(a sorta) League Preview: New Jersey Nets

I am going to attempt to wind my way through the League’s 30 teams in time for the season. For fun, I will start with the worst team in the East’s easiest division.

New Jersey Nets

Depth chart:

PG Devin Harris Rafer Alston

SG Chris Douglas-Roberts Courtney Lee Terrence Williams

SF Jarvis Hayes Bobby Simmons

PF Yi Jianlian Sean Williams

C Brook Lopez Tony Battie Josh Boone

The for-now New Jersey Nets went from mediocre to straight junior varsity when traded Vince Carter to Orlando. Including Ryan Andersen in the trade was extra dumb. All this holding out for Free Agency 2010 crap does not make for competitive teams.

For no fault of his own, Devin Harris should have a huge year driving coast to coast. Young pivot Brook Lopez also stands to shine amid the stink. I love Courtney Lee, but is he better than the scorer Douglas-Roberts or the rookie Williams? Split minutes is a likely scenario which will help very little in the win-loss column. Hayes and Simmons are a likeable duo of second tier NBA swingmen that will draw the sorry assignments of LeBron, Paul Pierce, Danny Granger, and the like. Heck, Wilson Chandler will likely dog these fellows.

If Sean Williams and Josh Boone could ever contribute consistently it would help immeasurably. Even then, New Jersey would still be horrible. Trading Alston soon would be wise for team morale. NJ is most certainly a top contestant for League’s worst record.