The NBA is officially in offseason mode, full of incessant smokescreens rumors. The Nets face a tough offseason as I discuss here. So, who should the Nets keep? Who should they dump and let be someone else’s problem.
Here’s our staff with their takes on what the Nets should do with a special appearance from @mrsBKLYNsbeat! And at the end of the column, you be the judge: vote on your takes!
DERON WILLIAMS
Justin Salkin (@brooklynsbeat): Keep. I’ll be touching on this more with a post on Williams, but there’s no way to get fair value for him in a deal, and the Nets best chance at contention, even if it’s a slim one, is keeping him onboard.
Dylan Mendelowitz (@MendNBA): Dump: His entire Nets career so far has been an epic fail. It’s in the best interest of both sides to move on. Toodles, Deron.
Robert Watts (@bobbywatts_): Keep. We all know what D-Will can do when healthy. Lets give him a chance and see how he bounces back post-surgery on both ankles after a very underwhelming season.
Anthony Pignatti (@apignatti360): Dump. I’ve long defended Deron and attributed his poor play to his injuries. But it’s time as fans, management, and probably himself, to stop envisioning a Utah-esk version to magically put on a Brooklyn uniform. It’s not happening. Move on sooner rather than later.
@MrsBKLYNsbeat: Dump: There’s no room for divas. He’s a ball stopper. You see the unselfish play of the Spurs, and he’s the reason why we can’t be like that.
JOE JOHNSON
Justin: Keep. He was awesome this year, and given his contract there’s simply no way to trade him for better player value.
Dylan: Keep: No-brainer. He was the Nets best player this season. Joe Jesus definitely stays.
Robert: Keep. Really no explanation needed. Near impossible to move him and there’s no reason for us to move him. Our only All-Star last season and our Nets MVP.
Anthony: Keep. Really not much to think about here. He had a pretty good regular season, and topped it off with a phenomenal postseason. When teams specifically adjust their defense to try and keep a guy in check, he’s a good guy to have on the roster. May be overpaid, but still one of the top SGs in the league.
@MrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. He’s our go to man, and the pressure doesn’t get to him. He’s the one you want taking the last shot.
PAUL PIERCE
Justin: Keep. There’s no way to replace him in free agency, and he was instrumental to the smallball attack that finished the year so strongly.
Dylan: Keep. It’s impossible for the Nets to replace him, and he’s clearly the leader of the team. Need him back.
Robert: Keep. If we lose him there’s nobody on the free agent market that we can replace him with that is on the same level as him skill wise and intangible wise.
Anthony: Keep. Not as consistent as the Paul Pierce we’ve all grown to know over the years, but he’s still capable of initiating offense, creating off the, and hitting shots. Love his attitude on this team, as well. Pretty simple: Is there anyone else better on the market?
@MrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. He’s a leader, and he still has some legs in him thanks to Kidd and his time management.
KEVIN GARNETT
Justin: Keep. Even as a lesser player he still has an impact on D, especially when his J is falling.
Dylan: Keep. Only as a role player or backup. He’s not a starter anymore and can’t play more than 15-20 minutes a game.
Robert: Keep. Contract is fully guaranteed for next season so might as well. Great mentor to the young bigs.
Anthony: Keep. Offensively, a complete shell of what he once was. But defensively, a complete game-changer. Off the court, he’ll continue to help mold Brook and Plumlee.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. Even if he has no legs left in him next year, he will be that cheerleader from the bench, and will give confidence to younger players like Plumlee.
BROOK LOPEZ
Justin: Keep. Anthony was spot on in this piece.
Dylan: Dump. I WANT to keep Lopez, but I don’t think he works in a Jason Kidd led system. Probably best to test the market and see what you can get for him.
Robert: Keep. Same explanation as Deron Williams.
Anthony: Keep. An in-depth piece on why retaining Brook is necessary will be up this summer. Stay tuned!
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep . . . for now. But trade him at midseason after he shows he’s not damaged goods so we can get value for him. Plumlee is filling his shoes well, and this way, we can get a good piece for Brook at another position without a foot problem.
SHAUN LIVINGSTON:
Justin: Keep. The most a free agent can get from the Nets is $3.28 million, he’s worth that, and to get a better player at the price is a tall order.
Dylan: Keep. He was the most important player for the Nets this year, in my opinion. Made everything work. Great glue guy.
Robert: Keep. Was one of the most important players on the team last season and should only be getting better.
Anthony: Keep. I highly doubt that will happen, though. I think he’s getting more credit than he deserves for last year. Great story, yes, but he’s a liability in what has become a deep shooting league. Teams will overpay for his services, and he’ll undoubtedly take it.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. I think his teammates have more respect for him than Deron. He keeps the ball moving and has fresher legs than Deron.
ANDREI KIRILENKO: (editor’s note: it appears Kirilenko opted into his contract, according to David Aldridge
Justin: Keep. Ditto with Livingston, hope he exercises that player option (as
Dylan: Dump. He does the little things that Andrei Kirilenko does, but he’s lost everything on offense. Plus, it’s impossible for him to stay on the floor. When is he not dealing with an injury?
Robert:Keep. Very versatile playing both forward spots. Nets had great success with him on the floor last season.
Anthony: Keep. He’s probably worth more than what he is getting paid. Remember, he took a significant paycut to sign on last summer. Great bball IQ guy to have around.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep, because I think he’s worth his contract, but hopefully the Nets figure out his back problems.
MIRZA TELETOVIC
Justin: Keep. The modern game is big on guards penetrating and kicking to shooters. He’s the perfect role player, and again, there’s not much out there to replace the production.
Dylan: Keep. Mirza has one of the purest jumpers in the NBA today. Great role player, it’s a no-brainer to keep him.
Robert: Keep. Had a breakout year from 3 last season due to coaching change. Best is yet to come.
Anthony: Keep. Made great strides last year. His confidence is his biggest enemy. I expect he’ll only get better next season.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. He seems to have found his niche with the 3, and we need that outside shooter.
ALAN ANDERSON
Justin: Dump. I like his passion but feel Kidd likes him too much, and I don’t want him tempted into overplaying him: prefer a backup 3 who fits the system better.
Dylan: Dump. Plays very hard and with a lot of energy and I respect that. However, he’s a “shooter” who can’t shoot (40% from the field), and seems to have a low BBIQ. Takes some pretty dumb shots. Let him walk.
Robert: Keep. Nice glue guy and underrated defender. Super competitor off the bench.
Anthony: Keep. Passionate guy and a pretty good defender. Also: great cheerleader. He had too much of a role last year, as I’d like him further down the bench. But he’s a worthy contributor in short stints.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. I think he’s a good backup to Joe Johnson, he brings good energy off the bench, and even when he’s off the court he seems to raise the spirits of his teammates.
MARCUS THORNTON
Justin: Probably keep, but if the Nets can turn his 1 year deal into a more gruesome 2 year deal for a better player, they should try, kind of like the supersize on the deal they got him through.
Dylan: Keep. But don’t hesitate to dump his expiring in a Deron/Brook deal, if given the opportunity. He’s a good piece off the bench whenever Brooklyn needs some offense. Can score a lot in a little amount of time.
Robert: Keep. Very good shooter off the bench and brings a competitive edge.
Anthony: Keep. Mostly because his $8 mil deal is expiring and the Nets could use the cap space. Other than occasionally lighting it up, he doesn’t do much well. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was floated around in trade rumors this summer and even at next year’s trade deadline.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. I was pleasantly surprised by him. I still think he can learn a lot from the veterans to make himself better.
MASON PLUMLEE
Justin: Keep. With so many limits in building the roster, the Nets really need internal improvement, something Mase can provide.
Dylan: Keep. The 4th best rookie from a year ago has to come back. Billy King absolutely nailed it in picking Mighty Mase. One of the few young, athletic, potential filled players Brooklyn has.
Robert: Keep. Duh.
Anthony: Keep. Our only young asset with potential. Yes. Keep
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Definitely keep. I’m so excited to watch him play next year.
ANDRAY BLATCHE
Justin: Dump. Offense gets guys paid and I see someone wanting to overpay Dray; he’s not worth the 4/$25 early bird money and his defense and decision making are hurtful. 4 smalls 1 big requires a big that can guard, Nets don’t need his scoring.
Dylan: Dump. If only he were a smarter player. He seems very prone to boneheaded plays and get the sense he’s a time-bomb just waiting to explode. Extremely talented, he’s just not the smartest of the bunch. I think it’s time to let him walk and get a big contract elsewhere.
Robert: Keep. Despite the popular opinion he actually has more good plays than bad. Was one of the best big men to come off of the bench in the league.
Anthony: Dump. With the news of him opting out, he’ll undoubtedly seek a more lucrative deal. I would have kept him at under $1.5 mil. For the bonehead plays he makes and despicable defense, there was still value on that deal he was on. Time to move on.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Bye bye Blatche. Lay off the donuts buddy. He’s letting his bad habits from the Wizards affect his play again.
JORGE GUTIERREZ
Justin: Keep. Why not? He’s a decent enough third string point guard, and that’s what he’s here to do. A replacement isn’t moving the needle and perhaps he improves too.
Dylan: Keep. Showed some flashes of being a solid backup this year. With a point guard legend in Jason Kidd coaching him, I think Gutz can be a rock solid backup, definitely worth a spot on the roster.
Robert: Keep. Very nice game manager. Most Net fans are comfortable with him in the game.
Anthony: Keep. No harm in keeping him on. Seemed to be competent in running offense, pretty much all you can ask of a guy who’s one of the last guys off the bench.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep: He’s worth his nonguaranteed contract. He has passion for the game. Whenever he went on the floor the team played with high energy. Throwing him in the mix caught other teams off guard.
JASON COLLINS
Justin: Dump. It seems his life course now is about his humanitarian human rights efforts. Congratulations to a great man, and best of luck.
Dylan: Dump. It’s pretty obvious this was the last go for Jason Collins. Jason is a terrific and courageous person, just not a good basketball player anymore.
Robert: Dump. He’s probably going to retire anyway.
Anthony: Dump. Congratulations on making history and for taking me back to the early 2000s. Great story. But you’re role in the NBA is most likely finished.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. He was worth the money and he is a solid defensive player. We got value out of him.
MARQUIS TEAGUE
Justin: Dump. He showed he’s honestly not even an NBA caliber player (unlike Gutierrez), and if the Nets find a taker in a deal, they should pull the trigger.
Dylan: Dump. Is he even a D-League starter? Whenever he got playing time, he looked awful. Not an NBA caliber player in any way.
Robert: DUMP. Brings virtually nothing positive to the team. Organization is just banking on him to breakout like his brother Jeff did but that’s highly unlikely.
Anthony: Dump. I see no potential whatsoever. He’s hardly worth even mentioning as a guy on the roster.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Dump. Can we get his brother?
BILLY KING
Justin: Keep. For all the flack he gets, that he put together a near contender, which basically gave Miami its tougheast eastern conference challenge, and did so with his two lead players plagued with foot issues, does say a lot about him to the good. Billy’s experiment failed due to Deron’s unforeseeable struggles, which are on Deron, not Billy.
Dylan: Keep. Billy did an admirable job putting the team in the best possible position to win a title. Just because they didn’t doesn’t mean he deserves to be canned. He’s done a very good job since being hired and deserves to stay.
Robert: Dump. Mortgaged future assets for two stars and sixth man past his prime when those assets could’ve been used for better things *cough* Kevin Love.
Anthony: Keep. While he’s at an advantage being able to spend Prokorhov’s money, but he’s really has done a great job in assembling competitive teams in Brooklyn. The issue hasn’t been getting players to come here. It’s been chemistry and a max PG subdued to mediocrity. Can’t fault Billy for that.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep. Even though Deron sucks, Billy is the man. He thought outside the box when we had no cap space.
JASON KIDD
Justin: Keep. What better candidate is out there? Kidd did a good job molding the defense, and creating an offense that played to the team’s strengths. He toyed with lineups, and worked diligently finding the best combinations for this roster, including moves like replacing Brook with a point guard, going small, and paint packing on Miami, which was effective in May. Young players also developed positively under Jason. Finally, who wants the job if Prokohorov cans another coach so quickly.
Dylan: Keep. While he struggled to get a handle on things early, Kidd improved significantly and became one of the better coaches in the NBA. His system might not be the best for this roster, but he’ll most definitely be here a very long time. No brainer.
Robert: Keep. Heaps of potential and is only going to get better from here on out.
Anthony: Keep. I wasn’t ecstatic about bringing him in to begin with. I wasn’t blown away with how he did this season. And I hated how he handled the media (awfully cliche). But I think he has potential, and great organizations need stability. Let’s give him a chance.
@mrsBKLYNsbeat: Keep, as long as he doesn’t wear a tie! He is important for the longevity of our older players because he understands what it’s like to be close to retirement, and the importance of time management for keeping the legs of the veterans fresh.
Your Turn: Who should stay? Who should go? Vote!
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