How to start a New Jersey revival

By Brian Ault Sports Central Columnist

The Finals are over and New Jersey provided zero challenge to L.A.'s Big Man known simply as Shaq.

With all embarrassing losses, come the questions. Will Jason Kidd bail the Garden State for the Lone Star State? Will Kenyon Martin start reeling out more games like he did Wednesday night, throwing down 33 points and grabbing 12 rebounds? Do they have any chance of getting back to the finals or was it a fluke?

The draft may provide the answers to these questions. Last year's Eastern Conference champion, the Sixers, didn't have much of an immediate draft impact in taking Samuel Dalembert, Damone Brown, and Alvin Jones.

However, the Nets have a different situation being only the 18th pick in the draft, while the Sixers had the 27th pick.

Here are some suggestions for New Jersey's front office to chew on, if they haven't already:

Juan Dixon, Sr., G, Maryland:

He has an unbelievably high upside as a superstar. In the NCAA tournament, he showed leadership that New Jersey severely lacked throughout the series with exception to Kidd and Martin at times. He can lower the load off of Kidd and provide a one-two punch that won't make Keith Van Horn a must-hit game after game. He could score 13 points and the Nets could still win with him. If Dixon isn't taken or is passed on, there's another option ...

Anthony Grundy, Sr., G, North Carolina St.:

While the college basketball world focused on Jay Williams, Dixon, and Lonnie Baxter last year, Grundy silently became one of the better guards in the entire Atlantic Coast Conference. He has a nice perimeter package and is lights-out as a free throw shooter. For his collegiate career, he averaged nearly 77 percent from the line. It may not look impressive to some, but looking at what happened to them at the line, I'd think somebody within the Nets would be drooling over a prospect who might still be available in the second round if they decide to go elsewhere.

Dan Gadzuric, Sr., C, UCLA:

Don't really need much of an intro on this. Centers for the Nets in the finals resembled baby lambs being fed to the slaughter. Jason Collins, Todd MacCulloch, and Aaron Williams (a.k.a. "The Lambs") combined for 47 fouls and a microscopic point average. What did that equal? Shaq averaging over 30 points a game in all four games. The Nets need someone like Gadzuric who can smash the brains out of the nearest big man and still average double-digits in points.

Sleeper: Predrag Savovic, Sr., PF, Hawaii:

Not that many people know who Savovic is. Who should, though? He's a great player in a conference that doesn't have that much big name talent to its credential. He is an unbelievable talent that I think can be a worthy combination along with Keith Van Horn and/or Kerry Kittles. He has the ability to score 20 a night and also be the interior forward presence that they do not have right now.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.