Center has been like a black hole for the Nets so far this year. 32-year old Mehmet Okur is missing some time due to a back back, but he hasn’t played too well for the Nets anyway so far this season. Okur has played in 17 games (14 starts) for the Nets so far this year and he is averaging 26.6 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game on a lousy 37.4% from the floor. The Nets hope that Okur picks up the pace when he returns to action. 28-year old Shelden Williams has replaced Okur in the starting lineup until he’s ready to return to action. Williams has played in 25 games (8 starts) for the Nets so far this year and he is averaging 19.7 minutes, 4.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. He is pretty much just a banger inside with little upside. 26-year old Johan Petro is #3 in line for minutes at center. He has played in 20 games (5 starts) for the Nets so far this year and he is averaging 13.6 minutes, 3.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. The Nets really need one of their centers to step up.

The Nets tried really hard to deal for Dwight Howard when the lockout was lifted. They paid so much attention to Howard, that all of the other free agent centers were signing with other teams. When the Magic decided to hold onto Howard at the start of the season, the Nets scrambled around for a center, before dealing for Deron Williams’ old buddy from Utah, Mehmet Okur. Okur has played in 17 games (14 starts) for the Nets so far this year and he is averaging 26.6 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He has the reputation of being one of the better shooting centers in the NBA, but that has not been the case so far this season. Okur is hitting only 37.4% of his shots from the floor, 31.9% from three point range and 60% from the free throw line so far this year. The Nets have to hope that he gets better soon because they don’t have anyone better than him to replace him with.

30-year old SG/SF DeShawn Stevenson has been truly awful so far this year for the Nets. Stevenson has played in 17 games (8 starts) for the Nets so far this year and he is averaging 17.2 minutes, 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Stevenson is only shooting 25.9% from the floor and 28% (14 for 50) from three point range so far this year…..and that is putrid! The Nets can’t continue to play Stevenson if he doesn’t step up soon.

The Nets traded for 27-year old point guard Deron Williams with the idea of re-signing him to a long term deal to serve as the face of their franchise as it will move to Brooklyn next year. They better reconsider that idea unless Williams reverts to the player he was with the Utah Jazz. Williams has played in 13 games (all starts) for the Nets so far this year and he is averaging 35.5 minutes, 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Those numbers don’t look too bad. But a closer look also shows that he is only shooting 36.6% from the floor and that’s pretty pathetic. He has now played in 25 games (all starts) in his first two years with the Nets and he is averaging 36.8 minutes, 16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.2 steals. Williams is only shooting 35.8% from the floor for the Nets and 31.8% from three point range so far. Instead of re-signing Williams, the Nets might consider dealing him at the trade deadline if things don’t start to improve for them soon.

The Nets have lost 23-year old center Brook Lopez indefinitely due to a stress fracture in his right foot which required surgery to correct. Lopez will miss at least 1 month, and possibly the whole 2011-12 season. Lopez played in 82 games (all starts) for the Nets last year and he averaged 35.2 minutes, 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game. 25-year old Johan Petro will likely take over as the Nets’ starting pitcher until Lopez is ready to return to action. Petro played in 77 games (1 start) for the Nets last year and he averaged 11.6 minutes, 3.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. The Nets are in big, big trouble without Lopez.