Roster - Brooklyn Nets

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Season Review

Every year, we like to go take a minute to look back on the season that each of our players had and assign a grade. This will be a lot more fun as a 50 win team, as opposed to the 20 win team we've been in the past few seasons! Despite that, it will be a bit odd with all of the turnover the team experienced because some of the guys that helped us get there aren't around any more.

Justin Anderson - I

Anderson gets an incomplete for the portion of the season he spent with the Nets. He was a smaller piece of the Cousins deal and is seen as more of a long term project. He's still got two seasons left on his rookie deal and a great set of physical tools to work with - at this point the Nets are just waiting to see if he turns into anything. Especially with the Nets' salary situation - a guy on a cheap rookie deal for a couple of season is ideal.

Donatas Motiejunas - C

Donatas pretty much did exactly what he was brought in to do. The Nets acquired him in the middle of negociations to bring in Love and DeRozan. The concern at the time was that Love would be out for a few weeks and they would only have 3 healthy players over 6'7", and none of them really power forwards. The options were pretty limited because the Nets didn't want to send out much of value and they didn't have any money available to absorb a contract. He had some decent games in the handful that the Nets really needed him for and helped them stay together through the home stretch into the playoffs.

James Ennis - B

Ennis really exceeded expectations after being brought in half way through the season as part of the DeAndre Jordan deal. He was really a bit of an afterthought to make the deal work out salary and roster-wise, but only took a couple of weeks to make his impact felt. His stats don't jump off of the page, but he actually started on the wing during their biggest winning streak of the season. James is on a cheap contract for one more year, so he should be back in town - but the Nets have a big of a logjam on the wings with nobody really standing out at this point.

E'Twaun Moore - C

Some of this lower grade is because the Nets overpaid for Moore a bit - not horribly, but enough that they were obviously expecting a lot. The logic at the time was that he would start at the two alongside Bledsoe while Middleton was out and then allow them the flexibility shift him to the point on the bench. He's a good combo guard, and a personal favorite of the GM but with two great point guards on the roster, he's going to need to make a strong case for starting at the two in order for his contract to be worthwhile. Eight million per season is reasonable by NLL standards for what he brings - but no team has more money invested in their top 5 guys than the Nets and there are other contracts to pay this summer. Numbers-wise he feels like he may be the odd man out, but we will see.

Tony Snell - B

Snell had a very similar time with the Nets to James Ennis. He came to the Nets at the deadline and adds to the crowded wing spot on the roster. He started a couple of weeks at the end of the season and had some great games and a good winning streak during that stretch. He's due for a huge raise this summer, so similar to Moore, the Nets are going to have to decide whether or not they see him as a key piece going forward. If they don't see him as a possible starter or first wing off the bench, then he'll be a very likely sign and trade candidate.

Kyle O'Quinn - B+

Believe it or not, O'Quinn is now the longest tenured player on the Nets. He came in as part of the deal that saw DeMarcus land in Brooklyn and hasn't even popped up in any trade rumors since - a rarity for a Nets player. This was easily Kyle's most productive season in the NLL - appearing in all 82 games and he even showing some versatility starting a few games and also playing some power forward. He has a team-friendly long-term contract and is well liked in the organization he's probably the non-star player who is least likely to leave.

Mason Plumlee - B

Mason was added as a secondary part of the Love/DeRozan deal and was seen as a big addition despite his impending free agency. He started every game this season - until he arrived in Brooklyn. He seemed to fit in well though, increasing his efficiency and productivity in his bench role. With Jordan and Love holding down the starting frontcourt spots, it is possible that the Nets look to see what the sign and trade market for Plumlee looks like if his asking price gets too high - the Nets really like him, but with their starters making huge money, they can't afford to have too many guys on the bench making 8 figures.

Caris LeVert - B+

After falling all of the way to the end of the first round, the Nets were giddy to pick up the injury-riddled prospect from Michigan. Caris spent the entire season as the only rookie on the team after the Nets traded their own lottery pick and took a stash player with their other late first. Caris started games in a few weeks and averaged 13 points/game in them, he also spent some weeks watching from the sidelines, and eventually settled into a sixth man role. He really disappointed in the playoffs - but he showed a ton of promise and already looks like a huge steal. With three years left on his super-cheap deal, fans loving him, and a possible starting job in his future - the Nets really have no reason to move him.

Eric Bledsoe - B

It's crazy to think that Bledsoe came into this season coming off of a huge surgery and rehab process. Other than mysteriously shutting him down for three weeks during the home stretch of the playoff race, he played in all 70 games and 6 playoff games. Coming into the season the consistent health alone would have gotten him an A - but with success always increases expectations. At the time of the deal, it seemed like the Nets overpaid - a potential top 5 pick and a more healthy and somewhate equivalent player (Avery Bradley), but the Pelicans overacheived and Bradley spent a lot of the season injured. He deferred to teammates a lot and didn't really seem to click until the playoffs, where he improved in nearly every category. The playoffs really gave some hope that this starting five could work as currently configured. That, along with his cheap contract for how good he is and being just at the start of his prime, has him poised to stay a part of the Nets - even with another great point guard in town.

Goran Dragic - B+

Dragic had a great year for the Nets. He was a bit of a surprise acquisition after the team invested so much to get Eric Bledsoe. But the Pacers were looking to rebuild a bit and the veteran point guard wasn't part of their plan. They unloaded a lot of younger guys to bring him in, but he really played well both on and off the ball, starting and off of the bench. Dragic has an affordable long term contract for now. He hasn't started to decline at all, looking better than ever this season - but at 31, he may start to show his age by the end of the three years he has left on this deal.

DeMar DeRozan - A

If there is a such thing as a replacement MVP - this guy is it. After hearing more about MVP Cousins than even the winning record, fans were stunned to see him out of town. DeRozan came to town and immediately lit up the score board. He's on a four year deal and while it is unrealistic to forcast any NLL player playing out a four year deal with the same team - it's hard to see him leaving any time soon. He's exactly what they need and fits in with the existing pieces tremendously.

Kevin Love - A-

While DeMar was the biggest piece in the Cousins deal, Love was the one that made it happen. In the post-deadline press conference, wizkid said that he felt that Love could do everything that Cousins did within the system because with DeAndre in the middle, DeMarcus was playing on the perimeter a lot more. Love got back weeks earlier than expected and averaged 20 and 10 even as the fourth option. He is the perfect compliment to DeAndre and DeMar both, due to his floor spacing ability - if those two are kept around, Love ought to be around with them.

DeAndre Jordan - A+

DeAndre came in and just destroyed it. He averaged 12 and 13 on nearly 80% shooting. Somehow his free throw shooting was pretty solid during the season - but then HALVED during the playoffs (62% down to 31%... geez). He was so good and dominant, that he made Cousins somewhat replaceable. He has a player option after next season, which could make things interesting - but history has proven that sending somebody to his house is sure to keep him around, even if he's already committed to sign elsewhere.

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