2016-17 Results

Record: 20-62 (15 in the East)

Season Ended: No Playoffs

Key Additions

Draft

Jarrett Allen (C)

Free Agency

Jacob Wiley (SF/PF) Rookie Free Agent

Trade

DeMarre Carroll (SF), Allen Crabbe (SG/SF), Timofey Mozgov (C), D’Angelo Russell (PG/SG)

Key Subtractions

Brook Lopez, Justin Hamilton, Archie Goodwin, K.J. McDaniels

Projected Starters (Last year averages)

PG: Jeremy Lin (15 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast)

SG:  D’Angelo Russell (16 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast)

SF: Allen Crabbe (11 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast)

PF: Trevor Booker (10 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast)

C: Timofey Mozgov (7 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast)

Key Reserves

Demarre Carroll (SF), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SF/PF), and Sean Kilpatrick (SG)

Major Story lines

D’Angelo Russell is the future – After years of trade rumors the Nets finally traded Brook Lopez. In the deal they got back D’Angelo Russell and it appears that he will be the future of the franchise. The former number 2 overall pick has not yet shown that he’s going to be the star he is supposed to develop into but the Nets are clearly hoping that he can reach that potential in time.

Mike Predictions (17-64) (14th in the East)

• Nets will compete – While I only have the Nets winning 17 games I think they’ll be a bit easier on the eyes than they have in recent years. I think this team takes a lot of games to the 4th quarter but just doesn’t end up having the juice to finish. I expect them to be like last year’s Suns team where they were fun to watch but just couldn’t win games.
• D’Angelo Takes a Step towards Stardom- In the midst of the fun we will get to see D’Angelo rise to the occasion as the new face of the franchise. He’ll have help of course with Lin there to steady his hand but I can see D’Angelo having a few eye-opening games.

Josh Predictions (22-60) (14th in the East)

• Brooklyn finishes the season 2nd in 3PA – Last season, the Nets were 4th in 3-point FGs attempted per game, at 31.6 — slightly ahead of Steph, Klay, and those guys at Golden State. This year, they add D’Angelo Russell who averaged more than six 3-pointers a game last year, while playing just 28.7 minutes a game. Russell is a dynamic scorer, and I think the added playing time and lower pressure in Brooklyn vs LA, will allow him to chuck the ball up a lot more from downtown.
• Jeremy Lin is a borderline All-Star – It’s crazy I know, but let’s look at the clear locks for guards in the East to make the All-Star game: Kyrie, John Wall, Derozan, D-Wade. You could also maybe pencil in Kemba Walker, Bradley Beal, and Kyle Lowry too, but I don’t think any of those guys are locks. I think Lin is the clear leader and floor general of this young team now. If he can help the Nets exceed expectations and crawl out of the bottom-of-the-Eastern-conference gutter, I think Linsanity will strike again, and he’ll have at least an outside chance of getting his first All-Star bid.