Brooklyn Nets Plan: Continuity, Core & Youth ... Will it work?

It's always an interesting off-season when talking about the Brooklyn Nets. In the past, we've seen former star players come and go, press conferences with new coaches and goals that have certainly diminished.

But do the Nets, despite cutting costs and getting younger, have a plan that's worthy of praising? As their new slogan says, "We Are: Continuity. Core. Youth. Commitment." It's a different direction. But at least it's a direction of some sort...

Youth:

They went from the 'old' and 'zombie' Nets, to now one of the youngest teams in the NBA. They have six players UNDER 22 years old and the average age of the team is now 25.1, down four since the Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce deal in 2013 and down two since April.

The boss, Mikhail Prokhorov, believes this is a positive strategy for the Nets. "Some of you have noticed a shift in our approach," Prokhorov said. "You'll see a team that is younger and more athletic this season. Our approach has been more strategic. We are making all necessary moves to be set up well for the future."

It all sounds great considering the Nets have been old and lacked athleticism the past few seasons. But the young and athletic players they're depending on - mostly off the bench - have a whole lot to prove. This is mostly directed at Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington and Thomas Robinson. Even Andrea Bargnani, who's not necessarily 'young' by NBA means, has a lot to prove in order to help the Nets prove their plan worthy.

"Well, everybody has a lot to prove," Lionel Hollins told ESPN's Mike Mazzeo. "Everybody on the team has a lot to prove. We as a group have a lot to prove. It's not just individuals. Players play on different teams nowadays. There's so much movement with free agency, salary-cap moves and all of that, so I don't look at it like they have a lot to prove from that perspective or do they have a lot to prove because, ‘Do they have anything left?' when you're certainly talking about Bargnani."

Let's take a quick look at who they're depending on to prove themselves next season:

Shane Larkin (22 years old, entering 3rd season):

This is somebody with a whole lot to show to the Nets and Phil Jackson. He's expected to backup Jarrett Jack this year, but people have their doubts, most notably his former GM of the 17-win Knicks. Despite playing just two seasons, the 5'11" point guard has gotten some flack over his inability to play in the triangle offense.

"Unfortunately," Jackson said, "Shane hasn't grown any since the start of the season."Larkin, a pick & roll point guard, fits the Nets' style much more than the Knicks' triangle offense, one that's been criticized a few times before.

But Larkin doesn't buy into the negative comments. Instead, he embraces them and understands that the situation clearly wasn't right for him. At 22 years old, why can't he strive in a system that's cut out for his style of play?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/adobk89">@adobk89</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MazzESPN">@MazzESPN</a> couldn&#39;t grow in an offense I wasn&#39;t comfortable in. All good. No shade. Glad I&#39;m across the river now. Wish them luck.</p>&mdash; Shane Larkin (@ShaneLarkin_3) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneLarkin_3/status/625767233361416192">July 27, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/prolificdotcom">@prolificdotcom</a> is Steve Nash the same player he was without a P/R.... NO. Who knows what kind of player he turns out to be.</p>&mdash; Shane Larkin (@ShaneLarkin_3) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneLarkin_3/status/625900132463190016">July 28, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Last season he averaged 6.2 points and 3.0 assists in 24 minutes per game. He'll likely own a large role on this Nets' team, backing up Jarrett Jack who also has a lot to prove as a starter. If Jack struggles to initiate his weapons into the offense, Larkin will be relied upon to spread the rock and run the P&R to success.

Wayne Ellington (27 years old, entering 8th season):

Ellington fills a critical need for Brooklyn, three-point shooting, particularly with the loss of Alan Anderson to the Wizards and the questionable status of Mirza Teletovic. Last season he averaged 10 points a game, hitting 90 three-pointers in 68 games. His career shooting percentage is over 38%. He'll be paid $1.9 million for the upcoming season

Take what you want from it, but Ellington's played on five teams in seven seasons - 40 games under Lionel Hollins and the Memphis Grizzlies back in the 2012-2013 season. He's proved himself as a decent shooter who can make a living in this league, but let's see if he can take his game to a level the Nets need him at. Backing up Bojan Bogdanovic or Joe Johnson, he'll be relied on heavily to provide a scoring punch for the second unit.

Thomas Robinson (24 years old, entering 4th season):

The Nets and Robinson have flirted with the idea of a collaboration since T-Rob entered the league. Most recently (as in last season) the Nets reportedly nabbed Robinson off waivers just to get blind-sided by the Philadelphia 76ers so they could get above the CBA salary floor.

It may have been a blessing disguise. The former 5th overall pick built his best career numbers with the Sixers, averaging 8.8 points and 7.7 rebounds. Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated wrote highly of the signing. "Despite having their hands tied by other salary commitments, the Nets scrounged up a great value for the minimum in Robinson."

However, Fred Katz of Bleacher Report offers a different hand, saying the Nets' veteran minimum deal might be the "last chance" Robinson has in the NBA. Here's his list:

• He has always had a reputation of struggling to remember plays...
• He doesn't always stay within his supposed role....
• He doesn't command double-teams. He's not a passer. He's not a creator. He's not dynamic off the dribble. He doesn't have range beyond six or seven feet.
• He's not a threat, and defenses acknowledge that. So, they let him drunkenly steamroll toward the iron. The results often speak for themselves.