Are the Nets tanking?

[rickortreat]

Lets say that they ARE tanking deliberately. Do you approve or disapprove?  The Nets are using a strategy, and because of their special circumstances, it makes sense.

The Nets weren't getting anywhere fast as they were, and are ready to abandon their local NJ fans for the browner fields of Brooklyn. Since they aren't worried about their fan base, why should they care if they win or not right now? They aren't filling the arena no matter what, and loosing is rewarded in the NBA, as is dropping salaries. Having money to spend and cap space is a huge thing for a team, just ask Boston.

With the ability to outbid other teams for talent and being in NYC the Nets could become a very attractive franchise for a LeBron or a Wade.

[Reality]

Lets say that they ARE tanking deliberately. Do you approve or disapprove?  The Nets are using a strategy, and because of their special circumstances, it makes sense.

Yes.  Sadly, the NBA is a business 1st and foremost.   Entertainment business.  Joke reffing, lopsided *trades*, etc.
So the Nets are doing what could be a HUGE boon financially.

The Nets in the Finals, or for that matter even contending, along with The Kobmes making the Finals again would be a huge commercial boon.

With the ability to outbid other teams for talent and being in NYC the Nets could become a very attractive franchise for a LeBron or a Wade.

I think the deals have already been all but done, however a Lebron championship this year would throw a wrench into the works.

[Joe Vancil]

Bosh/Lopez/Scola isn't going to work on a front line, Reality.  If it could, Utah would be going with Okur, Boozer, Millsap.

You need an athletic wing player to throw into that mix - not all big guys.

Name the last team that successfully used 3 power forward types in the starting line-up?  The closest I can come is the '94 Rockets - Olajuwon, Thorpe, and a 6-10 Robert Horry who played small forward back then.  And Scola is no Horry in terms of shooting. 

Oh.  Hold on.  '06 Miami.  Shaq/Haslem/Antoine Walker.  Oops.  Another outside-shooting big.

Still - look at how few and far-between these teams are.

[Reality]

I didn't mean that Bosh Dunkar Scola had to be the only frontline, should have clarified.  One would think a free agent wing would be dying to join that lineup.
Altho true, as we have discussed before modern NBA player is not about the title.  He'd rather earn more on the Clippers then title with these guys.

Still, i like them as a foundation.  Plus Lebron can play SF, and altho SG seems like his best spot now if the Nets could land a very good SG then Lebron could simply slide over to SF.

The GOAT 86 Celts with Bob Parish, Kevin McHale joined by Billy Walton alternating at the C/PF spot.  I guess their wing was pretty good too.  Larry Bird.

[Reality]

^^^ also they have that lottery pick coming.
I ran the stats on this once, that being at what pick did the team with the most ping pong balls (worst record) come in at.
While most of the time they did not get the #1 overall pick, seems like 2 3 or 4 occurred in most years.
So with the Nets having a lets say between a #1- #5 overall pick, seems like a good SG or SF could be found. 
Again even if not, surely some semi decent SG or SF could be found in free agency.  Manu GNobs health is iffy but he will most likely be a free agent SG for next season.

Now I'm drooling even more.
C Lopez
PF Bosh
SF Lebron
SG GNob
PG Devin Harris with Alston.

and the draft pick to back up in there somewhere.  And GNob hates starting so yeah, got to find another starter.

[Joe Vancil]

I didn't mean that Bosh Dunkar Scola had to be the only frontline, should have clarified.  One would think a free agent wing would be dying to join that lineup.
Altho true, as we have discussed before modern NBA player is not about the title.  He'd rather earn more on the Clippers then title with these guys.

Still, i like them as a foundation.  Plus Lebron can play SF, and altho SG seems like his best spot now if the Nets could land a very good SG then Lebron could simply slide over to SF.

The GOAT 86 Celts with Bob Parish, Kevin McHale joined by Billy Walton alternating at the C/PF spot.  I guess their wing was pretty good too.  Larry Bird.

So which of Bosh and Scola do you think would sign a deal to come off the bench for a team that was worst in the league the year before?

My bet is the NEITHER would sign a deal to START for such a team, when they're already starting ELSEWHERE.

[Reality]

Well Bosh is going to start wherever he goes, that's for sure.
He is an unrestricted FA, don't see why he would not want to leave Toronto to start for a contending Nets team.

Scola, yes he would have to buck the NBAs selfishness system and be happy being a 6th man on a title team.  Depends on how many minutes he would get as to his interest level.  Also Scola might not have as much of the greed with punky me 1st attitude the NBA brats do.  OTOH he got screwed out of millions by siging that stupid long Euro contract so with his late NBA start he might be looking to make as much as he can before his window closes.  Maybe Rich Russian owner will offer Scola all he can.

Nets already have a fine center in young Lopez so if Bosh and Lebron joins that leaves all kinds of options.

[Joe Vancil]

Well Bosh is going to start wherever he goes, that's for sure.
He is an unrestricted FA, don't see why he would not want to leave Toronto to start for a contending Nets team.

Scola, yes he would have to buck the NBAs selfishness system and be happy being a 6th man on a title team.  Depends on how many minutes he would get as to his interest level.  Also Scola might not have as much of the greed with punky me 1st attitude the NBA brats do.  OTOH he got screwed out of millions by siging that stupid long Euro contract so with his late NBA start he might be looking to make as much as he can before his window closes.  Maybe Rich Russian owner will offer Scola all he can.

Nets already have a fine center in young Lopez so if Bosh and Lebron joins that leaves all kinds of options.

Laughing at "a contending Nets team."

Wouldn't Bosh be better off staying where he is, and having LeBron come join him?  Or perhaps, going to Cleveland to join LeBron? 

Everything you're saying depends on all the free agents going to one team.  So why pick New Jersey?  They're currently awful.  They're moving.  They'll have a new owner.  They have no history of great success.  They're the second game in town.  Their last stars were all sent off in disgrace.  They have no history of loyalty to franchise stars.  Their coach is in his first coaching gig.  The assistant coach - with NBA finals experience - just quit.  Their all-time great player, whose number is retired for them, was a player they sold to Philadelphia for cash, who ended up winning a title in Philadelphia (where he spent his entire NBA career, beloved), but never played an NBA game for the Nets.

I can make a better case for Antarctica as a beach-side resort than I can for a bunch of stars to pick the Nets as a team to build into a champion.  After all, Antarctica at least borders an ocean.

[Reality]

Their new owner could be and indications are will be another Cuban.  As in willing to spend.
Why the Nets?  Brooklyn, as in New York City.  New stadium.  2nd game in town?  Not for long if they get Lebron and Bosh or Lebron and Wade.
The buzz would be off the hook.  They would own the Knicks and immediately be the #1 game in town.

No way on this planet Lebron goes to Toronto.  That is 10Xs less likely then Lebron to the Brooklyn Nets.
Bosh to Cleveland?  I suppose it's possible but cap room? 
What will screw all this up for sure is Lebron winning a champ in Cleve.  I don't know if he can carry the Cavs that far tho.  He didn't get gifted Gasol.

[Joe Vancil]

Their new owner could be and indications are will be another Cuban.  As in willing to spend.

And just how many championships have the Mavericks won?

And, if I recall correctly, their last major free agent signing was Erick Dampier.  And that's with a history of being competitive.

Why the Nets?  Brooklyn, as in New York City.  New stadium.  2nd game in town?  Not for long if they get Lebron and Bosh or Lebron and Wade.

Dependent on getting 2 or *3* free agents.  So - which one is going to sign first - not knowing for sure that the other won't pull an Elton Brand on him?

The buzz would be off the hook.  They would own the Knicks and immediately be the #1 game in town.

...because we all know that a franchise without an experience coach, without a winning tradition, without a bona fide star of their own in their NBA history, without an NBA title, coming of the worst season in basketball history is the ULTIMATE destination for superstar free agents.

No way on this planet Lebron goes to Toronto.  That is 10Xs less likely then Lebron to the Brooklyn Nets.

...after all, Toronto is a playoff team, that has a top notch player in Bosh, and a good, pass-first guard in Calderon.  He'd much rather go to the Nets, who may not win as many games in the season as Toronto potentially could in the playoffs.

Bosh to Cleveland?  I suppose it's possible but cap room? 

You've got *3* players going to the Nets, and you're telling *ME* to worry about cap room?

What will screw all this up for sure is Lebron winning a champ in Cleve.  I don't know if he can carry the Cavs that far tho.  He didn't get gifted Gasol.

What will screw all this up for sure is someone repeating to LeBron any *ONE* of the arguments I've made against the Nets.

LeBron is staying in Cleveland.  No reason whatsoever to move.  He's the face of the franchise - just like Jordan for the Bulls.  Staying just cements his legacy.  Just ask him - would he rather take the career path of Duncan and Bryant, or that of O'Neal?

Currently, he's got a top 3 team.  Why go elsewhere?



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[rickortreat]

I think LeBron to the Nets in a new stadium in Brooklyn would vault him to being the top athlete in NY.  The Knicks and Nets have been garbage for years, but a new owner looking to make it in NYC with LeBron and Bosch would focus the national spotlight on that team like it does the Lakers.

Cleveland is a back-water town, that no one goes to or wants to go to. Brooklyn is still the 4th of 5th largest City in the US, and they are on the Ocean. LeBron is beloved in Cleveland, but they'll go nuts for Broadway LeBron.

No one wants to go into Manhattan to watch the Knicks. Brooklyn is easier for fans on the Island.

Money doesn't guarantee a championship. More money has been wasted trying to buy a team then there has been success realized from such a venture.  But building around a LeBron seems like a good way to ensure success for many year to come.  The media exposure and the money would vault LeBron to the top spot, provided the NY NETS become winners. The NY area is dying for a decent basketball team, and that is where Stern is, so you can bet he wants it.

I think that if they can get LeBron committed to coming to Brooklyn, the Nets won't have any trouble attracting free agents.

[Joe Vancil]

Sure.  All you have to do is convince him to:

1)  Take less money that he will be offered in his hometown.
2)  Convince him that your franchise is serious about contending.
3)  Convince him that you won't treat him the way you treated your last superstar trio.
4)  Convince him that you won't treat him the way you treated your last NBA legend.
5)  Convince him that your team offers him a better opportunity to contend than his current team, which currently has the best record in the NBA.
6)  Convince him not to rob your team of its valuable assets by coming in a sign-and-trade.
7)  Convince him that everything you do will make New Jersey a viable option will also attract free-agent talent to help him in his request.

And personally, if I were LeBron going to New York, I'd go to Manhattan.  That's where the action is.  Who cares what is or isn't convenient for the fans?  After all, you're trying to convince me that they'll come to see me - not that they'll come to see YOU.

Come on, guys!  Miami is a much more attractive destination.  Ditto for the Lakers.  WHY NEW JERSEY?  If LeBron can go where he chooses, and he can, New Jersey isn't even on the map.

[westkoast]

Sure.  All you have to do is convince him to:

1)  Take less money that he will be offered in his hometown.
2)  Convince him that your franchise is serious about contending.
3)  Convince him that you won't treat him the way you treated your last superstar trio.
4)  Convince him that you won't treat him the way you treated your last NBA legend.
5)  Convince him that your team offers him a better opportunity to contend than his current team, which currently has the best record in the NBA.
6)  Convince him not to rob your team of its valuable assets by coming in a sign-and-trade.
7)  Convince him that everything you do will make New Jersey a viable option will also attract free-agent talent to help him in his request.

And personally, if I were LeBron going to New York, I'd go to Manhattan.  That's where the action is.  Who cares what is or isn't convenient for the fans?  After all, you're trying to convince me that they'll come to see me - not that they'll come to see YOU.

Come on, guys!  Miami is a much more attractive destination.  Ditto for the Lakers.  WHY NEW JERSEY?  If LeBron can go where he chooses, and he can, New Jersey isn't even on the map.

The one and only reason this NJ idea keeps getting tossed around is because Jay-z is a small minority owner of the team.  He is Lebron's buddy and someone Lebron admired as a kid growing up.  How much influence he has on Lebron, I have no clue.  When you see Lebron make a shot and make his hands into a diamond shape that is a shout out to Jay-z.

[rickortreat]

We're not talking New Jersey, we're talking Brooklyn, New York.

New Ownership means you can't tar them with any of the old history. The only thing staying is the name. The franchise will be more like a new team than the sorry Nets of the past.

LeBron can be the toast of the town in any town he chooses.  NYC is the biggest town in the country, and he could be the biggest athlete here. More local endorsement money here than he can make in a contract anyway!

You tell him this will be his team, that he can choose who he wants to play with him and that they are a partner with him in securing his place in NBA history. Jay-Z and a New York Crowd of stars too ashamed to watch the Knicks, will watch him every night. Spike would abandon the Knicks in a flash for LeBron and a chance to win a ring.

LeBron would be bigger in New York than anywhere else.

[westkoast]

We're not talking New Jersey, we're talking Brooklyn, New York.

New Ownership means you can't tar them with any of the old history. The only thing staying is the name. The franchise will be more like a new team than the sorry Nets of the past.

LeBron can be the toast of the town in any town he chooses.  NYC is the biggest town in the country, and he could be the biggest athlete here. More local endorsement money here than he can make in a contract anyway!

You tell him this will be his team, that he can choose who he wants to play with him and that they are a partner with him in securing his place in NBA history. Jay-Z and a New York Crowd of stars too ashamed to watch the Knicks, will watch him every night. Spike would abandon the Knicks in a flash for LeBron and a chance to win a ring.

LeBron would be bigger in New York than anywhere else.

Mcdonalds, Nike, and others are having no problems endorsing him now.  Really what benefit would him being in NYC bring other than LOCAL small time endorsements?    The major corporations will flock to him if hes in Cleveland, New York, Los Angeles, or Timbucktoo.