Wednesday, April 19, 2017

JeremyLin.Net Roundtable

After reading the recent Nets round table with National and Nets specific writers, I thought it left a lot to be desired. So, I figured lets do a JeremyLin.Net roundtable.

So here we go. Here is our lineup:

Jason Ha (JHa):
He is a huge sports fan from London, England. He has a big interest in He writes for brook-lin.com and he also has his own sports blog jhaposts.wordpress.com. Jason follows the majority of Brooklyn Nets and Jeremy Lin games across the pond in England, where he endures plenty of late nights. Furthermore, you can also follow him on twitter @jhaposts where he tweets regularly about Jeremy Lin and the Nets.

Nathan Gottlieb (NG):
Published novelist, boxing writer for HBO website, former NY reporter for Newark Star-Ledger, covered Knicks, Mets, Yanks. Author of The Hurting Game. Nathan has been a huge supporter of Jeremy on Twitter with the twitter handle: @zukovka. He really gets Jeremy the player and the person. He also brings instant credibility having covering the NBA for over 19 years. He’s been addicted to Jeremy Lin since Linsanity.

Doc Scheppler (Doc):
Jeremy's shooting coach since the summer before Linsanity. Doc is a 6 time California State Championship Coach at tiny Pinewood of Los Altos Hills.  He is one of coaching's all time greats. He is incredibly innovative and is always learning, evolving, and teaching. His style of play is in the mold of the GS Warriors except he was doing it before the Warriors. If you get a chance to watch his team, you will be truly amazed! Just there warmups are a coaching clinic in itself. Doc spends countless hours working with Jeremy during the summers.

Peter Diepenbrock (PD):
Jeremy's High School coach at Palo Alto High. With Jeremy, they beat heavily favored Mater Dei to win the Mythical State Championship as there wasn't an Open Division at the time but Mater Dei was looked upon as a National powerhouse. Peter also turned Canada College from a cellar dweller to a playoff team in short notice. This year, in just his 2nd year back at Palo Alto he had them one win away from the DI State Championship game. Peter is still very close to Jeremy and talks to him on a regular basis during the season. Every summer, you’ll find Jeremy helping out at his summer camps.

JLinfan#1 (JLF):
Yours truly. We started this site in 2009 believing Jeremy was an NBA player before almost anyone except Mrs. Shirley Lin, Jeremy's Mom. Can't believe it's been almost 8 years and we’re still excited as ever to follow and support Jeremy.



1. What was the biggest observation from the season about this Nets team?

(JHa):
My biggest observation from this season is that the Brooklyn Nets are well on their way of developing an identity. “Brooklyn Grit” has been said a lot throughout the season and that was due to the Nets battling and fighting hard in the majority of the games. Kenny has got them playing a fast paced, unselfish team ball where everyone passes and move in the motion offence. Having an identity is one of the most important aspects of building a team, without that you do not have a direction of where the team is going and things could become very confusing for both the coaches and the players.

Sean Marks has a plan in place and he knows the profiles of players to go after, his in season signings have been very successful. The likes of Acy, Dinwiddie and KJ McDaniels have all come in and made an impact.

(NG):
They’re a work in progress. Hard to tell their ceiling now because we need to see the team’s draft selections and free agent acquisitions. But the Nets GM, Sean Marks, has scoured Europe, and based on his brilliant pick of LeVert at #20 I think they’ll draft some another under-valued LeVert type. They’re also a team with length, and almost all Nets players can man two positions. That was shrewd move by Marks. When you lack depth, as Nets were obviously going to, he “created” depth by acquiring two-way players.

(Doc):
I liked their style of play for the most part.  I thought they competed to the best of their ability.  I thought there was a progression with their players in terms of their development.  It looks like they all improved their shooting.  The big thing was how much of a value Jeremy had to the success of the team.  He is a good shot creator for finishes at the rim or wide open catch and shoot 3's.  His court vision and knowledge of WHAT is a good team shot is such a valuable trait.

(PD):
I only watch the Nets when Jeremy plays. So I missed most of their games. They need scorers. Shooters and scorers. 

(JLF):
With Lin healthy they were competitive in almost every game. If he didn't get injured they would have fought for a playoff spot with around 35 wins, without him they couldn’t compete and would have been lucky to win 15 games.




2. What is the Nets biggest strength entering the offseason?
(JHa):
The biggest strength is the confidence and belief the team especially the young players are taking going into the offseason. This will help them a lot them going into the new season. The performances and results from Nets improved hugely after Lin had come back from his hamstring injury in the later stages of the season. Needless to say he truly elevated the team to another level and the Nets would have had a far better record. From March onwards when Lin had returned, they won 11-13 games and that is a pretty drastic turnaround from going 9-49 before then. You could begin to judge the Nets fairly from March onwards since they had their starting point guard and the guy that gets things ticking for them back on the floor in Jeremy Lin. I believe the last couple months was a true reflection of what this season could have been like for the Nets if Lin had stayed healthy.

(NG):
A healthy Jeremy Lin, team athleticism, and developing players who have upside.

(Doc):
Jeremy and Brook Lopez.  I think the younger players like Levert really made progress and can have a bigger impact next year.

(PD):
I think they play good team defense and they have high character guys.

(JLF):
Set at point guard and center. The two toughest spots to fill.


3. What is the Nets biggest weakness entering the offseason?
(JHa):
The biggest weakness for the Nets entering the offseason is that they don’t own a top draft pick which is pretty depressing after finishing with the worst record in the league. I’m not saying finishing last is something to be proud of but it can helps speed up the rebuilding process if you’re rebuilding. Through the draft is where you can find a franchise player, the Nets will have to be lucky if a franchise player falls into their hands in the 2017 draft. There is hope that they may still find a superstar player in the draft, you just have to look at Jimmy Butler who was drafted 30th by the Bulls and he has turned out to be a fantastic player.

(NG):
Nets need a two-way small forward so Kenny can shift Caris LeVert to shooting guard to form a dynamic backcourt with Lin. While Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has shown progress at power forward, I think they need a true spread 4 who can play D. Undersized RHJ right now best suited as backup PF who brings energy, strong D.

(Doc):
Just getting a couple of shooters and great guys that want to defend and be part of a team defensive scheme that can minimize easy baskets.

(PD):
They don't have enough scorers.

(JLF):
Tie between need at SG/SF and PF. Foye obviously won't be starting next season. If you can get a SF you could move Levert to the 2. Otto Porter or KCP would be a dream but they're restricted FA’s. At PF I'd be ecstatic with either Milsap or Ibaka.


4. Do the Nets trade Brook Lopez before the start of the 2017-2018 season?
(JHa):
Now, this is a tough decision because of a couple reasons. Lopez is a talented centre who has expanded his game with his 3-point shooting, so he now offers something different. There are only a select number of centres who has made over 100 3s this season, Marc Gasol, Kristaps Porzingis along with Brook himself are the only ones to do this. Furthermore, Lopez has played well with Lin and do the Nets want to break up this partnership?

It’ll take a big offer for the Nets to trade Brook Lopez before the start of the 2017-2018 season. It’ll be interesting what offers the Nets get for Lopez and in conclusion my gut feeling is that Lopez will be at Brooklyn to start the next campaign.

(NG):
My gut feeling is they won’t unless they get blown away by an offer for him. With so-so footwork, he’s not the best PnR partner for Lin, but he’s developing. And he shoots the 3 almost as good as Dirk Novitsky  after only one season trying to make them. Plus he’s high character, team-oriented guy. Right now this team doesn’t have any bigs except Lopez who can spread the floor consistently and open up the lane for Lin to drive. Nets GM Sean Marks, in his final address to media, indicated strongly he wants Lopez back.

“Brook, I think in both of our minds is one of the elite centers in the league,” Marks said. “There’s no question there. If you look at the way his game has translated, not only in Kenny’s system but what he’s done in the off-season. He’s worked hard on the performance aspect of his body and so forth and also changing his game and adapting a little bit. Does he fit with Kenny’s system? I think you’ve seen that it does, it does work.”

(Doc):
No

(PD):
If they could get some good return I would be open to trading Lopez. I don't love his game because he is too focused on his own scoring. 

(JLF):
No, unless you’re getting KAT, Embiid, Yokic. Brook's new found 3pt shooting really makes him hard to replace. Even with his deficiencies on d and running pnr, not many stretch 5's out there, giving you 20 and shooting over 38% from 3.


5. Name one player that surprised you the most (either good or bad) this season.
(JHa):
Brook Lopez was the player that surprised me the most. I knew he had a very good offensive skillset but I didn’t know he was going to be hitting 134 3’s in a single season, shooting them at 34.7%. For a centre that’s super impressive. He only made 3 3 pointers before this campaign, that just shows how far he has come. To make 134 3’s after only making 3 his whole career in the league is astonishing.
I’ve mentioned a few times before that Lopez has had a low key good season, it was just a shame he didn’t get to play more with Lin because Lin took the pressure of his shoulders and allowed him to flourish. The way Brook and Lin were able to play together took me by surprise because I didn’t feel Brook would suit Lin’s game but they have managed to make it work. His chemistry with Lin is getting better with each game and they have shown they can be a dangerous and versatile duo. I did have my doubts regarding if Brook would play well with Lin and vice versa before the season go underway.

(NG):
Not LeVert, who I was impressed with the minute I saw his Michigan highlights. I’d say Dinwiddie. I think he has high ceiling as a backup PG, and his shooting potential hasn’t been tapped. He’s also a smart player who knows how to play within his game. Doesn’t make many turnovers.

(Doc):
Really impressed with RHJ's athleticism and his shooting improvement throughout the year.  I'd like to see him develop a better vision decision execution mindset.  When he 's driving there are no alternatives but to finish.... tough finishes that are low percentage shots many times.  I think he can find guys for open 3's... love his attack mentality but he is too singleminded.

(PD):
 I was surprised by LeVert. He's a nice piece to build with. 

(JLF):
Trevor Booker. I really thought he'd be a decent starting pf. 


6. What grade would you give Coach Kenny Atkinson for the job he's done this year?
(JHa):
I would have to give Kenny Atkinson a C+ for the job he has done in his first year as head coach. The Nets record isn’t good but you can clearly see the progress he has made throughout the season. He persevered with his motion offence and developed the young players. LeVert, Dinwiddie, Whitehead and Hollis-Jefferson all improved one way or another and they showed glimpses of what they’re capable of. He slowly grew into his role as head coach and got his players playing extremely hard for him, you can’t fault the players for lack of effort.
There are facets he has to work on and improve such as in game adjustments and reacting quicker to certain situations when things aren’t going his way. Overall I feel Kenny Atkinson has handled the job reasonably well. It was a tough job he went into and he didn’t do too badly, given the roster that was assembled and the unfortunate injuries that occurred during the season. He has yet to convince me he can be a good coach but it is still way too soon for me to judge, I’ll have to give him a season or two before I can judge him properly.

(NG):
B. He has done great job at motivating players to play hard. He’s also helped develop and encourage players who were underused elsewhere and had lost confidence in their game. The guys buy in to his system. I wouldn’t rate him higher because I think his motion offense has two flaws. First and foremost, until 4th quarter he encourages everybody to bring the ball up court. When Lin’s in, he should be the major option to do so. Seen way too many turnovers when players like RHJ & Whitehead bring the ball up court. Classic motion O says use PG to bring ball up court and initiate the motion. I’m not blaming RHJ and Whitehead, blaming Kenny who empowers them. I almost gave Kenny a B- because he runs very few screens, 3d least in NBA last time I looked. Plus he should, as in classic motion O, have players cutting across the lane to both open themselves for quick pass inside, and by moving, forcing opposing D to have to move constantly, which can wear a D down.

(Doc):
I'd give him an A.  His team always played hard, displayed measurable improvement, and always seemed to want to be coached.  Let's not forget that the Nets were without Jeremy for 54 games?  I'm not sure of the accuracy, but 12-16 with Jeremy and 8-46 without.  Kenny takes the players he gets and WANTS them to develop and get better!  If you're not getting better.. you're getting worse. He has a great group of guys that aren't satisfied with their level and I know in the off-season they will go to any length to improve their skills.  Kenny is a person who takes pride in his craft and is always looking for personal improvement in his profession.  He is a great teacher. Everything I read from GM Marks and Kenny is that Lin figures strongly in their plans for moving forward. Lin is an excellent fit for the Nets with his team-first mindset, unselfishness, and is a great leader for the younger, developing guys. Lin this year fully embraced his new role as team leader. This more mature version of Lin is in my opinion a much better player than he was during Linsanity.

(PD):
I think Kenny should get an A+. Holding an NBA team together while losing so many games is very hard to do. 
And I think they played great team defense.  

(JLF):
"B" 

The good: Getting rotations and line up figured at end of season. Which included: figuring out IW is not a pg. Inserting RHJ at pf after struggling mightily at the 3. Starting Foye to balance out youth with a vet. Defense improving immensely at end of season (btw, Sean Marks had something to with that, with his late season acquisitions)

The not so good: Being a little stubborn with the motion O. I think he needed to run more pnr for LIN and Levert. Giving guys too much freedom who may not deserve it. Minute distribution seems out of whack. Even with injuries Lin 24.5 mpg, Isiah 22.5, Levert 21.7. Also, if JLin didn't come back, none of this excitement exists and people would be really questioning Kenny’s coaching.


7. If the Nets stay at their current draft positions, who do you think they pick with picks 22, 27, 57? or what position/type of player they should be looking for.

(JHa):
I believe a starting power forward is a position the Nets need to strengthen most. They can shift LeVert to the 2 guard spot and Hollis-Jefferson back as a small forward and give him another year of experience and see if he can develop that jumper. If he can’t then they may have to pull the trigger and look elsewhere. The type of player the Nets should go for at the power forward position is someone who will fit their system and is versatile and athletic that will bring it each night. Someone like a Serge Ibaka type player would be a very nice addition.

(NG):
First, the player has to pass all the character tests. No matter what position player or players play, they also must have the shooting ability to spread the floor. Nets do not need slashing types and players who finish strong. Have plenty of them, especially young guys. Need shooters above all.  

(DOC):
No idea on who they draft..... but I know that whoever they pick they will be high character guys that want to excel at the highest level.. Shooting the ball will be a skill set that will be valued in their picks as well.  I think there will be some decent players with an upper ceiling to improve at their draft numbers.

(PD): 
They need shooters. 

(JLF):
I'd look for Draymond and Iggy types. 3 and D with high bball iq. Not saying they are but may have potential: DJ Wilson and Sindarius Thornwell.


8. How would you access Jeremy's performance with the Nets this season?

(JHA):
When Lin was fit and healthy he performed at a very high level. You can instantly tell how much better he makes his team. The record with him playing and without him is day and night, the difference is massive. He was super effective and influential for the Nets but it’s disappointing he only got to play 36 games. He is the x factor for the Nets, he makes the difference. Lin also showed he is a starting calibre point guard who can hold his own against the top guards in this league. Lin looked the part when he played, he had some memorable games against the Celtics and Magic at the end of the season which we will not forget anytime soon. Lin took on the leadership role and his teammates were happy to follow his guidance. I have high hopes and expectations for Lin next year.

(NG):
It was only a small sample because of his injuries, but I saw Lin play at the highest level of his career. He was super efficient, made the 3 with consistency, was aggressive, took his D to another level, and most importantly, helped make everyone around him better by passing to them in good position to score, and by penetrating and dishing.

(Doc):
Despite his injuries I thought Jeremy proved that he is a great basketball player!  I don't know how many games he played a full compliment of minutes of his 28 games...but I think if he had been healthy you would have seen a consistent 18 ppg plus 7 assists a game.  I like how he shot the ball for the most part...only one stretch where I thought his mechanics drifted back into a powerful inefficient jump with a rough release.  He cleaned it up in the last 5-6 games and ended up on a positive note.

I thought the high level of trust with teammates was a key part of his success.  I'd still like his teammates to be able to be connected on what are good shots for the TEAM.. The open catch and shoot 3, a floater, or a  easy finish at the rim are shots that should be valued and demanded on each possession.  tough fadeaway 2's or hallelujah tough finishes need to be eliminated from their repertoire to create an efficient offensive points per possession number.

(PD):
I think Jeremy did great. They won a decent percentage of their games that Jeremy played in.  

(JLF):
I'd give JLin an Inc for the season because of injury. But an "A" when he was able to play (36 games). Only 4 players in the last 12 years have averaged over 21pts, 7.4 asts, 5.4 rebs per 36min. Russ (3X), Lebron (2X), Harden, and JLin this season! He had career per 36min. highs in Pts. (21.3), Rebs (5.5) shot attempts (16.3) and 3P% (37.2). His leadership and impact were on full display. Without JLin they were a mess. With JLin they were competing on a nightly basis.


9. Name a few areas in which you'd like to see Jeremy focus on this offseason?
(JHa):
I would like to see Lin continue to develop his shot, it looked so much better this year compared to when he was in Charlotte. There was a stretch in March where he struggled with his shooting and his form didn’t look terribly smooth. If he can consistently get the same motion with his shot, then he can improve his shooting even more, it may be more to do with muscle memory still. I know he’ll definitely work hard on it so I have no worries.
Another aspect of Lin’s game I want him to focus on is his one on one moves. If he can add a couple more moves to his game he’ll be so difficult for opposing guards. We know he will work his back side off in the offseason and I suspect he’ll come back even better and stronger next campaign.

(NG):
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Every aspect of his game looks really solid to me. Maybe more work on his left hand? Lin historically works on all of his game in the off-season, always striving to be better. One thing I’d like to see is him do is work with Lopez on their PnR game. Lin’s decision to come to Brooklyn this summer and work with teammates is going to help solve some things that needed fixing. Younger players need to be more in sync with him. Lin needs to know what their strengths and weaknesses are and work on that, but I’m sure after playing assistant coach while injured, he likely knows.

(Doc):
I think to continue to work on grooving his form with particular attention to mastering a quick efficient jump, releasing the ball at the right time in relation to his jump, making sure his fingers are spread and firm, keeping his arc consistently tight and controlled. 

I'd like to see him embrace his mid range floater game and be under control at the rim.  I thought he finished pretty well.  I'd like to see him continue to improve his change of speed and deception with his moves and especially attack close outs better.  

He and his trainer do a great job preparing his body for the grinding NBA season with a wide variety of training modalities to improve his strength and flexibility.  I would imagine there will be focus on his lower body strength and balance to see if he can lower his hamstring risk.

(PD):
Jeremy should work on lots of different finishes around the basket. 

(JLF):
I'd say durability. Would really like to see him at 32-34 per min range so continue to work on strength but focus on core/posture and muscle balance. This could really help with his back and hamstrings. Also, finishing with long floaters like Jeff Teague and really develop a euro step move to help prevent contact and/or injury and no calls when going to the basket in traffic.


10. With JLin able to opt out after next season, what are your thoughts on his long term fit with Kenny and the Nets?

(JHa):
It is refreshing to see Lin with a team that values him a lot. The Nets have embraced him and he seems like he is settled in Brooklyn. I believe his long term future lies with the Nets under the coaching of Kenny Atkinson. Here, he has a coach who believes in him and rates his game. He doesn’t have to tread on egg shells like he has been doing for the majority of his career, he is playing with much more freedom and do not have to constantly look over his shoulders. Lin wants to find a home, he is tired of moving around and I feel Brooklyn may be his home. He knows the Nets are a long way off from where they want to be but if things go their way in the offseason they may even be challenging for a playoff spot next year.

(NG):
I’ve seen it written that Lin is “good stop” PG for Nets rebuild. I don’t see it that way. Soon to be 29, without a lot of wear and tear on his tires, and given how well  he takes care of his body, I expect his prime can extend to age 33 or even 34. 

(Doc):
I think he should stay with the Nets.  I think it is the right organization and the perfect coach that VALUES what he brings to a team..  Kenny is a coach that trusts and believes in him unconditionally and Jeremy hasn't had that bond with all of his NBA coaches.  Both of their visions of how to play winning basketball at ANY LEVEL are in sync! 

(PD):
Jeremy should stay for 2 more years to see if he can get the Nets to the playoffs. 

(JLF):

First of all, let's be honest. No other team is willing to bring him in as the clear cut starter. SA, Utah, Milwaukee, all would kill with JLin as their starting pg. A small ball lineup of Lin, Brogdan, Snell, Middleton, Giannis would be scary! That being said, Kenny is a guy who believes in Jeremy, and gives him full control at the end of games. I'm not loving the motion O with the current crop of youngsters. But having a few additional high iq starter level players will make a huge difference as well as a year of experience so the kids can grow into their roles and play to their strengths instead of trying to do too much. Also, I liked the addition of length and athleticism with the late season pickups. I would take a few of the call ups over their off-season acquisitions. I.E. Dinwiddie over  Whitehead, KJ McDaniels over Joe Harris. So, no question, JLin should stays with the Nets. He'll opt out after next season and get a huge raise to stay. Then he can donate a large portion to us (-; But no, honestly, I think he should hire Doc full time after Doc is done with his season and fly him out to finish off the NBA season.

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