Ever since the New Jersey Nets began the season with 18 straight losses, people have been talking about them setting the record for the worst record in NBA history.  The Philadelphia 76ers franchise still holds that embarrassing NBA record when their 1972-’73 team went 9-73.  Currently the Nets sit at 6-53, so they have to win four games out of the 23 games remaining this season if they want to pass up that horrible Sixers squad.  Although the Nets have been horrible all season, I think they will escape the season with at least three more wins, and possibly four.  So, at the very worst I think they will end up tied with that Sixers’ team,, but I do not see the Nets finishing the season with just eight wins.

The Nets six wins includes three wins on the road and three at home.  They have beaten the Charlotte Bobcats (twice), Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Boston Celtics.  The wins against the Knicks and Clippers aren’t the most impressive, since both teams are well below .500.  Both of the Bobcats wins were good, as the Bobcats are a team battling for a playoff spot.  Their wins against the Bulls and Celtics are very impressive, since both are very solid teams who currently sit at the 4th (BOS) and 6th spot (CHI) in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.  Also, out of their 53 losses, 26 of them have been by 10 points or less.  Also, Brook Lopez has continued to improve throughout the season and is becoming a force down low, while Devin Harris is still an elite player (despite his poor shooting this season).  So, when you look at those numbers and then consider they still have a lot of games left against sub .500 teams, it makes me think the Nets will win at least three more games, and possibly more.  The Nets still have these sub .500 teams left on their schedule:  Knicks, 76ers, Heat (twice), Kings, Pistons, Wizards, Pacers, and the Bobcats.

The Nets released Shawne Williams before he even played a game for them after coming over earlier this week from the Mavericks in the Eduardo Najera trade. Williams was indicted by the Grand Jury on 8 drug charges. The Nets didn’t want Williams anywhere near the young roster they have right now.

The Nets have released 23-year old F/C Sean Williams to make room on the roster for Shawne Williams and Kris Humphries. Sean Williams played in 20 games (0 starts) for the Nets this season and he is averaging 11.4 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game. He has now played in 126 games (29 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 14.8 minutes, 4.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. The Nets have just grown tired of Williams’ antics both on and off the court.

The Nets have traded 33-year old forward Eduardo Najera to the Maverics for 24-year old power forward Kris Humphries and 23-year old small forward Shawne Williams. Najera played in 13 games (2 starts) for the Nets this season and he averaged 15.7 minutes, 3.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Kris Humphries is the key of this trade from the Nets point of view. He played in 25 games (0 starts) for the Mavericks this season and he averaged 12.6 minutes, 5.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. He has now played in 313 games (8 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 11.7 minutes, 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Shawne Williams has not played at all this season. He has played in 126 games (6 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 13.4 minutes, 5.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Williams was a first round pick so the Nets are holding out some hope that he hasn’t reached his potential yet. Humphries was the key to the deal though as he will back up Yi Jianlian the rest of the year for the Nets.

The Nets have acquired 26-year old point guard Chris Quinn, a 2012 second round pick and cash for a heavily protected 2010 draft pick. Quinn has not played this season in the NBA. He played in 66 games last season for the Heat and he averaged 14.6 minutes, 5.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Quinn has now played in 168 games (26 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 16.1 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. His main asset on offense is his three point shooting as he has hit 39.7% of his shots from that range in his NBA career. This was a good move for the Nets as Quinn is cheaper than Rafer Alston and he has a lot of the same skills.