If the New Jersey Nets return home from the upcoming west-coast trip at 0-17, head coach Lawrence Frank might not find himself in position to take the next team trip.
The Nets will play Denver, Portland, Sacramento, and the Los Anegels Lakers on the four-game trip, which represents a daunting task.
When asked about this troublesome trek, Chris Douglas-Roberts did not want to answer questions. Like a consummate professional, the second-year swingman only wanted to focus on the next game, choosing not to think about the prospect of matching an NBA record for most consecutive losses. The Miami Heat set the bar at 0-17 in the 1988-89 season.
Following the Nets' 98-91 loss to the New York Knicks, team brass was well represented in the locker room. Nets' president Rod Thorn and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe joined the players as they answered questions from reporters.
When that much power is in one room, Frank must feel his seat getting hotter. Should he, though?
Although The Record's Al Iannazzone makes a strong case for Frank, he states that Frank could be fired if the team returns 0-17. Should he survive the trip back to New Jersey, Frank will face former player Jason Kidd when the Dallas Mavericks arrive on Dec. 2.
When looking at the Nets' tumultuous situation, it is hard to make a case for firing Frank. In years past, the team vastly underachieved and those concerns were warranted. They aren't now, however.
There is no Jason Kidd or Vince Carter. Even Richard Jefferson is gone. In fairness to the Nets, the team has gone downhill ever since Kenyon Martin was jettisoned off to Denver. Owner Bruce Ratner looked at the Nets as a business opportunity, not a championship team. After trying to move the team for years and failing, he is now openly trying to sell the team to Mikhail Prokhorov.
With Prokhorov and an estimated $25 million in cap space available for the summer of 2010, the Nets' future is bright. Young players like Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Brook Lopez, and Terrence Williams also lay a strong foundation for the future. The future is of little consolation to Frank now, however.
Frank's career has come full circle. He opened his coaching career with 13 straight wins. He could end his tenure with 17 straight losses. As Lou Holtz once said, "You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose." Frank is somewhere in between but definitely not as bad as the record indicates.
Frank entered this season in a very tough situation. He was handed the youngest roster in the NBA that was going to struggle when fully healthy. This season is an appetizer for 2010. The Nets were going to struggle with an inexperienced team while building a foundation set to be buoyed by tsunami-like splashes in the free agent pool.
One problem arose for the Nets though: injuries and lots of them. The Nets have played the better part of the season with eight healthy bodies, a mind-boggling statistic. Add to the injures that the players involved were four of the opening night's roster's five starters, and Frank was doomed from the start. Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian, Tony Battie, Keyon Dooling, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Eduardo Najera, and Jarvis Hayes have all suffered injuries or illnesses. Bobby Simmons has also made several trips to Chicago due to personal reasons.
With all the Nets' injuries, it's hard to imagine Red Auerbach winning with this group. A group of role players cannot sustain four quarters against teams at full strength. Players like Trenton Hassell, Sean Williams, Bobby Simmons, and Eduardo Najera were thought to be fringe players on this team. They have not only seen floor time but major minutes. Sean Williams was on the bubble to even make the squad, and he played 24 minutes against Milwaukee and nearly 16 against New York.
Frank has done one thing that should allow him to stay: He has gotten the most out of the players he's had. Granted, there are no awards for hard play, but the effort is undeniable. These guys want to win. More so, they want to win for their coach.
Devin Harris summed up the situation perfectly.
“It would take a toll on anybody. Obviously nobody wants to start oh and whatever it is. What hurts more is so many close games we’re losing. If we were getting blown out every game I think everybody would be like, ‘OK, we need to change something up.’ But we’re right there each and every game. We’ve just got to find a way to overcome the last six minutes.”
Only one game has not been competitive, a 122-94 loss to Denver on Nov. 4. The Nets have stayed in every game until the fourth quarter, having a chance to win several. These players have not given up on their coach. Ownership shouldn't either.
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