John Hollinger and Chad Ford have ranked the futures of all 30 NBA teams four times in the last year, so it must be a popular feature on ESPN.com. Prior to the latest rankings, the Nets have ranked 18th, 13th and 14th. This time, they are 15th in what has to be, by its very nature, a speculative ranking. It is about the future, after all.
Hollinger and Ford rank the Nets 22nd in talent, 20th in management, 14th in market (is that New Jersey or Brooklyn?), 3rd in draft picks (down from first?) and 2nd in money...the Blazers Paul Allen has more, says Forbes.
The biggest criticism after a summer of disappointment, they write is management. "the Nets made two hires that are getting mixed reviews. New coach Avery Johnson had an amazing win-loss record in Dallas, but his personality grated on players and he has already made his presence felt within the Nets' embryonic new front office. Meanwhile, Billy King is the new general manager, but his track record doesn't give him the authority to rein in Johnson."
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ESPN's NBA Future Power Rankings: Teams 11-15 - John Hollinger & Chad Ford - ESPN Insider