NetsDaily Off-Season Report - No. 19

NetsDaily’s Off-Season Report No. 19 looks back at the optimism and predictions surrounding the 2001–02 New Jersey Nets, when most preseason projections—including major magazines—didn’t expect a playoff run even after Jason Kidd joined. The report notes that only one prominent analyst, Charles Barkley, predicted Kidd would lead the team to the postseason. It contrasts that speculation with outcomes: New Jersey won a franchise-record 52 games, reached the NBA Finals, and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The author then pivots to 2026–27, arguing the roster has improved after two years of tanking, with rookies now having experience, two big men able to average 20/7/3, and two guards—both 20 years old—taken top 10 in the draft.