All In The Family

OK, Hassan Adams is in the fold, and that should be that for the off-season makeover.

Unless Jay Williams impresses and can stick, the Nets will be 14 deep, at least after Jeff McInnis is traded, cut, settled, whatever.

So you have Kidd and Marcus Williams at the PG.

Carter (or is he the small forward?), Eddie House, Antoine Wright and Adams at the SG.

RJ, Cliff Robinson, Bostjan Nachbar, Wright, House, Adams, and lord knows who else at the SF.

Jason Collins, Robinson, Josh Boone (when he returns from injury) and whomever else you want to put there (you can argue Nenad Krstic, Mikki Moore, and even Mile Ilic will be spending time there).

Krstic, Collins, Moore, Ilic and even Robinson at C.

Potentially a third backup PG in Jay Williams (which would bring the roster to 15 - doesn't matter much since the Nets are already over the cap already).

That's your roster for the foreseeable future. At least for now.

Who do you see as the designated sitters most nights? Ilic perhaps at the start, and Boone, and who else? Nachbar? Adams? Moore at times?

Should be an interesting camp. The competition for role players off the bench you suspect would be fierce.

And the flock, as it were, are ready for some basketball.

My Space

I was just sitting here thinking about all the stuff I'm behind on with the site, stressing out about how I'm going to get it done without a partner and some free time. Such is the life of the website knucklehead.

And I know I have to simplify, stop trying to do everything all the time, and focus on what's important. Like, getting down the gist of the game, without doing a play-by-play. Or dishing out some pointed criticism without spending an hour or so trying to tighten it up, make it enlightening and amusing at the same time.

But it's hard to say and even harder to do, especially if you're me.

I'll continue to plow through the usual sequence leading up into the start of the season, but I'll also be looking for ways to streamline or cut back so that the content is still good but more concise.

Maybe that's the problem - I don't know how to get to concise. I need to say "you suck" rather than "his performance was worse than a depressed carny - a freak show for the eyes" or something like that.

I'll keep working on it. In the meantime, it's getting close to go time, so I'd better stop daydreaming and get back to work.

If only it were easier. Or more lucrative...

Extended Dating

It's called hedging your bets - or at least covering your ass.

It's apparently a sweet deal in any case.

The Nets announced today that they had re-upped the CAA lease until the 2012 - 2013 season, just in case they don't finish the new arena in Brooklyn on time. Namely, the 2009 - 2010 season.

Oh, don't fret, Netsfans - by staying at the CAA, whether it's two years or five, the Nets get all the upside revenue in the new deal. If Ratner, I mean Brett Yormark can sell out the joint, the Nets get the additional revenue. As in, all the ticket revenue.

But at least the state won't lose in the deal, either. They are guaranteed income, after having lost as much as $1 million a year with the old lease. A guaranteed check, a guaranteed tenant, and some penalties paid (in some cases, hefty pentalties paid) if the Nets do eventually leave for points other than Brooklyn or Queens.

And if the deal doesn't work out, well, the Nets are more than welcome to stay in NJ.

Will the deal work out? Depending on where you read, it's either a slam dunk with all the most important political backing, or a fight to the death meaning nothing if not delays.

Here's hoping the Nets need to play in NJ at least until the 2012 - 2013 season.

There's always a sweet lease deal if you stay, Mr. Ratner...

Memories Can't Fail

Hard to imagine that it's been 5 years since the day that changed everything. I remember every vivid detail (captured on this website) from the time I first heard that there had been a plane crash into the Twin Towers all the way up to the long, two-day drive back home from Arkansas (don't ask).

In any case, as much as we like to keep the focus on basketball around here, I just thought it was worth a reminder of what we should never forget.

My thoughts will always be with those who suffered on that long, life-altering day.

And what we need to strive to achieve, as we pause and reflect as a country the horrible events of that day.

Not just on September 11, but living less than 20 miles from Ground Zero, every single day.

Back to basketball tomorrow.