Ratner said Thorn is free to spend money

[jbbNJNetz]

<div align="center"><div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Nets open wallet
NY Post
May 5, 2005



If only Bruce Ratner knew then what he knows now. The Nets owner conceded that last summer when the team gave away Kenyon Martin he "wasn't ready to be an owner" and that he was too worried with finances. That has changed.

"Last year, we started looking at the money instead of what the team needed. Now it's the other way around," Ratner said yesterday, also acknowledging several key points, such as the luxury tax "is not going to be a concern, if we're over the luxury tax by some amount, that's not the end of the world." </div> </div>

NYPOST.com

EDIT: All articles must be posted in this fashion-Henacy

 

[kdub]

Yeah, I read this article. I don't know if this will really affect Thorn's plans (that he probably already has), but it's good for Ratner to come out and say this stuff.

edit:
Really though, I don't think the Kmart departure was the biggest loss last offseason. I mean, if the Nuggets want to pay him that much money, that's fine by me. Losing Kerry Kittles and Lucious Harris seems to be more important in hindsight (shooters and defenders). They're both injured now too, though, so maybe it wasn't so bad losing them (although I feel especially bad for Kittles not being able to hold his baby girl).

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting kdub:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, I read this article. I don't know if this will really affect Thorn's plans (that he probably already has), but it's good for Ratner to come out and say this stuff.

edit:
Really though, I don't think the Kmart departure was the biggest loss last offseason. I mean, if the Nuggets want to pay him that much money, that's fine by me. Losing Kerry Kittles and Lucious Harris seems to be more important in hindsight (shooters and defenders). They're both injured now too, though, so maybe it wasn't so bad losing them (although I feel especially bad for Kittles not being able to hold his baby girl).</div>


Kerry Kittles was definately missed in that last series against Miami, he was always our best on-ball perimeter defender. He would have probably done a decent job of keeping Wade in front off him. But Wade has surprising strenght, especially around the basket area, and KK can sometimes get bumped out of certain spaces by stronger guards, so that probably would have been a problem. But there is no doubt that if Kittles was on the roster, he would've been our best answer for Wade even if RJ was healthy.

 

[jbbNJNetz]

At least ratner is a man and owning up to what he did the destruction of this team. Now lets see if he can be a an even bigger man and ok to build a championship team.

Heres how i see the team next is if the money is spent:

kidd
carter
jefferson
swift or marshall or Kristic
kristic or dalembert

bench

vaughn
best
buford or mercer it doesnt matter i like buford better
kittles
collins
scalabrine
another big body
and who ever else

 

[thedude9990]

i read the buford and mercer are proabably not coming back

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting thedude9990:</div><div class="quote_post">i read the buford and mercer are proabably not coming back</div>

I would take Buford back, I think he did an excellent job this year, when he was healthy of making the open jumper. And stretching out teams defenses. And I think that he showed himself to be a pretty good rebounder, in limited minutes. I think that he could help this team next year if he came back healthy. Mercer, I'll pass on him returning, he keeps missing time for pretty much the same injury. I doubt Ron Mercer will ever be a legit contributor on any team in this league again. He wont be consistently healthy.

 

[undefined_playa]

Do the Nets have enough money to spend to get Swift, Marshall, Kittles, and Dalembert???

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting undefined_playa:</div><div class="quote_post">Do the Nets have enough money to spend to get Swift, Marshall, Kittles, and Dalembert???</div>

Kerry Kittles shouldnt be that expensive, he didnt have that much success last season with the injuries. And naw, they dont really have the money to go after Swift or Dalembert at their actual worth. Rob thorn is going to have to convince one of the two to come here by taking less money to play alongside Kidd, Carter & Jefferson.

 

[XSV]

[quote name='Henacy']Kerry Kittles shouldnt be that expensive, he didnt have that much success last season with the injuries. And naw, they dont really have the money to go after Swift or Dalembert at their actual worth. Rob thorn is going to have to convince one of the two to come here by taking less money to play alongside Kidd, Carter & Jefferson.[/QUOTE

Why would they want Kittles? It's clear his best years are behind him after that injury, and I dont think he would be too cheap, nor do I think he would accept a bench role, or would he fit in well. I'd rather see them go for a guy like Kareem Rush or another good, young shooter instead. Also if you look at the salary and cap situation on hoopshype.com, you'll see we do have plenty of $$ to spend now that we lost Dikembe's big salary and a few others. After this season, I think we're like 17 million under the cap. We should easily afford stro or sammy, especially after Ratner said he doesnt mind going over the cap and payin luxury tax.

 

[Ma3oxuct]

Actually, if you look at Hoopshype, they to not list the salaries of RJ and JC, thereofre, we will not be so much under the cap. Infact we will not be under the cap after we resign a few players and in freeagency we will have to convince a player to play for less money (around ~5 million).

 

[Henacy]

[quote name='virve119'][quote name='Henacy']Kerry Kittles shouldnt be that expensive, he didnt have that much success last season with the injuries. And naw, they dont really have the money to go after Swift or Dalembert at their actual worth. Rob thorn is going to have to convince one of the two to come here by taking less money to play alongside Kidd, Carter & Jefferson.[/QUOTE

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Why would they want Kittles?</div>

Because even with his best years behind him Kerry Kittles is still a better perimeter shooter than anyone on the roster. And Kerry Kittles has the clear advantage of knowing how to play in Coach franks motion offense. He is an excellent perimeter defender. And he was a veteran class act on this team for 8 years. Why wouldnt we want him back, if the price can be for cheap?



<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It's clear his best years are behind him after that injury</div>

Kerry Kittles has bounced back from injury years in the past, what is to say he cant do it again. And be a solid contributor for a team off the bench, even if it isnt New Jersey.



<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> and I dont think he would be too cheap</div>

I think you always base your market value during free agency based on the free agency competion around you at your position. And when you look at wing players like Ray Allen, Larry Hughes, Micheal Redd all free agents, I think Kerry Kittles and everyone in his camp knows that his market value wont be that high, as everyone will be chasing the more youthful wing guys.


<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> nor do I think he would accept a bench role,</div>


Kerry Kittles has never been a guy to complain about minutes, shots or roles on this team. When we first drafted him out of Villnova, he and Kendall Gill were our only scoring options so he got to shoot as he felt. But the next season we got Sam Cassell and drafted Keith Van Horn, Kittles got dropped to basically a 3rd/4th scoring option in 97-98. And never complained once. He just adapted into the type of player he is to day, takes the open shot when it presents itself, doesnt force it that often. I think you got Kerry's character confused, there is no me first in his game.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> or would he fit in well.</div>

Why wouldnt he fit in well, he is exactly the type of guy we need. Can make the open transition shot, stretches the defense, can do an excellent job of playing the passing lanes, people forget that when Kittles is healthy he is amongst the league leaders in forcing turnovers and steals. And changing from defense to offense, even at his age, he still would be quicker than anyone on our current roster. Kittles quickness on both ends of the court has always played an impotant part of our tranistion game. I dont see why he wouldnt be able to fit a role right away if he came back after only playing a handful of games in LA.

 

[XSV]

You make good points man, but if they do sign Kittles, even for cheap, that's less money they would be able to spend on a quality big like SWift, whom they need more. I guess Ive never been a Kittles fan, and I dont know enough about his game as you do Henacy, so Im kinda biased. But theres no way theyll get him cheaper than 3-4 million a year, and thats 3-4 mill less you can spend to go out and get a 4 or 5, whom they really need

 

[jbbNJNetz]

Here is my revised team for next year:

kiddbestvaughn
carterkettlesbufordbest
jeffersonbufordscalabrine
marshallcollinsscalabrinerobinson
kristiccollinsRobinson

the rotation is pretty nice i think and adds depth to our bench

dont for get our draft picks. what have there is our veteran team.

I also would like to try and see if we can just get a shot blocker/rebounder for this team someone cheap.

but for scoring kittles would be nice the defensive aspect and alittle bit of the shooting. But I wouldnt mind seeing Jon Barry and David Wesley are free agents and the would spread the defense

 

[Tomac54]

i would want our lineup to look like this next year:

Kidd/best/vaughn
Carter/buford/mercer/ free agent
Jefferson/scalrabrine/robinson
Swift/kristic/Robinson
Kristic/Collins/Drafted Player

 

[Next Level Game]

Sad that Mercer is locked up to one more year with us. He really lost his game and touch. I don't see Buford coming back for that reason.

I think the Nets should get Kerry back into things. He was a terrific defender and he rarely turned the ball over. He was streaky but off the bench he can get the job done. He already knows our offense and is perfectly capable of coming in and provide quality minutes. He can be an Antoino McDyess-like acquistion in that with limited minutes, it should reduce his injuries.

As for a big man, probably best if we got SAR over Donyell. SAR is a legit post player and banger, and can get points on his own. I think Donyell you'd need to set him up after Carter/Jefferson/Kidd drives and his defense is sub par. Not to say SAR is a terrific defender, but certainly more capable. Both are exceptional rebounders and professional players.