<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FOMW @ Jul 13 2008, 07:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NetIncome @ Jul 13 2008, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It amazes me how much people think of the great player we are pursuing. He has never won a damn thing and never will. At best, he is enticing, a tease. At worse, he takes up space. Cap Space sucks...and I do not believe for one second that the cuts and decisions we are seeing have to do with Lebron James. Lebron James is the opiate of the masses, keeping people interested for the last two years the team is in New Jersey. This is about cutting expenses in a corporation that is losing an incredible amount of money, considering what its real value is. Lebron isn't coming to a team that sucks. As an Ohio writer noted the other day: "Logic makes it highly unlikely he'd exit his hometown team, a franchise that made the NBA Finals in 2007, to resurrect a squad that must wreck its roster to ink him."</div> You may be right about the motivations for the moves, but I unhesitatingly believe next year's team will be better than last year's (barring significant injuries to Harris or VC, knock wood) and certainly much more pleasurable to watch. I wouldn't have been as confident saying that before summer league, but Lopez's shooting touch around the basket and out to 20 feet is a revelation. No matter what other problems he has as a rookie, he will instantly have a highly valuable skill that no other big has had in the entire time I've watched NJ (since VC trade). To go with that, the Nets have 2 young, mobile PFs that can space the floor and shoot out to three or put it down for the occasional drive; one of the league's best hustle and chemistry guys; servicable depth at the SF position; a highly competitive, multi-faceted rookie SG with big-time collegiate success and a chip on his shoulder a mild wide to keep him motivated; and a lightning fast point guard with decent vision and touch who is widely considered among the best defensive PGs in the league. The Nets had NONE of those things going into last year. Combine that with the excision of the Kidd cancer and the infusion of youthful enthusiasm, and you get a team that will have chemistry, coshesion, and consistency of effort that will far outpace what we had most of last year. I don't know whether it will translate into a playoff berth or not as so many factors influence that, not least the apparent improvement of several teams that finished in the 6-12 range in the east last year. But the Nets of 08-09 will be much more interesting than the stale collection of vets that started last year. </div> im with u... i think the nets can be competitive this year... and its not just lebron... i mean lebron would be great... but wade would be just as good look either way... we arent contenders this year... even if we didnt trade RJ... the team desperately needed a change... i think a lot of fans and the FO saw that we needed a change... and we did so... i am happy with all the moves... and im lookin forward to this season coming up... when 2010 comes around then we will worry bout the free agents... but i believe in rod thorn... and in kiki... rod changed this franchise and i still thank him for that
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NetIncome @ Jul 13 2008, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It amazes me how much people think of the great player we are pursuing. He has never won a damn thing and never will. At best, he is enticing, a tease. At worse, he takes up space. Cap Space sucks...and I do not believe for one second that the cuts and decisions we are seeing have to do with Lebron James. Lebron James is the opiate of the masses, keeping people interested for the last two years the team is in New Jersey. This is about cutting expenses in a corporation that is losing an incredible amount of money, considering what its real value is. Lebron isn't coming to a team that sucks. As an Ohio writer noted the other day: "Logic makes it highly unlikely he'd exit his hometown team, a franchise that made the NBA Finals in 2007, to resurrect a squad that must wreck its roster to ink him."</div> What's your suggestion for an alternative? Keeping RJ and a proven mediocre team together? Pursue free agents this year and continue the cycle of a poorly built team? Forget James, for the Nets to have any chance to land a top shelf free agent they need to be rebuilt from the ground up not only on the court, but financially as well. Committing 3 million per year to an energy guy is not a bad move, however you want to cut it.
