The Brooklyn Nets made quite a splash in the head-coaching market, plucking Jason Kidd, retired for just over a week, as the team's next leader.
Kidd has no coaching experience, which isn't shocking considering he just left the New York Knicks rotation. He is a bold choice and he has a relatively big task ahead of him.
The Nets have buckets of money tied into several core players, thus making this draft choice someone most likely to sit and watch for a while.
The Nets couldn't get past the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. They finished as the fourth seed in the East and are loaded with talent. However, it wasn't enough talent to get by a depleted Bulls squad.
That talent is also handsomely compensated for their craft. Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace all make huge money and are locked in for a while.
That makes improving the roster incredibly difficult for general manager Billy King and Kidd. Improvement is needed considering the Nets underachieved, especially in the postseason.
One area for an upgrade is at the big forward spot. Reggie Evans is a sensational rebounder and a quality defender, but is a hole offensively. Kris Humphries lost his starting job and barely factored into the rotation toward the end of the season.
Tony Mitchell of North Texas could be there when the Nets pick at No. 22. Mitchell, however, admitted that his effort lacked at times during his sophomore season.
This pick could be a perfect spot for a foreign talent. Someone like Sergey Karasev, a 19-year-old forward from Russia, or Rudy Gobert, a 20-year-old center from France might make sense.
Another area of concern for Brooklyn would be help in the backcourt. Williams and Johnson log heavy minutes so Glen Rice, Jr., a D-League standout, or Allen Crabbe from Cal, or even Shane Larkin, point guard from Miami, should be available when the Nets choose.
Players Under Contract: G: Joe Johnson; G: Deron Williams; C: Brook Lopez; F: Kris Humphries; F: Gerald Wallace; F: Reggie Evans; F: Mirza Teletovic; G: MarShon Brooks; F: Tornike Shengelia; G: Tyshawn Taylor; F: Kris Joseph; G: C.J. Watson (player option)
Free Agents: F: Jerry Stackhouse; G: Keith Bogans; F/C: Andray Blatche
Recent Draft History: 2012: Ilkan Karaman (57)
2011: JaJuan Johnson (27), Jordan Williams (36)
2010: Derrick Favors (3), Jordan Crawford (27), Tibor Pleiss (31)
2009: Terrence Williams (11)
2008: Brook Lopez (10), Ryan Anderson (21), Chris Douglas-Roberts (40)
Draft picks: 1st round (22nd overall)
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