprised that Ed included multiple guys with second round talent in his list of names</p>
I found the rankings and individual comments more interesting than the raw listing of names. Marcus Williams as the top point guard...yeah, sure, but you will also note that in each of the position rankings, he noted that the best players--Carney, Brewer, Simmons, etc.--probably wouldn't be available. Didn't note that about Williams. I wonder if the Nets had some indication Williams would drop. He seems to have ranked Hassan Adams above Ager and Brown.</p> He really liked Saer Sene as a project, which I guess should have given us more of an indication that the team was always leaning toward this year's best shot blocker.</p>
The Hornets gave up on Cedric Simmons. Hewas sent to Cleveland for Wesley. Anybody know why he didn't work out in New Orleans?</p> Alex Johnson is with Miami. He wascut byMemphis. How come the Nets didn't take any interest?</p> What kind of money did Jumaine Jones get from Eldo Napoli? Does anybody know?</p> </p>
Welcome, GM!</p> Simmons most likely didn't work out in NO because they had Chandler, West, and another young big in Armstrong....who's probably better than Simmons.</p> And the Nets probably didn't take interest in Johnson because they have Boone, and possibly because they had their eye on a couple free agents in the offseason (Magloire, Allen) and possibly a rookie in the draft (Williams). Also, it's possible they did show interest, but Johnson would've rather been in Miami.</p> Oh, and the most I could find about Jones was that it was one year contract.</p>
Alexander Johnson was supposed to be the next...well you know. Haha.</p> Cedric Simmons came out wayyy too early.</p> I shudder at the mention of the name Ryan Hollins.</p>
The Simmons deal may have included cash considerations, and been the reason for the trade. When combined with the trade of Wesley to the Nets, the Hornets could have made a nice chunk of change for Simmons, who may not have played very much.</p>
Thanks for the welcome, peg182. Also, thanks for your insight. If you find out how much $$$ Jones got for the year, I'd like to know.</p> Real, thanks for the reply, but what do you mean Alexander Johnson was supposed to be the next ... "you know ... ha ha ...?" Why do you "shudder" about Ryan Hollins? Do you think he's not good?</p> Dumpy, any idea how much cash New Orleans got from Cleveland for Simmons? Do you think he'll turn into anything?</p> </p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GM)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Thanks for the welcome, peg182. Also, thanks for your insight. If you find out how much $$$ Jones got for the year, I'd like to know.</p> Real, thanks for the reply, but what do you mean Alexander Johnson was supposed to be the next ... "you know ... ha ha ...?" Why do you "shudder" about Ryan Hollins? Do you think he's not good?</p> Dumpy, any idea how much cash New Orleans got from Cleveland for Simmons? Do you think he'll turn into anything?</p> </div></p> I'm just speculating about the cash, but given their motivation behind trading Wesley to the Nets, it seems logical. I do know that the Simmons trade made no sense to me whatsoever until the Nets deal. As for Alexander Johnson, the scouting reports compared him to KMart. Over and over again.</p>
Alexander Johnson does not have a guaranteed contract. The Heat can cut him by January 10. They recently gave him a little more money in a partial guarantee, but the likelihood is that they will dump him. They are close to the luxury tax and the team may not be worth throwing money at, considering how bad they look. Johnson has a great NBA body but no NBA hands. He is also almost 25 years old and unlikely to get better.</p> As for Simmons, I have no idea why the Hornetsgave up on him. He is still only 21. One thing you can say for the Cavs. They had no picks in the 2007 draft but here they are today with 1) a near-lottery pick in the2006draft in Simmons and 2) a second rounder whowouldhave gone higher if not ascrewed up medical check-up in Demetris Nichols. Nichols had a false positive on a hepatitis test thatcaused him to drop. And all they gave up was some cash and David Wesley. </p> </p> </p>
