The way the Nets offense muddled through most of the season, it’s safe to say that a tighter defensive system could have saved a few games down the stretch and perhaps nabbed them a playoff spot. Early on through this season however, through voluntary practices, the team seems to be taking the necessary steps to becoming a more than solid defensive team.

With a team this young, it’s good they’re shooting for an identity early on and considering the voluntary practices have been going on for quite some time, it’s quite possible that the team could come into camp stronger than the other teams they’ll be fighting for a playoff spot with.

Add in a few young faces like Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez, alongside veterans Eduardo Najera, Bobby Simmons, Jarvis Hayes and Keyon Dooling, who all have something to prove on offense and it’s easy to see that this could be an energetic group of guys that have the speed, depth and size to challenge for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

“Defense,” said Najera, told Yahoo Sports. “We’re emphasizing it every day, and you can see the strides. We want that as our identity, especially now, because we’re young and that’s the one thing that you can do together as a team. We’re aware of that. It’s what we want to accomplish, to be known as a defensive team.”

Well, it may not be the most exciting type of basketball to watch if you’re a fan or member of the media, but it may be just what the doctor ordered for this young team. It would be way too easy to try and let Devin Harris, Vince Carter and the youngsters who can shoot go out there and have a grand ole time on the court, running up insane amounts of turnovers and sometimes points on the scoreboard. However, showing restraint and playing a smart game, especially on the defensive end, may play a part in maturation factor of many of these young players, giving Nets coach Laurence Frank an opportunity to take more chances down the stretch and let the guys off the chains as the season develops.

Setting a sort of sublimely mandated system like this, focusing more on the defensive game will also take plenty of pressure off of Carter on offense and instead should build a kind of team camaraderie very quickly. Will it play a part in the team making the playoffs this season? I think it’s too early to tell just yet, but it should be interesting to watch develop as the season progresses.

Over the past few years, NBA pundits and analysts alike referred to Richard Jefferson, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter as the New Jersey Nets’ “Big Three.” With two-thirds of the trio now gone, I take a look at the players that have the biggest opportunity to become the driving force in the team’s rebuilding process and become members of the “New Big Three.”

Devin Harris- I think this is the obvious choice for the second member of the “New Big Three.” Finally establishing himself away from the likes of Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas, Harris proved that he could lead an offense if he had to. Now with a cup of a coffee under his belt and more than enough time to get adjusted in New Jersey, Harris should have the best season of his young career this season.

The rest of these aren’t so easy to assess however. Nevertheless, here are my choices for those who may eventually take up the final spot:

Ryan Anderson- I really like his shooting ability and while I wasn’t originally thrilled that the Nets got rid of Boki Nachbar, I see Anderson filling in just fine for him and providing plenty of depth in a sixth man type role. With Josh Boone stepping up his play last season and guys like Sean Williams needing time on the court, I think it’s fair to say that Anderson will be playing 20-25 minutes a game at power forward.

Brook Lopez- While Boone played well at center last season, I see him moving over to power forward and splitting time with a host of other players. Lopez, however, I see being the team’s go to guy at center, playing about 25-30 minutes a game. Chances are, if his defense can be solid enough, he could turn into a solid center that can score 10-13 PPG and nab about six to eight rebounds.

Yi Jianlian- Billed as an international star on the team’s official website, Yi will have the same opportunity as Harris this season. Can he live up to the hype and be what the Nets need? Let me just say this, Yi will not be able to replace Jefferson, but I do think he’s another guy that can and will score 10-13 points a game this season.

Chris Douglas-Roberts- Because of his ability to play both guard and forward, I think DR may get more playing time than Yi and Anderson. His offensive ability combined with that versatility make him an interesting guy to watch as well.

Final Verdict:

The days of the big three are over.

They never nabbed the Nets a championship and now it’s time to move forward with young players. These guys may not have the star power of Kidd and Jefferson, but they’ll be fun to watch. That combined with the other pickups the team has made will give the team more depth than they had last season and will make the season an interesting one.

Photo from BrookLopez.info

After parting ways with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, the already mediocre Nets could have done one of two things: make a splash in a relatively stale free agent class or begin to build the future. Bringing in a stable core of veterans, noted for their character and work ethic, along with drafting three quality players who provide depth and some missing dynamism, the Nets are hopefully building what will be a team that can eventually make the playoffs and thrive on a consistent basis.

With players the likes of Eduardo Najera, Jarvis Hayes, Keyon Dooling and Bobby Simmons on the bench, the Nets will have plenty of depth, especially at the guard and forward positions. Add in rookies Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson and Chris Douglas-Harris with an already young group of guys such as Sean Williams, Josh Boone and Yi Jianlian and it’s easy to see how much potential the Nets have.

However with such potential, there lies a problem. How do all of these players get the necessary playing time they need to be effective? Much like the Jamaal Magloire situation last season, just because you’ve had success playing in other cities, doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be successful in New Jersey. Nets coach Laurence Frank is known to play favorites [can anyone remember why Jason Collins was even allowed on the floor last season?], so with that being said, who will suffer because of it? Everyone knows that Vince Carter and Devin Harris are locks in the starting lineup, but after that it’s pretty much a crap shoot.

So how exactly does this benefit the team? What I believe is simple: Someone is going to have t step up and take a starting spot. Much like Boone established himself last season after Nenad Krstic couldn’t get it done, someone off the bench needs to make it undeniably clear that they want to be a starter in this league. Otherwise, the mixing and matching will start and the Nets won’t be able to gel.

Simply put, many of the players on this team are used to playing at least 20 minutes a game. How Frank gets everyone the playing time they need to thrive is going to be very tough. Nevertheless, that kind of pressure is nothing uncommon for an NBA coach. In spite of that though, it should be interesting to see who is one the court for the opening tip-off.

Photo by FanNation.com

Continuing the recent trend on the site of breaking down the Nets youngsters, I figured today would be as good a day as any to discuss Chris Douglas Roberts, the team’s third pick in the 2008 draft and 40th overall. Swing man by trade, Douglas-Roberts has gotten better every season in college and now looks to give the Nets another option off the bench in his first professional season.

Rival.com’s Jerry Meyer in late 2004-

“A wiry combo guard, Douglas-Roberts is a limited athlete with his lack of strength, but he compensates for it with great body control and a very good feel for the game. A mediocre outside shooter with a release from the left side of his body, he prefers to slash to the basket and is very good at finishing. While he can play point on offense, he struggles guarding penetrators on the perimeter.”

A scouting report taken from the Toronto Raptors website just before the 2008 draft-

Strengths: Crafty scorer who finds ways to put the ball in the basket. Excels in the mid-range game and knows how to use the glass to convert opportunities. Uses long wingspan to his advantage on the defensive end. Plays well in big games.

DraftExpress.com April 2, 2008-

Douglas-Roberts is widely expected to declare for the draft this year, and definitely has a strong case to be drafted in the first round, possibly even the top-20. His versatile offensive skills, combined with his size, length, outstanding instincts and overwhelmingly impressive numbers lead you to believe that he will have a long and successful NBA career, particularly when you take into account his intangibles, which are reportedly outstanding. He has a strong work ethic, is an excellent teammate, is very well-spoken, and has a will to succeed and win that can’t be taught.

What I think:

Jerry Meyer’s scouting report, when combined with the information from DraftExpress.com tells a story of a hard-working player that wants to thrive in the NBA. In addition to praising his numbers and instincts, DraftExpress.com also talks about his improved three-point shooting, something that Meyer wasn’t impressed by when Douglas-Robert was in High School. The same thing goes for his defensive ability.

This season, I see Douglas-Roberts playing about 20 minutes a game, playing both guard and forward. However, with the Nets picking up a bevy of bench players this season, Douglas-Roberts is going to have to work extremely hard to separate himself on the court. If his work-ethic and team-first attitude is any indication, I see him thriving, but I feel like the rest of the league won’t consider him a real factor until after th All-Star break, after Nets coach Laurence Frank sees what the rest of the team is capable of.

Photo from Rivals.com

The Nets second pick in the 2008 draft, Ryan Anderson will be thrown in the forward/center mix this season. But what should Nets fans expect from him on the court? In addition to discussing my own thoughts on the youngster in this post, I’ve also gotten a few scouting reports to see what everyone else thinks.

Enjoy!

Steve Lourie from AssociatedContent.com:

Ryan Anderson should be a good rebounder on the next level even though he’s not big. He’s a great passer for a big man. He can shoot really well and is deadly from the mid range area facing the basket. He’s not great with his back to the basket, turning around and shooting the jumper, but he can improve. He’s not a great natural athlete. He should be able to score fairly well in the NBA. Even though he is just 6-9, he has a Dirk Nowitski esque release point so his lack of height won’t hurt his shot.

They also say that if he develops the way he should, he’ll end up being a shorter Troy Murphy. If he doesn’t pan out, they see him as an Austin Croshere clone.

NBADraft.net:

NBA Comparison:Austin Croshere

Strengths: Prolific scorer with a wide array of offensive skills … A 6-10 forward with advanced inside/outside skills … Very effective facing the basket from 15-18 feet… Gets his shot off with ease with his height and quick release … Has tremendous range out past the college 3 point line and solid consistency … A tough match up on the college level with his ability to take bigs outside, and post up quicker forwards … A strong rebounder due to his length, toughness and positioning … Has an excellent feel for the game with solid passing ability and decision making … Has the ability to create offense for himself off the dribble … Uses spin moves and drop steps effectively … Never forces things, takes what the defense gives him … Dropped 15 pounds from his senior year in high school and has significantly improved upon his agility … Retains the toughness he developed playing center in high school … Gives great effort on both ends of the floor …

Jeff Fox on CollegeHoops.net:

Ryan Anderson has had a stellar collegiate career thus far but his game and body need more work for the NBA. Another year in college to work on his strength and defense would be his best bet, especially considering he isn’t a guaranteed first round pick at this point.

My thoughts:

While I love the comments from the first two sites and I believe that Anderson has the ability to be a good option off the bench, I totally agree with Fox in the fact that I think Anderson could fill out a little bit more. Right now, he’s rangy, which will help him move around and help on both ends of the court, but he lacks the size to survive the wear and tear of an NBA player that plays 20 plus minutes a game at this point. Nevertheless, I can’t say enough about his shooting ability and that is the reason why I think the Nets will let him get bumped around a bit in the early season. He’ll have some lessons to learn, but I think once his body catches up to his mind, he’ll eventually crack the starting lineup.

Photo by the University of California.

With camp starting in a few weeks, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the Nets rookie Brook Lopez, who along with Chris Douglas-Roberts and Ryan Anderson, who could turn into the next “Big Three” if it all works out right.

After a great college career in Stanford that garnered him Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 (07), All-Pac-10 Freshman Team (07), McDonald’s All-American – high school (06) and Third Team Parade All-American (06) honors, Lopez will be expected to share power forward and center duties with Josh Boone, Sean Williams and maybe even fellow rookie Ryan Anderson.

Jeff Fox on CollegeHoops.Net did a great scouting report on Lopez before the draft that praises him for being a tough cookie in the post and having a sweet jump hook shot. He also talks about his size, which at seven feet is impressive and at only 20, can get even better. However, Fox, does a great job of pointing out that Lopez missed a bunch of games last season and may not have the polish he needs to thrive in the NBA right away.

MyNBADraft.com is a little bit more negative on the big guy, saying that Lopez needs to develop his offensive game, but also states that his size and athleticism should be in the NBA for the next eight to 10 years regardless of what he accomplishes.

Hopefully for Nets fans, he sticks around a little longer than that.

I on the other hand have a bit of a different opinion on Lopez. I believe that the youngster has the ability and the look of a future NBA star. Considering how the league is starved for talented and marketable seven footers that aren’t named Duncan, Lopez may have came into the league at exactly the right time.

However, he’ll have to develop his game and work extremely hard to be noticed on the Nets. Ryan Anderson is a damn good shooter and Sean Williams showed a ton of promise with his blocking ability last season. Speaking of promise, Josh Boone grew leaps and bounds as an all-around player last season and looks focused on remaining in the starting lineup. That means Lopez is going to have to play a well-rounded game and be someone the team can depend on.

It’s not going to be easy for him, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

Photo by the Stanford Daily

When Devin Harris was originally traded to the Nets, many saw it as a new beginning for both him and the team.

Being the replacement to one of the greatest point guards in NBA history is no easy task however and while Harris’ play with the Nets was easily comparable to that of Kidd’s in Dallas the rest of the season, the team didn’t make the playoffs.

Making the playoffs every season while with Dallas, Harris is ready to bring the same type of success to the Nets this season.

Recently interviewed by the team’s official site Harris talked about the team’s offseason moves that will play a pivotal part in helping the team get back into the post-season.

“With anybody in the NBA, as far as veterans, you see what they are capable of doing and what they had been brought in for,” Harris told the Nets official site. “Keyon is a great energy guy that comes off the bench. He puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the ball; he can run a team up and down the floor. Jarvis Hayes, [is]obviously coming in to make shots; he’s a shooter. Najera, who I was a big fan of, is one of those dirty work guys; rebounding, defense and doing more of the physical game down low. Some of the rookies coming in I’ve seen a lot of. I watched a lot of Brook at Stanford. Ryan can make shots and CDR [Chris Douglas-Roberts] is more of an all around player. I see Bobby (Simmons) all summer long. We work out together all the time in Chicago.”

Where do I begin with this?

This guy is not only a student of the game, you can also tell that he’d make a great coach one day. Between watching college basketball enough to know his new teammates games and having no problem talking about the Nets new additions, it’s obvious that Harris is dedicated to a cause: building a successful team in New Jersey.

With more of an opportunity this season and more time to understand the workings of the Nets offense, I expect Harris to have a career year in 09 and to continue to prove anyone in the NBA wrong that thought he was just an extra piece in Dallas.

With Richard Jefferson in Milwaukee and Vince Carter getting on in years, Devin Harris is one of the new faces of the Nets and like Carter, will have to become a leader as well this season.

By the look of his comments on the team’s official site, that process has already begun.

Photo by NBA.com

Of the 16 players on the Nets roster right now, nine of them have less than two years experience at the pro level. Of the eight that have played significantly at the pro level, only Darrell Armstrong [a free agent who's chances of sticking with the team look very doubtful] and Vince Carter have ten years or more experience. Then you have a guy like Keith Van Horn, who is on the roster because he forgot to sign his retirement papers.

So considering all of this, what can Nets fans expect from this team this season?

As I’ve said in previous posts, Vince Carter is going to have to be a leader. He’s going to be asked to do everything he does on the court and them some, in addition to helping these kids, guys like Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson and Chris Douglas-Roberts get their feet wet and get them to produce very quickly. If they don’t then they’ll get less time on the court and guys like Yi Jianlian, Josh Boone and Sean Williams will have to take center stage.

For a guy like Jianlian, who Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe has compared to Dirk Nowitzki, it’s time to prove the Nets got their monies worth when they dealt away their leading scorer Richard Jefferson a few months ago.

The same thing goes for Devin Harris, who now has an opportunity to be a leader and convince the pundits in the NBA that he’s more than a secondary scorer who doesn’t have the consistency to be a legitimate threat on both sides of the ball.

Josh Boone can continue to develop as a center and a guy who has become a much better shooter and rebounder since entering the league. Sean Williams can get back to the play he exhibited during the first half last season and be more than a guy who can stuff the ball down your throat if you give him an opportunity.

And if these guys manage to falter down the stretch, Keyon Dooling, Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes will get opportunities to get the playing time they haven’t gotten in other organizations.

Will it all work out in the Nets favor? It’s too early to tell to be honest, but it’s obvious that for the first time in a very long time, the Nets have options up and down the roster, instead of relying on the “big three.”

It’s going to be a different feeling for Nets fans this season, but it should be interesting to say the very least.

He may have averaged four less points a game last season and shown signs of losing a step, but Vince Carter is now the Nets only bona-fide superstar.

Say goodbye forever to “The Big Three” and hello to the “Vince Carter and Friends show.”

With all the moves the team has made this off-season, Carter knows this may be the unveiling of a new chapter in his career that may put him in an unlikely role, the leader.

From the look of it, it seems like he’s ready to go and make the most of it.

“I never questioned what they’re doing and I definitely wanted to be here,” said Carter to Yahoo Sports. “It’s the way it goes. It’s the business of basketball. Sometimes guys get moved who didn’t want to. You have to accept it and I’m going to make the best of it. This is my opportunity to step up and be a leader on and off the court.”

With all the youngsters and bench players on the team this season, Carter knows this team is a bit tricky to dissect. Nevertheless, he understands the situation and knows that if players produce, the Nets have an opportunity to control their season more than anyone in the NBA currently thinks.

“We all have something to prove,” Carter told Yahoo Sports. “It’s an opportunity for those guys who weren’t starters or didn’t play big minutes somewhere else or were shafted or whatever the situation may be to come here and write their own story.”

That story he thinks can be an interesting one.

“The good thing about it is we have a lot of veterans and they know how to adapt, how to make it happen and bring along the young guys,” Carter said to Nets beat writer Julian Garcia on Wednesday.

With a bigger, stronger and more-balanced lineup, Carter can be the leader of a gritty, energetic and upstart bunch of misfits that can challenge for the last two playoff spots in the East. Once the playoffs begin, then it’s wide open territory and the Nets can surprise a few people.

I’m sure that no one expected the Atlanta Hawks of all teams to give the Boston Celtics a run for their money in the playoffs last season, so if the Nets put themselves in a situation in the playoffs against a team they match up well against, this season has the possibility of getting quite exciting.

According to the PA Sports Ticker, Nets free agent Nenad Krstic has decided to head to Europe. Coming off an injury plagued season that limited him to just 6.4 points a game, Krstic and his agent Marc Cornstein were unable to land the former rising star a mid-level contract with an NBA franchise, according to ESPN, which necessitated the move from the NBA.

Now with the Triumph Moscow, Krstic got the kind of money no one would pay him in the NBA at almost nine million a season and will have two years to get his act together before making another possible return to the NBA.

While Krstic is probably enthralled that someone actually thinks he’s worth that kind of money, it’s got to be a bittersweet victory for him. Two seasons ago, Krstic was looking like a future All-Star and someone the Nets could depend on. After a debilitating knee injury however, he was never the same player.

Some Nets fans may have wanted to give him one more go just to make sure, but watching him most of last season, it was obvious; he was done.

The Nets front office can retain his NBA rights by offering him a qualifying offer every season [worth approximately 2.7 million], but as of right now, they’ll just wish him the best in his new endeavors.

“We’ll see what happens but eventually I think he’ll go wherever he can get the best deal,” Rod Thorn told the NY Post on July 30. “For now, this was the best deal for him.”

Add in the arrival of Brook Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Ryan Anderson, in addition to the solid play of Josh Boone last season and the continued development of Sean Williams and it was apparent that the Nets didn’t need the big guy anymore either.

In a solid article written by Jonathan Lehman this week for the Post, it seems that these youngsters are ready to prove they belong as well.

“I don’t know if it’s rebuilding, but the Nets organization as a whole is starting over,” Douglas-Roberts said. “I feel this is a great rookie class, especially for the Nets. We’re the sleeper in the East.”

Now the Nets will have an opportunity to give these youngsters a real opportunity to play, which should make training camp very competitive for the team and intriguing for fans.

Like I mentioned in last week’s post, the Nets bench is much deeper than last season and despite eliminating two of the former big three, this team should still be very competitive. Regardless of what many think, the East is a crap shoot every season and as long as the Nets can hover around .500, they’ll have a shot to get in the playoffs.