NSR: Basketball 2.0

Is Kirilenko still a 10M/year player?

 

Probably not, though he's a lot more than a 3 million a year player and had an option.

 

Maybe he wants to be on a contending team, instead of sacramento?

 

Taking a 30 percent pay cut I get. Even maybe 50. But 70???? On top of that, the Nets aren't the Heat/Clippers/Thunder - they're betting two guys in their late 30s will make all the difference. Something's rotten.

 

I'm pretty sure the Nets are gonna be serious contenders next season. When you have Williams, Johnson, Lopez, Garnett, Pierce, Terry and you add Kirilenko to the mix along with some pretty decent bench fill ins, you got a contender. Along with the fact that they put Jason Kidd in there as the head coach along with Lawrence Frank. Plus it's not like he's losing that much (about 4 mill guaranteed) since his contract is 3 mill per year but for 2 seasons, while the one he opted out was one more season.

 

At best it's a fringe contender. Garnett and Pierce are ancient, Johnson is the most overpaid player in the league, Terry was already done last season, Williams was secretly nowhere near as good as his Jazz years while Lopez still doesn't rebound or play defense. It's a name side, but not actually one that's going to challenge for a title. Also, what bench fill ins? They only have minimum salaries available - that's why Andre Blatche is their C/PF backup.

Jason Kidd, by the way - why would you hire a rookie coach for a contender. As for not losing all that much, you're assuming his salary the following season would be zero, and there's absolutely no reason to make that assumption. He's giving up at least $6 million she he could definitely get 4M per season for the following year.

 

Tim Duncan is ancient too, it didn't stop him from making the finals this year. And Terry is still decent, he can give you 12-15 points off the bench. Joe Johnson will have less pressure on him to chuck shots with Pierce there and should be a better player. Yes Lopez is not the best defender, but with 4 other players on the starting line-up being very good defenders along with KG there as the leader, he should be a lot better in that aspect kind of like kendrick perkins was a better defender when he played with the Celtics. And what's wrong with having Andre Blatche as your back up C???

Jason Kidd is probably the most experienced rookie coach you could hire. And he has pretty much a veteran team under him. It shouldn't as difficult as developing a young team. Plus that's why they got Lawrence Frank in there as an assistant who Kidd played under at one point. Plus Kidd spent the majority of his career as a Nets player, it shouldn't be as much of a transition problem as most might think.

And yes he could theoretically make more money, but that means that he would also have to stay in Minnesota for that year and not contend for anything. This way he actually goes through training camp with the new team, instead of possibly joining as a late season expiring signing for probably a shitty 7-8th playoff team that maybe would pick him up for the playoffs.

 

Tim Duncan's not the best player on his team and the Spurs supporting cast is VASTLY better.

He averaged 10 last year, is terribly defensively and his shooting numbers keep going downhill. He'll be 36 at the start of the season, and small point guards age very, very badly.

That's all Joe Johnson does! If he's not chucking shots, he's not that useful! Besides, he already had Deron Williams and Lopez and was the third scoring option. Didn't stop him from being mediocre.

Garnett has suffered through injuries, can't play more than 25 minutes a game anymore and even with him and Pierce (and Terry, and Rondo for most of the season, and Jeff Green, etc.) last season the Celtics barely limped to 7th place before being smacked around by the mediocre Knicks.
Pierce is not a great defender anymore, Johnson never was and Williams isn't close! The only plus defender that lineup would have is Garnett, and he can't play more than 25 minutes a game.

Ultimately, when the Nets play the Heat or the Pacers or the Bulls in the east playoffs, those teams will be able to go with their stars for 40-42 minutes a game. The Nets are so old they won't be able to, or they'll completely gas their old players. There's also a greater risk of injury. They're not a serious contender to win anything.

He's Andre Blatche.

The most experienced rookie coach like the virgin that knows the most about sex.

It shouldn't be much of a transition from a player to a manager in one season??? He also hasn't been with the Nets for over 5 years! It's a pure panic move.

As I said, players taking less to play for a contender makes sense. But then why did he sign for a second year?????

 

I do think AK47 and Prokhorov made a deal.

7 Mill is way too much to leave on the table.

I do think Nets will be a serious contender though. Even with limited minutes, KG and Pierce can still get it done.

 

Pacers trade Green (good riddance), Miles Plumlee and 2014 1st rounder for Luis Scola.

I really like this trade.