The BigFooty 2014/15 NBA Season Preview

May 23, 2012
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before your simpsons reference i was no s**t reading the first two paragraphs in a sports announcer/voice over voice from any simpsons episode.

I spent 50% of my writing time trying to slip in Elvis references :oops:
 

djrossie16

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2014/15 NBA Season Preview: Brooklyn Nets



jerseys_zps5fa314dc.jpg


2013/14 Record: 44-38 (6th East)
Playoffs: Lost in Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to Miami (4-1)
In: Jarrett Jack, Sergey Karasev, Markel Brown, Cory Jefferson, Lionel Hollins
Out: Paul Pierce (Was), Shaun Livingston (GS), Marcus Thornton (Bos), Jason Kidd (Mil)
Unsigned Free Agents: Andray Blatche, Jason Collins

Depth Chart:
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Whether launching a new brand or rebranding an existing one, brand implementation is one of the toughest exercises a company can go through…Here are VIM Group's pointers on what to look out for.

1. A badly managed brand implementation is like a bottomless money pit.

- Excerpt From 10 Essential Tips to Implementing Your Brand Successfully, by REBRAND™ (The self-proclaimed "World’s leading brand transformation and rebranding resource.")


2 seasons have come and gone since the relocation of the Nets from the soulless outskirts of New Jersey to the heart of Brooklyn, a move that brought with it a change in team identity.

Nets management enlisted local son Jay-Z to design a sleek new hardwood floor and slap a shiny new "Brooklyn" badge all over redesigned team paraphernalia.

And thus the Nets had quickly developed their own, for lack of a better word, "urbanized" image. It was a no-nonsense black and white rebranding that was meant to relfect the grittiness of the area. The organisation was seemingly trying to become the LA Raiders for the new generation: The sporting embodiment of hip-hop culture.


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jerseyheader1_zps612cce54.jpg~original


"Brooklyn, New York City, where they paint murals of Biggie
In cash we trust cause it's ghetto fabulous, life look pretty
What a pity – blunts is still fifty cents, it's intense
Tree scents is dominant can't be covered with incense."
- Talib Kweli, "Definition"


If the Nets were looking to forge a deep connection with the Brooklyn area, they didn't exactly get off to a great start, the Atlantic Yards project enraging a section of local residents and businesses.

Once the Barclays Center opened however, all that ill-will was expected to be swept under the rug and forgotten, lost amidst the glow of a new arena.

But strip back the monochrome, the herringbone, the courtside celebrity appearances and what do we actually have here?...

Well it turns out we had a slow, plodding team...hardly surprising given the roster makeup. Crafty rather than high-flying. Deliberate rather than spontaneous. The success was mild (44-38 last season) but the excitement levels were even milder.

The local fans, with no previous connection to the franchise, have been waiting for a reason to throw their support behind the franchise but the on-court product has made it difficult.

The 1st round victory over Raptors was a well-played, underappreciated series and a solid achievement by the Nets. However, the elongated "Brooooook-lynnnnnn" chants still rang hollow, seemingly forced and conveying a slight lack of conviction rather than intimidation, as Nets fans were thoroughly "out-fanned" by the #WeTheNorth Toronto residents.

By and large, fans aren't stupid (despite some examples here on BigFooty :p) and Brooklynites would've been aware of the myopic nature of Nets management. This team was built to win now, but being an aesthetically displeasing, mid-round fodder outfit is perhaps not what the fans had in mind.

The rebranding has thus far failed to completely capture the imagination of its target audience.


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"I'm from Brooklyn
Vandals, Bedrock
Scandal, Bedlam
Broken, Burnt up."
- El-P, "Up All Night"


A wise man once said: "In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."

(The same monetary philosophy also applies to sugar.)

In any case, Jason Kidd appears to have gotten the order mixed up, striving for both money and power (and probably sugar too, who knows) in one hit.

What resulted was bedlam, a clunky back and forth between Kidd and Nets management that resulted in Kidd and his ego ending up in Milwaukee.

Other confounding offseason Nets-related events included the decision of Andray Blatche to represent the Philippines at the FIBA World Cup and the ignominious dumping of the Brooklyn Knight as the team mascot.

Nets management are currently deciding between the following 2 crowd-sourced proposals for the new mascot:
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"The rules (back em down),
Next thing (clap em down)
Respect mine we Brooklyn bound...now!"
- M.O.P., "Ante Up"


Salary Caps, Tax Thresholds…these are purely conceptual limits. Barriers by name only. In real life, one can set his or her own limits, rules be damned.

This has been the modus operandi of the Mikhail Prokhorov-owned Nets, much to the bemusement of the rest of the NBA. However, there are subtle signs that such an economic carefree attitude is coming to an end.

The most evident indication is the uncontested departure of Paul Pierce to the Wizards on a relatively cheap, affordable deal. On a team previously filled with talented yet unaccomplished All-Stars, Brooklyn will undoubtedly miss Pierce's swagger, vocal leadership and calming presence that only accompanies an NBA Champion.



Looking back on that franchise rebranding Pierce/Garnett trade, you could say that in essence the Nets sacrificed their 2014 (James Young), 2016 & 2018 1st Round Draft picks for a couple of mid-round playoff exits and the dying embers of Kevin Garnett’s career.

So while there have been no official reports of Prokhorov being worried by Ukraine/Russia conflict-related trade sanctions, the Nets owner should perhaps consider placing his own trading sanctions on GM Billy King.

(Trade Sanction humour! We've reached a new zenith in internet comedy here folks!)

To help fill the gaping hole on the wing left by the departure of Pierce, in comes Brooklyn bound Bojan Bogdanovic all the way from Croatia

BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT CONFUSE HIM WITH SERBIAN PHOENIX SUNS DRAFTEE BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC, LEST YOU INCUR THE DEADLY WRATH OF THE YOUTUBE COMMENTER!!!

The other notable new Net is the maddengly inconsistent Jarrett Jack, a man whose FG% doesn't match the confidence in his shot. Jack had a horrible season in 2013/14 with his game falling off, if not a cliff, then at the very least a 5-story Brooklyn Brownstone.


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"And if you've ever seen Brooklyn rock...
Brooklyn rocks it non-stop, BREAK!"
- Stetsasonic, "Go Stetsa"


Pierce aside, the Brooklyn stalwarts are returning for another run. Their names carry heft – Garnett, Johnson, Williams, Kirilenko – but their faces are old and weathered, their skills eroding. They are like faded fighters, searching for their own personal "Rumble In The Jungle", a time-defying performance that will stun the public.

Make no mistake however, the literal and figurative centrepiece of the current Nets roster is Brook Lopez. The team adapted and learnt to play without him last season, but with Lopez now fully-fit and a new coach in place, 2014-15 is not a matter of re-learning, but of learning anew.

Pierce is no longer there to play as the floor spacing 4-man, while Livingston's absence takes away a ball-handler and distributor who can defend wings. Remove such flexibility and now the unorthodox, slow small-ball lineup is gone.

This leaves questions over the state of the Brooklyn's go-to lineups. Williams, Johnson and Lopez are obviously locked in as starters.

Jack is no stranger to dual point guard situations, but will this configuration be too deterimental to Brooklyn's defense? Will the Nets have to start *gasp* Alan Anderson at the 2?

And how about Kirilenko. Is he still mobile enough to play the SF position? Perhaps he could start as that rangy Power Forward. Or for a left-field solution, how about Teletovic to start as the stretch-4, a much needed position in todays NBA and a logical fit next to an interior scorer like Lopez?

Perhaps, given new coach Lionel Hollins' past experience and the sad decline of KG, we may see Team USA member Mason Plumlee start alongside Lopez in a more conventional big man setup (though the absence of Gasol-level passing ability would likely preclude this).

The only thing we can say with certainty is that there will be an uncomfortable teething period as Hollins tries to sort this all out during the early parts of the season.


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"Well, I'm not coming out goofy like The Fruit Of The Loom guys
Just strutting like The Meters with the Look-ka Py Py
'Cause Downtown Brooklyn is where I was born
but when the snow is falling, then I am gone."
- MCA, "Root Down"


This new-look Nets organisation is one that wants to be in the spotlight, on the front page of the Sports section taking attention away from the Knicks. The aim is to be big and bold, to wear the Brooklyn name as a badge of honour.

They've tried to puff their chests out, strutting through the NBA landscape in search of a Championship. Dollars have been spent and bold declarations have been made in seasons past, but by winter time in Australia -the business end of the postseason - the Nets are nowhere to be found.

The 2014-15 season figures to be no different. Hollins will keep the methodical, walk-it-up pace that Brooklynites are used to watching. The additon of Lopez gives the team a welcome interior presence but there are too many holes elsewhere.

Expect an up and down season. Expect the odd Joe Johnson game winner. Expect the same early round playoff exit.


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"Young man where you from,
Brooklyn number one"
- Mos Def, "Hip Hop"


The East is weak. You will read countless articles about this. But Brooklyn nevertheless resides a considerable distance from from the top of the Conference. If the organisation really want to reach that number one spot, they'll need to start all over again.

Yes, a new rebrand is needed – not of the team’s image, but of the on-court product. This process may take 2 years, 5 years, 10 years.

The short pathway to success didn't work for Brooklyn since the right "superstars" weren’t in place. The organisation needs to invest in the right players and inject the team with youth for success to truly occur...

(…hang on, I’ll stop there. It's all starting to sound a bit too much like "Hans Moleman's tips for a successful rebranding").


For the time being however, the Nets will continue to be excluded from the list of true title contenders. And if the team is not winning then the hip-hop stylings of the Brooklyn Nets will be meaningless to the fans, who will instead be left singing the Brooklyn Blues.



Predicted 2014/15 Win-Loss record: Something that adds up to 82.
 

smashh

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Good write up Apple iCup
Agree with the finishing 4th prediction, we were a top 4 team last year and I don't see why we still won't be. I really like the two additions, despite my previous hatred for Blake the last time he was in a Blazers uni. And my worry that Kaman will be an incredible revolving door on defense and need to be replaced by Joel. Joel was great for us last year before his injury, showed how important he was when he went down. If we can get a more consistent and improved year out of Will and T-Rob, then I think our bench will be just fine. I'm also expecting a lot more (not saying much) out of CJ McCollum this season.
I've been a little out of NBA mode for a while but it seems to me the Clippers have gotten worse, Houston have gotten worse. Dallas and Golden State will be there abouts but I think there's too many question marks around them to put them in the 4 at this stage
Also Garrett will be cut. Teams sign guys to non guaranteed deals all the time around this time of year for extra bodies in camp, only to cut them after training camp. A shame. Diante Garrett has an A game twitter account

EDIT: Also a note on Claver, as I sit here watching Spain in the World Cup. He's a 6ft10 SF/PF who played a little SG in his rookie year. He can handle, defend, pass and (kind of) shoot. He's a perfect glue guy. I don't see him getting any more burn for Portland next season as he did this season, but I just know a team like the Spurs will take him and turn him into a real solid player.
 
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I'll fix in the images as i go, but for now here's the text version of the Raps

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T dot in da house



Roster

Bruno Caboclo
DeAndre Daniels
DeMar DeRozan
Landry Fields
Diante Garrett
Jordan Hamilton
Tyler Hansbrough
Chuck Hayes
Amir Johnson
James Johnson
Kyle Lowry
Patrick Patterson
Terrence Ross
Greg Stiemsma
Jonas Valanciunas
Greivis Vasquez
Lou Williams

Ins

Bruno Caboclo – eating 6000 calories a day to bulk up.

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Probably the shock of the draft night

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DeAndre Daniels – Second round pick playing in Aus for 4 months with Perth

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Stiemsma

Looking for career highlights... all i got is

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Lou Williams
Jordan Hamilton

Outs

Julyan Stone
John Salmons

Toronto had a somewhat surprising year, almost ready to pull the Riggin for Wiggins out when suddenly they mysteriously started winning games… .after trading the offensive black hole that is Rudy Gay :p Trading Rudy led to freeing up DDR and drastically improved their bench. Replacing Salmons with Lou Williams is a plus, as is keeping Vasquez. Probably the best fanbase in the A in the playoffs.

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I wont do every player as I’m not hugely familiar with some of them but ill give it a crack

DDR – Made the All Star squad last year. His per game and per 36 points shot up, as did his FGA with the departure of Rudy. By definition I should detest him as a high usage mid range chucker, but for some reason I just love the guy. His shot chart is pretty horrendous, with his range extending to the corner 3

http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.html?PlayerID=201942

Kyle Lowry – Another who was freed up after the Rudy trade. Again his shot chart makes for interesting reading, he has some reasonable percentages from deep bar the right corner but mid range is hit and miss

http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.html?PlayerID=200768

JV – Is really the key guy for them going forward. He made some nice steps forward, although I’d like to see him increase his blocks and tighten up on the turnovers a little. Basically gets everything around the rim and the baseline, where he is far better from the right side. Everything else is pretty solid, and with an increase in minutes he should be a 15/10 guy this season.

T Ross – Another guy I should really not like given his propensity for chucking garbage, but I can’t help enjoying to watch him. He’s athletic as hell tho, and pretty decent from 3 point range, and with Lowry and DDR he should get plenty of open looks



http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.html?PlayerID=203082

Dropped 51 on the Clips too… .damn



General Greivis – spoiler tags (http://media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/118/921/921118.jpg) He’s bounced around a touch, and has his bad points, but as a backup point (sometimes splitting backcourt time in small ball lineups alongside Lowry). Solid form midrange and from 3 at the top of the key. Defensively tho he can be, shall we say ‘average’ on occasions, there are others who can better comment on that aspect of his game than I can.

http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.html?PlayerID=202349

Patrick Patterson – Massively important to the Raps with his ability to stretch the floor, he’s a threat from pretty much everywhere and whilst his overall numbers weren’t that impressive he played a huge roll in Toronto’s resurgence when he forced his way into the lineup, mainly coming off the bench. They’ll really look to him to build on the end of last seasons performance

http://stats.nba.com/playerShotchart.html?PlayerID=202335

Amir Johnson – Another important guy getting 10/6 as the starting PF. Does a lot of the dirty work and always works hard and does most of his work around the bucket. They could look to play him off the bench more against smaller lineups with Patterson stretching the floor



The Raps find themselves in a bunch of teams out east that are in the second tier if you like; Miami, Atlanta, Washington, Charlotte and Brooklyn, and would be looking to earn homecourt in the first round. Whether they can get enough wins on the board to get there is another question….

After a 48-34 season last year I’m tipping them to crack the 50 win mark, say 51-31 for 4th in the East and look for them to make the second round of the playoffs.
 
Last edited:
May 23, 2012
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Good work again stewie griffen

There was too much overlap between DDR and Rudy - you can live with one high-usage, non-three shooting shot creator at the wing, but not two. Moving Ross into the starting line up and Patterson into their front court rotation helped their spacing immeasurably.

Be really interested to see how the Raps go this season, there really is a glut of second tier teams in the East.
 
Just a bump :)

Now that the FIBA World Cup is out of the way we can start thinking about some NBA again :p

Once Eric Bled$oe has made up his mind I'll do the Suns
 
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