<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">And the Nets probably wouldn't have gotten the cushy 6th spot if Washington hadn't lost Butler and Arenas at the worst possible time. Injuries happen.
I'm not really following Thorn's logic though. I suppose he said that to justify keeping the roster together, but he has to realize that the East was unnaturally weak this year. While the majority of the teams in the conference are growing and only beginning to reach their peak, the Nets are tied down to aging stars and their window of opportunity is closing. Sure you might've gotten farther this year, but that's no guarantee for next season or the one after that.</div>
Why not? Teams like Boston, Milwaukee who flopped and should have gotten a top 3 picks, bombed in the lottery. The best players in this draft are still going to the west (I don't count Atlanta cause whether they choose Horford, Wright, or Conley, they're not going to be any more than 8th seed contenders).
Every year some guy like you says that our stars are aging. But guess what? Every year Kidd plays as well if not better than the year previously. Anyone see his numbers this year? They're damn near career numbers. I mean seriously, where is this "aging" you're talking about? Carter? Put up career scoring numbers. Jefferson? He's still in his mid 20s. And who's to say guys like Nenad, Boone, Wright, Adams, and Marcus aren't going to get better?
What about Free Agency? No free agents out there that if they moved that could significant damage. Carter is about the best free agent out there. Him or Billups, whoever you consider better. Outside of Carter moving away from us, which doesn't seem is going to happen, Billups going to Orlando, Bobcats, or Atlanta isn't going to change anything. Orlando gets better, but then Detroit goes to the cellar, and that'd be a one out, one in exchange.
So tell me, why doesn't fielding the same team as last year not work next season? News flash, the East has been weak since 2000. Nothing is going to change next year unless three of these players are traded to the east: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk. I would include Kobe, but I fear that it would cost any East team too much and we all know Kobe can't go that far himself.