It is as bad as it’s ever been. The Nets go in Wednesday’s game so far down the power rankings that you can develop carpal tunnel syndrome from scrolling down, down down the list to find the Nets, for 11 weeks now the worst team in the NBA.
If you want some positives, John Schuhmann at NBA.com has one. But otherwise, it’s getting uglier each week.
The Nets traded Bojan Bogdanovic for a pick in the 20s, much like they traded Thaddeus Young (without taking on the future salary that comes with Andrew Nicholson) for the same last June. They used that pick to select Caris LeVert, who has shown potential as a 6-7 pick-and-roll decision-maker. Brooklyn has scored 1.17 points per possession with LeVert as the ball-handler, the fourth best mark (behind only Kyle Lowry, LeBron James and James Harden) among 140 players who have used at least 175 ball screens, according to SportVU. LeVert's 181 ball screens (and 71 plays made off of them) is a very small sample size, but, even with Jeremy Lin back, the rookie should get more opportunities to make plays over the final seven weeks of the season.
Kevin Pelton? Zach Lowe? Micah Adams? Tom Haberstroh? Which one of the ESPN smart guys can tell us when Brooklyn will score that ever-elusive 10th win? The Nets are 1-24 in 2017 -- you can look it up if you, like us, struggle to believe that's a real stat -- and have six games left on a merciless eight-game road trip before hosting their neighboring pals from Madison Square Garden on March 12. The six road stops, if you dare to be curious: Sacramento, Utah, Portland, Memphis, Atlanta and Dallas. If Kenny Atkinson can't find a way to win one of those first four games, Brooklyn will tie the longest losing streak (19) in franchise history.
Hope you enjoyed this season of "The Nets never trade Brook Lopez." Join us next season for more adventures in wasted opportunities.
Losers of 16 in a row, and at the deadline the market was so glutted with bigs they couldn’t find a reasonable offer for Brook Lopez. They did move Bojan Bogdanovic for a pick, so that’s something. The Nets are 0-2 to start and eight game road trip and the only question is will they break the losing streak away from Barclays’ Centre.
Worst-case scenario: Jeremy Lin serves as Brooklyn's representative at the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery — because he's injured once again and has nothing better to do.
He and the Nets then have to watch helplessly as their combination comes up for the No. 1 overall selection that Brooklyn owes to the Celtics in a pick swap.
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated (30)
When will they win another game? The Nets last came out on top in a Jan. 20 win over New Orleans, in which they scored 143 points. Their games often turn into shootouts, and Brooklyn’s lacking for firepower. They’re two games into an eight-game road trip. It’s not good.
Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report (30)
You've got to hand it to the Brooklyn Nets for making the best of a bad situation by replenishing their draft assets a piece at a time.
By sending Bojan Bogdanovic to the Washington Wizards and taking back Andrew Nicholson's contract, Brooklyn added what should be a late first-rounder in the 2017 draft. The Nets also still have the Boston Celtics' first-rounder (and lose their own) via a swap.
It's not out of the realm of possibility that Brooklyn could package those selections and move up in what many see as a deep draft.
The Nets are still asset-poor, and none of this helps them climb out of the No. 30 spot. But, Jeremy Lin being cleared for a return to practice might, and the team immediately ahead of them could really commit to tanking under a new regime. Plus, more generally, we have to seize on the rare opportunities to praise this team whenever they arise.
The Nets haven't won since Jan. 20 — a 16-game losing streak. The good news? Point guard Jeremy Lin returned to the lineup on Friday after missing 26 games with a hamstring injury.
Martin Strotman, Yahoo! Sports (30)
The eight-game road trip is off to quite the ugly start, as the Nets lost by 20 in Denver and 17 in Golden State. But after dealing Bojan Bogdanovic at the deadline for a first-round pick, it freed up some more minutes for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and the early returns have been positive. Hollis-Jefferson totaled 31 points and 18 rebounds in those two losses this past week. His growth is important for the Nets moving forward. Unfortunately those performances are going to come in losing efforts. (Last week: 30)
Gerald Bourguet, Fansided (30)
Trading away their starting shooting guard, Bojan Bogdanovic, definitely isn’t going to help the Brooklyn Nets in their quest to end the NBA’s longest losing streak of the season, which currently stands at 16 games.
However, general manager Sean Marks did well to secure a first round pick despite not being able to move Brook Lopez, while also taking a flier on the athletic K.J. McDaniels. With Luis Scola being waived as well, here’s hoping youngsters like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Caris LeVert and the suddenly promising Spencer Dinwiddie can continue to show signs of life.
We may have missed one or two, but frankly, does it matter?