NBN Roundtable: Reflections on Brooklyn Nets’ 2016-17 Season
By Sandy Mui
1. Overall, were you satisfied with the Nets’ 2016-17 season? (cont.)
Josh Rudy (@_JoshRudy_): Overall, I think you have to look at the Nets’ 2016-17 campaign as a success. The general public will point to the 20-62 record and view the season as a total disaster, but when analyzing an entire season, many other factors should be considered.
The Nets traded an expiring contract (Bojan Bogdanovic) and a young, developing prospect (Chris McCullough) to Washington for a first-round pick and Andrew Nicholson. They now have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, and as Sean Marks said before, he will love having the flexibility come draft night.
Brooklyn also unveiled a few gems throughout the season. Players such as Isaiah Whitehead, Spencer Dinwiddie, Archie Goodwin and K.J. McDaniels are all young players that have been undervalued in the league before making impacts with the Nets. Even a player such as Sean Kilpatrick solidified himself as a fearless scorer in the league by averaging 13.1 points in 25.1 minutes per game. These are small victories the Nets can build on going into a huge offseason.
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Liam Gallagher (@lgallagher57): Prior to the first game of the season, I predicted the Nets would win around 30 games this season. They fell 10 games short of that, so by that standard, I was largely unimpressed. However, some of the young Nets really stood out, such as Caris LeVert, Isaiah Whitehead and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. I was very satisfied with the way they handled some of the problems that usually plague young players, such as turnovers and defense lapses.
Jeremy Lin left a lot to be desired with his injury problems, but with no major injuries prior to this season, there is no reason to think the rest of his Nets’ career will be spent in a doctor’s office. Realistically, there was going to be no way the Nets would make the playoffs or even rival the Knicks’ monopoly on New York. Still, it was kind of disappointing to see them finish last in the league, especially considering the fact that the Celtics have the ability to swap picks in the upcoming draft.
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Mike Wlodawski-Krasnov: I was extremely satisfied with the Nets 2016-17 season. At the helm, Sean Marks gave us a creative and patient leader behind the scenes. Kenny Atkinson did an admirable job with limited talent and a roster where guys were not used to playing with one another. Atkinson had the Nets playing hard and scrapping every night. As Nets fans, we never saw hustle under the previous regimes of Lionel Hollins, Jason Kidd, etc…
With limited draft picks, the Nets received two keepers in Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead. What the Nets did with D-League players like Sean Kilpatrick was tremendous. Here is a player that came out of nowhere, to become a guy that can drop 15 to 20 points any given night. How about the reclamation projects like Spencer Dinwiddie, K.J. McDaniels and Archie Goodwin? I love all of those pickups.
The end of this year was a true indicator of things to come. Hustle, grit and a system in place with champions, three-point shooting, ball movement and pushing the tempo.
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Omri Benami (@MrBenami): Coming into the season, I wasn’t expecting much from the Nets. This was going to be a rebuilding season, and all the focus was going to be on development. From that standpoint, I am satisfied with how the season progressed and particularly how the Nets finished. Their 11-13 record in the last 24 games, while beating some competitive teams, was impressive to me. It showed the team learned how to play together and execute Kenny Atkinson’s game plan.
From a player development standpoint, it was good to see Brook Lopez add a dimension to his game — one that has become very important in the new NBA, particularly for big men. Although I would have liked to see how the entire season would have played out had Jeremy Lin been healthy, the exposure that his injuries provided for Isaiah Whitehead will prove invaluable for Whitehead’s long-term development. With Whitehead, Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the Nets’ young core can serve as a foundation to bring more veteran pieces around, as the Nets build towards contending for a playoff spot.
Finally, and most importantly, was the team camaraderie. Many locker rooms would have imploded due to all the losing the Nets endured during the year, but they stuck together through the adversity and learned from it. “Brooklyn Grit” may have started as a simple saying, but Brooklyn is getting attention from agents and players around the league. It should help the team be successful in free agency.
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Jason Jacob: Overall, I was satisfied with the Nets’ season even though their record might not be the best. They found new teammates that can help them boost their overall record. This season could have been a playoff berth if Jeremy Lin and Sean Kilpatrick had stayed healthy, but I am satisfied with the development of the rookies and Brook Lopez‘s overall ability.
Ryan Muhlstock (@ryanmuhlstock): With the current position the Nets are in as an organization, it’s hard to be satisfied with much. Still, as a fan, it’s important to remain optimistic and look at the few bright spots the Nets have. Under Coach Kenny Atkinson, the team showed serious resilience and a hardworking motivation until the last game. Newcomers Trevor Booker, Caris LeVert and Jeremy Lin seem to be solid contributors for the future, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continues to develop nicely.
The Nets’ rebuild will for sure be slow, but I’m okay with that. Often, sports fans are too impatient with their teams, especially in a market like New York that’s associated with constant success. I’ll take the Nets properly rebuilding for the future over the saga of Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks any day of the week. Rebuilding a team takes time, and I’m satisfied with the steps the Nets continue to take.