National Basketball Association

Brooklyn Nets: Best-Case Scenarios For 2016-17

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a disastrous season in 2015-16. Will this season be any better? Here’s a look at some best-case scenarios.

Nov 11, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) shoots the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. The Nets defeated the Rockets 106-98. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Since the Brooklyn Nets moved a short way from New Jersey in 2012, there really hasn’t been that feeling of a fresh start as of yet. In fact, it can be argued that they are now in one of the deepest holes in franchise history.

The tenure in Brooklyn started off well with three straight playoff appearances, but the Nets never seemed to be realistic title contender. In 2013, former GM Billy King went all in by trading for Boston‘s Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry in exchange for future first-round picks in 2014, 2016, 2018, and a slew of role players.

It would go down as one of the worst trades in professional sports history and can be pinpointed as the reason for the team’s struggles since.

King is out and Sean Marks is in, which is good news for Brooklyn fans. Marks is beginning his reign by working with the hand that has been dealt to him, but with bigger plans for the future in order to make this team the success that it once was back in the early 2000s.

Doing so is a slow and ugly process. Last season was a testament to that statement as the team finished with a 21-61 record. Obviously due to the trade in 2013, the Nets are crippled during the draft process and must depend on second-round selections to pan out if they plan on developing their young prospects.

While Marks did a remarkable job dumping salaries this summer, he was able to acquire a first round pick which was used on Chris Levert, 20th overall. In the second round, they selected Seton Hall’s Isaiah Whitehead. Both players will supply depth to a backcourt that is sorely lacking as it is.

Their summer was headlined by the signing of Jeremy Lin, who is coming off an impressive season with Charlotte and will take over as the starting point guard right away. It gives Lin the chance to revitalize his career that started with a bang as he took over the city of New York with the Knicks in his “Linsanity” movement.

Other additions, such as former no. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett and forward Trevor Booker, are by no means moves that will make the Nets competitive, but they are players who will help pull their own weight until the Nets are free to make moves for better players.

To be brutally honest, there isn’t a whole lot to be positive for next season about if you’re a Nets fan, but let’s take a look at some best-case scenarios that can help stop the bleeding.

Apr 8, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; A close up view of Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) hairstyle prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Linsanity Takeover

Jeremy Lin isn’t one of the premier point guards in the NBA, but you wouldn’t know that if you judged strictly off of popularity. Lin is a global presence who has a tremendous following, which will become even more evident now that he is in a city such as Brooklyn.

After playing a crucial role in the Hornets’ success last season, Lin gets his chance to start with a clean slate and even more importantly to him, as a starter. Off the bench, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 26.3 minutes per game last season.

nets

Nothin' But Nets 2wRio 2016: Team USA Basketball Takes Home the Gold

More headlines around FanSided:

2w - Brooklyn Nets: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Set to Have Bigger Role 2w - Charlotte Hornets: The Shippuden Heroes, Hornet's Edition 2w - Jeremy Lin is working on improving his shooting for 2016-17 2w - Brooklyn Nets: Sean Kilpatrick's Rocky Road in the NBA 2w - Charlotte Hornets: A Summer Of ChangeMore News at Nothin' But Nets

Lin will have the perfect opportunity to prove that he can be an effective starting point guard in the league. It won’t be easy. The position is arguably the deepest in the NBA filled with superstar-caliber players.

He shot a respectable 41.2 percent from the field last season, but struggled with his outside shot, converting on just 33.6 percent of his attempts. With more control of the offense and freedom in his shot selection, Lin will get more looks and shoot with more confidence than he did when he was playing in the reserve role behind Kemba Walker.

One thing is guaranteed with Lin: effort. No matter his role or the score, he always sticks out on the floor with the constant 110 percent effort he puts forth each possession. That kind of energy is contagious to everyone on the roster, especially as the point guard.

He’ll be out-matched in the majority of games, but Lin will bring some excitement to what looks to be another ugly year for the Nets.

Mar 29, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives to the basket as Orlando Magic forward Jason Smith (14) defends during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Lopez Continues To Dominate

Brook Lopez is one of the most skilled centers the league has to offer, but because of Brooklyn’s struggles the past couple of seasons, his numbers don’t seem to hold much weight.

Last season, he was second to DeMarcus Cousins in scoring among all centers at 20.6 points per game, but ranked 19th in rebounding (7.8 per game). Rebounding has always been the criticism of Lopez’s game, but his scoring ability is almost even with Cousins except for the fact that Lopez isn’t going to hit threes regularly.

There are a few ways that Lopez can truly become one of the best overall centers. One is by simply putting forth more effort in the rebounding category. If he could raise his average to at least nine per game, that’s good enough for a player with his size and playing time. The second way is to become a more willing passer out of the post.

According to RealGM, no player attempted more shots in the non-restricted area of the paint last season than Lopez. Now, this is in large part due to the lack of shooters that were around him and the fact that his contested shot in the paint is more efficient than most of his teammate’s shots wide open.

But this season, the Nets and Lopez will have a more confident and experienced Bojan Bogdanovic on the wing awaiting kick-out opportunities. Last season, Bogdanovic shot 38.2 percent from beyond the arc in just his second year in the league. He can play more comfortably now that he has a feel for how the NBA game is played and will thrive off getting open shots from both Lin and Lopez.

Lopez will continue to overwhelm any player that is matched up against him with his brute size and footwork in the post, but in order for this team to reach its full potential, he needs to dominate other aspects of the game as well.

He’s been the leading scorer for this team for some time now and it hasn’t worked out for the better. This season, he’ll expand his versatility and ultimately, it’ll benefit the team’s success.

May 16, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets introduce new head coach Kenny Atkinson at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The New Voice Is Heard

New head coach Kenny Atkinson is regarded as being a great basketball mind, something this team is in dire need of. Although this will be his first stint as a head coach, Atkinson has been an assistant in the NBA since 2008 for the New York Knicks and most recently, the Atlanta Hawks.

The good news right off the bat is that Atkinson coached Lin back when he played for the Knicks, so there is already a compatibility and confidence that the two have with one another.

He understands that this job will be about going through the process. That doesn’t mean he isn’t holding high expectations for next season, but he isn’t being unrealistic either. Atkinson doesn’t come with a set system. He adjusts just like any good coach does and fits his style to the roster he is dealt.

“I’m definitely not a systems guy,” said Atkinson on a podcast with ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz. “I just love Mike D’antoni’s offense, love it.

“You know, in a beautiful world, spreading the court like that, that would be utopia but I think I’m intelligent enough to understand your players, your players’ strengths — and I’m still discovering our roster — and if that means slowing the ball down and pounding it inside and that’s best for our team and best for our roster, that’s what we’re going to do…”

The biggest thing with any new head coach in the NBA is consistency. Have a philosophy, stick to it, and embrace it. Atkinson seems like the kind of guy that the players will gravitate towards and fight for whether or not they are in playoff position.

As long as his impact is felt and his voice is heard, the train is on the right tracks for the team’s future.

Apr 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) and center Brook Lopez (11) react after a basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Nets 99-92. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

How Far Can They Go?

As a fan, it’s good to be optimistic, but the ceiling for this team is about as low as it can be. With the roster shaped as is, the highest win total that the Nets could realistically walk away with this season is in the low 20s.

That’s considering the best-case scenario. In reality this team will be in the 14-17 win range. The lack of firepower and offense is going to cause them to struggle mightily against pretty much every team. Needless to say, this would leave them at the bottom of the standings in the conference, below even Philadelphia.

Lopez, Lin, and Bogdanovic are the only players who can score on a consistent basis and considering the load they all will have to carry this season, the results will show and it won’t be pretty.

To end on a high-note, the Nets’ future is brighter than it was a year ago. With Marks and Atkinson at the helm, the turnaround for this franchise will happen slowly but surely.

They don’t have another one of their own draft picks until 2019 (again, thank Billy King), so building within the draft isn’t an option, but if Marks can continue to market the team to attractive free agents, it wouldn’t take long before the Nets could become a competitive team in the Eastern Conference once again.