NBN Roundtable: Reflections on Brooklyn Nets’ 2016-17 Season
By Sandy Mui
3. Which Nets player(s) do you not want to see return next season?
Sandy Mui (@sandymui1134): It breaks my heart a bit to have to list names because this Nets team got along so well. However, Randy Foye, Justin Hamilton and Andrew Nicholson honestly don’t add much value to the team. Foye has been a solid leader and veteran presence onboard, but it’s extremely odd for him to be consistently used as the starting shooting guard. Hamilton and Nicholson have both fallen out of the Nets’ rotation for different reasons, and that says a lot about how little they can offer, considering Kenny Atkinson was fairly generous with awarding players with minutes. It just wouldn’t make any sense to bring these three players back for another season when there are much bigger names to target in free agency.
Andrew Hughes (@ARJHughes): I’m personally not too high on the Nets’ big man rotation outside of Brook Lopez and Trevor Booker. Justin Hamilton, Andrew Nicholson and Quincy Acy are all fine basketball players. They just aren’t the kind of role players that can produce any sort of consistency for the Nets’ bench. Hamilton was great at the start of the year, but flamed out. Acy has always been an undersized career journeyman. Nicholson failed to make any sort of impact with the Wizards and is dead cap money for the Nets until he can prove otherwise. The Nets need to improve their big man rotation via the draft or through free agency and trades. It is telling that Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, a wing, absorbed the bulk of the starting minutes for Brooklyn to end the season.
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Christian Milcos (@ChristianMilcos): I don’t think the Nets should be married to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Trevor Booker, Justin Hamilton or Andrew Nicholson. That being said, obvious keepers include Caris LeVert, Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. Everyone else on the roster is under contract for at least the 2017-18 season, except Randy Foye. Foye had some respectable moments this season, such as his game-winner in December, and he was a good veteran leader. However, he is not suited to be a starter in the NBA anymore. There is no harm in keeping him around on a minimum contract if he is interested, but if the market for the Villanova alum is competitive, then Marks shouldn’t hesitate to let him walk.
Sean Costello (@SeanBKN27): This is tough because I like essentially every player on the roster. I’ll go with two of the backup big men: Justin Hamilton and Andrew Nicholson. I don’t have anything against either player, but it just seems like both are taking up space in different places. Nicholson has a monster contract, and Hamilton takes up a roster spot the Nets can use next season. While neither player can be described as bad, they can’t be looked at as game-changers, either. Hamilton is not bad but hasn’t been a game-changer, and Nicholson just hasn’t been given much playing time.
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Alex Cuesta (@ACuestaNBN): This is a really tough one. I enjoyed every player on the team. If I had to put on my general manager cap, then there are a few cuts that would logically have to be made.
I’d start off with cutting backup center Justin Hamilton. Hamilton played often early in the season, but quickly saw his minutes dwindle as the season wore on. He was signed to spread the floor and shoot the three, but he was not as accurate as the team hoped e would be, and he left a lot to be desired on defense. He made some splashy plays on put-back dunks, but not enough to take up a precious roster spot that can be used for a better player.
The next player I’d send packing is another big man, Andrew Nicholson. Brought in via trade with the Washington Wizards, he never really got into a rhythm with the team. When he was on the floor, he was underwhelming, often fouling more than scoring. At 27 years old, he is entering the prime of his career, and this could be the best he will ever be.
These are the two players that I don’t think can help the Nets get better next season. There are a few more that are questionable and expendable if a better player is brought in, but have earned the right to stay on the team for now. But again, if Marks keeps the whole team intact, I wouldn’t be angry. They obviously gained chemistry towards the end of the season and fought hard in every game.
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Malcolm Ireland (@MackyIreland): Randy Foye is the only player on the team set to be a free agent, and I definitely do not want him coming back. K.J. McDaniels and Sean Kilpatrick both have a team option that the Nets should pick up. McDaniels has a lot of potential, and with the current roster, he will be given minutes to prove himself. Kilpatrick has played very well for the Nets on a dirt-cheap contract with almost no guaranteed money. The only reason to not bring McDaniels or Kilpatrick back would be if the Nets need the extra cap room to sign a free agent.