Brooklyn Nets: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 NBA season
By Alec Liebsch
1. Kenny Atkinson is a good coach
This isn’t a hot take, nor a shocker to anyone who watches the Nets play. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has done a great job developing talent, and his spread pick-and-roll offense has worked wonders.
The development of aforementioned players like LeVert and Allen is great, but the best coaches get the most out of the role players. A perfect example of this is sniper Joe Harris, who has become such a good shooter that he might be a flight risk this summer.
Don’t just rely on me for such a claim; the esteemed Zach Lowe of ESPN also had something to say about Harris at the end of March:
"“Harris is not some James Harden-style puppet master piercing defenses from a standstill. The Nets often give him a head start by having him zip up from the baseline, catch the ball up top, and zoom toward a waiting screen. Even so: The numbers are outrageous, and suggest an evolving player. “Harris is a worker, and the Nets are turning themselves into one of the league’s best player development labs. Harris is about to sign a fat contract.”"
The University of Virginia alum is not the only revived NBA career on Atkinson’s resume, either. Cult hero Spencer Dinwiddie is another, more renowned one.
A journeyman who I’ve praised on numerous occasions, WINwiddie went from bench scrub to potential starter in just two seasons with the Nets. Zach Lowe cited him as a “Luke Walton All-Star,” an honor given to former nomads who thrive on a new team.
Not only has Atkinson helped players on previous slides improve, but he has also developed guys who were once considered throwaways. Making something out of seemingly nothing has been the theme of the entire franchise since the new regime, led by general manager Sean Marks, took over.
Next: 2017-18 Week 26 NBA Power Rankings
This season as a whole was not laden with wins, but success in the development of young players is a worthy consolation. With three picks in the upcoming draft, expect the Nets front office to be as active as ever.