Nets: Most Smartest Team In the League?

[EGarrett]

Greg Anthony says so.

And as I was thinking about it...I realize that to my knowledge...though he may not always make home run deals...Rod Thorn has NEVER made a bad move as Nets GM.

Eddie Griffin for Richard Jefferson AND Jason Collins - Considered insane at the time, it's turned out to be one of the most one-sided ripoffs in NBA history. Griffin has busted, and even came BACK to the Nets as a free agent. They decided they didn't want him. According to Thorn, his second choice for the third player (after Brandon Armstrong) was Gilbert Arenas. Scary.

Stephon Marbury for Jason Kidd - Nuff said. Ripoff quality.

MacCulloch/Van Horn for Mutombo - Doesn't seem good, but remember, MacCulloch retired the very same season, sticking the Sixers with his contract.

Viktor Khryapa for 3 million dollars cash - Sweet.

Kenyon Martin for 3 First Round Picks - People thought it was a bad move, it's turning out great. Nuggets are trying to move Martin. Nets used one of those picks for the next deal...

Aaron Williams/Eric Williams/1st Round pick for Vince Carter - Nuff said. Pure ripoff.

NOT bringing in Shareef Abdur-Rahim - I was really against it. But Reef has been injured on and off and his averages are actually worse than Krstic.

[Riot]

This thread certainly isn't the "Most Smartest"

[cyanide]

Interesting, very interesting. They have an excellent backcourt, pretty much an all-star line-up in Carter, Jefferson and Kidd, but really, there's only so much they can do without a strong frontcourt.

[Gedas]

Well, you look at the trades and you start to realise that some GM's don't have a brain. VC for A. Williams+E. Williams and a first round pick? Now that's a stupid trade for Toronto.

[Fresh8]

But VC was acting up in Toronto... what other offer did they get for him?

[Doobie]

I know there was a package with NY , just don't know who was offered . I know it was probably better then the Nets offer.

[killer_cr0ss0ver]

i was enlightened by this one...

[air gordon]

haha, riot, good catch
i give props to Thorn for some good moves. but...

not acquiring Abdur-Rahim was a bad move talent wise. the nets post game is inconsistent and that's probably holding them back from being a Eastern Conf. powerhouse

Krstic has been awfully inconsistent this season. only until this past week or so has Krstic started stringing together some solid games. coincidentally now people are chirping about Krstic

Abdur-Rahim may or may not have been injurd had he been brought in. but he is a solid, consistent player when he's getting the time. his stats as a starter blows Krstic's out of the water

Thorn was probably hesitant about giving a fairly sized contract to player with injury issues after the Mourning fiasco. Geez what a blunder that was- they didn't even require him to take a physical- they just gave him a contract

and he brought in Marc Jackson instead haha.

not too mention- ever since Anthony Johnson left, NJ hasn't had a reliable backup for Jason Kidd (although Vaughn always lights up the Bulls)

[EGarrett]

Actually, if you had looked at the link in question, you might have realized that I phrased it that way on purpose.

Greg Anthony wrote "most smartest..."

[Masilo]

Actually, if you had looked at the link in question, you might have realized that I phrased it that way on purpose.

Greg Anthony wrote "most smartest..."

Yeah. More better to use correct grammar, eh?

[Andrew]

I still don't know if I'd call the Kenyon Martin trade a great move. Thorn was able to recover and work some other magic in the wake of that deal though, so it hasn't worked out as badly for New Jersey as most people predicted. Basically, Thorn has made some very wise moves and hasn't done too badly on the moves that were gambles (whether you call them calculated risks or sheer luck is a matter of personal opinion). He's definitely one of the better GMs in the league right now.

And of course, I have to throw in the fact he picked Michael Jordan in 1984 rather than going big with Perkins, Thorpe or Willis. A selection that worked out OK for Chicago, even if Thorn himself didn't predict great things at the time.

[NNpF]

I'm still not over the fact that they dismantled the team that made it to the finals two years in a row, I have to honestly say I prefer that team then the one the Nets have now. Even if the current team is playing very well and, with some additions, has the potential to be a championship team again.

And I'm also not to pleased with the selection of Antoine Wright. There were so many more options and I was really hoping they would draft Hakim Warrick.

[Fitzy]

of course they are the smartest team

[j.23]

they sealed the smartest team monicker when they let ron mercer go

[Laxation]

theyve made some good moves, but as someone else said, without a good frontcourt theyre not a chance in the east.

[cklitsie]

They've made some questionable moves as well, like the aforementioned Mourning signing, not getting 'Reef, drafting Antoine Wright (over way more well-known and proven players).

And if I had been NJ's GM at that time, I would've done anything to keep K-Mart. I don't exactly remember the reasons why K-Mart wanted to leave/was traded, but on the court, he and Kidd (and maybe Jefferson for a little bit) were just amazing. It was like Nash and Amare almost (ok, so Amare>Martin but you know what I mean).

Wouldn't have been very likely but imagine VC in there too, with Martin, Kidd and Jefferson..

[H Rock]

Well, you look at the trades and you start to realise that some GM's don't have a brain.

Actually, it just goes to show you how much judging potential of players is not an exact science. It's almost like gambling, in a way.

[The X]

I still like the selection of Antoine Wright out of Texas A&M....I still like the kid

[Its_asdf]

Yeah, Wright just hasn't been getting the chance to prove himself. He's an athletic wing player with range, so I honestly think that he can do some damage in New Jersey's system if he's given the minutes.

[EGarrett]

They've made some questionable moves as well, like the aforementioned Mourning signing, not getting 'Reef, drafting Antoine Wright (over way more well-known and proven players).

Wright might not turn out well, but we can't make the call yet really.

The Mourning deal made the VC deal possible. And Mourning can still play, so I don't see how it turned out bad. Mourning's attitude might have been the only problem.

And if I had been NJ's GM at that time, I would've done anything to keep K-Mart. I don't exactly remember the reasons why K-Mart wanted to leave/was traded, but on the court, he and Kidd (and maybe Jefferson for a little bit) were just amazing. It was like Nash and Amare almost (ok, so Amare>Martin but you know what I mean).

Wouldn't have been very likely but imagine VC in there too, with Martin, Kidd and Jefferson..

But if you had done anything to keep K-Mart, you wouldn't have had the money to pay Carter and Jefferson.

Krstic, Martin, Jefferson, Carter and Kidd is a dream five, but it would be totally impossible.

[maes]

I wouldn't give away the Einstein awards so easily.

Eddie Griffin was a predicted top 5 early on, an athletic 6'10" who could run the floor, block shots, and legitimate range on his shot. When his personal issues came out, his stock was in total freefall. Team by team decided to pass on him in the draft, and NJ wasn't any different. Houston wanted to ignore the off-court issues, and got burned. Houston was stupid for ignoring what every other GM had already decided.

VC was a "something or nothing" trade. VC was going to leave, and Toronto could let his contract expire or get something out of it. This is the same situation as trading Odom for Shaq. When GMs know a star is forcing a trade, they don't offer much. I wouldn't call the Maloofs brilliant for getting Artest for Peja, the 2nd best offer was Troy Murphy

Kidd has to be shipped out of Phoenix for hitting his wife. Phoenix is not a big metropolis, it's a small city and that kinds of news was everywhere.

The only legitimate move that wasn't forced by off-court issues was not paying K-Mart that huge contract. And even that's debatable, because the K-Mart Nets went farther into the playoffs than the VC Nets (so far of course).

[R.J.]

I think that the Martin deal, like Andrew said, wasn't really one sided. The Kidd and Martin combination, you remember, brought them to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances.

[gifted]

Many can agree that Thorn is one of the shrewdest when it comes to this business though. He and Stefanski were influenced into trading K-Mart by Ratner, so I couldn't hold that completely against him. He's made some great moves for the franchise, and he brought a team known for losing into a playoff-bound team almost every season.

Krstic has been playing extremely well and consistently the past 10 or so games. When Krstic is playing well and the team is playing defense, they seems unstoppable.

It'll be interesting to see what type of moves Nets management pulls during the summer. The need for a frontcourt help and depth still need to be addressed, but Kidd is only getting older.

The Kidd and Martin combination, you remember, brought them to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances.

It wasn't only Martin, but Kittles was just as important in my opinion. He was the only perimeter option for the Nets and was a great finisher on the break. He also was the reason why that squad had possibly the best defensive backcourt during the time. Anthony Johnson, Lucious Harris, Mutombo, and KVH were all solid and consistent contributors.

I still think the trade turned out great for the fact that K-Mart's been battling injuries ever since he's landed in Denver.

[The_Flying_Tomato]

i was just gonna say

anyone remember keith van horn

[fgrep15]

I'm still not over the fact that they dismantled the team that made it to the finals two years in a row, I have to honestly say I prefer that team then the one the Nets have now. Even if the current team is playing very well and, with some additions, has the potential to be a championship team again.

And I'm also not to pleased with the selection of Antoine Wright. There were so many more options and I was really hoping they would draft Hakim Warrick.

That team was nice and all, but the East was also weaker then. They were definately not going to make the finals or even be at the same level they were with how the East improved.