Sports & Perspective
School’s still in session for the young Brooklyn Nets, but their confidence is trending in the right direction.
The Nets have won two in a row, but it’s the way they’ve gone about those wins which indicates the lessons they’ve learned are beginning to payoff. Continue reading “Lessons Learned Begin to Payoff for Nets”
Jahlil Okafor wanted a new home with more playing time, the Brooklyn Nets said come on down.
Okafor got his wish on Thursday, when reports surfaced that the Philadelphia 76ers will trade Okafor, Nik Stauskas and a 2019 second-round pick to the Nets in exchange for forward Trevor Booker. Continue reading “Nets Do It Again With Impressive Trade for Jahlil Okafor”
The Nets may have uncovered a new role for Caris LeVert which can benefit both sides. The youngster is beginning to thrive as a spark in their second unit.
Injuries to Jeremy Lin and D’Angelo Russell have created an opportunity for head coach Kenny Atkinson to settle on a rotation with defined roles.
With Spencer Dinwiddie and Allen Crabbe finding their groove as the new starting backcourt, LeVert has become Atkinson’s energy guy off the bench.
After getting off to a tough start this season finding his shot, Levert is beginning to pick it up. This past week, in a loss to the Celtics, he scored 15 points, on 6-of-7 shooting, in 22 minutes. He followed that up with a 10-point effort, also in 22 minutes, along with four rebounds to help Brooklyn defeat Utah.
LeVert can shoot the three, but he’s now slashing more to the basket and getting high-percentage shots. He has hops and shows it whenever he’s out on the fast break. Atkinson loves his effort on defense.
It shouldn’t go unnoticed LeVert’s improved play also aligns with Dinwiddie taking over as the starting point and Crabbe finding his own comfort zone off the ball. The Nets are beginning to find their rhythm on offense with players becoming more comfortable in their roles.
[irp posts=”396″ name=”Spencer Dinwiddie Has Brought Calm To The Nets”]
At 6’7, he has the tools to excel long-term at whatever role the Nets have for him.
Right now, however, they need his energy off the bench. He can contribute positive minutes from the point, play defense, and create favorable matchups on the perimeter.
He’s taller than Vinnie Johnson, but LeVert has “microwave” potential for the Nets as their sixth man. He has the ability to check into a game and create instant offense with his athleticism.
In this time of transition for LeVert and the Nets, this will only serve as a plus for both sides in the short-term and the bigger picture.
Spencer Dinwiddie is writing one of those feel-good chapters which has become difficult to ignore around the NBA. He’s a key piece for the Brooklyn Nets in their rotation.
For a second consecutive season, the Nets’ backcourt has been ravaged by injuries. The news just broke that lead guard D’Angelo Russell will be out indefinitely after having arthroscopic surgery to his left knee.
Dinwiddie was already receiving more playing time with Jeremy Lin lost for the season to a knee injury. Now with Russell sidelined, the opportunity has widened for the 6’6, 24-year old to take advantage of an unexpected job opening for Brooklyn’s full-time point guard.
If there’s any doubt remaining that Dinwiddie’s up for the challenge, he’s doing his best to erase it one game at a time. He was masterful in a 25-point performance which lead the Nets to a 118-107 win over the Utah Jazz, Friday night at Barclays Center.
Besides the points, a career high, Dinwiddie was everything and more on this night. He also tallied eight assists, five rebounds, and brought a calm and poise to the game for the Nets.
But what stood out the most, in 31 minutes of play, is Dinwiddie registered zero turnovers. It’s another reason he’s earned the trust of his teammates and head coach Kenny Atkinson.
Especially when the Nets began to show signs of slippage in the third quarter. They allowed Utah to slice a 22-point lead down to nine heading into the fourth. That’s when Atkinson went back to his guy.
“That was huge,” Atkinson said afterwards, almost now at a loss for words on how well Dinwiddie’s performed for him. “We got Spencer back in the game to get us organized and stabilized. It’s good for our morale, good for our confidence, but it’s not a surprise. We’ve talked all year that Spencer has made a step in development.”
He’s also on pace for a career high in three-point percentage, he was 6 of 10 against the Jazz.
Dinwiddie’s work ethic and style of play have made him a fan favorite at Barclays. He can break his opponent down off the dribble, but picks his spots when to do so. He’s capable of making the flashy pass but puts an emphasis on making the right one. The team thrives with him on the court.
There’s no denying the improvement across the board in Dinwiddie’s game. When the Nets signed him last December there were plenty of unknowns for where he’d fit in the team’s plans. Give him credit for making his own way by putting in the work.
Dinwiddie isn’t an overnight success story. He’s been putting his time in since the Detroit Pistons used their second round draft pick in 2014 on him.
Through hard work and not giving up on himself, he’s earned every minute the Nets are now trusting him with to be their leader.
The narrative for the basketball landscape in New York City lately has centered around the Knicks and Nets heading in different directions.
The Knicks are under new management with team president Steve Mills and general manager Steve Perry. On the court, the trade of Carmelo Anthony signaled the official beginning of the Kristaps Porzingis era.
Brooklyn is in year two of a massive rebuild which has caught the attention of everyone around the league.
Where the Knicks have struggled with cohesion, the Nets have thrived. For proof of this, all you would have to do is take a quick look at the standings.
Coming into Friday night’s matchup at Madison Square Garden, the Nets were 3-2 and coming off of an impressive home win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, not only were the Knicks looking for their first win of the season –- they were also looking to silence any whispers of their team heading in the wrong direction.
There was plenty to feel encouraged about for Knicks fans, starting with the play of point guard Frank Ntilikina.
The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, after nearly a week of suspense, finally were able to complete their blockbuster trade.
Boston has reportedly agreed to send Cleveland their 2020 second-round draft pick, via the Miami Heat, in order to acquire Kyrie Irving and bring a close to the deal.
Cleveland still gets All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a 2018 first round pick via the Brooklyn Nets.
Concern around Thomas’ injured hip is what led to Cleveland pressing pause on the trade which caught almost everyone around the league by surprise.
What does this mean for both sides? Well, everyone involved can now move on.
Irving and Thomas can now begin the next chapters of their respective NBA careers.
When news broke of Irving’s desire to play elsewhere, the clock began ticking for Cleveland to launch a contingency plan.
There’s no guarantee LeBron James will hang around after the upcoming 2017-18 season. The Cavaliers were facing the possibility of a future without James and with, for the time being, an unhappy Irving.
Moves had to be made and they had to be done with not just the present in mind.
In the business world, critical thinking is a required skill. Decisions have to be made for the short-term, with the bigger picture always in mind.It’s a delicate balance, but it’s also a necessary one.
The Celtics have spent the better part of the last four years stockpiling their war chest with draft picks to help lay a foundation for the team’s future.
Their highway robbery of the Brooklyn Nets in 2013, via trade, has turned into the gift that keeps on giving.
Boston received three unprotected first-round picks (2014, 2016, and 2018) along with the right to swap first-rounders in 2017.
The 2014 pick, James Young, didn’t pan out for Boston. But they still have Jaylen Brown (2016). They wound up with the number one pick overall in the draft for 2017 and traded down to the 3-spot in order to take Duke’s Jason Tatum.
All this and Boston still had Brooklyn’s 2018 pick.
I always remind myself of the importance of giving yourself options. They increase your chances of staying in the game long enough to make your moves.
So when the Cavaliers came knocking, with a four-time All-Star guard ready for a new beginning, Boston knew they were more than prepared to roll out the green welcome mat.
If you stay ready, you’ll never have to get ready.
Patience and preparation are vital. In the case of these two teams, the ability to play the long game while staying current in the present was, and still remain, imperative. Patience and preparation are vital.
Boston has managed to rebuild their franchise, all while remaining in playoff contention. Through a series of strategic moves, the Celtics haven’t missed a beat. They’ve now added one of the best young point guards in the game. Irving’s still only 25 years old.
Cleveland, with the 1-2 punch of James and Irving, have made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. But it was a flurry of short-term acquisitions of veteran players, some past their prime, which helped fill out their roster.
The uncertainty of a future without James, along with dealing with Irving’s request to be traded, forced Cleveland into addressing their future now rather than later.
The Cavaliers were crushing the short game, but needed to start looking ahead. It would’ve been easy for Cleveland to jump at the first offer they received for Irving, but they waited for what felt right.
In getting back not only a special talent in Thomas and a worker in Crowder, — the Cavaliers confronted their short-term needs. But the key to all of this was how they’d go about putting themselves in position for the future.
The 2018 first round (and unprotected) pick addresses their future for Cleveland. Holding out on the trade in order to secure another future draft pick only points to their awareness of the long game.
Playing the long game can seem tedious and feel frustrating at times. But if done right, and with patience, the payoff can be rewarding on multiple levels.
In life, playing the short game is cool and can be rewarding. When everything appears to be going according to plan, it’s easy to go from A to Z without thinking five to ten years ahead. We end up falling victim to the thrills of today without the strategy for a better tomorrow.
Boston and Cleveland had to encounter scenarios which impacted their short-term and long-term goals.They took their time to get it right before moving forward.
Knowing when, and when not, to wait takes time to learn. It’s could be the difference between a win for today or a decade of wins ahead.
The Brooklyn Nets are on the good side of a conversation again, their fans can thank Sean Marks for that.
While the Knicks continue bringing laughter to office water coolers and beyond, the Nets are turning heads.
One move at a time, Marks has put Brooklyn back on the city’s radar. Continue reading “Sean Marks has the Nets back on New York City’s radar”
It was just two years ago D’Angelo Russell was the number two pick in the NBA draft. The Los Angeles Lakers had high hopes for a bright future with Russell, however it didn’t take long for those hopes to turn into faded pictures.
Inconsistent play, along with fallout from video of a private conversation with teammate Nick Young going public, only made it harder for the Lakers to justify Russell as a key to their future. The emergence of Lonzo Ball as an option for Magic Johnson’s first draft pick as team president sealed the deal for Russell’s departure.
While the Lakers were pinning their future on Russell two years ago, the Brooklyn Nets were finishing a 21-61 season. Players were let go, coaches were fired, and general managers were — reassigned. The Nets followed that up with another 62-loss campaign this past season.
The rebuild is in full swing for the Nets and, with limited options to upgrade, they have to remain creative in pursuing young talent to help build a new foundation. That means when a 21-year old talent, like Russell, becomes available you do your due diligence to bring him in.
Getting Russell, along with former Knick Timofey Mozgov, cost the Nets Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in this year’s draft. The Nets will miss Lopez, he was the face of their franchise, a class act, and the team’s all-time leading scorer. With all of that, it was time to part ways. Nets general manager Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson rolled the dice on Russell and the timing couldn’t have been better.
Johnson, while thanking Russell for his time and service, also emphasized he needs a team leader. It’s one thing when your employer calls you out in front of everyone, but it stings that much more when that employer also happens to be an NBA legend.
“I think he’s got a little bit of a chip on his shoulder,” Atkinson said about his new point guard. “I can see that already. I don’t think he’s boasting about that. He even said, ‘I’m not trying to prove people wrong. I’m trying to control my situation.’
“But it shows by being in the gym and his hunger to get better. I kind of like that there’s a little bit of a chip there.”
That chip on Russell’s shoulder should stay there for at least the next ten years. If that serves as fuel for the fire then so be it.
Russell has the right mindset in worrying only about what he can control. The Nets, in Atkinson, have one of the best developmental coaches in the game. It’ll be intriguing to see how he plans to use Russell in his up-tempo offense.
Opportunity is knocking for D’Angelo Russell to put the past behind him. He can start fresh with a team that’s ready to give him every tool necessary to succeed.