Brooklyn Nets: 2015-16 Outlook And Prediction
Apr 12, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Lionel Hollins reacts from the sidelines against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Best Case Scenario:
The best case scenario for the coming season would include the Nets clearing house by mid-season. A major sell off of anyone and everyone who might generate the right type of return, is what the Nets should be looking for. By season’s end they’ll be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and subsequently at the bottom of the league as a whole. This will maximize their chances at winning the draft lottery come June, and leave them with massive cap room in July so that they can select from the cream of the free agent crop.
Worst Case Scenario:
The absolute worst case scenario for this year would go a little something like this:
- Prokhorov, King, and Hollins sit down together and agree that chasing a playoff birth this year would be ideal for the franchise
- They put their best possible talent on the floor as much as possible each night, which would increase their chances at winning some more games, but also take away valuable playing time from their developing young talents who could certainly use the in game experience to grow.
- They’re unable or worse…unwilling…to part ways with Joe Johnson by the trade deadline.
- They finish the season with a record just a touch south of .500, which would likely still result in a 7th or 8th seed in the weak Eastern Conference.
- They get bounced, in embarrassing fashion, in the first round of the playoffs.
- They decide to play it safe in the offseason and manage to just sign a couple of solid role players, a la the 2015 New York Knicks.
- They end up doing the same thing next year, but with less impending cap room, and KD & company entirely off the table the following summer.
Prediction:
- Record: 20-62 (3rd worst in the East after the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons)
- Joe Johnson and Thaddeus Young are traded to contenders mid-season
- High-tier free agent signings in July (sadly no Kevin Durant) like Demar Derozan and Al Jefferson