And if he doesn't/hasn't? Lopez is very solid from day one. He starts no matter what. Yi... yeah, a healthy Krstic is certainly better, but they're both gambles to improve or not. Why not go with the cheap one?
The Brook-Nenad duo could handle the 5 spot for a long time... Than we would not have to use undersized unskilled players, like Sean, Boone and Stro, to play the center position for us. I say, let's try to trade Sean+Boone for a starting SF (Noc), and let's match OKC's offer for Nenad! This has nothing to do with our PF situation... in the current system we need way more versatile players for that position anyway (like Yi, Anderson and Najera)...
A few points... 1) Thorn said the Nets intend to take the full week to decide. They haven't gotten the offer sheet or at least hadn't gotten it by yesterday afternoon. Offer sheets must have all the contract details. Right now, all we know is that it's for $4.8 million, $5.2 million and $5.6 million over three years, with the first year pro-rated, meaning that he will be paid a percentage of that $4.8 million depending on when he joins an NBA team. Right now, that would mean a commitment of a little more than $3 million this season since the season will be roughly one-third over by the time the Nets make a decision on the offer sheet. We don't know if there are options, team or player; buyout provisions; performance bonuses, etc., etc. Any of those could effect the Nets' decision. 2) The Nets decided to retain his rights for a reason. They want something back. The range could be wide. They could, for example, arrange a sign-and-trade for OKC's second round pick. An OKC second round pick will be the 31st pick and with only a minimal amounts of smarts could be a better than a late first round pick, since teams don't have to be commit to a two year contract. And the Nets don't have a second rounder this season. Or, they could make a deal this week, drop below 15 roster spots and reduce some salary...giving them a realistic option of matching the Thunder offer. If that happens, then OKC might start to get nervous and want to play some poker with Rod Thorn (bad, bad idea). They might prefer the certainty of a sign-and-trade rather than risk losing Krstic to the Nets. Just because they say they're not interested in a sign-and-trade now doesn't mean they won't be interested if they are faced with a bad hand...or think they have a bad hand. There are some players on the Thunder who might be appealing to the Nets: Earl Watson; Chris Wilcox--still only 26 and who the Nets really coveted; Joe Smith; Johan Petro. Smith, Wilcox and Petro have expiring contracts, Watson has two years. The Nets will be patient. I expect we will see rumors fly. I doubt Krstic returns to the Nets, but I also doubt nothing will happen. This isn't cut and dry, in my opinion. I don't know how much the Nets scouted Krstic in Europe. He didn't play that well, if you look at the stat sheets, but it was a bad team and was playing before 2,000 people at most in a grubby suburb of Moscow. He played well enough in the summer in the FIBA Europe Qualifying Tournament and the Nets had scouts there. If he has returned, or appears to be close to returning, to 2006 form, he's a bargain. He was averaging 17 and 7 and had two games of 25+ the week before he went down. Lopez might be better than him hurt, but Lopez is nowhere near being able to average 17 and 7 in the NBA.
Al reported that the Nets tried to do a sign and trade with the Bulls in the off-season: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/nets/36486049.html Anyone know the details of the sign and trade and why it didn't happen? Also, if the Nets match the offer sheet could they then immediately look to trade Krstic to another team or is there a waiting period?
OKC believes he has...according to ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3782171&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines
And we just don't need to pad the stats, Krstic was good, but he just averaged 16.4 and 6.8, not 17 and 7, that's still a difference. At age 20, Lopez is averaing 9.8 ppg 7.4 rpg and 1.9 bpg . As a starter : 11.9 ppg 8.3 rpg 2.2 bpg, the Nets haven't had a center could rebound over 8 for many years.
The Thunders GM, Sam Presti, was once the Spurs assistant GM some time back. Remember how the Spurs were interested in Krstic and were going to draft him before the Nets took him? He might of had his eye on Krstic for a long time now and could be finally getting him.
Kristic is a skilled player. However, his failure to dominate in the Russian team is disturbing. Reading between the lines, we're not getting anything back for this guy. Thunder is taking a huge gamble, but they have a ton of cap space.
Do you specialize in making senseless posts? 6.8 rebounds is not 7 rebounds a game? When Lopez averages those numbers for a full season, and he might, then he will be better than Krstic. He is not now better than a healthy Krstic...who the week before he went down had games of 26 and 28 points. Lopez has yet to have one game of more than 25 points. "Padding stats"? Rounding off figures is "padding stats"? Tiresome and obnoxious drivel. Now is Yi better than Krstic or Lopez, based on your "analysis"? His numbers as a 21-year-old are slightly better than Krstic's as a 21-year-old. Oh, but wait, Yi might be 24. Yi is a better shooter than Lopez from long range and only a slightly worse rebounder, 7.2 rpg to 6.8 rpg. He is certainly more athletic. Describe to me how all this factors in your certain "analysis". Let me help you. Players have to prove their ability over a significant stretch of time and while I am a big fan of Yi and Lopez, neither have done that. Krstic played well for the Nets for nearly three years up until he blew out his knee. I am not going to denigrate his performance and won't countenance the silliness of saying 6.8 rebounds isn't 7 rebounds rounded off for convenience sakes. I doubt and have long doubted that Krstic will play another game for the Nets, but the Nets would consider themselves lucky to have Lopez average what Krstic averaged and make the strides Krstic made in his first three years here. Same goes for Yi.
First of all, it's Krstic, not Kristic. His failure to dominate in the Russian league could be a product of many things. Is Brandon Jennings any less of an NBA prospect because he is averaging 6.5 ppg in Italy after he averaged 35.5 ppg in high school? One issue is that European rotations are considerably deeper, with few players getting more than 25 minutes a game. The team is lousy. Another issue is that his coach may not be very good...or that living in Moscow might not appeal to him and his wife, who was happy in the US with her career...or that he plays in a grubby little arena with a capacity of 2,500...or that he wonders if the team will have the money to pay him. Krstic owed Vlade Divac $1 million. Divac owned half of Partizan when he needed to buy out his contract. He needed the money and the Nets weren't willing to give him what he wanted here. He didnt make a lot in his rookie deal.
Diffrent is diffrent, you can say it clearly 6.8 is 6.8, it's not 7. 16.4 = 17 ppg ? your mathematical ability is in trouble. How funny were you writing about ... "When Lopez averages those numbers for a full season" WOW, 16.4 and 6.8 for only 26 games, equaling to a full season. What a good article by NetIncome. By the way, I don't hate Krstic, and he was one of my fav players, but you just tried to hype him, he is questionable to be back to his form now. Stop talking about what if .
And don't always try to anaylize the ball games by the stats at all, Lopez is just better in the post, and not always try to shoot from outside. He tries to attack the rim and bang up with the opponents physically. So to speak, he is tough, not soft. Krstic had a solid stats, most due to the feeds from Kidd and Carter, for easy layups or pick-and-pop, Lopez is doing better for creating the opportunities for his own. Remember that the dribble-drive offense benefits the outside shooters, not Lopez. Sure, Yi is shooting better than Lopez, but most team doesn't need a big man PF to shoot from outside instead of fighting in the post, I don't diss Yi, but how could you just pull Yi into this discussion, I didn't even mention to Yi.
Unfair to compare Krstic with Jennings. Apples and oranges, Jennings is judged on potential. Krstic has to produce some numbers, but it looks like the Thunders are willing to bet on him. I'll settle with somewhere in the middle, Krstic will be a good role player if he can hold his health.
