Ian Eagle: Development getting noticed by players, agents

In an interview with WFAN’s Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno, Ian Eagle talked about how the Nets despite their record are getting noticed by players and their agents.

Asked if the Nets, with their projected 30 wins, could consider the season successful, Eagle noted the record is only part of the calculus.

“They won 20 last year. The goal was to improve,” Eagle told Roberts, a big Nets fan. “The goal was to develop players and the general feeling is that they are doing that, that they are taking players and making them better and creating a feeling around the league that Brooklyn could be a stop, a destination along the way, ‘if you want to improve your skills and you want to play in a close-knit atmosphere with a good feeling around the organization, that this might be a place for you.’

“I think they’re starting to succeed with that, with agents and players.”

Of course, in this instance, Eagle was talking about developing players, not superstar free agents.

Eagle also spoke about Spencer Dinwiddie ’s laments about the Nets getting no respect from officials. The YES announcer doesn’t think it will work.

Describing Dinwiddie has “having a breakout year, making some noise around the league,” Eagle cautioned that “my personal viewpoint is you’re not going to get the benefit of the doubt by calling out officials.”

Eagle referred to the moment on YES when Dinwiddie sat on the court after a disputed call, turned to the camera and said, “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

After noting how YES producer Frank DiGraci had done great work in isolating the play, described what happened this way, “The frustration level with those games against Boston and Toronto bubbled over and Dinwiddie understands where the camera is and understands the moment.”

There are limits, Eagle added.

“I think with Dinwiddie, this is a really thoughtful guy. He doesn't say things haphazardly. He’s coming from a place where he believes maybe he can alter the perception from the officials, from the rest of the league and yeah, maybe it does plant the seed, but there has to be a ceiling to it, you can’t be that player you can’t be that team that’s constantly, constantly complaining about it. You have to let your play speak for itself.”