Following the Nets: Future Rumblings

OKLAHOMA CITY -- While they have played under a dark cloud all season long, the Nets these days don't mind when they hear Thunder.

Despite the gross disparity in their records -- the 39-24 Thunder host the 7-57 Nets Friday at the Ford Center -- there are some similarities between the two franchises. Much like the Nets, who fired coach Lawrence Frank 16 games into this season, the young Thunder took their fair share of lumps last season. Oklahoma City canned P.J. Carlesimo after a 1-12 start and Scott Brooks lost his first four games before the Thunder went 23-43 the rest of the way.

This year, with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green setting the pace, the Thunder have stunned the league by occupying the fifth-seed in the rugged Western Conference. Nets GM and interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe notes that the Thunder's success -- and the process to get there -- is something the Nets will try to mirror.

"I'm a big admirer of [Thunder GM Sam] Presti," Vandeweghe said. "They set a plan in motion. You also have to have good fortune on your side. They had the second pick and I think they've done very well with Westbrook. They've had the No. 2 and No. 4, where we've had 10 and 11.

"We weren't quite as high on the draft board, but I agree, our situation is not dissimilar."



Share While the Nets don't have a talent on the level of Durant -- "In my view, he's definitely a top-five player in this league," Vandeweghe said -- they have an electric young point guard in Devin Harris, Brook Lopez in the post, Courtney Lee to complement Harris in the back court and an emerging talent in rookie Terence Williams. All four, if the Nets exercise all of the options on Lopez, Lee and Williams, are under contract through 2013.

"We can emulate some of their success," Vandeweghe said. "We're obviously going to shortcut the process a bit with free agency next year, but we'll have another high draft pick to go with our good young core if free agency doesn't come through and we'll continue to build."

Still, can the Nets gain anything by all of this losing? Maybe, especially when it comes to playing time. It's tough to put a price on game experience.

"Young players are very resilient," Vandeweghe said. "This is a tremendous opportunity and I think that's what the Thunder sold their players on. This is an opportunity they may not get on the team that's making a playoff run, you wouldn't get as much time on the court as a young player. You wouldn't get the shots you're taking.

"You learn so quickly, you accelerate your curve with time of the court. It's the opportunity to make the most of and it really helped the Thunder."

Especially Durant.

"He's one of the guys, who early in his career, got a ton of time," Vandeweghe said. "He got a ton of shots. Yeah, you had a lot of losses, but now, you have a top-five player."

Harris agrees.

"Any time you're rebuilding, you go through a lot of ups and downs," Harris said. "They've had good players and you see the benefit of the year's experience with the Durants, the Westbrooks and the Greens and putting the right pieces around them is something you can look forward to."