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Brooklyn Nets: 2016-17 End Of Season Roundtable

By Christopher Lavinio

Feb 24, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin (7) and Brooklyn Nets forward Andrew Nicholson (44) and center Brook Lopez (11) look on from the bench in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 129-109. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin (7) and Brooklyn Nets forward Andrew Nicholson (44) and center Brook Lopez (11) look on from the bench in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 129-109. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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2. What is the Nets biggest strength entering the offseason?

PW: Time. There may be no one on this roster who will be on it three or four years from now, but what Brooklyn has right now is time. There are no expectations.

Even the fan base realizes that what happened in 2013 and 2014 was the basketball equivalent of nuclear winter and there is no rapid recovery from that.

JS: Having two picks in the first round. The key thing for any rebuilding team to have is optionality.  There is no specific manner of how to build — some build by the draft, some free agency and some trades.

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    • Really, there are only two rules: have options to go in different directions and do not lock yourself into long-term contracts or players at the expense of picks for a sub-contender.  Unlike last summer, the Nets have options.

    They can pick two players, trade their picks, package a pick with Lopez, or draft a player and stash him overseas.  With six non-guaranteed contracts, they can keep or waive anyone they want or even see if any of the pieces generate a market. The Nets have cap space as well.

    The biggest strength however is having two first-rounders and the options those create.

    BF: Their cap situation is real favorable. Will they use it? Don’t know, because bringing big-name free agents isn’t easy for a last-place team no matter how you slice it.

    They have a ton of cap space, though, and are not tied up to any major deals after Brook Lopez‘s deal expires next summer. They have plenty of young talent and will have a legitimately interesting and important summer league ahead.

    JO: At the risk of sounding negative, the only “strength” the Nets have right now is a center that can shoot threes and also protect the rim a little bit. That at least makes roster construction a bit easier.

    JG: The Nets will have money to spend and with a stable foundation in place featuring an intriguing young core, perhaps free agents will be interested in joining a squad that may not be too far away from re-entering the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

    By not obtaining their free agent targets last year, Brooklyn will have money to spend and hopefully Sean Marks will have better luck this time around compared to last year.

    DB: Either Brook Lopez’s health and newly found 3-point shooting or the proven culture setup by head coach Kenny Atkinson and general manager Sean. Both are so important!

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