ESPN's John Hollinger has used the occasion of the Celtics-Lakers Finals to rank the 30 NBA franchises in order of success, using one of his formulas, based on winning seasons, visits to the Finals, championship seasons, etc.
Bottom line: the Nets may have been the worst team in the NBA last year, but it's the 22nd most successful franchise in the league, helped by the two ABA titles in New York in 1974 and 1976 and the two NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
Held against them, aside from Derrick Coleman, Yinka Dare, Larry Brown and the Secaucus Seven: two half-relocations: one from Long Island to New Jersey and the one they will get for going from New Jersey to Brooklyn via Newark.
Among the teams below them: the Wizards, Kings, Clippers. The Knicks rank five places above at No. 17. The Lakers are No. 1, the Celtics No. 2 and the Spurs No.3. The Nets are the least successful of the four ABA teams to join the NBA in 1976.
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NBA Franchise Rankings: New Jersey Nets No. 22 - John Hollinger - ESPN Insider