National Basketball Association

NBN Roundtable: Offseason Thoughts, 2016-17 Projections

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

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Sep 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin (7) poses for a portrait during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

With training camp underway, the NBN team discusses the Brooklyn Nets‘ offseason and projections for the regular season.

How did the Nets do this offseason?

Sandy Mui: The Nets had a good offseason that should make fans relatively happy. Although Sean Marks struck out on Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson and could not sign big name free agents in general, their offseason moves were as good as they can get. Bringing in Jeremy Lin immediately relieves them at point guard and veterans Luis Scola, Randy Foye, and Trevor Booker will serve as important locker room presences. Rookies Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead also bring intrigue to the Nets. Their squad is unproven and will need time to gel together, but only good things lie ahead for Brooklyn.

Offseason Grade: B

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

TJ Porreca: The Brooklyn Nets set out to improve their team, and did so. However, while the Nets did make some notable moves, I can’t help but think of how different the outlook would be with both Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson on the roster. Brooklyn signed both to offer sheets, but ended up with neither. Nevertheless, Sean Marks did his best to acquire talent, and the Nets should fare better because of Marks’ efforts. Brooklyn also added two intriguing rookies in the draft: Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead. If LeVert (foot) can get healthy, he could be a factor in the rotation this season.

Offseason Grade: B

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

Zach Cronin: When looking at the Brooklyn Nets’ offseason, there are two ways to gauge its effectiveness: compare it to other teams or compare it against previous Nets offseasons. Fortunately, both outcomes are positive. Looking at all 30 NBA teams, the Nets didn’t have the worst offseason, but they didn’t have the best. Signing Jeremy Lin and Trevor Booker along with drafting Isaiah Whitehead and Caris LeVert fit perfectly with Sean Marks’ vision for the franchise.

Offseason Grade: C+/B-

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

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Darnell Gilet: The 2016 offseason is the dawn of a new age in Brooklyn. After a painfully slow demise, this offseason was the beginning of a full reset. With Deron Williams and Joe Johnson off the books, the Nets have relieved much of their cap pressure. Furthermore, the Nets moved Thaddeus Young in an effort to get younger. As far as resets go, Sean Marks gets much recognition for kicking it off correctly. However, unlike teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Marks is managing his reset while keeping a competitive roster.

The most impressive parts about this offseason were contracts that fell through. In offering Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson favorable contracts, he demonstrated a strong eye for young talent. Furthermore, sometimes the best signings are the ones you do not make (like panicking and giving Timofey Mozgov $64 million). Marks showed his talent assessment skills, his targeted management style, and his patience throughout his offseason moves. This gives cause for optimism. With limited resources and selling points for free agents, Marks made some pretty decent lemonade out of the lemons he was handed.

Offseason Grade: C+

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

Christian Milcos: Sean Marks did the best with what he was given this summer. Marks’ strategy of throwing inflated offer sheets at restricted free agents was the smartest thing he could’ve done, considering that it was unlikely any big name free agents would flock to Brooklyn. This also tied up cap space for a couple of teams who have players in next July’s loaded free agent class. Marks primarily added a combination of veterans and unproven players to cheap contracts. This offseason will be dictated by how Marks’ signings pan out. If players such as Anthony Bennett and Joe Harris turn out to be decent rotation players, then Marks could be hailed as a genius. All in all, Marks did the best he could with the limited assets and talent he was provided.

Offseason Grade: B

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin; not even a competition. The Nets’ biggest need was a starting caliber point guard, and they got one on a good contract. Case closed.

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Caris Levert (Michigan) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty overall pick to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

How did the Nets do this offseason? (cont.)

Maruful Hossain: While the Brooklyn Nets didn’t get high profile names during free agency, they managed to acquire players like Jeremy Lin, Randy Foye, Luis Scola, and Chase Budinger. In addition, rookies Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead will definitely be dynamic players for the Nets this upcoming season. While Brooklyn may have gotten solid pieces, Scola is 38 years old, and he is up there in terms of age. Foye does provide some scoring, but he isn’t a dynamic playmaker. Now, that all lies on Lin to help get some wins for the team alongside Brook Lopez. General manager Sean Marks also attempted to sign Tyler Johnson and Allen Crabbe, but their respective teams matched their contracts. Nonetheless, Marks is looking to make the Nets a contender again.

Offseason Grade: B-

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

Manan Modi: After February 19, 2016, a new era in Brooklyn began when the Nets named Sean Marks as their general manager. Since then, they have expanded their front office, adding new coaches and members to the staff. The Nets have also shown that they are focusing more on player development than going for big name, big budget stars. Going into the 2016-17 season, Brooklyn has emphasized the value of a D-League team, with new hirings of head coach Ronald Nored and team manager Trajan Landon, who is well-known for his scouting experience with the San Antonio Spurs and his front office background with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Along with the organizational changes, the Nets thrived in free agency by capturing young talent that could be developed for years to come.

Offseason Grade: A-

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

Malcolm Ireland: After such a catastrophic collapse in the last few seasons for the Nets, I am looking forward to a fresh start. The Billy King era is finally over. With King gone and Sean Marks cleaning up the mess he left, there is excitement around the team again. Fans will get to see new young talent, a new coach, and an all-around new atmosphere surrounding the team. The players signed this offseason may have not been the big names fans hoped for, but everyone added will play a roll in helping to rebrand the Nets.

Offseason Grade: B

Key Addition: Caris LeVert; The Nets traded away a key player in Thaddeus Young for LeVert. This move gives the Nets a small forward who was a good scorer in college. At 22 years old, LeVert is a player with plenty of potential, but given his injury history, he fell in the draft. This is a guy who spent four seasons at Michigan, and he should be NBA-ready. He may not contribute to the team right away, but by the end of the season, he could find himself in rotation as a sixth man if he plays well.

Brandon Jefferson: Coming into the offseason, things looked very bleak for the Brooklyn Nets. They hired Sean Marks away from the San Antonio Spurs in January to run the team, but on the court, things were not getting any better for the team. Once the season was finally over, the real work began. First, they brought in Kenny Atkinson as the next head coach. Atkinson is a highly-lauded coach that has been part of staffs with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks, and is the head coach of the Dominican Republic National Team.

Atkinson’s greatest asset is his work as a player development coach. He played a big role in Jeremy Lin’s success during the Linsanity run and helped Kent Bazemore go from bench celebrity to a player that will earn an average of $17.5 million over the next four years. Atkinson’s presence helped bring Lin to Brooklyn as a free agent. Through the draft, the Nets were able to add Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead. They also added veterans like Luis Scola, Trevor Booker, Chase Budinger, and Randy Foye to round out the roster.

Offseason Grade: B-

Sean Costello: The Brooklyn Nets really surprised me with their moves this offseason. Sean Marks decided to clean house and compose the roster of only “Sean Marks’ guys.” In other words, these are guys that represent his culture and the brand he’s trying to build in Brooklyn. I can tell you that missing out on signing Tyler Johnson and Allen Crabbe stings, but I like the way Marks bounced back by signing solid players like Randy Foye and Luis Scola. I don’t have any expectations record-wise for this Nets team, but this can be one of their most fun teams to watch in the past decade.

Offseason Grade: B

Key Addition: Jeremy Lin

May 16, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks listens to Brooklyn Nets new head coach Kenny Atkinson answer questions from media during press conference at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

How far will the Nets get this season?

Sandy Mui: Contrary to what the media believes, the Nets should be able to win more than 20 games this season. They are coming off a 21-win season and have only improved (at least on paper) from their offseason moves. It wouldn’t make any sense for the team to drop in win totals. Trading Thaddeus Young leaves a hole at power forward, but the Nets upgraded almost all other positions. The playoffs are still a few years away for the young squad, but breaking the 30-win mark this season is a possibility.

Projection: 31-51

TJ Porreca: The Nets will likely struggle this season, but they may not be as bad as some national publications (or Las Vegas) have projected. Brooklyn has a legitimate center, legitimate point guard, and also some other intriguing players. Sean Kilpatrick could take a step forward, as could Bojan Bogdanovic. Elsewhere, Brooklyn has a few interesting rookies, most notably Caris LeVert, who could contribute this season. Sean Marks has already said the team won’t get caught up on wins and losses, and fans should take note of that. This season will be about progress and ideally, developing some of the young talent for the future.

Projection: 25-57

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Zach Cronin: Although Brooklyn had a stellar offseason compared to prior years, the talent they have is inferior to almost every other team in the league. Will they finish in the cellar of the Eastern Conference? It’s not likely since the Philadelphia 76ers are still a mess, but having such a young, not-fully-developed roster means they’ll be outgunned in almost every game. The silver lining, however, is that a 25-win season is a four-game improvement from last year, and the talent they’re bringing on is superior to last season’s squad.

Projection: 25-57

Darnell Gilet: The Nets will be more entertaining than last year. Unfortunately, they will likely not be much better. Brooklyn needs to figure out a way to win enough games to maintain their pride, as the Celtics have yet another lottery pick. Furthermore, even though the Nets must trade Brook Lopez, they should hold out on doing so until All-Star Break to maximize their win total. Overall, it is hard to imagine the Nets winning above 30 games this year. With Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Dario Saric, the 76ers will be better. Similarly, the Knicks’ additions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Courtney Lee will give them a temporary boost. This could spell last place in the Eastern Conference for the Nets in 2017.

Projection: 28-54

Christian Milcos: The Nets will indeed be slightly better this season. The only problem is, a lot of teams in the Eastern Conference will be better overall. Even with the newly-signed Jeremy Lin and an improved Bojan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez will still have put the team on his back night in and night out. Still, Brooklyn will not be the worst team in the NBA as long as health is on their side for a majority of the season.

Projection: 24-58

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 will the Nets get this season? (cont.)

Maruful Hossain: The Nets are definitely much improved from last year with young pieces like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Bojan Bogdanovic. However, Brooklyn doesn’t have enough in their tank to go through 82 games. Hollis-Jefferson and Bogdanovic are good players, but they aren’t difference makers that could help carry the Nets to the playoffs. Not to mention that the Nets have a rookie head coach Kenny Atkinson. How will he play the pieces that he has in place for his team? It takes time to build chemistry. Who will step up and play the difference maker? That’s for us to find out this season.

Projection: 30-52

Manan Modi: Let’s face it, if the Nets didn’t hire Sean Marks, they’d be in a much worse situation than they’re in right now. The focus on the present rather than the past has allowed Brooklyn to redevelop its culture, allowing fans to place trust in the organization. The chemistry of Brook Lopez, Jeremy Lin, Bojan Bogdanovic, and the other members of Kenny Atkinson’s squad will be a thrilling sight to see. If new rookies Caris LeVert, Isaiah Whitehead, and Yogi Ferrell take initiative and prove themselves early on, I could see the Nets making the playoffs.

Projection: 45-37

Malcolm Ireland: The main media really sleeps on the Nets. Last year, the team finished with 21 wins. With that said, the roster this season seems much improved. The Nets will win more than 21 games this season. I have them slightly improving with eight more wins than last season.

Projection: 29-53

Brandon Jefferson: Jeremy Lin, Bojan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez make up a solid core that will be able to challenge to win games nightly. However, post All-Star Break, the team will begin to shut it down and give their young players extended playing time in order to see what they have in their back pocket.

Projection: 33-49

Sean Costello: This Nets team has something to prove. Although it’ll be very unlikely for them to outperform other teams, they can outwork the teams they face. All of their players (excluding the first and second year players) have been a part of some really good teams, as well as some bad teams. It’s hard to say how this season will go for the Nets, but will they pull a “Trail Blazers,” a team projected as one of the worst in their conference yet shock the world and make the playoffs? It’s hard to say, but all I know is that the guys on this roster know how to win, and it’ll be interesting to see what they can do together.

Projection: 28-54

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