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.

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.

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.”

I keep hearing all this nonsense about Allan Houston joining the Nets lately.

First I saw something in the Star-Ledger, then I saw something on the Pennsylvania Sports Ticker and now today on Yahoo Sports.

While his chronic knees have probably healed up since he hasn’t played a game in three seasons, is he really worth a guaranteed contract?

I don’t think so.

Even if the Nets manage to sign him for a relatively safe sum, there are still several problems with the former Olympian’s game that need to be addressed however.

Always a defensive liability, even when healthy, Houston’s presence in the Nets lineup won’t be able to help them nearly as much as some hardcore fans think. I mean, it’s obvious that he may be able to provide solid secondary scoring and everyone knows that the Nets could use a guy with a good jumper off the bench since Mikki Moore is gone, but how many minutes is this guy going to be able to get with Vince Carter playing 38 minutes a game?

Not the toughest player on the court either, Houston isn’t going to slotted at small forward anytime soon, meaning that all of his minutes would have to be out of the shooting guard position.

Just because the guy has a name that people remember doesn’t mean that he’ll be able to help this team.

The area where the Nets needed the most help this offseason was getting bigger and by picking up Jamaal Magloire and getting Nenad Krstic back healthy, they’ve successfully done that. Add in a supporting role for guys like Josh Boone, Jason Collins and Sean Williams and it’s easy to see that the Nets will be better on defense and much more aggressive in the paint.

Williams may be more trouble than he’s worth however, failing numerous drug tests in College with barely any offensive game to speak of. However, he’s more athletic than Collins, who is a waste of space at this point in his career. If given a chance, Williams could develop a solid post game in a few years.

Now, notice how I didn’t mention Houston in the last few paragraphs?

Carter, Jefferson and Kidd will provide the Nets with plenty of offense and a 36-year old Houston isn’t really needed.

Stay at ESPN and continue to provide commentary my friend. Your knees feel better lately because you’ve been playing NBA Live for the past three years. Once you start running around again, you’ll have shin splints faster than Antoine Walker and you’ll become an even bigger problem on defense.

It doesn’t matter that you had a great workout last Tuesday workout at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. A workout is a horse of another color compared to a real NBA game.

Your presence would be great for the fans, but how much  you could actually help the team in limited playing time remains to be scene in my mind.