Season Preview: New Jersey Nets

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Starting 5:
PG- Devin Harris
SG- Vince Carter
SF- Bobby Simmons
PF- Yi Jianlian
C- Josh Boone

Off the bench
Guards: Chris Douglas-Roberts, Keyon Dooling, Julius Hodge
Forwards: Eduardo Najera, Jarvis Hayes, Ryan Anderson, Brian Hamilton
Centers: Brook Lopez, Sean Williams, Stromile Swift

Another one of those upside and potential teams, for good reason, their just collecting the pieces until they can hopefully win over LeBron in the lucrative free agency market to come. Thus, they have a hodge-podge of small contracts and are building up a lot of cap space hopefully to make a splash and land a new big star. They still have Vince Carter, and don't get me wrong, Vinsanity still has game. He put up a respectable 21.3 pts, 6.0 rbds, and 5.1 assts per game, and as much as he says he cares, it's pretty apparent that he wasn't really trying, meaning, he could play better. Granted he's another year older, he's a year past the wrong side of 30 for NBA players, and he's probably lost some of that athleticism that defined him in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk competition.

Now that the show has officially become Vince Carter's and only Vince Carter's, it lends for him to step up and show that he's worth the contract given him, he's worth the remaining 4 years on it. Jason Kidd has been shipped to Dallas, Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee, now all that remains is Carter and a bunch of young guns that show promise but not much else. Devin Harris was considered the biggest mistake Dallas made, that is, in giving him up, he was considered the Tony Parker stopper, and instead, he was exchanged for playmaker Jason Kidd. Granted Kidd has more on his resume, but Kidd's also a lot slower, that makes it harder, not easier to stop Tony Parkers. In Jersey, things are looking up for Harris, perhaps now that he is a more integral part of the offense, he can begin to thrive more and be able to develop his game. Chris Douglas-Roberts, or CDR as he is known, has shown a lot of promise and Ryan Anderson has shown streaks of solid gameplay, granted both in Summer League. Likewise is the case for 1st round pick Brook Lopez. If Lopez develops I can easily see him ousting Josh Boone out of a starting spot, since his offensive touch around the rim is much more refined.

Yi has been listed as something of a marketing ploy more than any contributions he brings on the court. His game has shown flashes of greatness but they've easily been lost in his inconsistent rookie season at Milwaukee. Hopefully, on a team that doesn't care to win, Yi can really get some solid playing time and develop his talent much more. The obviously glaring gap within the lineup remains the SF position (hint, hint, LeBron), with only Bobby Simmons and Jarvis Hayes to fill the spot, it's not very promising, but again, we all know what they're after.

In review of the Nets roster, I realize, that they do indeed suck. 30-52.