How I think the Nets should approach free agency.

[Next Level Game]

These are the priorities I think the Nets should take when signing a free agent this summer (signing Kmart is already an expected).

1. Keon Clark - I think Keon would be excellent for the Nets. He's a great shot blocker who has amazing hops. He can hit the 15 foot jumper, not consistently, but enough and a good defender. He's still a bit weak and there's knocks about his work ethic and his drug habits but I think he'd be great for the Nets and the fast break. He won't help with the half-court offense much, if at all, but he's definitely a big prority.

2. Brent Barry - I heard aobut Brent being offered a good deal by houston but we could sure use this guy on our team. Good shooter, still athletic, but average defender. He'll definitely give room for RJ or Kidd to drive to the basket.

3. Damon Jones - I think he's one of the top best options for a back up point gaurd. He's a good shooter, though a bit streaky and a decent point gaurd. He had 19 assists one game this year so he can fit our style. Even more fittingly, he can play two gaurd for us at times cause Kidd is big enough to gaurd twos on the defensive end. He's definitely worth a look to bring back to New Jersey.

4. Rafer Alston - one of the few true point gaurds in the league. He's a good defender that plays the lanes and a good shooter and great passer. He definitely can help us and he's from the tri-state area. More importantly, there would be nothing I'd love more to see Rafer throw lobs to RJ and Kmart.

5. Chris Mihm - Give this guy more credit than he gets. He's a banger and a good rebounder, definitely better than Collins. He's pretty athletic, or atleast better than no hops Collins. He'll bang inside and is blue coller worker. I'd like him on my team.

6. Etan Thomas - He's also a banger and can help us. Not as big as Chris, but definitely servicible. He'll get his respect. Only problem is that he's injury proned. He'll provide a good big body.

7. Adonal Foyle - He's very smart and a great shot blocker. He definitely can help us right away and give us a big strong body. He's a tough guy and a hard worker.

8. Hedo Turkoglu - I know he'll probably resign with SAS which is why I didn't rank him higher. He's a good shooter and very versitile. Can handle the ball, but can't really defend. Either way, he's getting better and wish the Nets could get him.

9. Eric Williams - Rugged defender, consummate professional and can hit mid range jump shots. A great player to have on any team.

10. Rodney White - Jump shot is little shaky, but it's getting there. He can get to the bucket and is a big and quick guy for the three.

Now for the second tier:

1. Chris Anderson - This guy can get up and block shots. not a smart player but he definitely can only get better and smarter playing alongside Jason Kidd. He'll definitely help.

2. Gary Trent - He's a big, strong guy. He'll help us contend aginst the western conference and the pistons. Not a great player, but definitely a hard worker and contributer.

3. Jon Barry - Great shooter just like his brother and decent defender and a guy who's willing to sacrafice his body for the win. Good bench sparker and we could use him.

4. Fred Hoiberg - Great shooter and not bad defender. Either him or Barry shuold help.

5. Trenton Hassell - Great defender, pretty decent shooter, and got a team first attitude.

6. Brian Cardinal - I know he might end up redundant since we have Veal, but two players willing to give 110% a game isn't bad, right? The Janitor is more polished than Veal and plays smarter and better defense.

That's it for now, you guys can add to this. I heard reports that Ratner doesn't want Rod to use the MLE so maybe none of this will happen, but I can still hope.

 

[Next Level Game]

Add Antonio McDyess to this list. He said he wants to play with Kidd and we certainly can have him off the bench. He still got some play left in him and can play some back up center or powerforward.

 

[jbbNJNetz]

McDyess does still have some play in him left but i dont belive as a starter. but him off the bench would be great but he would have to take a bench players salary. brent barry and keon clark would be a great addition

 

[InNETSweTrust]

Thorn can use the MLE if he can convince Ratner that it will be helpful for the team. It could be BS though.

I'd love to have Barry on the team. Excellent combo guard who can shoot the three. But a lot of those players are pretty far fetched.

 

[throwback]

barry is a wanted man this year. i don't know if we can just use the MLE to get him. it would be great if we could, but there are teams who could give him more. or maybe a sign and trade we could work out for kk.

barry would be the best fit for us,but i wouldnt mind dj either. plus, i didnt even realize keon was a fa. i would love to have him. he has length and can help kmart out on the inside. barry and keon would make a very nice addition to our ball club.

 

[Henacy]

For some reason I dont think we will use the MLE,because it going to be hard for Rob Thorn, to convince Ratner any of these players are worth it to our team.

Anyway, you can take Adonal Foyle off that list, him & Goden State reached a 5-year deal is what they said on sportscenter today.

Trenton Hassell is 1st teir imo, his lockdown perimeter defense would definetly be needed on this team if we were to loose Kerry Kittles thru trade. He can guard the likes of Paul, Vince, that new Magic backcourt, and the Pistons backcourt. And he is a much better offensive player then he showed in Minny this year with Cassell, Sprewell, & KG taken most of the shots & creating the plays, his offensive role was limited. But anyway he probably wont be leavig Minny so it doesnt matter....

Me personally I would like to see Damon Jones come back to the Nets, He wold add alot of depth to the backcourt,seeing that he ould fill in very nicely at both backcourt positions,also he seeme to like to step to the competive level taking alot of big shots for the bucks last season. Plus I think we could probably sign him for that 1.2 million dollar exception & not a have to use the 5.1 exception on a guard.

But we would still have a hole in our starting 2 guard spot, because Iam not sure if we could get away wth starting DJ at the 2 in the east. He really succeed as a starter last year with the bucks but that was at the point.

Brent Barry seems better to be a starter at the 2-guard position. But the thing that scares me with Barry is he doesnt seem t play alot of defense. And also he been in the league for 9+ seasons but never really being in a winning enivorment other than the 1st season or two when he got to the Sonics, even tho he is a veteran you just dont know how he will produce in bigtime sitautions. But he would be the most likely choice if we wre to spnd the 5.1 million exception on a guard.

Anyway, How much is Stephen Jackson asking for this year, since Free Agency started I having heard much about him. I think since teams have found out that the likes of Kobe, Q-Rich, Manu are all realistically gong to be available, Jackson stock may have dropped somewhat. But I wouldnt mind seeing Jackson retun for an affordable price. He has proven he can make the big shots & he has also proven he can create his own shot off the dribble, both of which we need more of with the Nets.

As far as big bodies go.....none of those players really impress me to be honest. Iam hoping we can get a solid big in the deal we make for Kittles maybe someone like Battie etc. because all the solid bigmen are gettng ovepaid to the pint we cant afford them. Imo opinion Mark Blount, Eric Dampier etc will all be over payed this offseason.

But if I had to chose off this list, I would probably take Keon Clark injury problems & off court rumors aside. He would fit in very well in the Nets system because of the way he is able to get up & down the court. And he is a good weakside shotblocker, which JC isnt which would help our defense gwet even better.

Chris Mihm would be an ok choice, I dont think he has reached his full level. And playing alongside Kidd may help him reach that level.


On a side note: There is no way I would want Hedo, he is a choker. And no need for Brain Cardinal, we already have him & his name is Brain Scalabrine

 

[Next Level Game]

Brent Barry was offered a 5 year 24 million deal from the Rockets. I doubt the Nets would offer anything that big to him for that long considering he's already over 30.

I understood my choices were far-fetched but it's what I believe should happen.

The difference between tier 1 and 2 is that tier 1s we might have to spend a significant amount, if not all, our MLE on the player. Trenton Hassle will not be worth that much. We could probably get him for the LLE or possibly even less.

Stephen Jackson wants to go back to San Antonio so I left him off the list.

 

[bbwAce]

I think Damon Jones would be a great fit for yall...yall need shooters in the worst way...priority #1 should be re-signing K-Mart and then signing Damon as a combo guard...

 

[throwback]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Henacy:</div><div class="quote_post">For some reason I dont think we will use the MLE,because it going to be hard for Rob Thorn, to convince Ratner any of these players are worth it to our team.</div>
i agree. if we use our MLE, i would be extremely shocked. if he is not a big name person who ratner would know, we likely will not get him. unless if rod and ed tell ratner that with this player, we can win a championship or with this player plus the player/s we get for kk(+whoever) we can win a title. he said he wants to be competitive and try to win a title, so if rod/ed can show him this one player makes an huge difference,then i think we could use it. bottom line, i don't expect us to use it just how we didn't keep our draft pick. i could see us using our MLE next year, but not this. i really hope we do b/c we all want to improve our team to try and keep winning, but with a new owner who hasn't proved himself as a winning owner, i dont expect him to spend more money than he has too. im sure he rather use the mle than sign kmart, eventhough he "said" he wanted to keep kmart by any means, but how far can words carry a person and his credibility. i don't know him enough to trust his words, i trust rod's words though; the good and the bad.


ps. Ian Eagle seems to be taking over for Mike and the Mad Dog on WFAN/YES with some other guy. so if you wana check ian with his goatee and maybe hear him talk about the nets, which would be nice, then turn on WFAN or YES network. fyi