Brooklyn Nets: Developmental Roller-Coaster
By Steve Krebs
We have all had jobs where it seems no matter how well we perform, the next guy, usually, the wrong guy, gets the nod when you are clearly more suited to succeed in the task at hand. Such is the case in Brooklyn where Mason Plumlee continues to get passed over for aging relics, under-achievers, and whoever else coach Lionel Hollins decides to roll out there.
As a fan, I have asked myself, out-load, in angst, and in absolute amazement, why exactly playing the guy who could be the only bright spot in this underwhelming season seems to fly completely over the heads of the coaching staff?
You cannot have anything but respect for the many years of high production, success, and some of the best trash talking lines ever that Kevin Garnett has brought to the NBA. With that being said, Father Time is pounding on his door, and you can see the skills deteriorate further on a nightly basis. But he continues to play.
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The Brooklyn Nets are at the point of such horrendous decision making that a player who is 38, and has only scored in double digits once this month is playing one minute less than a high-energy, fundamentally-sound, 24-year-old who is averaging 13 points and seven rebounds per game on 67 percent shooting in January.
Mirza Teletovic will be forced to miss the rest of the season due to blood clots found in his lungs. Nets fans all wish him the speediest of recoveries, and look forward to hopefully seeing him on the court next season. The thing that gets me is after the news was released, the first name that is thrown out to step up is…wait for it…Alan Anderson?
So, the plan is to play a guy averaging six points in 22 minutes per game, with a usage rate of 13.4, more than a player who is at a 20.9 in the same amount of time – not to mention, Plumlee (303) has more rebounds than Anderson has points (272)? Just saying.
Notable Stats On The Season:
Efficiency Field Goal Percentage – 4th
Double-Doubles – 10
Blocks- 46
Rebounds Per 100 Possessions – 15.3
Points Per 100 Possessions – 23.9
With rumors of Brook Lopez possibly on the move (for the fifth year in a row), there is a chance Plumlee does incur a minutes increase, it’s just hard for me to believe that Hollins will bring that number to over 30 minutes per game. If Lopez does get moved, it’s almost a definite another power forward/center will be incorporated in that deal.
I won’t mince words, Mason is trapped in a nightmare with no team structure, insane minute fluctuations, three quarters of the roster on the block, and to top it off no matter how well he plays, or others under-perform, by the season’s end he will not even average 26 minutes per game.
All these problematic situations are putting a real strain on what should be a successful development for a budding talent.