There’s been a big change here at FanSided. Blake Lovell has moved from NBA director to soccer director (though he’ll remain the associate NBA director so he’s not gone for good). Replacing Blake will be Ben York, a former writer for Complex and a current writer for SLAM magazine. You can follow him on twitter at @bjyork. Sorry to bother you with the details but we value transparency at FRWD
You’ve probably seen these “5 reasons” posts all around FanSided. Reason being is that Ben’s making all of us do them (Due Thursday!) Normally I’m a rebel, but this post does give me a chance to catch up on all the stuff I’ve missed in the last month (a lot).
5) Brook Lopez is still a Net
-No, he’s not leaving in the immediate future. Lopez doesn’t become a restricted free agent until the 2012 season. But that doesn’t mean we can appreciate what we have! He’s one the best centers in the east, he’s young, and finally looked like the player he once was when Deron Williams ran the point. Sure there are questions surrounding him and the team, but Lopez is a building block for the future.
4) The Nets play in the Atlantic Division
-Let’s run through their division. The Celtics are OLD and messed up in trading away Kendrick Perkins. The Knicks are a D-League team save for STAT and Melo (Chauncey Billups doesn’t count) and are a terrible fit for D’Antoni. The 76er’s are on the rise but still need to answer a lot of questions (especially what the hell are they going to do with Andre Iguodala.) And the Raptors are worse off than the Nets. Tell me the Nets aren’t a year or two away from contending in that division.
3) Deron Williams is still a Net
-So what if his contract expires at the end of this season (if there is one)? Deron Williams is one of the 15 best players and the league and is a New Jersey Net for the year. And if Deron Williams decides to stay a Net after the season then high five to us because we gave up nothing for him. Even if he’s playing not so great in Turkey, the Nets are right to view him as a franchise player.
2) Mikhail Prokhorov is the owner of the New Jersey Nets
-Lockout politics aside, lets take a look at what’s happened since the big Russian became owner. The construction on the Barclays Center hasn’t hit any major delys (knock on wood), Kris Humphries married Kim Kardashain, Deron Williams became a Net, Jay-Z threw a big party to announce the name Brooklyn Nets, and Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian divorce reports surfaced. Yes Prokhorov isn’t the driving force behind all of these things, but he has certainly had a role in most of them. Prokhorov is a unique owner, both his tactics and his history. He’s one of the more interesting men in the league and a driving force behind the Nets.
1) “Chi towns D. Rose, I’m movin’ the Nets to BK”
-Brooklyn. It’s been about Brooklyn for 5 years now. Attendance issues have plagued the Nets for a few years now and a location change is an absolute must. They’re going to play in New York City in a brand new arena. If the Nets play their cards right they can market toward the hipster community (my suggestion: play whatever is popular on pitchfork). Basketball is cool, and that community just loves cool.
The fact that the Nets even got a shout out in a Jay-Z song cool. It’s a new day for this team. So yeah, it’s tough to get excited about the team that’s going to play next season (if there even is one), but the long term future can’t look brighter.