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October 6, 2008
Season preview: New Jersey Nets
SI.com
by Paul Forrester
Sports Illustrated is not high on the Nets' chances for the 2008-2009 season, listing the following at #2 under "reasons for worry":
Risky plan. The not-so-hidden subtext to the Nets' recent moves -- the trades of Kidd and Jefferson, the acquisition of Simmons, the stockpiling of draft picks -- is an expected push to lure LeBron in 2010. A key element to the effort is the Nets' supposed impending move to Brooklyn, where owner Bruce Ratner has been planning to build a new arena in the borough that LeBron playfully referred to as his favorite in New York. Originally set to open in 2006, the proposed arena has hit a number of legal snags, largely from community residents fighting the project. Now with the economy in a downward spiral, the financing for the $950 million initiative is in jeopardy. That could leave LeBron potentially playing in the swamps of New Jersey, which, as Kidd will attest, is a far cry from the headlines of New York City. We'd assume the front office hasn't placed all his eggs in the LeBron basket, because if the arena falls through, the Nets will need a Plan B.
NoLandGrab: Attention Bruce Ratner — in case of emergency, click here for Plan B.
Posted by eric at October 6, 2008 9:51 PM