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Phineas Lambert, Founding Editor, The Back Page
This year’s free agent class is not one replete with talent. In fact, there isn’t a player to be found who could reverse a team’s fortune, save maybe Ray Allen. There is no Tracy McGrady or Kobe Bryant. There is certainly no Tim Duncan or Shaq. Crazy as it may seem, the best free agents available appear to be the moody Allen and perennial loser Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who despite having a 19.8 ppg career scoring average, has never made the playoffs or even played on a winning team. For teams with the talent in place, however, there are role-playing components to add that can seriously strengthen a team. The New Jersey Nets, a team with a talented three-guard lineup but absolutely no inside presence, are one of the teams that could stand to benefit from this year’s free agent pool and amateur draft.
As Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles has adroitly shown, college veterans can be used to sure up lineup holes. They may not be long-term answers (Chris Duhon), but their experience in big time college programs will allow them to contribute right away no matter the situation.
Between free agency and mostly the draft, here’s what I think the Nets can do to improve their team and solve their largest problem: the defection of former power forward Kenyon Martin.
1. Sign Seattle Sonic forward Reggie Evans: Evans is a monster who has demonstrated he can bang on any level. While starring opposite Luke Recker at Iowa, Evans was the most feared rebounder and defender in the Big Ten, maybe even the country. He is the perfect piece for the Nets, the guy who can do the dirty work but doesn’t need shots to be effective, which is an undervalued commodity in the contemporary NBA. With so many questions surrounding the Sonics, including the impending free agency of Ray Allen and coach Nate McMillan, Evans, despite being a restricted free agent, could easily slip through the cracks and not be re-signed.
If the Nets can’t sign Evans, a nice alternative at a good price would be Sacramento Kings forward Darius Songalia, who has good range for a big man, but can also play in the paint, especially when you look at whom he would compete with in the Atlantic.
Either of these two would add some physicality to a porous Net front line. They would also allow Nenad Kristic more freedom to roam on the outside while guarding the lesser of the opposing bigs. If new owner Bruce Ratner can put some money where his mouth is, I would sign both.
2. Draft Carolina forward Sean May: Until I checked recently, NBAdraft.net had May going 18th to the Pacers. Now they have him where I would put him, at #15 to the Nets. Dwyane Wade, Kirk Heinrich, Ben Gordon, Duhon and Luke Ridnour have started a new trend (seems like every trend I talk about features Gordon) of college all stars immediately contributing at the next level. May won’t be a superstar, but I would bet on him against every Atlantic power forward except Toronto’s Chris Bosh.
If May’s not available here on draft night, and I suspect he might not be, I would reach and take Kansas forward Wayne Simien, aka Sean May Lite. If there is anything I am sure of it’s that the best two players from the best two conferences in college ball can have an immediate impact. A good past example to illustrate this idea is former Duke standout Shane Battier, who after starring for the Blue Devils was an influential role player, but not a star, his first year for the Memphis Grizzlies.
3. Trade for another first round draft pick somewhere in the mid-20s and draft Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick: Warrick seems to be in freefall since his Orange flopped in the first round of the NCAA. But he provides great depth late in the first round, and he can back up Vince or RJ at the three and whomever the team signs to play the four. Plus he can jump out of the gym, adding a different style rebounder to the team. Pair him with Kidd and wait for the fireworks.
4. Draft Illinois guard Luther Head with the second-round pick: No pun intended, but he's a heady player. Head, who could not have had a better senior year, is a good ball-handler and scorer and can be a nice combo guard or Iversonian type two to back up always ailing Jason Kidd and VC.
You’re probably looking at this and thinking “How is this going to make the Nets better?” And on first look, you’re right, it might not. But the Nets have one of the top five players at both guard positions and the small forward spot. Those are the guys who are going to take the crucial shots and handle the ball when the game is on the line (and they are locked into long term contracts).
What the Nets need are tough guys to bang the Jermaine O’Neals of the world, annoy the Shaqs (or simply Shaq) and cause problems for them Wallace boys in Detroit. The four moves I mentioned will go a long way to accomplishing these goals. Look at Seattle for example, shooters do the shooting and defenders do the defending, players who, as my former coach Ted Frischling used to say, “know their roles.”
Plus, Jason Kidd makes everyone around him better, which is always nice.
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