So Basically, this guy says half the guys we've acquired are a bunch of losers.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NetsDaily)</div><div class='quotemain'>Dave Berri of Wages of Wins isn’t buying the Nets’ line that they’re building a team with proven winners. Berri, the college prof with Moneyball-type stats, argues the Nets have chosen a motley group whose “wins produced” numbers are not likely to attract top-flight free agents like, say, Lebron James. “Yi, Dooling, Najera, and Hayes are not the core players a championship team requires”, he argues.</div>

Building a Winner in New Jersey? - Dave Berri - Wages of Wins Journal
Wages of Wins: The Nets will still stink - Ken Berger - Wages of Wins Journal

Ha. Najera and Dooling couldn't be part of a championship team? Right. When were they last on a team that didn't make the playoffs? Pretty silly to say we'll completely stink.

And what does he know about Yi? Is he predicting that after his rookie year, he'll just end up sucking? How can you judge him anyways, when he was on the same team as Maurice Williams AND Michael Redd in the backcourt, along with that crap coach?

 

I think that this guy's never seen a girl naked besides his mother in his life.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real @ Jul 21 2008, 09:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think that this guy's never seen a girl naked besides his mother in his life.</div>
lol

 

Im in middle. I dont agree, nor disagree.

 

I don't get it though, does he really think cause we signed a couple of proven guys that are productive that were not gonna win, and that superstars are gonna be turned away?? wow

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real @ Jul 21 2008, 10:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think that this guy's never seen a girl naked besides his mother in his life.</div>

I don't think I wanna know.

 

He wrote an article about the Raptors with that same Wages of Wins model. I had a hard time following it and didn't find it all that convincing.

 

omg... articles like this makes me wish the season started already...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 21 2008, 08:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And what does he know about Yi? Is he predicting that after his rookie year, he'll just end up sucking? How can you judge him anyways, when he was on the same team as Maurice Williams AND Michael Redd in the backcourt, along with that crap coach?</div>

While I am a supporter of Yi, I think he has a lot of hard work ahead of him to be a consistent player in the NBA. He has the tools and potential but will need a coach who will push him hard.

 

so, as I understand it, the Nets signed a bunch of players that are rated "average" in countable stats; have rid themselves of a bunch of players that were probably rated "below average" in countable stats such as Boki and Diop; will still trade or buy out a couple of other players rated "below average" such as Swift and Ager; and going back to last year, rid themselves of Antoine Wright, Malik Allen, and that fat slug whose name I can't remember, all of whom I am sure were rated "below average" by their metrics. They also got rid of Kidd, who may not have been rated very highly anyway by their model.

so, to recount, a team full of "average" players according to the "wages of wins" metrics will result in a terrible team? something is probably wrong here.

[i don't know their formulae, but i will guess that it doesn't account for the things that RJ did poorly and Najera does well]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tang Man @ Jul 21 2008, 09:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 21 2008, 08:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And what does he know about Yi? Is he predicting that after his rookie year, he'll just end up sucking? How can you judge him anyways, when he was on the same team as Maurice Williams AND Michael Redd in the backcourt, along with that crap coach?</div>

While I am a supporter of Yi, I think he has a lot of hard work ahead of him to be a consistent player in the NBA. He has the tools and potential but will need a coach who will push him hard.
</div>

Agree with you,i am a Yi fan, hope Yi give team more help.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jul 21 2008, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>As I understand it, Cleveland's current supporting cast is superior to the four Nets guys he mentioned in the article. It's not like one of them is Paul Pierce and the Nets just traded a draft pick for Ray Allen.</div>

I don't understand your point, to be honest. Are you saying that the Cavaliers are better than the Nets, and therefore LeBron James won't sign with New Jersey when he is a free agent in two years? [my first reaction is to say good!]

 

And the award for the longest thread title goes to................

PEGS!!!!!

Congratulations

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jul 21 2008, 10:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>As I understand it, Cleveland's current supporting cast is superior to the four Nets guys he mentioned in the article. It's not like one of them is Paul Pierce and the Nets just traded a draft pick for Ray Allen.</div>

How do you figure?

 

I didn't read either article yet, but:

"Yi, Dooling, Najera, and Hayes are not the core players a championship team requires”

1) We're not a championship team, nor is any realistic fan expecting a championship team, so this is a pretty pointless statement if you ask me.

2) Dude's a dumbass if he's putting Dooling and Najera in that sentence. A solid back-up combo guard with good defense and a hustle player can't be core players on championship teams? That makes sense. I can understand putting Yi there because he's still young and Hayes because he's not going to do much besides score a few points each night, but the other two should not have been mentioned there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jul 21 2008, 09:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Call me a non-biased observer. I'm not a Cavs fan or a Nets fan - any more than most of the teams in the leagues. The only thing I can see that Cleveland did was to trade for Ben Wallace, but then again, his big contract expires for the 2010 FA class.</div>

is your point that the cavs are better than the Nets right now, and that the Nets won't contend in 2008-09? I think we're all with you on that one.

I personally think that the nets added some decent players, and subtracted some losers, and that their upside for the season is what the Sixers accomplished--a poor start as their young players tried to figure things out, then coming together in the second half and making the playoffs as one of the bottom seeds, and giving their fan base hope for the next season. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JCB @ Jul 21 2008, 09:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I didn't read either article yet, but:

"Yi, Dooling, Najera, and Hayes are not the core players a championship team requires”

1) We're not a championship team, nor is any realistic fan expecting a championship team, so this is a pretty pointless statement if you ask me.

2) Dude's a dumbass if he's putting Dooling and Najera in that sentence. A solid back-up combo guard with good defense and a hustle player can't be core players on championship teams? That makes sense. I can understand putting Yi there because he's still young and Hayes because he's not going to do much besides score a few points each night, but the other two should not have been mentioned there.</div>

it's their usual crap: "our metrics say X, but to understand what we are talking about, you have to buy our book, because we're not going to explain how we reached that conclusion in a free blog."

 

I don't think the team is much better than it was last season. And its not a given that you'll even get the 8th spot for the playoffs. The Cavs on the other hand are a contender, and maybe a player away from the championship.

I'm with Denny on this one.