Nets Get Physical!!!

No way am I trying to take you back to the early eighties, but even in those days the franchise seemed cursed. Throughout the 1990’s and the new century, the death of Drazen Petrovic, and injuries to key players – Jayson Williams, Kerry Kittles, Kenyon Martin – became synonymous with Nets’ fortunes.

The hiring of Rod Thorn and trade for Jason Kidd turned the tide in the team’s favor and netted multiple dividends, see back-to-back NBA Finals appearances for clarification. Things were rolling smoothly until you know – let’s just call it, a change in philosophy took place.

After last year, one beset by adjusting to a new ownership, coupled with injuries to starters and bench players, the Nets have simply gotten tougher on what constitutes passing a physical.

And, I totally agree. Unless a player is a bona fide, like Vince Carter, every measure should be taken to protect the team’s interest.

With that said, am I the only one glad the team did not get Shareef Abdur Rahim? Hear me out! SAR’s numbers are gaudy like rims on a SUV. I know you’re thinking I am going to state the obvious, in terms of what he did or did not do in Vancouver and Atlanta; and heck, even Portland’s playoff streak ended when he came to town.

SAR”s first 3 NBA stops:

Vancouver moved shortly after – so obviously that’s not his fault. Coincidentally, how good is Vince Carter being able to carry a Canadian team that early in his career? That’s another day’s talk…

Atlanta lost its soul as an NBA franchise after what they did to Dominique Wilkins. Yeah, they had a few more years when they were on the brink of teetering making a playoff push here and there. Then they got swept by the Knicks in 1999, who obviously didn’t heed caution, and turned around and pulled an Atlanta – trading a lifelong dedicated superstar for piecemeal.

Why did Portland trade for SAR? To get rid of Rasheed Wallace and try to shed an image? Possibly! Is that SAR’s fault they had him playing behind Zach Randolph and he became the first veteran casualty of the Trailblazers’ youth movement.? Of course not!

So why no cheer for the Nets trying to sign him to a modest deal? I look at the team, division and conference. At positions 1, 2, and 3 (starters), the Nets are a solid offensive force who with Kidd’s lead will play solid D throughout. On the front line, Jason Collins knows his role and does a fine job but often times last year he seemed like a guy who (for lack of a better term) needed a role model. So does Nened Krstic!

These two young big men need a veteran or other young player who is a firebrand. A technical foul-getter. A guy who other players fear might swing first. Kenyon was that. SAR is not. Even in games when Kmart got only 15 points and 12 rebounds, best believe the other team’s front line did not dominate – even if they scored or rebounded more than the Nets did.

I am not saying the Nets doctors doctored the result but I think some basketball analysis went into the decision, with perhaps a nudge, after some reevaluating from Thorn. So that’s why Marc Jackson makes so much sense.

Don’t be surprised if he returns to "form" and goes for 12 to 15 a night coupled with 8 to 10 boards. This is the first time since his stint with the Golden State Warriors that he will not be asked to take a total backseat to other frontline players like he did in Minny and Philly.

The thing I like about Thorn is his appetite for destruction. He sees what other teams have and he not only wants to build his own - he thinks of ways to undermine his competition. He went out on a very thin limb to grab Robert Traylor as another bulky guy for the middle.

Again, the Nets saw something they didn’t like! No not in his physical! You don’t sign a guy nicknamed “Tractor” thinking he’s going to be the embodiment of physical fitness. Thorn felt he needed a guy to bang with Shaq & Mourning; Ben & Rasheed; all the while taking something away from Cleveland.

The basis of not passing Tractor has to do with his inability to play above the rim and at full-speed the way Kidd runs the break. At that time as constituted, none of the Net’s big men could really run on the break and spot up for a 3pointer.

After passing up Traylor, the Nets signed Scott Padgett and Lamond Murray – athletic enough to run and proven outside threats to go with the wily but much slowed veteran Cliff Robinson.

At the 4 & 5 the Nets have offensive talent (Krstic), bangers (Collins and Jackson) and outside threats (Robinson, Padgett and Murray).

Still not convinced? Why make all these moves when the team could have simply signed SAR? SAR at the mid-level or slightly above for 5 years would be impossible to trade, whereas any of the recent acquisitions can be packaged for what will eventually be Thorn’s biggest move.

What is it? See you next time on Nothin but Nets…

In the meantime hit me up with a comment and let’s politik on what on paper seems to be a near-conference championship caliber team.