Brooklyn Nets: 2016 Offseason Grades

The Brooklyn Nets had a laughable summer compared to the rest of the league, but their own outlook for the future got much brighter. Here are their complete 2016 offseason grades.

Heading into the offseason, the Brooklyn Nets had very little reason for optimism. They were coming off a 21-win season, were likely heading for a three-year drought without a first round pick befitting their poor record, and their best players — and most enticing lures for recruiting free agents — were Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young.

New general manager Sean Marks had a brutal task ahead of him (and still faces an uphill climb to rebuild this franchise), but even in a summer devoid of superstar acquisitions, he managed to have a mildly successful debut offseason.

Make no mistake about it: The Brooklyn Nets are going to be terrible again in 2016-17. Even worse, they probably won’t have a high first round draft pick to show for all their on-court misery, since the Boston Celtics own the rights to swap draft picks in 2017 if they so choose.

With the Celtics signing Al Horford, the Nets are hoping Boston somehow implodes next season, resulting in a more favorable selection once the two inevitably swap picks. However, no matter where the Nets end up in next summer’s draft, they’re at least back on the right path. Here’s a look at Brooklyn’s complete 2016 offseason grades.

Next: Thad Trade

Thad Trade

The Nets were in a bind. Despite having oodles of cap space to blow this summer, almost every other team in the league enjoyed the same luxury by courtesy of the NBA’s salary cap skyrocketing from $70 million to $94 million.

With little hope of luring marquee free agents to a shoddy team and no prospect of a high draft pick in the near future to turn the team’s fortunes around, Brooklyn had the most hopeless outlook of any franchise in the NBA.

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Luckily, Marks was aggressive in getting the Nets back into the draft, trading Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers for their first round selection at No. 20. Trading Lopez, the team’s star, might have netted a higher return (depending on the buyer), but getting into the first round for a good but not great player is a solid return.

Last season, Young quietly had a great year — even though he was playing for a terrible team — and averaged 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game on 51.4 percent shooting. He’s a stout defender, a solid slasher and has the versatility to play multiple positions.

Unfortunately, the Nets aren’t competitive enough to need that kind of player, and at 28 years old, Young was not in Brooklyn’s future plans. By trading one of the the Nets’ few (read: two) assets, Marks was able to add Caris LeVert from Michigan to a young core that includes Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Chris McCullough.

Like RHJ (his jumper) and McCullough (his ACL tear and overall rawness), LeVert brings his own Achilles heel to the table that could hold him back from reaching his full NBA potential. Like Achilles himself, LeVert’s biggest problem is keeping his feet intact, with a series of foot injuries ending his junior and senior seasons.

With the Wolverines, LeVert’s potential was exceedingly clear. He averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game as a senior, posting .506/.446/.794 shooting splits and showing the ability to guard multiple positions as a combo guard.

If he can overcome his injuries, this high-upside pick has lottery-level talent and will help the Nets for the future. It’s a risky move to cash in on Young with an injury-prone, 21-year-old prospect, but if he can play, he’s the kind of do-it-all player that will help Brooklyn build toward a brighter future…even if the Nets got unmistakably worse for 2016-17 with this trade.

Grade: A-

Next: The Rest Of The Draft

The Rest Of The Draft

With their second round pick at No. 42, the Brooklyn Nets took Isaiah Whitehead out of Seton Hall. A 6’5″ shooting guard, Whitehead was one of the best scorers in this year’s draft class, averaging 18.2 points and 5.1 assists per game in his sophomore season.

Though he only shot 37.9 percent from the floor last year, he also converted 36.5 percent of his three-point attempts. He can get into the lane and finish, has a 6’9″ wingspan and is a great passer as well.

At NBA Summer League, Whitehead averaged 8.8 points, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game on 41.7 percent shooting from three-point range. His flashes of chemistry with McCullough were a good sign as well:

However, Whitehead is not exactly a premier athlete, he’s a bit on the inefficient side right now (as his 36.2 percent shooting in Vegas showed us once again) and there have been questions about his work ethic.

Signed to a four-year rookie-scale contract, Whiteside will have to prove himself on a team that spent its summer bolstering the guard position, but this is pretty good value for the middle of the second round.

Grade: B+

Next: Brook-Linsanity

Brook-Linsanity

With a shortage of quality point guards in the 2016 NBA free agency class, the talent-starved Nets got their first substantial victory under their new general manager. That’s right, folks: Linsanity is back in New York!

On a three-year, $36 million contract, Jeremy Lin will return to New York and piss off just about every Knicks fan by playing for their cross-town rivals. Coming off one of the best seasons of his career as a backup for the Charlotte Hornets, Lin only averaged 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 33.6 percent shooting from three-point range.

That being said, Linsanity was back in full force last season for the first time since he first exploded onto the scene in New York back in 2011-12. His Per 36 Minutes numbers were as high as they’d been since his peak with the Knicks:

• Knicks Per 36 Minutes:  19.6 points, 8.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals
• Hornets Per 36 Minutes:  16.1 points, 4.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals

He also thrived playing alongside Kemba Walker in the backcourt, averaging 17.5 points and 4.8 assists per game in 17 starts last season.

In Charlotte, Lin found a true niche in the league for the first time since the beginning days of Linsanity. In Brooklyn, he’ll get the chance to do what he’s been wanting to do for years now: lead his own team as the starting point guard.

Another X-factor in this deal: new Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson was an assistant for the Knicks during Lin’s rise to prominence five years ago. Lin even credits Atkinson with helping developing him into the star he became in New York, so a reunion here makes perfect sense.

On a bargain price of $12 million a year (with a $12.5 million player option for the third year), the Nets snagged an underrated point guard off the market.

Even though the arrival of Lin doesn’t change Brooklyn’s gloomy outlook for 2016-17, it does make them more interesting to watch and there’s no denying his status as a global icon just gained the Nets millions of new fans.

Get ready for Brook-Linsanity, everyone.

Grade: A

Next: Book It: Booker

Book It: Booker

On a two-year, $18.5 million agreement, the Nets added a useful veteran to their ranks in Trevor Booker. Not only was Booker overlooked by casual fans during his time with the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, but his purpose in Brooklyn will be two-fold.

For starters, Booker is a hard worker who will set a good example for the Nets’ suddenly expanding nucleus of youngsters, including Hollis-Jefferson, McCullough, LeVert and Whitehead. As a six-year veteran in this league, the 28-year-old Booker knows how to rebound and defend with a competitive fire that will be infectious for the younger players.

There’s also what he actually brings to the court, mentioned briefly already: defending, rebounding and being able to switch screens as a 6’8″ power forward.

Though he only averaged 5.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per game last season, Booker may be in contention for heavy minutes at the 4 on a Nets team without many options in the frontcourt.

At about $9 million a season, this is sneaky good value for the Nets. Any team even considering starting Trevor Booker probably is not in a good place, but since we already know what to expect from Brooklyn next year, this is a smart acquisition all-around.

Grade: B+

Next: Failed Offer Sheets

Failed Offer Sheets

The Nets knew they were never going to be in contention for a Kevin Durant or a Mike Conley this summer, so Marks wisely targeted young players with upside to throw money at, hoping to lure them away from their respective teams that might’ve been in a bind to keep them.

Unfortunately, both of the Nets’ gaudy offers to restricted free agents were matched by their respective teams.

When the Miami Heat were agreeing on a massive deal for Hassan Whiteside, in the running for Kevin Durant and (supposedly) hoping to bring back Dwyane Wade, the Nets tried to poach backup guard Tyler Johnson with a four-year, $50 million offer.

Sadly, Durant chose the Golden State Warriors, Whiteside was taken care of and Miami’s relationship with Wade surprisingly fell apart. Pat Riley had more than enough room to match Brooklyn’s offer at that point, depriving Marks of a potential on-the-rise second-year guard.

With the Portland Trail Blazers dishing out money left and right ($70 million for Evan Turner, anyone?), Brooklyn tried to sneak off with swingman Allen Crabbe, who agreed to the Nets’ four-year, $75 million offer sheet.

This kind of superfluous offer made sense for a team with nothing to lose like Brooklyn, but Rip City surprisingly continued its summer trend of overspending, matching the humongous offer for a  3-and-D bench player who averaged 10.3 points per game on 39.4 percent shooting from deep last year.

The Nets walked away empty-handed in these two situations, but you’ve got to commend Marks for picking and choosing his targets; he just got unlucky on both of them. In any case, even if Brooklyn didn’t get their men, they forced their incumbent teams to pay quite a bit more than they were hoping for, and that in and of itself is a small victory.

Grade: C+

Next: Snagging Scola

Snagging Scola

By adding 36-year-old veteran Luis Scola on a one-year, $5.5 million contract, the Nets provided McCullough and Booker with their main competition for minutes at the power forward spot.

Though Scola is a step slow these days (and was never a particularly gifted defender to begin with), his newfound ability to shoot the three-ball could be useful no matter what role Atkinson decides to put him in. Either way, he’ll be a terrific teammate and a positive locker room influence.

Last year with the Toronto Raptors, Scola was borderline unplayable during We The North’s playoff run, but he had a decent season overall, averaging 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range on 2.1 attempts per game, both of which were career highs.

With the length and financial weight of his contract being all but negligible, there’s very little downside to this deal — other than the obvious fact that only two years ago, this franchise would’ve had far grander free agency dreams than signing a 36-year-old Luis Scola.

Grade: B

Next: Backcourt Backups

Backcourt Backups

With Jarrett Jack being waived to make room for Jeremy Lin and rookie Caris LeVert likely to replace Shane Larkin, who remains unsigned, the Nets were technically set in the backcourt. But having a little depth never hurts, as Brooklyn learned last year when Jack tore his ACL 32 games into the season.

By adding Greivis Vasquez and Randy Foye to their ranks, the Nets have a bit of extra padding at the 1- and the 2-spot, which could be useful in a pinch or in the event that the injury-proneness/rookie rawness of LeVert shines through.

On a one-year, $4.3 million deal, Vasquez is looking to bounce back after playing in only 23 games last season for the Milwaukee Bucks because of ankle surgery. He averaged 5.7 points and 4.0 assists in 20 minutes per game during his limited time there, but in the two seasons prior, he shot around 38 percent from three-point range.

As for Foye, he boosted his value during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff run after a disastrous 27-game regular season stretch after the Denver Nuggets traded him there.

The 32-year-old Foye is still a gunner, but the Nets will be hoping he can be a little more efficient than the Randy Foye who shot 35.1 percent from the field and 30 percent from downtown last year. Foye, who was born in New Jersey, was signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

Neither one is a Tyler Johnson-caliber guard, and neither one prevents Brooklyn’s depth chart from being even more miserable to look at, but they’re very short, inexpensive stopgaps to give Marks more time to assemble a more legitimate roster.

Grade: B-

Next: Odds And Ends

Odds And Ends

Though Justin Hamilton‘s two-year, $6 million deal was the first thing Marks did after the Jeremy Lin signing, it’s hardly the kind of blockbuster move that’s worth its own section on our offseason grades.

Signing a seven-footer who can (supposedly) shoot threes is never a bad thing, but it’s worth noting that he’s a career 32.3 percent shooter from long range in his 49 NBA appearances.

The Nets also added former No. 1 overall draft pick Anthony Bennett on a two-year deal, with the second year being non-guaranteed. In 128 games spread out over three seasons with the Cavaliers, Timberwolves and Raptors, Bennett holds career averages of 4.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

This move gives the Nets another option at power forward, while providing Bennett with what might be his last chance to carve out a place in the league. It’s a low-risk pickup for a team that needs to be taking fliers exactly like these, even if the odds of them panning out aren’t high.

Then there’s shooting guard Joe Harris, who Brooklyn also signed to a two-year deal with the second year being non-guaranteed. Harris just won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but played only 15 total minutes over five games for the entire 2015-16 season.

After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell signed a two-year, partially guaranteed contract with the Nets. Playing for Brooklyn’s Summer League team, the 6’0″ guard averaged 8.8 points and 1.8 assists per game on 43.8 percent shooting in Las Vegas.

Beau Beech was another player who earned himself a two-year, partially guaranteed contract by virtue of his play in Summer League, with the 6’9″ forward averaging 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Nets — despite shooting only 38.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep.

Finally, Egidijus Mockevicius brings his 6’10” frame and unpronounceable name to Brooklyn after averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game for the Nets’ Summer League squad. He will also join on a two-year, partially guaranteed deal.

None of these moves will make any sort of difference for the Nets in 2016-17, but the beauty of being a terrible team is being able to take low-risk chances on undrafted players and Summer League standouts who could wind up being diamonds in the rough.

Grade: C+

Overall

Looking at things from a league-wide perspective, the Brooklyn Nets’ moves, on paper, are not very good. Their best acquisition was Jeremy Lin, a player who’s probably best suited as a backup point guard, and even on a bargain contract, that’s not something to be proud of.

However, bearing in mind what this team’s outlook was before the draft and free agency, Marks deserves some modicum of praise and respect for at least giving this franchise some inkling of hope for the next three years.

The unfortunate reality is that the Nets are going to be an even worse team in 2016-17, which is truly depressing when you remember the Celtics can swap their 2017 first-rounder for Brooklyn’s.

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A core of Lin, Vasquez, Bojan Bogdanovic, Foye, LeVert, Scola, Bennett and Brook Lopez is going to really struggle to defend anyone, even with the defensive intensity of Hollis-Jefferson and Booker thrown in. Tanking will bear no fruit for this poor Nets team, and patience will be required in the emerging Marks regime.

Still, the Nets are going about their rebuild as well as can be expected under a brand new GM, who is trying to turn a bare cupboard into a pantry full of assets. One late first-rounder like LeVert and a backup point guard like Lin might not be a bountiful harvest, but it’s a step in the right direction as far as planting seeds for the future is concerned.

If LeVert can shake off those early foot injuries and live up to his potential, he’ll join Hollis-Jefferson and McCullough to form an exciting young core that could be a big part of Brooklyn’s future.

Lin is set to have a big season with the ball in his hands more, and his pick-and-roll work with Brook Lopez should be delightful to watch, even without factoring in his extremely high marketability that will bring in additional fans, ratings and revenue by the millions.

More hoops habit: New York Knicks: 2016 Offseason Grades

However, as much as Lin, LeVert, Booker and Whitehead are solid additions, we can’t ignore how much worse the Nets will be next year without any sort of draft compensation to show for it. Marks has Brooklyn back on the right track, but it’s going to take a few more summers with far more success for the Nets’ rebuild to be fully underway.

Grade: B