Knicks, Nets in NBA Offseason Race to Own NYC

Are the Nets better than the Knicks right now? (Credit Fma12)

When the New Jersey Nets moved to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn before the 2012-13 NBA season, they were still viewed as a Big Apple afterthought. It didn’t quite matter what they did; they still existed in the shadow of Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks.

The Nets finished 4th in the Eastern Conference; the Knicks finished 2nd. The Nets lost a home playoff series; the Knicks won a home playoff series. Brook Lopez had a solid year; Carmelo Anthony had a spectacular one. So as the 2013 NBA offseason began, the Brooklyn Nets seemed fated to be the “Clippers” of New York City.

And then, Mikhail Prokhorov and company got Danny Ainge on the phone. One deal for Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Kevin Garnett later, and the entire conversation has changed. What are the new expectations for the Brooklyn Nets? How far can this team actually go? And, of course, the most important question of all…

Are the Brooklyn Nets actually better than the New York Knicks?

Why the Nets are better than the Knicks

The Brooklyn Nets’ starting five is better than that of the New York Knicks. Now, let’s take three seconds for everyone in the New York boroughs outside Brooklyn to start screaming. Done now? Good.

Look at the starting five of the Brooklyn Nets square in the face:

Nets’ starters: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Brook Lopez.

They’re just better. That’s all there is to it. Pointing to one position or another to indicate an advantage just makes the argument for us. Age notwithstanding, the acquisition of Kevin Garnett was massive for this club. Garnett is a defensive intimidator on the inside, which makes up for Brook Lopez and his finesse game. Reggie Evans was a solid interior defender for the Nets last year… but KG he is not.

As splashy as the three-man addition of Garnett, Pierce and Jason Terry was for Brooklyn, the signing of forward Andrei Kirilenko may prove to be vital as well. Kirilenko (or AK-47) signed with the Nets for over $7 million less than he made last year. Kirilenko once led the league in blocks while with the Utah Jazz, and will provide veteran depth and defensive prowess at the SF/PF slot, spelling Pierce and Garnett.

The question mark is coaching. Jason Kidd will be a rookie head coach surrounded by scads of veteran talent. Will he know what to do with it?

Why the Knicks are better than the Nets

The New York Knicks made the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs, and the Brooklyn Nets did not. That’s the first argument most Knicks fans will make – trouble is, it doesn’t really mean much now. The Nets as presently constituted are nothing like the 2012-13 Brooklyn Nets squad. If anything, they’re more like a super-squad composed of the 2012-13 Nets and Boston Celtics, sans Rajon Rondo.

Okay then, respond the Knicks fans, we beat the Boston Celtics in the first round of last year’s playoffs. And while that’s true, it’s also not entirely germane to this topic. The New York Knicks beat the Celtics in six games in a series that did not feature Rajon Rondo. It also did not feature a center the caliber of Brook Lopez.

So what have the Knicks done to improve in the 2013 NBA offseason? They re-signed reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith. They added lengthy Andrea Bargnani to space the floor and add height in the paint. And as of July 16th, it appears evident that Metta World Peace will be joining the Knicks via free agency.

This leaves the Knicks with two distinct advantages over the Brooklyn Nets. One, they’ve got much more scoring depth. And two, they certainly have more potential headaches. Ignoring that second facet, the fact remains that the 2013-14 New York Knicks first and second units will probably look something like this:

Knicks’ starters: Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Andrea Bargnani, Tyson Chandler.

Knicks’ next five: Pablo Prigioni, J.R. Smith, Tim Hardaway Jr., Metta World Peace, Amar’e Stoudemire.

If New York can re-sign free agent Kenyon Martin, it will provide further interior defensive help to Tyson Chandler. For all his offensive inconsistencies, World Peace is a ferocious defender who will not accept slacking off.

Knicks or Nets: Which NBA team is better?

So with all this information on the table, we leave the decision up to the public. Heading into the 2013-14 NBA season, with both teams sporting revamped rosters, the choice is yours. Knicks or Nets – which team is better?