Nets' future a ton rosier than their winless present

We'll discuss the present in a moment, because given the current state of the Nets, it's better to fast forward to the future whenever possible.

If the long-delayed and tangled move to Brooklyn goes through -- and that's a mighty big IF -- the Nets will be a major player in the NBA. Yes, that's hard to imagine. But they'll have a new arena under construction and a motivated owner worth gazillions and money to spend and a whole different outlook than they have now.

This could be their roster for 2010-11: Brook Lopez, Devin Harris, John Wall, LeBron James and either Dwyane Wade or Joe Johnson.

While plenty of attention is being directed at the Knicks and Miami and others when it comes to salary cap space and free agency in the summer of 2010, the Nets could make as big a push as anyone. Not only will they have money to spend, but an owner who'll have every reason to make a smashing opening statement.

You figure that Mikhail Prokhorov, the Russian billionaire, had to have a good reason to grab the Nets. Basically, this was a good time to buy; the Nets came cheap and free agency is coming soon. If LeBron wants to play in the big city, joining the Nets would bring him close enough. And he'd be in business with his buddy, Nets part-owner Jay-Z. And here's what's really important: He'd have a better cast around him with the Nets than with the Knicks.

Lopez is a fast-developing young center with a good feel for the game and looks to have a long and prosperous career. Harris is an All-Star and would be the best point guard LeBron ever had. Assuming the Nets are in the mix for the No. 1 pick (safe assumption), Wall is a showman who could share the ball-handling duties with Harris. And the Nets would have just enough money remaining to add another free agent, and if that can't be Wade, then perhaps Johnson, who'd cost less.

Another reason to have faith in the Nets' future: Rod Thorn. He hasn't been given a contract extension by the new owner, but that could be a mere formality, since Thorn clearly is a franchise asset. He does more with less than any general manager in the game.

Fantasizing about the future and better days is what keeps the Nets going, because there isn't much else that's encouraging right now. The last winless team in the NBA is shooting 40 percent and averaging 84 points, lost Harris until now from injuries and lives as a lame duck in the Meadowlands. The Nets are easily the toughest sell in the NBA, because they represent an area that knows the Nets don't want to be there.

They shipped their best players away, for various reasons: Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter, all gone because they were either getting too old or too expensive or both. And each time, it was the right thing to do. Thorn dumped those players while they still had value. Smart. A team in transition can't afford to cling to the past, even if that means a good amount of suffering in the process.

So the Nets suffer and threaten the NBA's all-time mark of consecutive losses to start the season, shared by the 1988-89 Heat and '98-99 Clippers at 0-17.

"It's very disappointing to be where we're at," said coach Lawrence Frank.

You know where the Nets were at in 2000-01? Near the bottom with 26 wins. Then they traded for Kidd. Then they won 52 games. Fortunes can change in a snap in the NBA, especially when the blueprint for change is evident. That's what evident about these Nets. Even more than the losing.

The 2009 Draft is quickly shaping up as a little man's Draft, and the quality and quantity of point guards taken could benefit the NBA for years. But where's the next great big man? Who is he? Other than Dwight Howard, of course. Of the young centers 25 and under, you'd have to give the nod to Joakim Noah, Andrew Bynum, Al Horford (even though he's playing out of position), Andrew Bogut and Greg Oden. Now you know why the bigs get the benefit of doubt and teams are willing to be patient.

Speaking of centers, what's up with Kevin Garnett? His season numbers for scoring and rebounding are lower than his career figures in his first year back from injury. But before anyone jumps to a conclusion, remember that the Celtics (a) are winning, and (b) can win without KG doing a Timberwolves impersonation every night. The truth about his level of play and how much it has fallen will be revealed during the postseason, when the Celtics will need whatever KG has left. Tim Duncan is famous for semi-coasting through the regular season (because of all the help surrounding him), then being the go-to player for the Spurs in the spring. Perhaps KG has taken notice.

Brandon Jennings, Bucks: 41 minutes, 21-34 field goals, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 55 points, vs. Warriors.

Obviously, you've already heard about this player and this game. We just want to give some pub to Dirk Nowitzki, too, for dropping 41 points on the Spurs (while missing Josh Howard, Erick Dampier and Shawn Marion from the Mavericks' lineup) and beating Jennings and the Bucks in OT at the buzzer this week.

Derrick Rose, Bulls: 34 minutes, 2-12 field goals, 7 assists, 10 points vs. Kings.

Rose followed up nicely with 20 points and six assists in a loss to the Lakers. But the reigning Rookie of the Year is off to a noticeably soft start (the preseason ankle injury didn't help), averaging 14 points and just under six assists. A few weeks ago, Jennings, who might grab the award this season, dropped 25 on Rose.

•If LeBron hooks up with D-Wade in Miami next season, Stan Van Gundy would be absolutely shocked if Pat Riley suddenly replaces Eric Spoelstra on the bench.

•The Bulls are hoping Tyrus Thomas recovers well from a broken forearm that'll keep him out until next month. Because once he's back, he'll be auditioning for his next team, by all indications. The Bulls are high on Taj Gibson, and Thomas' game just hasn't matured and developed like Noah's. Chicago better trade Thomas before the rest of the league realizes he's all-athlete. If the league doesn't already know.

•Put aside, for a second, whether the Hawks will be able to afford Joe Johnson next summer. Will they be able to afford Mike Woodson?

•Wonder how all those people feel in Memphis who bought season tickets to see Iverson. All 25 or so.

Even they knew it wouldn't last.

Dude didn't even play a home game in Memphis. We're not talkin' bout a practice, man. We're talkin' bout a game.

•Love Michael Jordan. L-o-v-e him. But all this jersey-retiring talk has to stop. It's silly. Jordan wasn't a trail blazer in anything but marketing and merchandising. He didn't integrate a league (Jackie Robinson) or serve in the military (Pat Tillman) or save anyone's life (Joe Delaney, KC Chiefs). He played basketball at a very high level. That's all. Therefore: Why stop at Jordan, if being a great player means the entire league should immortalize you? Why not retire 6 for Russell, and 13 for Wilt, and 44 for The Logo, and so on?

•And Miami really should take that No. 23 banner down. Imagine, honoring a guy who terrorized your franchise. That's like a bunch of camping teenagers honoring Freddy every Friday the 13th. Only thing worse is if the Cavaliers retired Jordan's number. Or the Jazz marked the spot on the floor where Jordan broke Bryon Russell's ankle.

OK, the spot where Jordan pushed off.

•The Sixers have much more to worry about than Elton Brand's deteriorating game. Home attendance is woeful. Maybe the two are related. Through six games, the Sixers drew just more than 11,000 per night, which is 56 percent capacity, easily the lowest in the league. True, in the early going, most fans were busy with the Phillies. But it doesn't expect to get much better anytime soon. No offense to the new A.I., but the Sixers just don't have a magnetic star. Brand was supposed to be that guy. Oh well.

•On the flip: Oklahoma City is booming. People are going to see the Thunder not only because of what the team's doing now, but mainly for what the team might do down the road. The Thunder are virtually set at three positions (both forwards and point guard) for the foreseeable future. The Ford Center is playing at 98 percent capacity, meaning that, finally, there's something to do in Oklahoma City.

Expansion and relocation hasn't been too kind to the NBA lately. OKC is one move that'll probably work out. But Charlotte and Memphis are still dealing with severe attendance issues. Dire times will make teams do dire things (see Iverson, Allen). Even Jordan is suddenly more visible at Bobcats games. Not in uniform, of course.

Shaun Powell is a veteran NBA writer and columnist. You can e-mail him here.

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