Top 10 Reasons Why the NJ Nets Will Make the Finals in Four Years

Just a couple months ago many thought the New Jersey Nets would go down as the worst team in NBA history.

They were on pace to break the mark set by the 1972-73 Sixers. The 2009-2010 Nets team was very inexperienced and their historically bad beginning record of 0-18 proved this.

With all the losses and the firing of their long time coach, Lawrence Frank, they were often under the scrutiny of the media. This pressure undoubtedly contributed to their losing ways.

Although their record this year seems to be horrendous, the numbers are very deceiving. They usually played a competitive game until the fourth quarter where their inexperience took over. Recently their true talent has been flourishing, resulting in a stretch where they won three out of four games. It is now obvious to see that the Nets are not a bad team, they are just a young team.

They have most of the pieces to the puzzle, all they have to do now is wait to let their players mature while also being proactive and try to acquire new players. It is saying something when your veteran leader Devin Harris is only 27 years old. In a couple of years the New Jersey Nets will undoubtedly get better as their players get older.

There are other factors that will contribute to the Nets' success in the not so distant future. They will be participants in the long anticipated free agent market, with all-star players like Lebron James and Dwayne Wade possibly changing teams.

They are favorites in getting the number one overall draft pick and being able to secure either John Wall or Evan Turner. Also the Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov will come in and change the culture of the Nets.

It is safe to say that the New Jersey Nets will be contending for a championship in four years.

No. 10: Terrance Williams

The 6'6" small forward, Terrance Williams came into the NBA as the Nets 11th pick in last year's draft. The Nets drafted him primarily based off his defensive capabilities. Coming out of Louisville, coached by Rick Patino, the Nets could count on getting a smart and well coached player.

Williams has a lot of upside. He is a gritty player that can lock down the oppositions best player each and every year. He has the ability to play three different positions and as a rookie he has had an above average year scoring eight points—per—game and making the roster for the Rookie—Sophomore game.

His downside is that he is very inconstant offensively. There are games where he goes for 14 assists and 14 points and there are other games where he goes 3-17 shooting. Overall this year he has been shooting a miserable 39 percent from the field.

Look forward to a fast improvement in his offensive game. In four years I see Williams being in the starting lineup guarding the opposition's most lethal scorer.

No. 9: Yi Jianlian

Yi Jianlian is a 7'0" power forward for the Nets. He was a young sixth overall pick from China. Yi was recently acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks for Richard Jefferson, a move that signified that the Nets were in a rebuilding era.

Yi has a ton of upside that he must use to perfect his game. Being from China, with a population of 1.3 billion people, he brings a rich foreign market to the New Jersey Nets. Another upside is that he is incredibly young at 23 years old. This youth will allow him time to grow as a player and it also means he is very tradable.

Yi is also tall compared to other power forwards in the league. This will make it easier for him to get off his shot.

With all his upsides he has an equal amount of downsides. The most obvious is that he is very weak. Weighing in at only 250 pounds he is almost not a factor at the post. His weight also gives him a disadvantage on defense and rebounding.

His final weakness is that he is a shooter and an inconsistent one at that. Normally seven-footers have a field goal percentage of about .500 but Yi shots the ball at a sub—.400 average. This is pitiful and needs to be worked on.

Besides a handful of downsides he is still a solid NBA player that will just keep on getting better as he gets older and stronger. Yi has a very bright future playing for the New Jersey Nets.

No. 8: The Move to Brooklyn

The New Jersey Nets are incredibly motivated to make themselves The Brooklyn Nets. A move that is hated by New Jersey residents. A move that is loved by the Nets minority owner Jay-Z.

Jay-Z, a New York born rapper, has set his sites on moving the Nets to Brooklyn, where they can be exposed to a larger media market.

This potential media growth will result in more team revenues and in effect result in more spending on free agents. The Nets are already hoping that this move, which is set to be done for the 2012-2013 season, will improve their chances of landing Lebron James.

This move to Brooklyn will double the fan base. It will be able to keep fans from New Jersey and it will also make new fans in the New York metropolitan area. This large fan base will make the Nets a lot more wealthy, which will help finance putting together a suitable team to make a run at a NBA title.

No. 7: Devin Harris

Devin Harris is a prime time talent who is currently the leader of this young New Jersey Nets team.

With lightning fast handles and a knack for getting to the free throw line it is easy to see how Harris is a crucial component to this team. His acquisition from the Dallas Mavericks for Jason Kidd began the rebuilding era for the Nets.

Harris is filled with upsides. His basketball talent is pure to the point of perfection. His quickness is blinding. For the Nets, his biggest upside perhaps is his trade potential.

He is in the prime of his career and would be a good fit for just about any team. There has been a significant amount of interest from contending teams like the Lakers.

Harris being traded all depends on the who the Nets choose in the draft. If they go with John Wall, Harris will be gone. If they choose Evan Turner, Harris will most likely stay.

There is only really one downside to Devin Harris. This is that he is extremely injury prone. In his short career he has only suited up for 70% of his games.

Harris is a very valuable asset to the New Jersey Nets. Whether that value will come from his skills or from his trade value. No matter the outcome he will some way or another help the Nets down the road.

No. 6: Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee is one of the New Jersey Nets most prized possessions. They were able to acquire him by sending Vince Carter to Orlando. To the naked eye it may seem like a disastrous trade but in reality It was perfect for the Nets because they a got a 6'5" guard who started, as a rookie, in the NBA Finals.

Lee's biggest attribute is that he is an all—around player. Meaning he may not light up the box score every night but he will do everything right. He will shoot consistently (44 percent), not turn the ball over (one turnover per game), and he will knock down his free throws (86 percent). All these talents amount to a player that any coach would want on his team.

Lee's biggest downside is that he is not and probably will never be a superstar. He will always be a solid, consistent role player. He just flat out does not have the ability to take over games.

With all that being said Lee will consistently help the Nets throughout the years. His play will be a big part in the Nets success as an Eastern Conference powerhouse.

No. 5: MIkhail Prokhorov

Mikhail Prokhorov is on the verge of owning 80 percent of the New Jersey Nets. With a net worth of 9.5 million dollars he is coming to the Nets with money to spend. He will bring an attitude of "controlled risk" to the organization.

His wealth will play a key role in free agents coming to the Nets. Since he is most likely to be the owner of the team next year it is not going to affect the incredible 2010 free agent class. Instead he will be able to entice players in the above—average 2011 class, with big name players like Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, and David West.

Along with players he could attract a very high priced coach. A few names that have been thrown around already is Mike Krzyzewski and Rick Patino. Two incredible coaches that would be able to pull a team together in order to make a run at the championship.

Mikhail Prokhorov will be crucial in financing the New Jersey Nets move to Brooklyn. A move that could not be done without an incredible amount of wealth support.

No. 4: Eastern Conference Teams Getting Older

If the New Jersey Nets are going to make it to the finals they are going to need a little help. This help will come from the stumbling powerhouses.

In four years the dominant teams in the Eastern Conference will be extremely old and depleted. The teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers and Orlando will no longer be powerhouses and a new world order of teams will come in.

Saying that the team is old is referring to the players that actually get playing time, the starters.

Average Age of starters

Celtics: 32.2

Cavaliers 32.2

Orlando: 29.4

Since these teams have been good for a significant amount of time they have not been able to acquire superb draft talent. This lack of talented youth will result in a bad team down the road.

In four years these three teams will have almost no NBA ready talent, meaning they will have to go into their rebuilding stage. This transition will be an ideal time for a young team like the Nets to make their push at being an elite team in the Eastern Conference.

No. 3: 2010 Free Agency

A lot has been talked about the 2010 free agency. They say whichever team can hit the jackpot by signing a player like Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, or Chris Bosh, will automatically become one of the best teams in the league. The New Jersey Nets have worked their rebuilding plans around the idea of getting one of these big name stars.

The fact of the matter is that Lebron James is not leaving Cleveland, the city he grew up in and Dwayne Wade loves Miami too much to leave. Chris Bosh is almost certainly leaving but he will not be coming to the Nets.

Just because the Nets cannot land of these A—grade free agents does not mean they will not benefit from the 2010 free agency.

There are a handful of very good B—grade free agents. Some who have even showed interest in the idea of coming to the Nets. Rudy Gay has shown he is willing to come by saying, "the record doesn't mean much when you're dealing with a team." Gay would be a perfect fit for the Nets primarily because he is a superstar scorer.

Another player that has shown interest is Amare Stoudemire. He was mentioned previously in a possible trade with the Nets. He is a player that will be leaving the Suns after this year. He also would be perfect for the Nets. Stoudemire could improve the Nets power forward position significantly.

No. 2: 2010 NBA Draft

The New Jersey Nets had the worst record in the NBA last year. The only advantage of this is that they have the best chance of getting the number one pick in the draft.

The fact of the matter is that even if the Nets fail to get the number one pick it won't really matter. As long as they get the first or second pick in the draft they will be set to go. Evan Turner and John Wall are excepted to go one and two in the draft.

Reasons to pick Wall

Wall has a whole lot of upside. He is a big strong point guard that can lead and take over a team. He is a pure scorer that also has the ability to dish it off to his teammates. His NBA comparison is Derrick Rose.

Reasons to pick Turner

Turner is a pure scorer. He can come into the NBA and dominate from his first game. One of his biggest attributes is that he is very versatile. At 6'7" he can play three positions, PG, SG, and SF. He was college basketball player of the year for a reason. His NBA comparison is Lebron James

If they do get the number one pick do not be surprised if they pick Turner over Wall. Even though Wall is more highly touted, Turner would be a better fit for the Nets.

He can easily transition into the NBA by coming in as a small forward, a position the Nets desperately need. If the Nets pick Wall they would have to trade Harris, which they do not really want to do. In the first game next year expect Turner to be starting for the New Jersey Nets.

No. 1: Brook Lopez

The New Jersey Nets have one prized possession. He is the only man on the Nets that is off limits for trades. He is the most important part of the Nets. His name is Brook Lopez.

Without Lopez the team might not even have gotten more then six wins this season. He was picked by the Nets, as a steal, in the 2008 NBA draft. Ever since he has been in the NBA he has been dominating all—star big men in the low post.

Brook Lopez has been so successful in his first two years in the NBA that he has been given the opportunity to compete for a spot on the Team USA Olympic Games roster.

At only 22 he is the best young big—man in the NBA. He is already averaging an impressive 18 points and eight rebounds per game. The most intriguing part about Lopez is that he has so much more room for improvement.

Brook Lopez has only a couple talents that he needs to improve on. First of all he needs to get stronger. He has been blocked by smaller defenders a countless amount of times. At 7'0" he only weighs 260 pounds. With more weight he could stray away from the jump hook and go for the higher percentage lay-ups.

Year after year it is proven that in order to be champions you must have a solid big man. It is a testament to the old Lakers (Shaquille O'Neal) and the modern ones (Pau Gasol), the Spurs (Tim Duncan), and the Celtics (Kevin Garnett). The Nets also have that big man that is needed to be a dominant team.

Being only 22, he has just scratched the surface of his potential talent. The sky is truly the limit for this young man and the New Jersey Nets.