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.

Boki Nachbar’s may be headed to Russia, and Marcus Williams is on his way to Golden State, but the Nets seem to be on their own way to putting a competitive team on the court, while simultaneously planning ahead.

Getting a first round pick for Williams, Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe just crossed Chris Mullin over and broke his ankles. After a decent first year with the team, Williams was downright awful last season, earning himself considerable time in coach Laurence Frank’s dog house and finding himself lost in the shuffle. With another first round pick in 2009, the Nets will be able to continue to develop from within, while still having the cap-space necessary to make a big time move in 2010.

Sounds good to me.

However, while the first round pick was a good pickup, the acquisition of Keyon Dooling adds some support for Devin Harris, while giving the Nets bench even more versatility on the bench. With all the draft picks and recent acquisitions, this team is starting to fill out quickly and with the addition of Dooling, looks like it can compete for the last two playoff spots in the East.

“Keyon is a versatile NBA veteran, and we are pleased to add him to our roster,” Nets president Rod Thorn said on Yahoo Sports. “His ability to play both the point and shooting guard positions will add flexibility and depth to our backcourt rotation.”

While I believe Dooling will have a diminished role on the Nets, considering Devin Harris is a lock for big time minutes at point guard and Vince Carter’s tendency to eat minutes at shooting guard, Dooling
will be a competent defensive replacement and scorer off the bench when those guys need a break. Being able to play both guard positions, I feel that Dooling was a pretty good pickup and someone that at the very least, makes the Nets look better on paper.

The Nets feel pretty much the same way, but feel his defensive ability and personality off the court was a perfect fit for their rebuilding team.

“I think it’s more relevant on the defensive end,” Frank said Wednesday to Yahoo Sports. “Keyon is a well-coached player. … I love guys who play with energy, passion and who love to play. He’s a bubbly guy and that’s the way he plays. He’s the same way as a person as he is as a player.”