Nothing For The Nets

Now that the playoffs are over, expect more bloggy goodness from yours truly. Here's my latest on the Nets of New Jersey. Before I go on, plugs:

Stephen's blog - he'll post the url somewhere on here.
Pat's blog - thedriveforfive.com
Radio shows - Tri-State Hockey Report 12-1 Tuesdays, Lucky's lunchbox 12-2.

Here’s my question for Nets President Rod Thorn. Your team is sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference, possibly the worst collection of teams ever in the history of professional basketball. You have two superstar players who could be valuable trading chips to a team that could possibly win a championship and yet, you decide to sit pat and do nothing at the trade deadline. Just what were you thinking?

Your team is never going to win an NBA championship as long as it’s constructed in its present state. Jason Kidd’s best days are well past him, Vince Carter looked as if he played the first half of the season with one foot out of the swamps of New Jersey and you’ve been hit by devastating injuries. You’ve lost your promising young center Nenad Kristic, who liked he was going to have a breakout year, along with your best perimeter defender and second scoring option in Richard Jefferson for a significant portion of the season. Even if they stayed healthy, there was no chance for you to win a championship. So why you, Mr. Thorn, didn’t see the writing on the wall and make a move?

It’s one thing if you traded Kidd and didn’t have someone to replace him. But you already have a ready made point guard looking to lead the Nets to Brooklyn in 2009 – Marcus Williams. Sure, Williams is a rookie and is bound to make mistakes as he takes over the point guard duties from Kidd. The rookie out of UConn is averaging 7.9 points per game and 3.1 assists in 17.6 minutes. Not too shabby. Besides, Kidd is 34-years-old, has a bad knee and is bound to only get worst at this point of his career and whose owed $60 million over the next couple of years. He’s had an outstanding year and his trade value couldn’t have possibly been higher than at the trading deadline. Not to mention those articles in the papers saying that he was a cheat on his wife that’s probably not good press for your organization. You’re telling me you wouldn’t have taken picks and cap relief for Kidd, knowing that at the very least, you have a security net in Williams?

But I guess I can understand your thinking, Mr. Thorn. J-Kidd is the face of the Nets and sole reason why you guys have been successful the past few days. Vince Carter, however is another story. Carter is also going through personal problems himself (going through a divorce) and at times, has gone missing during games, settling for jump shots instead of driving to the basket. His numbers are still great, averaging 25.4 points per game. However, Carter’s got the option to opt out his contract and sign anywhere. The last time I checked, Jersey wasn’t exactly a happening place for free agents. It was rumored in the papers that the Knicks were making a push for Carter, offering Channing Frye, Jamal Crawford and others for Carter. Are you serious? In case you hadn’t notice, your team is in dire need of any type of interior scoring. Frye, who is expendable for the Knicks because of the emergence of David Lee, would fit in nicely would with the young core of Nets you, Mr. Thorn, have assembled. A lineup in 2007-08 of Williams, Crawford, Jefferson, Frye and Kristic is pretty good in my book.

We basketball fans will have to give up the benefit of the doubt. You did draft Michael Jordan after all and this team can, unbelievably, still make the playoffs. However, you had a chance to remake your team for the better and that window of opportunity has elapsed.