Nets New Year's Resolutions...

Good riddance to 2009 and the 2009 New Jersey Nets. Welcome 2010, the 2010 draft in June, the 2010 free agency period over the summer, and the start of the 2010-2011 season with the new revamped New Jersey(soon to be Brooklyn) Nets. As we enter the new decade, the Nets are going to quit smoking, go to the gym every day, clean out the garage, and pick up a new hobby(maybe winning?). While they work on those, here are some of my New Year's resolutions for the Nets:

Finish the 09-10 season strong

I, of course, mean finish strong for the Nets. They aren't going to make the playoffs or even win 30 games, but they can (better) avoid being the worst team in history by getting more than 10 wins. Also, since the Nets have already much shit the bed on the season they can win a bunch of games without doing much damage to their lottery hopes. What's that you say? I am just rationalizing? Hell yes I am. I wouldn't (couldn't) be a Nets fan without my handy defense mechanisms.

See the Bigs Develop

Brook Lopez seems well on his way to being an all star center with a well rounded game. What he needs to do now is work on dealing with double teams and keeping his focus after calls don't go his way. I would have given up on Yi JianLian, but he has come back so strong from his injury that maybe he can turn out to be a solid starting power forward. Yi obviously needs to work on strength and defensive toughness, but those will always be short comings for him. Where he has truly been disappointing is where most of his promise was supposed to be: on the offensive end. A seven footer with an adept shooting touch, if he can learn to be aggresive and smart on offense, he could become a poor man's Dirk Nowitzky. You don't think Lebron would at least be tempted by a developed Brook, the all-star Devin Harris, a possible young Nowitzky and a high lottery pick?

Draft

The Nets are going to get a good draft pick, hopefully number 1 but a top pick regardless. T-Williams has been a bust so far, but the Nets did a stellar job in the previous draft picking up Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson(traded along with Vince Carter to Orlando), and CDR. Brook looks like a future all star, Anderson is a key part of the Magic's rotation, and CDR looks like he could be a valuable change of pace gaurd off the bench for a good team. Hopefully the Nets can be as wise with a high pick this June.

Free Agency

I thought there was no chance of getting Lebron, but who knows? All these pundits pontificate about what he will or won't do, but the truth is only Lebron knows. The move to Brooklyn being finalized and the possible solid core of Lopez, Yi, Harris and ? from the draft might be enough to entice Lebron. Regardless of what happens with King James, I would like to see the Nets be smart with their league leading 23 million dollars under the salary cap. Get a good free agent like Lebron, Wade, Bosh etc. but if you don't, be smart and wait til next year. I'd rather endure another crappy year for future success rather than assured mediocrity.