2000–01 New Jersey Nets season

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NBA season

| team = New Jersey Nets

| team_link = Brooklyn Nets

| end_year = 2001

| wins = 26

| losses = 56

| division = Atlantic

| division_place = 6

| conf_place = 12

| coach = Byron Scott

| owners = Lewis Katz

| arena = Continental Airlines Arena

| television =

| radio =

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| bbr_team = NJN

}}

The 2000–01 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 34th season in the National Basketball Association, and 25th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey.[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/2001.html 2000–01 New Jersey Nets] The Nets won the Draft Lottery and selected Kenyon Martin from the University of Cincinnati with the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft,{{cite news | title = 2000 NBA Draft Picks | work = Deseret News | date = June 28, 2000 | url = https://www.deseret.com/2000/6/29/19515325/2000-nba-draft-picks/ | access-date = November 8, 2024}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Nets Make Martin the Pick of the Litter | work = ESPN | date = June 29, 2000 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/draft00/s/2000/0628/608939.html | access-date = November 8, 2024}}{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = Clippers Go to High School and Select Miles | work = The New York Times | date = June 29, 2000 | url = https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/sports/basketball/062900bkn-draft.html | access-date = July 24, 2021}}{{cite news | last = White | first = Lonnie | title = Clippers Get Face Lift | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 29, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-29-sp-46205-story.html | access-date = November 9, 2024}}{{cite web | title = 2000 NBA Draft | work = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2000.html | access-date = December 1, 2022}} and signed free agents Aaron Williams,{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; West Side Story, the Sequel | work = The New York Times | date = October 30, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-west-side-story-the-sequel.html | access-date = July 16, 2022}} and rookie guard Stephen Jackson during the off-season.

Under new head coach, retired Los Angeles Lakers guard Byron Scott,{{cite news | last = Broussard | first = Chris | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Byron Scott Is Said to Be Nets' Pick as Coach | work = The New York Times | date = June 27, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/27/sports/pro-basketball-byron-scott-is-said-to-be-nets-pick-as-coach.html | access-date = November 30, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Robbins | first = Liz | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Nets Coach Born to Be a Champion | work = The New York Times | date = October 29, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/29/sports/pro-basketball-nets-coach-born-to-be-a-champion.html | access-date = November 30, 2022}} the Nets got off to a 6–4 start, but then lost nine consecutive games while losing 17 of their next 20 games. Keith Van Horn only played just 49 games due to a leg injury, and Kendall Gill only played just 31 games due to tendinitis in his right knee, while Kerry Kittles missed the entire season with a knee injury.{{cite news | last = Robbins | first = Liz | title = PRO BASKETBALL; In Nets' Loss, Martin Breaks Same Leg He Broke in College | work = The New York Times | date = March 23, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/23/sports/pro-basketball-in-nets-loss-martin-breaks-same-leg-he-broke-in-college.html | access-date = July 16, 2022}} The Nets lost their final six games finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 26–56 record.{{cite web|title=2000–01 New Jersey Nets Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/2001_games.html|access-date=September 17, 2021}}

Stephon Marbury averaged 23.9 points and 7.6 assists per game, and was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game in Washington, D.C.,{{cite news | last = Lewis | first = Brian | title = Spree-Deemed; Latrell Granted All-Star Reprisal by NBA Commish | work = New York Post | date = February 1, 2001 | url = https://nypost.com/2001/02/01/spree-deemed-latrell-granted-all-star-reprisal-by-nba-commish/ | access-date = November 7, 2024}}{{cite news | agency = Ticker | title = West Expected to Flex Muscle in NBA All-Star Game Sunday | work = ESPN | date = February 10, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/gen/newswire/2001/20010210/01074948.html | access-date = November 7, 2024}}{{cite news | agency = NBA.com Staff | title = 2001 NBA All-Star Recap | work = NBA.com | date = September 13, 2021 | url = https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-2001 | access-date = May 14, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 2001 All-Star Weekend - at Washington: February 9-11 | work = Eskimo North | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/all-star01.txt | access-date = May 14, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA All-Star Game: East 111, West 110 | work = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2001.html | accessdate = November 28, 2021}} while Van Horn averaged 17.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and Martin provided the team with 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting,{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Orlando's Miller Named Top Rookie | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 11, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-11-sp-62245-story.html | access-date = October 19, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Miller Second Magic Player to Win Award | work = ESPN | date = May 17, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2001/0509/1194032.html | access-date = December 7, 2024}}{{cite web | last = Bender | first = Patricia | title = 2000-01 Regular Season Award Winners | work = Eskimo North | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/awards01.html | access-date = December 7, 2024}}{{cite web | title = 2000–01 NBA Awards Voting | work = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com//awards/awards_2001.html | accessdate = January 11, 2022}} and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, sixth man Johnny Newman contributed 10.9 points per game off the bench, while Williams provided with 10.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game also off the bench, Lucious Harris contributed 9.4 points per game, Gill averaged 9.1 points and 1.5 steals per game, and Jackson contributed 8.2 points per game.{{cite web|title=2000–01 New Jersey Nets Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/2001.html|access-date=September 17, 2021}}

Following the season, Marbury was traded along with Newman to the Phoenix Suns,{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Both Kidd and Marbury to Get Fresh Starts | work = ESPN | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2001/0628/1220083.html | access-date = October 24, 2024}}{{cite news | last = Robbins | first = Liz | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Nets' Shake-Up Ships Marbury for Suns' Kidd | work = The New York Times | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/29/sports/pro-basketball-nets-shake-up-ships-marbury-for-suns-kidd.html | access-date = July 30, 2021}}{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = Kidd, Marbury Latest Big Deal | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-29-sp-16532-story.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Suns Trade Star Guard Kidd, Get Nets' Marbury in Return | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/06/29/suns-trade-star-guard-kidd-get-nets-marbury-in-return/aa3b13c4-3a07-49ef-b8b2-8d32e6f260d5/ | access-date = October 19, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Suns Agree to Trade Kidd to Nets for Marbury | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/06/29/suns-agree-to-trade-kidd-to-nets-for-marbury/ | access-date = November 30, 2022}} while Gill signed with the Miami Heat,{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL; Gill, a Free Agent, Leaves Nets for Heat | work = The New York Times | date = August 6, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/06/sports/plus-pro-basketball-gill-a-free-agent-leaves-nets-for-heat.html | access-date = November 7, 2024}}{{cite news | title = Miami Signs Kendall Gill | work = United Press International | date = August 6, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/08/06/Miami-signs-Kendall-Gill/3966997070400/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}} Jackson signed with the San Antonio Spurs,{{cite news | title = Spurs Sign Two More Free Agents | work = United Press International | date = August 2, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/08/02/Spurs-sign-two-more-free-agents/6334996724800/ | access-date = October 19, 2022}} and Sherman Douglas retired.

For the season, the Nets slightly changed their grey alternate road uniforms, which remained in use until 2005.