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--Tomorrow is the first day that players signed over the summer can be traded. I expect the Nets to make some kind of move this week, even if it's sending Sean Williams down to the D-League. I can't imagine them acquiring a player who doesn't play defense like a Sergio Rodriguez or a J.J. Redick or an Adam Morrison or a Marco Belinelli. Not now. The most likely acquisition is a veteran defender. Swift is the most likely player to be traded. I don't see Williams having any significant value, unless they are going to stockpile picks and use him to get a couple of second rounders.
--The Nets right now are the only team with an unprotected first round pick in the 2010 draft. That becomes an increasingly valuable property. If it's a lottery pick, it could help in the 2010 free agency. The Nets will have, barring trades, eight or nine players on long term deals or rookie contracts plus three first round picks by 2010. (Other teams are likely to get first round picks in 2010--Utah, the Knicks' pick; OKC, the Suns' pick; Memphis, the Lakers' pick; and the Wolves, the Jazz pick, but they all depend on the lottery this May).
--My hope for the 2009 first rounder: Earl Clark of Rahway. Nets dont have a second rounder. They traded it to Seattle for Mikki Moore (a really brilliant trade) and the Sonics/Thunder traded it to Charlotte. My guess is that if the Nets and Bobcats do a deal, the Nets might want it back...or not.
--The economy is pushing a lot of moves. Five coaches fired and a lot of major trades before the schedule is one quarter done smacks of desperation. Teams are looking at empty stands and are panicking, figuring that the fan base is dwindling as people retrench in their spending habits...so they make changes quicker. The Nets are not immune from that line of thinking...although Kiki claims they are sticking with their "business plan", meaning planning for 2010.
--Talking about the economy, you're starting to see stories about NBA players wanting out of European, particularly Russian league, contracts...Pargo and Delfino in particular. Unless the teams in question agree to let the players go, they're screwed. All those leagues, like the NBA, are part of FIBA, the Federation of International Basketball Associations. They all honor each others' contracts. NY papers claims Pargo wants to play for the Knicks, but remember the Nets have pursued him three straight years.
--Don't know if Jaycee Carroll has any loyalty to the Nets, but he is sure playing well in Italy. He is averaging 18.8 ppg and shooting 54% from beyond the arc. Seems he is playing combo guard as he did in summer league. Like Krstic and Nachbar, he has a player option this June. (He did well against Brandon Jennings in their matchup, scoring 16 to Jennings' 11.)
--The Mavs are red hot. Kidd isn't putting up individual numbers, but Dirk sure is. Nets will have a hard time with Dallas, leading to all sorts of revisionism on the trade from basketball writers who for the most part are only one level above political writers in terms of their short term memories.
--Obama's pick for HUD Secretary is NYC's Housing Commissioner Shaun Donovan, who supported the Atlantic Yards development. Things may not be looking good for Ratner short term, but longer term, a lot of things are falling his way--accelerated hearings on the last significant appeal, an IRS ruling in favor of tax-exempt bonds, this appointment. He also has two big projects underway, with financing in place. And NO politician has stepped back from supporting the project.
--Knicks did well on the Harrington trade. He is looking like the player he thinks he is, averaging 25.5 ppg since arriving...shooting 40% from the three and grabbing 7.8 boards On the other side of the ledger, Zach Randolph looks like he is worth his enormous contract. He is averaging 24 and 10 for the Clippers and in the last three games is averaging 29.7 and 12.
--The Nets right now are the only team with an unprotected first round pick in the 2010 draft. That becomes an increasingly valuable property. If it's a lottery pick, it could help in the 2010 free agency. The Nets will have, barring trades, eight or nine players on long term deals or rookie contracts plus three first round picks by 2010. (Other teams are likely to get first round picks in 2010--Utah, the Knicks' pick; OKC, the Suns' pick; Memphis, the Lakers' pick; and the Wolves, the Jazz pick, but they all depend on the lottery this May).
--My hope for the 2009 first rounder: Earl Clark of Rahway. Nets dont have a second rounder. They traded it to Seattle for Mikki Moore (a really brilliant trade) and the Sonics/Thunder traded it to Charlotte. My guess is that if the Nets and Bobcats do a deal, the Nets might want it back...or not.
--The economy is pushing a lot of moves. Five coaches fired and a lot of major trades before the schedule is one quarter done smacks of desperation. Teams are looking at empty stands and are panicking, figuring that the fan base is dwindling as people retrench in their spending habits...so they make changes quicker. The Nets are not immune from that line of thinking...although Kiki claims they are sticking with their "business plan", meaning planning for 2010.
--Talking about the economy, you're starting to see stories about NBA players wanting out of European, particularly Russian league, contracts...Pargo and Delfino in particular. Unless the teams in question agree to let the players go, they're screwed. All those leagues, like the NBA, are part of FIBA, the Federation of International Basketball Associations. They all honor each others' contracts. NY papers claims Pargo wants to play for the Knicks, but remember the Nets have pursued him three straight years.
--Don't know if Jaycee Carroll has any loyalty to the Nets, but he is sure playing well in Italy. He is averaging 18.8 ppg and shooting 54% from beyond the arc. Seems he is playing combo guard as he did in summer league. Like Krstic and Nachbar, he has a player option this June. (He did well against Brandon Jennings in their matchup, scoring 16 to Jennings' 11.)
--The Mavs are red hot. Kidd isn't putting up individual numbers, but Dirk sure is. Nets will have a hard time with Dallas, leading to all sorts of revisionism on the trade from basketball writers who for the most part are only one level above political writers in terms of their short term memories.
--Obama's pick for HUD Secretary is NYC's Housing Commissioner Shaun Donovan, who supported the Atlantic Yards development. Things may not be looking good for Ratner short term, but longer term, a lot of things are falling his way--accelerated hearings on the last significant appeal, an IRS ruling in favor of tax-exempt bonds, this appointment. He also has two big projects underway, with financing in place. And NO politician has stepped back from supporting the project.
--Knicks did well on the Harrington trade. He is looking like the player he thinks he is, averaging 25.5 ppg since arriving...shooting 40% from the three and grabbing 7.8 boards On the other side of the ledger, Zach Randolph looks like he is worth his enormous contract. He is averaging 24 and 10 for the Clippers and in the last three games is averaging 29.7 and 12.
