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1996–97 New Jersey Nets season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

SportsChannel New York The 1996–97 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 30th season in the National Basketball Association, and 21st season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets received the eighth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Kerry Kittles out of Villanova University. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Robert Pack, Tony Massenburg, Xavier McDaniel, who played overseas in Greece during the previous season, and David Benoit, and hired John Calipari as their new head coach.

However, under Calipari, and with Benoit out for the entire regular season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Nets continued to struggle losing their first five games of the season, which included two games played overseas against the Orlando Magic in Tokyo, Japan. The team lost 9 of their first 11 games, posted another five-game losing streak in December, lost 11 of their 15 games in January, and held a 13–33 record at the All-Star break.

At mid-season, the Nets traded Pack along with Shawn Bradley, Khalid Reeves and second-year forward Ed O'Bannon to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Sam Cassell, Jim Jackson, Chris Gatling, Eric Montross and George McCloud; McCloud never played for the Nets, and was soon dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Joe Kleine. Gatling only played just three games after the trade due to an ear infection, and was out for the remainder of the season, averaging 17.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game during his short three-game stint. The Nets lost 9 of their final 12 games, and finished in fifth place in the Atlantic Division with a 26–56 record.

Kendall Gill averaged 21.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, while Cassell averaged 19.3 points, 6.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 23 games after the trade, and Jackson provided the team with 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. In addition, Kittles contributed 16.4 points and 1.9 steals per game, led the Nets with 158 three-point field goals, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, while Jayson Williams continued to show improvement, becoming the team's starting power forward averaging 13.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, before sitting out the remainder of the regular season due to a season-ending thumb injury after 41 games, and Massenburg provided with 7.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Reggie Williams averaged 6.5 points per game in eleven games, Kevin Edwards contributed 5.9 points per game in only just 32 games, McDaniel provided with 5.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and Montross averaged 5.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in 31 games.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Kittles was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference Rookie team. Gill finished tied in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Kittles finished in fifth place in Rookie of the Year voting, and Gatling finished in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting. The Nets finished 18th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 670,628 at the Continental Airlines Arena during the regular season.

Following the season, Jackson and Montross were both traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, while Massenburg signed as a free agent with the Boston Celtics, but was then traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies, and Kleine signed with the Chicago Bulls.

Draft picks

Main article: 1996 NBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
18Kerry KittlesSGUnited StatesVillanova

Roster

  • John Calipari
  • Don Casey
  • Kenny Gattison
  • Ed Schilling ;Roster notes
  • Small forward David Benoit was on the injured reserve list due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and missed the entire regular season.

Regular season

Season standings

:z – clinched division title :y – clinched division title :x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

Player statistics

Regular season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Kendall Gill828139.0.443.336.7976.14.01.90.621.8
Sam Cassell232233.8.443.392.8313.66.51.60.319.3
Chris Gatling3030.7.419.9387.31.01.30.017.0
Jim Jackson313137.3.417.370.8525.95.20.90.516.5
Kerry Kittles825736.7.426.377.7713.93.01.90.416.4
Robert Pack343134.9.407.297.7882.59.61.70.115.9
Jayson Williams414034.9.409.000.59013.51.20.60.913.4
Shawn Bradley403830.7.436.000.6648.10.50.64.012.0
Khalid Reeves501821.0.393.396.7471.83.40.50.18.3
Tony Massenburg794924.7.485.000.6316.50.30.50.67.2
Reggie Williams11015.2.403.273.8002.20.70.70.46.5
Kevin Edwards32014.9.377.349.8601.31.80.50.15.9
Xavier McDaniel62518.9.389.200.7305.11.00.60.35.6
Lloyd Daniels17016.6.330.322.8332.31.50.50.25.4
Eric Montross313127.2.451.3939.10.90.41.35.1
Ed O'Bannon45514.1.367.283.8702.50.60.50.24.2
Joe Kleine28016.2.427.500.7224.10.80.30.43.0
Evric Gray508.4.267.2501.0000.60.40.20.02.6
Jack Haley2003.7.351.7371.60.30.10.12.0
Adrian Caldwell18011.3.286.000.5293.10.30.40.11.6
Robert Werdann605.2.4291.0001.00.00.30.21.5
Yinka Dare4127.6.352.5142.00.10.10.71.4
Vincent Askew107.00.00.00.00.00.0

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

  • Kerry Kittles, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team
  • Shawn Bradley, NBA 1996-1997 League Leader in Blocks

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/1997.html 1996–97 New Jersey Nets]
  2. Brown, Clifton. (June 27, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; Big Trade and Some Twists in N.B.A. Youth Parade". The New York Times.
  3. Heisler, Mark. (June 27, 1996). "The Surprises Are Few". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "1996 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.
  5. (July 25, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; Nets and Pack Agree on Deal". The New York Times.
  6. (July 25, 1996). "Nets, Pack Agree on 3-Year Deal". United Press International.
  7. Asher, Mark. (July 25, 1996). "Strickland Risk for Bullets". The Washington Post.
  8. (September 11, 1996). "Hungary Faked Qualifying Meet for Olympic Swimming". Los Angeles Times.
  9. Roberts, Selena. (October 19, 1996). "Nets Become Tougher as McDaniel Signs On". The New York Times.
  10. (October 19, 1996). "Nets Add the X Factor--McDaniel". Los Angeles Times.
  11. Roberts, Selena. (August 8, 1996). "Nets Pick Up a Bargain as Benoit Signs Up". The New York Times.
  12. Roberts, Selena. (June 6, 1996). "BASKETBALL; Nets Make an Offer to Calipari". The New York Times.
  13. Roberts, Selena. (June 7, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; Calipari Leaving Scrutiny Behind to Take Nets Job". The New York Times.
  14. Everson, Darren. (June 7, 1996). "Calipari Leaves U-Mass for Nets". The Washington Post.
  15. (October 10, 1996). "Bad News for Benoit...". The New York Times.
  16. Pollack, Andrew. (November 8, 1996). "Before 38,600 Fans in Tokyo, Nets Run Out of Luck". The New York Times.
  17. Johnson, L.C.. (November 8, 1996). "Magic Beat the Clock, the Nets". Orlando Sentinel.
  18. (November 9, 1996). "Hardaway Leads Magic to Sweep of the Nets". The New York Times.
  19. "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997". Basketball-Reference.
  20. Roberts, Selena. (February 18, 1997). "Nets and Mavericks Clean House and Start Over". The New York Times.
  21. (February 18, 1997). "Overhaul Ends for Mavericks". Los Angeles Times.
  22. Canavan, Tom. (February 18, 1997). "Mavericks, Nets Swap 9 Players". The Washington Post.
  23. Roberts, Selena. (February 28, 1997). "Gatling Doubtful as Nets Shoot for 3d Victory in Row". The New York Times.
  24. Steele, David. (February 28, 1997). "Nets Feel Fulfilled After Mavs Trade". SFGate.
  25. Roberts, Selena. (March 28, 1997). "As Scary Ailment Heals, Gatling Finds a Smile". The New York Times.
  26. "1996–97 New Jersey Nets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  27. Roberts, Selena. (February 5, 1997). "In Williams's Absence, Nets Pull Together". The New York Times.
  28. (February 5, 1997). "Nets' Williams Under Pain's Thumb". Los Angeles Times.
  29. Roberts, Selena. (March 1, 1997). "Trying Loss as the Nets Lack Effort". The New York Times.
  30. "1996–97 New Jersey Nets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  31. Fry, Darrell. (February 8, 1997). "On to the Next Stage". Tampa Bay Times.
  32. "1997 NBA Rising Stars: East 96, West 91". Basketball-Reference.
  33. "1996–97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  34. (May 2, 1997). "Iverson Is Voted Top Rookie". The New York Times.
  35. (April 24, 1997). "Sixth Man Award for Starks". The New York Times.
  36. "1996–97 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.
  37. Roberts, Selena. (June 28, 1997). "The Nets Decide the Future Can't Wait". The New York Times.
  38. (June 28, 1997). "Van Horn Finally on His Way to New Jersey in 76er Trade". Los Angeles Times.
  39. Kepner, Tyler. (June 28, 1997). "Nets Get Van Horn from 76ers". The Washington Post.
  40. (October 28, 1997). "Grizzlies Acquire Massenburg, Mack". Associated Press.
  41. (October 29, 1997). "Transactions". The New York Times.
  42. (September 9, 1997). "Bulls Sign Wennington for 1 Year". Chicago Tribune.
Info: Wikipedia Source

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