What a difference a few months made for the Brooklyn Nets.
A team that has won a combined 41 games over the past two years has a new-look roster and hope that they won’t be at the very bottom of a weak Eastern Conference this season.
The Nets made the difficult decision of trading away center Brook Lopez, one of the best players in franchise history, to the Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell, who has set up a solid-looking backcourt in Brooklyn by joining Jeremy Lin.They also added Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll to add some veteran depth at the 3.
Is this a playoff team? Probably not. But they should be much improved compared to the last two seasons.
Here is how we think their starting five will look like this season:
Jeremy Lin (PG)
2017-18 projected stats: 14.5 points per game, 3.0 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game
Injuries cut Lin’s first season with the Nets to just 36 games, an unsuccessful opening to a three-year, $38.3 million contract. Now back to full health, Lin should put together a nice season as Brooklyn’s floor general thanks to his offensive aggression that opens up the floor for both he and his teammates.
D’Angelo Russell (SG)
2017-18 projected stats: 17.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 4.5 rebounds per game
Russell has been given a new lease on life after being dealt from the Lakers to Brooklyn. Falling out of a favor on a team stacked with a young core including Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and now Lonzo Ball, Russell has a chance to be the man with the Nets. Expect him to be the team’s top scorer this season and thriving in an offense that loves to play fast.
Allen Crabbe (SF)
2017-18 projected stats: 12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
The Nets finally got their man in Crabbe after two years of pursuit. While Lin and Russell slash the opposing defense apart, Crabbe can be a solid catch-and-shoot option if the opposing defense collapses around said drivers.
Trevor Booker (PF)
2017-18 projected stats: 9.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
While DeMarre Carroll is an option here, it might be best to have him almost platoon with Crabbe at the 3. That allows Booker to feed off a 2016-17 season in which he recorded 16 double-doubles as he will be looked upon as a menace on the glass.
Timofey Mozgov (C)
2017-18 projected stats: 9.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
The 7’1″ big man who came over from the Lakers in the Lopez deal will have one job and one job only: get under the basket. Mozgov brings an intimidating presence to the low post and a big target for Lin and Russell to look toward.
