The Official 2016-2017 Brooklyn Nets Season Watch Thread (20-62, #1)

[Neurotic Guy]

I think the impetus to tank feels less this year in what projects to be a deep draft. The usual suspects are all wanting to nurture there future stars and some seem ready to blossom.  I can't fathom Sixers or Wolves tanking for the top slot rather than trying to Kickstart a winning (or at least trying) culture.  Mavs are a concern though - Dirk is supposedly back next week but they need to start winning soon or they'll be sellers -- virtual tank.

As each Nets loss passes, the idea of trading this year's pick becomes more unacceptable.  Other than guys who are unattainable, I can't see who would be worth spending the pick for. 

[winsomme]

The problem is that Dallas, Philly, Minny, and Miami are all bad basketball teams. They are just plain bad - tank or no tank. And even if they are not tanking now, they will get to a point in the season where it will seem like a lost season, and that at that point they will start tanking.

Minnesota had a chance to be halfway decent, but after watching them some, they are just a bad team. And they are certainly gonna get tired of coach Thibs yelling at them every night. I could see them going sour pretty quickly. They are a terrible outside shooting team.

Don't get me wrong, the Nets are terrible too, but I'm just not sure that that's gonna be enough to get a top 3 pick.

Hopeful but worried. I weirdly just want this season to be over. I hate having to watch the boxscores for another painful Brooklyn win.

[winsomme]

If anybody thinks that Cuban isn't going to tank, read this snippet:

Mark Cuban is unlikely to part ways with the Dallas Mavericks' first round pick this year.

Cuban suggested he would only trade the Mavericks' first rounder, currently projected to be a top-5 selection, in exchange for a top-5 player in the entire NBA.

Cuban referenced the Dallas Cowboys' historical trade of Herschel Walker that setup their success of the 1990s as what it would take to trade the pick.

"If Herschel Walker calls me up and says, ‘That's better than any deal I've ever been involved with,'" Cuban joked.

The 2017 NBA Draft is expected to be one of the deepest in recent memory, particularly at the point guard position.

If he will only trade his pick for a top 5 player, he certainly is banking on that pick being top 5 as well.

He's a smart guy and knows that the quickest way for him to rebuild is to have a terrible season in a year with a lot of talent coming out of college.

Mark Cuban and Pat Reilly do not give a crap about how they are perceived. They will both unabashedly go for these prized picks. There is no doubt in my mind.

[tazzmaniac]

The problem is that Dallas, Philly, Minny, and Miami are all bad basketball teams. They are just plain bad - tank or no tank. And even if they are not tanking now, they will get to a point in the season where it will seem like a lost season, and that at that point they will start tanking.

Minnesota had a chance to be halfway decent, but after watching them some, they are just a bad team. And they are certainly gonna get tired of coach Thibs yelling at them every night. I could see them going sour pretty quickly. They are a terrible outside shooting team.

Don't get me wrong, the Nets are terrible too, but I'm just not sure that that's gonna be enough to get a top 3 pick.

Hopeful but worried. I weirdly just want this season to be over. I hate having to watch the boxscores for another painful Brooklyn win.

Phoenix should be added to the list of bad teams that could finish worse than the Nets. 

[winsomme]

The problem is that Dallas, Philly, Minny, and Miami are all bad basketball teams. They are just plain bad - tank or no tank. And even if they are not tanking now, they will get to a point in the season where it will seem like a lost season, and that at that point they will start tanking.

Minnesota had a chance to be halfway decent, but after watching them some, they are just a bad team. And they are certainly gonna get tired of coach Thibs yelling at them every night. I could see them going sour pretty quickly. They are a terrible outside shooting team.

Don't get me wrong, the Nets are terrible too, but I'm just not sure that that's gonna be enough to get a top 3 pick.

Hopeful but worried. I weirdly just want this season to be over. I hate having to watch the boxscores for another painful Brooklyn win.

Phoenix should be added to the list of bad teams that could finish worse than the Nets.

I'm borderline on them and Sacramento.

I think Phoenix has a better mixture of talent than Philly and Minnesota. I'm surprise that that is the case because on paper both Philly and Minny should have more talent. But just watching it play out in games, I'd actually prefer the Suns pieces moving forward. They have a lot of balance and a lot of potential.

Booker, Bender, and Chriss are all potential all star talents, and if Len can become a dependable center, they really have a bright future.

And for now, they have a better chance of winning on a night in and night out basis than Philly and Minnesota.

[Eddie20]

The problem is that Dallas, Philly, Minny, and Miami are all bad basketball teams. They are just plain bad - tank or no tank. And even if they are not tanking now, they will get to a point in the season where it will seem like a lost season, and that at that point they will start tanking.

Minnesota had a chance to be halfway decent, but after watching them some, they are just a bad team. And they are certainly gonna get tired of coach Thibs yelling at them every night. I could see them going sour pretty quickly. They are a terrible outside shooting team.

Don't get me wrong, the Nets are terrible too, but I'm just not sure that that's gonna be enough to get a top 3 pick.

Hopeful but worried. I weirdly just want this season to be over. I hate having to watch the boxscores for another painful Brooklyn win.

Phoenix should be added to the list of bad teams that could finish worse than the Nets.

I'm borderline on them and Sacramento.

I think Phoenix has a better mixture of talent than Philly and Minnesota. I'm surprise that that is the case because on paper both Philly and Minny should have more talent. But just watching it play out in games, I'd actually prefer the Suns pieces moving forward. They have a lot of balance and a lot of potential.

Booker, Bender, and Chriss are all potential all star talents, and if Len can become a dependable center, they really have a bright future.

And for now, they have a better chance of winning on a night in and night out basis than Philly and Minnesota.

I'm beginning to sour on Booker. For a guy that's supposed to be a knockdown shooter he really struggles to shoot the ball. 42% from the field and 34% from 3's last season and 42% from the field and 32% from 3's this season. He's also a negative on the defensive end and doesn't do anything on the floor if it's not scoring. Season averages of 2.6 rpg, 2.8 apg, and 2.5 tov in 32.7 mpg.

[mef730]

My biggest concerns remain Phoenix, Sacramento and Philly, with New Orleans one Anthony Davis injury away from challenging all of them. I think Dallas eventually wins a few and Minnesota pulls together. They're just young; they'll get there.

Phoenix just sucks. SAC sucks also, but they'll outperform if Cousins hangs around. Philly has the talent, but they've got years of practice at losing. That's hard to overcome.

Mike

[Neurotic Guy]

Philly looks to be a winner in Detroit tonight.

Minnesota giving GSW a game. 

[tarheelsxxiii]

Philly looks to be a winner in Detroit tonight.

Minnesota giving GSW a game.

GS got pounded by Memphis last night, they won't lose 2 straight. But bummer re: Philly, nice win for them.

[moiso]

If anybody thinks that Cuban isn't going to tank, read this snippet:

Mark Cuban is unlikely to part ways with the Dallas Mavericks' first round pick this year.

Cuban suggested he would only trade the Mavericks' first rounder, currently projected to be a top-5 selection, in exchange for a top-5 player in the entire NBA.

Cuban referenced the Dallas Cowboys' historical trade of Herschel Walker that setup their success of the 1990s as what it would take to trade the pick.

"If Herschel Walker calls me up and says, ‘That's better than any deal I've ever been involved with,'" Cuban joked.

The 2017 NBA Draft is expected to be one of the deepest in recent memory, particularly at the point guard position.

If he will only trade his pick for a top 5 player, he certainly is banking on that pick being top 5 as well.

He's a smart guy and knows that the quickest way for him to rebuild is to have a terrible season in a year with a lot of talent coming out of college.

Mark Cuban and Pat Reilly do not give a crap about how they are perceived. They will both unabashedly go for these prized picks. There is no doubt in my mind.

But nowhere does he imply that he would try to make his team worse, have healthy players sit out games, or lose games on purpose.  I don't see him doing any of those things.

[SCeltic34]

'Sota up 10 against Golden State after 3.  I don't believe in jinxes, but I'm guessing the TWolves will end up losing because they tend to collapse late game.

[mef730]

GS +5. The dream was good while it lasted.

Mike

[mef730]

ESPN has Jeremy Lin playing tonight on a minutes restriction. Lin's not the most talented guy in the world, but he's an upgrade from Isaiah Whitehead.

Even worse, they're playing Houston. True, Houston is a different team than it was last year, but those Nets victories still sting.

Mike

[trickybilly]

Ugh, Nets sticking around...

For a guy that is supposed to be injury nightmare, Lopez just keeps on trucking. He hit the deck hard and I thought that he was dead. NOPE, ran the length of the floor and nearly got a steal on the way back. And he's hitting threes like noones business

[chambers]

They are having trouble stopping Lopez, but the Rockets have blown a 12 point lead.

All tied up with with 1 minute left.
...

Make that Houston up 2 with one minute left. Thankyou Mr Harden.