What's wrong with the Nets?

Even Coach Lawrence Frank can't believe how bad the Nets are.

by: Cole Riley

Injuries? Payroll? The Vince Carter trade? What's wrong with the New Jersey Nets this year?

Starting out 0-7 is far from what the Nets franchise expected as they entered the season. With breakout All-Star Devin Harris at point, a young powerhouse center in Brook Lopez, and a supporting cast of Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, and Sean Williams, I would think the Nets could nab at least one win. Come on, you couldn't beat Minnesota? You only score 68 at home versus Charlotte? That's despicable. Reminds me of the bad years the Celts had before KG came to town. Actually, that was worse.

But these Nets have hit the injury bug recently. Here's the victim list: Devin Harris, out 2-4 weeks, groin. Courtney Lee, out 1 week, groin. Yi Jianlian, out 3-4 weeks, MCL. Chris Douglas-Roberts, out at least 1 week, swine flu. Jarvis Hayes, out 1 week, hamstring.

The Nets players are dropping like flies out there. Even the swine flu of all things has hit this dysfunctional squad.

Along with these injuries, the subtractions of Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson, who only brought over Lee and Alston, have really destroyed this team's chances of competing this year for one of the lower playoff seeds. Yet the Nets are trying to follow in the Knicks footsteps: cutting payroll, accepting expiring contracts, and preparing for the 2010 draft class and it's most notable star, LeBron James.

Well with the dreams of LeBron playing in that great Nets blue and white next year, the fans for this season are going to have to be patient and endure a long year of amateur basketball. It's not that much to ask of these fans. They've had to put up with horrible basketball before, like for the past 32 years.

(Photo courtesy of ESPN.com)