As predicted by many, the Brooklyn Nets finished very poorly in the 2015-2016 campaign. The team limped to the finish line with a 10 game losing streak to close out the year, and unfortunately things are not looking too great for owner Mikhail Prokhorov and company. In this article, I will do my season review for the Brooklyn Nets.
Final Record: 21-61
Winning %: .256
Home Games: 14-27
Away Games: 7-34
Individual Statistic Leaders:
Games Played: Bojan Bogdanovic (79), Shane Larkin (78), Wayne Ellington (76)
Points: Brook Lopez (20.6), Thaddeus Young (15.1), Sean Kilpatrick (13.8)
Rebounds: Thaddeus Young (9.0), Brook Lopez (7.8), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (5.3)
Assists: Jarrett Jack (7.4), Donald Sloan (4.4), Shane Larkin (4.4)
Steals: Thaddeus Young (1.5), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (1.3), Shane Larkin (1.2), Chris McCullough (1.2)
Blocks: Brook Lopez (1.7), Henry Sims (1.0), Willie Reed (0.8)
Free Throw %: Sergey Karasev (.929) Sean Kilpatrick (.898), Jarrett Jack (.893)
Field Goal %: Willie Reed (.571), Thaddeus Young (.514), Brook Lopez (.511)
Minutes Per Game: Joe Johnson (33.9), Brook Lopez (33.7), Thaddeus Young (33.0)
Biggest Surprise: Thaddeus Young
Honorable Mentions: Bojan Bogdanovic, Sean Kilpatrick
When the Nets acquired Young in Februrary 2015, it was strictly a salary dump on the part of the T-Wolves. Young was a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Nets were looking for someone to take aging veteran Kevin Garnett off their hands.
While he had a solid track record of success with Philadelphia, many believed that he may had hit a decline earlier than anticipated. After averaging 13.8 PPG for Brooklyn in 28 games last year, the team re-signed him to be their power forward for the foreseeable future. This past year, he was arguably the team's MVP on the offensive side and defensive side of the court. The only cause for concern is his declining 3 point percentage, which sat at a minuscule .233 % last season.
If the Nets are serious about rebuilding their ballclub, they should seriously consider offloading Young to acquire future assets. As a team that has traded away countless draft picks, specifically the Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce deals, they may be able to snag a late-first rounder for the 27 year old Young. The time to trade him would be now, as his value is as high as it's ever been.
Biggest Disappointment: Jarrett Jack
Honorable Mention: Andrea Bargnani, Lionel Hollins (Fired Jan. 2016)
Jack had a fantastic season for the Nets, but it was cut short due to a torn ACL and MCL that he sustained in early January. The disappointment was not necessarily as a result from poor play, rather a missed opportunity by Brooklyn.
To give perspective, Jack was averaging 12.8 PPG, 7.4 AST, and shooting 89% from the free throw line before getting injured. He would have been a very solid trade chip for Brooklyn, and as said before, they could definitely use some of those. The point guard will now miss a significant portion of next year, but with a strong comeback, may be able to rejuvenate his trade value.
Pending Free Agents:
- Sergey Karasev (Restricted Free Agent)
- Henry Sims (Unrestricted Free Agent)
- Donald Sloan (Unrestricted Free Agent)
- Markel Brown (Restricted Free Agent)
In case you missed it, check out my 2015-2016 Knicks Season Review.
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