Nets Off-Season Info To Know

RE Jefferson

Um, remember 2005? RJ was the face of the franchise. They had just dumped KMart and JKidd was hurt. RJ stepped up and slid into the role, then he, too, got hurt.

The big 3 played well in 2006, and were favored to beat the Heat, altho they did not, thanks to Cliff and Mary Jane.

Now all of a sudden, in a year when Carter was absent the first half and Kidd the second (if not the whole season), it’s RJ who’s playing badly?

Cut me a break. RJ has done everything this franchise has asked. They were a “bad offensive team”, he himself said so, during that season killing 9 game skid in January. He took it on himself to change that.

And VC played great after the Texas trip, no question. But he was not the only one picking up the slack.

RJ and VC are not the problem.

The problem is the coach. We all know this. The Nets employees know this (I know - they called me to re-up). Thorn knows it. Even Ratner knows it. But the deal is, he’s not gonna be moved in their current lame duck situation.

You can trade out RJ for Brand or Bynum or Jesus and a player to be named later and it won’t matter. The Nets are in self imposed organizational limbo.

My only hope is that Ratner wakes up and smells the red ink and the tight credit and realizes that an arena in Bklyn is not going to save him, and then sell the team to some group who will bring it to the Pru.

Then we can start building a team.

I’m sick of people saying Frank is the problem. There’s not alot of coaching stats that I can talk about, but Frank is not the problem. Reember when he first was the Nets coach after they fired Scott, and they won like 14 in a row? He’s a coach that fits with the Nets. Now, I will say, with all the FA coaches out there, if they can talk to D’Antoni or Avery Johnson and they’re intrested, I’m all for firing Frank and getting D’Antoni or Avery Johnson or Sam Mitchell if they’re avaiable. But otherwise, I want Frank to stay in NJ. I think a guy in the draft we need to go after is Donte Green out of Syracuse. A versatile 6″10 guy that has range and versatility, he can shoot a good mid-range jump shot and 3-point shot, and he can post people up. A solid defnsive player as well. If he can drop to the #21 pick the Nets have from dallas I think he’s a guy they need to seriously consider drafting. I like Budinger at our possible top 10 pick. he might be a reach if we get the #10 pick, but he’s 2 things the Nets need: a shooter and a good defender.

Frank is not the problem with this team. Maybe he’s not the greatest, yes he makes mistakes, but the players play. Nobody said RJ’s playing bad, he’s not a star though. He can’t play second fiddle to VC’s lead on a championship team, and he has lots of shortcomings.

Trade out Brand or Bynum for RJ - in a heartbeat. LA (in both cases) would be crazy.

On the draft, Green has potential, too raw though, not at all ready for the NBA. Not surprised if he pulls out. Budinger is a reach, but fits the bill, he’s possible just wish he was tougher.

Yeah I agree Green may be too raw, but what he has is what the Nets need. It might be worth a shot.

What about Kevin Love? i figured he’d be a top 5 pick but a lot of mock drafts have him going #9 to Chicago (if the Bulls get that pick.) What if he falls down to us, at #10 (where we’ll probably get our 1st selection)? He’s a big man that can score, which we don’t have (Krstic aside).

Guys, something away from your current topic but nevertheless:—> What do you think? Will Boki Nachbar return as a Nets…I know he dissapointed a bit this year but it means a lot to me that the Nets have Slovenian player on their roster since I come from Slovenia…

Boki will come down to money. I don’t think the Nets will overpay for him, more than $5 or $6M for a year.

I know the importance you see in rooting for the Slovenian player, but Rod Thorn will make a business decision on this.

Boki is capable of so much more than he has shown.

Boki is not worth $5 - 6 mn a year. No way! He has nice moments and I hope the Nets keep him, but he is too inconsistent to earn that much dough.

I also like Donte Green, although DeAndre Jordan has more upside at 10 than either Green or Budinger. Darell Arthur maybe at 10 and Brandon Rush of Kufos at 21.

and I agree with you, todd…and I am sure that Boki wouldn’t demand such amount of money…I agree it’s too much….Thorn really don’t have to pay him so much…and I think Boki is completely happy with his current salary, so that really I think shouldn’t be the biggest issue…

Nobody is content when they can earn more money. If another team comes calling, all of a sudden he won’t be as happy.