With the season starting soon, I thought it high time to take a good long look at the golden goose and make sure that there's no possible way it's less golden than we thought.
Convince me that the Nets will win 40 games next season. Feel free to get creative. Acts of God aren't usually creative.
My attempt:
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The Nets got rid of a lot of the deadweight in their roster, and although they are young, they potential have a few under the radar talented guys who are not adverse to hard work and improvement. The general culture of stagnation present with Joe Johnson and Deron Williams is long gone, and the new guys in their places are hungry to compete. With a new coach and a bunch of young players eager to prove themselves, if a few things break right (eg. Not Brooke's ankles), the Nets could find themselves in a position to succeed faster than anyone expected them to, similar to the 2015 Celtics. Defense will continue to be an issue, but Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has the tools to be a major stopper and the effort will be there in a way which breaks with the past. On offence, Lin will spring back to life when given consistent minutes and a consistent starting roll. The Lopez-Lin pick and roll is surprisingly effective and the ball moves more fluidly now that Jerret Jack is gone, which gives Bargani and Scola good opportunities for open looks and a stretched court. They won't be world beaters on offence, but they have the guys they need to stay competitive.
They will take a few teams by surprise with their energy, grit, and offensive firepower. They will consistently beat the bad teams and compete with the average teams. They'll stay healthy all season and end up just outside the playoffs."
Gimme your best shot!