The Future of the (Brooklyn) Nets

by Net Income on Feb 12, 2012 9:00 AM EST in Brooklyn

The ESPN Future Power Rankings are fun, if imprecise, subjective and sometimes mystifying. The Nets have dropped to #17 from #12 in the last year, but it's hard to figure some of the internal rankings that make up the total number. Is its market rank, seventh, based on Brooklyn, as it should be, or New Jersey? There's no mention of Brooklyn or Barclays Center in the analysis. And why is management ranked 23rd out of 30. Does risk-taking factor into the rankings? It should.

There's something else that needs to discussed when it comes to the Nets' future. One cornerstone of the Nets' future is supposed to be globalization. As Ken Berger wrote, "global marketing opportunities" along with a "bigger stage", is what's attractive to Dwight Howard. Aside from Russian ownership and Jay-Z's status as "global icon", that doesn't seem a priority now, while at the same time the cross-river rivals just got a global boost from a 6'3" point guard with Asian roots. Moreoever, Mikhail Prokhorov has other interests and there's uncertainty about his role in the franchise's future.

Brooklyn, we are told, will change everything. Its international brand (which is not the equal of New York's) should help, but we haven't yet seen the specifics of how the Nets will capitalize on it globally.

ESPN's NBA Future Power Rankings - Chad Ford & John Hollinger - ESPN Insider

Tweet Comment 38 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

WHO'S playing on Wednesday??

Stevenson?
Okur?
Lopeeezzzz???

by brickznujerz on Feb 12, 2012 9:07 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Well the Knicks took most of the Eastern Asian market

with Jeremy Lin. I hope we get more fans to attend our games so its not like these “home” games here.

Nets Mets Giants All day Every day.
Beware the Lopez
NY Giants Tribute

by netsareboss on Feb 12, 2012 9:08 AM EST reply actions

lin may play himself out of the nix price range next year

by William_H_HOLLA on Feb 12, 2012 9:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

THE DAY WE GET HOWARD

WILL BE THE GREATEST DAY IN NETS HISTORY

by brickznujerz on Feb 12, 2012 9:26 AM EST via mobile reply actions

And if we don't?

On second thought, let’s not think about that morbid scenario.

by nynjlawyer on Feb 12, 2012 9:34 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I still don't understand how Lin is such a huge deal....

I mean…..he’s had a few good games over a two week stretch. NBA talent scouts from several teams don’t usually miss 25ppg point guards very often. Must’ve been cut for a reason…twice. He is a feel good story but let’s relax. He is new yorks biggest star after TWO WEEKS! Look at their homepage! God it’s nuts.

by acg5001 on Feb 12, 2012 9:35 AM EST via mobile reply actions

just look at how nba talent scouts missed the boat

on marshon… theyre not infallible

by William_H_HOLLA on Feb 12, 2012 9:39 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Monta, Manu, Gilbert too

by SadNetsFan on Feb 12, 2012 9:41 AM EST up reply actions

He's gonna come back down to earth sooner or later, he's not gonna be some 20 ppg guy

But I think he can be a nice all around guard, a poor man’s tyreke evans in terms of an all around contribution and not totally a passing guard

by muwu on Feb 12, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions

Agree

I want to see if he can produce these same numbers with Stat and Melo playing. It’s obviously a byproduct of the D’Antoni system. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of Lin’s story but his production would be severely limited when both those guys come back. If he can be at least at Darren Collison’s stat level, then the Knicks have found their PG of the future.

by Pinoy Nets on Feb 12, 2012 11:41 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

They're 5-0

"It's as sweet as it ever was, I'll tell you. Now, hopefully, we started something and we can win some more championships, but we're going to enjoy this one right now. Have a little champagne." --Julius Erving, May 12, 1976, ABA champion Nets locker room.

by Net Income on Feb 12, 2012 9:47 AM EST up reply actions

I disagree, the NBA scouting system is seriously flawed

There is no way in hell a talent like Marshon Brooks should have dropped to where he did.

by MrDollarBills on Feb 12, 2012 9:48 AM EST up reply actions

so is every pro scouting system

Tom Brady, drafted 199th, behind six other quarterbacks?

by Net Income on Feb 12, 2012 9:56 AM EST up reply actions

can't argue there

Victor Cruz, undrafted.

But to me personally, I also believe Lin’s story had a lot to do with his race more than anything else(although he has no left hand to speak of). I don’t want to make baseless accusations, but it sure seems like it.

by MrDollarBills on Feb 12, 2012 9:58 AM EST up reply actions

It's because of how unlikely his story is.

Undrafted Asian kid from Harvard lighting up Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

I think it's fine.

by NetsMets4Life on Feb 12, 2012 10:02 AM EST up reply actions

Golden State...

has Monte and Curry, there is no way he (Lin) was going to get playing time over them. Also, their coaching carousel – they had no time to try or “see” if he could play. Some teams don’t have time to wait for players to develop…. Not to mention, opportunity.

by Steven Hutchinson on Feb 12, 2012 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

"usually" being the operative word.

It does happen, and it looks like it’s happened again.

Don’t think the coaches aren’t watching film, we would’ve been slowed down by now. Face it, the kid’s got skills and it’s the skills that the Knicks need.

by bkfire on Feb 12, 2012 11:24 AM EST up reply actions

*he would have

by bkfire on Feb 12, 2012 11:31 AM EST up reply actions

It's hard to take risks on unknown.

Colleges don’t give basketball scholarships to asian-americans. Basically, Lin feel out of the system when he ended up in Harvard. Lin had to fight his way into the league via backdoor, summer league/D-league.

I totally understand. Because if Lin was a flop, the scouts and GM’s credibility would be damage for that ridiculous pick.

But, I’m glad everything went well in the end for a nice kid.

Go Nets, keep up the fight.

by Malorkayel on Feb 12, 2012 1:30 PM EST up reply actions

Guys, if what Elone said is true (Dwight 100%)

I wonder what King should do at the deadline: should he initiate a contact or just wait for a phone call? I’d sit and wait.

by Belarus4life on Feb 12, 2012 9:41 AM EST reply actions

Dwight

should have, if he has not already, declared to the Magic that it is Nets or nothing, and then use that leverage to ensure that we don’t get seriously screwed when and if we make a midseason deal for him. Orlando should not be rewarded for what they pulled at the start of the season.

This is taking forever though. The team has clearly quit for the most part(I don’t believe that Deron has quit btw but the effort from the others is inexcusable) and the uphill climb to the playoffs post trade will have to rival or surpass Kidd and Carter’s balls to the wall run with bums like Buford and Scott Padgett in tow in order for us to make it. The schedule should favor us, but we’re going to need a serious win streak to get back within striking distance.

IMO, i am guessing that the players themselves know the deal and flat out do not care what happens to the Nets anymore. That’s the only thing that can explain this poor play. I don’t want to hear about lack of talent, the Knicks starting line up right now is devoid of talent and they play harder than this Nets team has played all season long.

8-21 is a LACK OF EFFORT, not talent. Do not believe excuses or anything else. There are people on this team that simply do not give a rat’s ass and the sooner they are gone, the better.

by MrDollarBills on Feb 12, 2012 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

100% agree

The sudden change in body language and effort in these guys over the past 4 games or so makes sense if Elone is right on about Dwight being a done deal. I hope that is the case. One way or another most of them won’t be back next year. Being the skeptical Nets fan that I am, I am not sold on what Elone has said. Nothing personal, I just need to see Dwight in a Nets jersey to truly believe anything at this point. Maybe that is why the logo and color scheme were pushed back. To coincide with the arrival of D12.

I love the Nets...too bad they don't love me...

by BEB on Feb 12, 2012 10:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I'm not sold on it either

Just reporting what the guy I talked to overheard one of the owners say directly.

Section 18, Row 7 at The Rock!
"Your 2010-2011 New Jersey Nets - It Is What It Is"

by eLonepb on Feb 12, 2012 11:07 AM EST up reply actions

I also find interesting how

On twitter, A month or 2 ago, Billy King retweeted a bunch of tweets referring to the Nets acquiring Dwight

by netsfanrasmus on Feb 12, 2012 9:59 AM EST up reply actions

I think that King

is going to pull it off

the question in my mind is, can we get to the post season?

by MrDollarBills on Feb 12, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions

if this team stinks, Brooklyn will sell itself for just a few seasons.

after that, then we’d be like the Clippers of old: a big market team that no one wants to go to.

by soul driver on Feb 12, 2012 9:52 AM EST reply actions

it's not about Brooklyn

it’s about going global.

by Net Income on Feb 12, 2012 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

no it won't

if they go in to BK with a bad team, which they will not, they will not get any local support. Not when you have the Knicks next door playing exciting basketball.

by MrDollarBills on Feb 12, 2012 9:56 AM EST up reply actions

Michelle beadle was at the game yesterday! !!!!

by KillaHoose on Feb 12, 2012 10:13 AM EST via Android app reply actions

and according to twitter

was rooting for both sides (grew up in texas as a spurs fan).

by shane gayle on Feb 12, 2012 3:29 PM EST up reply actions

Re: current global marketing

Why would they want the world to know how bad we are? That’s a weird first impression to make, what with a short season of confusion surrounding NJ vs BK, a different team, as well as performance. I expect us to make that push only when we finally have a real product to sell. Right now we’re still about potential.

Timeless - The 2001-2003 NJ Nets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nima3dmLrcw

by GMJigga on Feb 12, 2012 10:14 AM EST via mobile reply actions

lmao

Why would they want the world to know how bad we are?

hahaha….i understand the whole “going global” thing but they need to actually put a product on the floor that’s actually fit for viewing. You can’t expect people outside of our small community to see the bigger picture.

by MrDollarBills on Feb 12, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions