Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

[J-Clutch1]

Hey everyone. I'm starting this off right at the end of the season, meaning the Cavaliers have already won the 2016 NBA Championship. As a die-hard Nets fan and an even bigger NBA fan, I hope some of you enjoy what's to come. Thanks for reading!

Hello Again, Brooklyn

Since the infamous Boston trade former General Manager Billy King executed, the Brooklyn Nets have failed to accomplish anything impressive. Right before the start of the season, they cut their "star" point guard Deron Williams, and midway through the season, they let Joe Johnson move onto a team who had a much better shot at winning the title.

So here, at the end of a record-breaking season where LeBron James and Kyrie Irving ended Cleveland's championship drought against the 73-win Warriors, the Nets don't seem to be in a good spot.

Despite the missing draft picks and the current lack of identity, there is some optimism. Firing Billy King was first on the agenda. His replacement is Sean Marks, a former NBA player and most recently a big part of the San Antonio Spurs Front Office. His overall experience with arguably the best organization in basketball will get the Nets back on track.

One of the first moves made my Marks' includes the hiring of Kenny Atkinson, a popular assistant with the Atlanta Hawks. He grew up in New York and is credited for assisting in the development of Jeremy Lin, Kent Bazemore, Al Horford, and Paul Milsap. A coach heavily focused on player development is exactly what this team needs since draft picks are few and far between, it seems.

Sure, these moves alone aren't enough to build an identity -- an identity that strongly represents the way of life in Brooklyn or an identity that'll bring this city a championship -- but Marks and Atkinson are working their hardest. Hello Again, Brooklyn. This is the start of your new Brooklyn Nets.

[J-Clutch1]

Re: Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

A Night to Rembmer: The 2016 NBA Draft

A day before the NBA Draft, a 3 team trade was announced moving George Hill to the Jazz, a disgruntled Jeff Teague to the Pacers, and the #12 pick in this year's draft to the Hawks. 12 hours later, the Brooklyn Nets pull off what comes out as a surprise to many Nets fans.

Thaddeus Young was shipped off to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the #20 pick in this year's draft and a protected 2nd rounder in next year's. Many loyal Nets fans were pretty shocked considering Young wanted to be in Brooklyn (even decided to live right in Brooklyn) and for weeks now, Kenny Atkinson called Thaddeus Young "his guy" and "his type of player". General Manager Sean Marks clearly saw things differently. The move gives the Nets a first rounder to get an injection of youth while also clearing up over $12 million in cap space.

With their newly acquired first round pick, the Nets selected Caris LeVert out of Michigan. Some say he would have been a lottery pick if he wasn't facing injuries. The Nets seem to be comfortable with his medical records, especially since their team doctor was the one who operated on his foot. The same doctor operated on Brook Lopez's foot as well as Kevin Durant's foot in previous surgeries. LeVert is a combo-guard or even a wing with great length. He has faced adversity witnessing his father pass away, but he uses it all as motivation.

The Nets actually had a 2nd rounder in this year's draft. One player has been on their radar for years now - Brooklyn-born Isaiah Whitehead. Whitehead was projected to be an early second-rounder, but Brooklyn managed to snag him with the 42nd pick. He brings a huge sense of Brooklyn pride and an intense passion for the game. It's a homecoming for sure.

The draft offered many surprises for other teams. A recap can be found on major sports websites.

[J-Clutch1]

Re: Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

Around the NBA: Free Agency Frenzy

The free agency period has just concluded and NBA teams continue to offer up surprises to fans of every team. Full teams are in the Spoiler tags in a future post. The biggest moves worth noting:


Kevin Durant re-signs with the Thunder

• After meeting with many teams, Kevin Durant, as expected, has decided to stay in Oklahoma City. He chose not to make an enemy out of the wonderful city and his close friends Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams. The finalists were said to be the Spurs, Knicks, and of course the Thunder.

Chandler Parsons and Bismack Biyombo go green and joins the Celtics

• After missing out on Kevin Durant and Al Horford, the Celtics moved on to signing B-tier free agents. Parsons is slotted to play the 4 and Biyombo could develop into a great big man under Brad Stevens. GM Danny Ainge continues to accrue young assets.

Hassan Whiteside leaves Miami, signs with Lakers

• The Lakers were able to attract Whiteside with their near-max contract offer. The Miami Heat simply did not see him being worth that much money and felt better building around Wade and a potentially healthy Bosh.

Ricky Rubio goes to Orlando, Vucevic to Minnesota; Tyson Chandler sent to Orlando in 6-player 3 team trade

• In Orlando, there were grumblings with whether or not Elfrid Payton can lead the team. Well for the time being, Ricky Rubio will be the starting point guard. Orlando has been struggling overcoming Vucevic's shortcomings on the defensive end and wanted to move toward a Gordon-Ibaka frontline. The Suns wanted to trade Chandler as part of a salary dump, and Orlando valued his veteran presence in a relatively weak Eastern Conference. Minnesota now has a talented - and still young - center to pair with Towns in the paint.

Conley goes to the Bulls

• Conley's days in Memphis were numbered. With Derrick Rose getting traded, it opened up the doors for Chicago to form possibly the best defensive backcourt in the league in Conley and Jimmy Butler.

Noah signs with the Knicks

• Derrick Rose has been recruiting Joakim Noah and Noah's family all summer. The two re-unite as Noah adds to the frontcourt of Melo and Porzingis. His skills also translate well into the triangle offense Phil Jackson hopes to run with coach Jeff Hornacek.

Pau Gasol teams up with the Spurs

• Pau Gasol is hoping to make one last run - this time with the Spurs. A few months ago, Marc Gasol actually encouraged Pau to join the Spurs and the Spurs couldn't pass him up. The Spurs lost Boban Marjonavic in free agency and will look to Pau Gasol to carry the load as he did in previous years in Chicago.

Warriors re-sign Barnes, Ezeli

• The Warriors main priority this summer was to keep their core in tact. They didn't mind paying hefty contracts and all parties hope to reach the NBA Finals for the third straight year.

Dwight Howard signs with the Trail Blazers

• Dwight Howard joins a Mavericks team with a soon-to-retire Dirk Nowitzki. Reports are saying, however, that he hopes to help Dirk get another ring. Mark Cuban was able to convince Howard of how the reigns will be passed onto him after Dirk retires. This PF-C combo is nothing to scoff at and with the other pieces the Mavericks have added, Dwight could have a solid year.

DeRozan stays with the Raptors

• DeRozan kept his word and set up no meetings with any other teams. He remains fully committed to the Toronto Raptors and the bromance with Kyle Lowry lives on.

Hornets keep Batum, Marvin Williams

• The Hornets made it a priority to keep Batum and Marvin Williams. Although they were unable to keep Lin, they do get a healthy Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back in the lineup.

[J-Clutch1]

Re: Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

Nets Making a Splash

The Nets were able to sign some key players to join the Brooklyn Brigade. For the past season and a half, the Nets have mightily struggled with their point guard play. Last season, the minutes were given to the likes of Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan. Sean Marks made it a priority to solve that issue this offseason, and with his first major signing, he did just that.

Soon after a scheduled meeting, Marks was able to secure point guard Jeremy Lin away from the Charlotte Hornets. There were early reports regarding his interest in starting and finding a good group of guys to play with, and Marks felt he was a good fit for this team on a 3-year deal. Coach Atkinson always had confidence in Lin, dating back to right before Linsanity came about. Atkinson was an assistant coach on that Knicks team.

Jeremy Lin respects new Nets coach Kenny Atkinson, can Atkinson lure Lin to Brooklyn? https://t.co/F5PWxoBRjk pic.twitter.com/Fp9T6J9YNO

— NetsDaily.com (@NetsDaily) April 18, 2016

Sean Marks wasn't done. In fact, Kenny Atkinson played a huge role in this next signing: Kent Bazemore, who last played with the Atlanta Hawks. Kenny Atkinson, the current coach of the Nets, had coached Bazemore down in Atlanta. The familiarity between the two guys and the opportunity for Bazemore to cash in on his hard work brought him to Brooklyn.

Last but not least is Ryan Anderson. Sean Marks sees Anderson as a much better fit than Thaddeus Young was to Brook Lopez. Lopez can now focus down in the post while Anderson stretches out the D. His addition provides a scoring punch and a 3-point threat, which the team desperately needed. Ryan Anderson was actually a member of the Nets and has remained good friends with Brook Lopez. Watch the video here to get an inside-look of their friendship (it was apparently recorded with a potato, but fun nonetheless):

The full roster is listed below. This team is relatively young outside newly signed Sergio Rodriguez, who was drafted by the Trail Blazers back in 2006. Expect Bazemore and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to wreak havoc on the defensive end manning the wing positions, while Brook Lopez hopes to help lead this group back into the playoffs - this time with a real point guard who plays hard every night. The key for Kenny Atkinson is to develop each and every one of these players. The expectations are high for former first-rounder Chris McCullough and Sean Kilpatrick who have solidified themselves into the rotation and the core of this team. The biggest struggle for this team will likely be the interior defense, but if Atkinson can come up with a solid defensive scheme, this team could make some noise.

Brooklyn Nets 2016-2017
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
11	Brook Lopez	C	28	7'0	275	$21.17M
26	Jeremy Lin	PG	27	6'3	195	$14.00M
21	Ryan Anderson	PF	28	6'10	240	$14.25M
20	Kent Bazemore	SG	27	6'5	201	$15.00M
24	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	SF	21	6'7	210	$1.40M
44	Bojan Bodganovic	SF	27	6'8	220	$3.57M
6	Sean Kilpatrick	SG	26	6'4	210	$1.12M
35	Dewayne Dedmon	C	27	7'0	255	$7.00M
1	Chris McCullough	PF	21	6'11	210	$1.19M
22	Markel Brown	SG	24	6'3	190	$2.25M
12	Caris LeVert	SG	22	6'7	205	$1.63M
15	Isaiah Whitehead	PG	22	6'4	210	$674K
13	Sergio Rodriguez	PG	30	6'3	205	$6.50M

[J-Clutch1]

Re: Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

Around the NBA: Team Rosters (In Progress)

76ers:

Spoiler

Philadelphia 76ers
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
25	Ben Simmons	PF	20	6'10	240	$6.15M
8	Jahlil Okafor	C	20	6'11	270	$4.79M
4	Nerlens Noel	PF	22	6'11	235	$4.38M
21	Joel Embiid	C	22	7'0	260	$4.83M
5	Norris Cole	PG	28	6'2	175	$4.80M
33	Robert Covington	SF	25	6'9	215	$1.02M
12	T.J. McConnell	PG	24	6'2	200	$1.03M
39	Jerami Grant	SF	22	6'8	214	$980K
22	Richaun Holmes	PF	23	6'9	245	$1.03M
7	Carl Landry	PF	33	6'9	248	$6.50M
23	Timothe Luwawu	SG	21	6'7	205	$1.38
9	Ben McLemore	SG	23	6'5	195	$8.00M
11	Nik Stauskas	SG	23	6'6	207	$2.99
20	Furkan Korkmaz	SF	20	6'7	185	$1.28

Bucks:

Spoiler

Milwaukee Bucks
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
34	Giannis Antetokounmpo	SF	21	6'11	222	$3.00M
12	Jabari Parker	PF	21	6'8	240	$5.37M
15	Greg Monroe	C	26	6'11	265	$17.15M
22	Khris Middleton	SG	25	6'7	234	$15.20M
5	Michael Carter-Williams	PG	25	6'6	185	$3.18M
8	Matthew Dellavedova	PG	26	6'4	200	$4.92M
31	John Henson	C	25	6'11	220	$12.27M
18	Miles Plumlee	C	28	6'11	255	$3.74M
19	Jerryd Bayless	PG	28	6'3	200	$2.96M
11	Tyler Ennis	PG	22	6'3	193	$1.73M
3	Johnny O'Bryant	PF	23	6'9	257	$980K
20	Rashad Vaughn	SG	20	6'5	202	$1.81M

[J-Clutch1]

Re: Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

Nets Fall Flat in 2nd Half of Season Opener

If you told me the Brooklyn Nets would have 6 players scoring double figures against a Tom Thibodeau-led team, I would have expected the Nets to come away with the win. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those grind-it-out games and the Nets ended up losing their first game of the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The first half of this game was nearly identical for both teams as both ended up shooting 30-44 from the field. There were already 8 lead changes and the half almost ended in a tie. Both teams started slow out the gates in the 3rd quarter until Minnesota made a big run, forcing turnover after turnover. Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine were able to take advantage of these opportunities in the open court.

Wiggins and LaVine ultimately led the charge as both scored 20+ points on 11-19 shooting. This might be a cause for concern as Coach Kenny Atkinson was hoping for some lockdown defense from Kent Bazemore and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Rookie point guard Kris Dunn had an impressive opening performance, notching a double-double. The team might have made the right move trading away Rubio after all.

For the Nets, Brook Lopez, despite having a poor shooting night, had a double-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks. He contributed on both ends of the floor, getting offensive rebounds and protecting the paint as seen here:

The Brooklyn Nets move on to face the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in two days.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Brooklyn Nets
Oct 30, 2016	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Minnesota (1-0)	26	22	26	27	101
Brooklyn (0-1)	25	25	18	29	97

Minnesota Timberwolves
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Kris Dunn	38	7-18	0-1	1-2	3	12	5	0	3	15
Zach Lavine	36	11-19	1-3	1-2	6	4	1	0	1	24
Andrew Wiggins	36	11-19	2-2	4-6	4	1	2	1	1	28
Karl-Anthony Towns	31	5-8	0-0	3-4	9	2	0	2	0	13
Nikola Vucevic	30	4-9	0-0	0-0	10	1	1	4	0	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Shabazz Muhammad	20	2-0	0-1	1-2	1	2	1	0	0	5
Gorgui Dieng	17	1-1	0-0	0-0	3	1	2	0	0	2
Brandon Rush	12	0-1	0-0	0-0	5	0	0	0	0	0
Adrien Payne	6	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	1	0	1	0
C.J. Watson	1	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		43-88	3-8	12-18	53	25	13	7	6	101

Brooklyn Nets
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Jeremy Lin	30	5-11	1-2	2-2	0	6	0	0	3	13
Kent Bazemore	31	5-11	2-2	1-1	1	4	1	1	1	13
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	30	5-10	0-1	0-0	6	3	2	0	1	10
Ryan Anderson	32	5-14	3-8	0-0	5	2	1	0	1	13
Brook Lopez	34	6-15	0-0	8-10	13	2	1	4	2	20
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Sergio Rodriguez	21	2-4	0-0	0-0	5	6	0	0	2	4
Bojan Bogdanovic	18	3-7	1-2	2-2	4	3	0	0	2	9
Chris McCullough	17	4-6	1-1	1-1	4	1	1	1	1	10
Sean Kilpatrick	14	2-6	1-4	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	5
Dewayne Dedmon	13	0-0	0-0	0-0	4	0	0	2	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		37-84	9-20	14-16	47	27	6	8	15	97

[J-Clutch1]

Re: Building an Identity | A Post-2016 Brooklyn Nets Dynasty

A bit of a change coming up. After thinking it over, I ended up re-doing free agency to make things slightly more interesting for some teams, including the Nets. I apologize for any inconsistencies, but I thought it'd be cool to stray at least a little away from what could happen in real life. I'll end up replaying game 1 of my season when I have the time.