Founded in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans as a part of the ABA, they relocated to Long Island, New York the following year and became the New York Nets. They won two championships in 1974 and 1976. In 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA, and in 1977 they returned to New Jersey until 2012.
In 2012, the Nets moved to the Barclays Center and became the Brooklyn Nets where they remain to current day.
Honorable Mentions:
Stephon Marbury – After his unceremonious exit from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Marbury’s game continued to grow as a member of the New Jersey Nets, where during is brief stint he wowed and entertained fans in spectacular fashion.
Bernard King – The four time All-Star played only two seasons with the Nets but was by far one of the most dynamic players to ever pass through the franchise.
10. Chris Morris
Career stats with Nets: 13.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG (1988-1995)
Morris was an athletic wing, drafted with the 4th overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft. Though he failed to make an All-Star or All-NBA teams, he was a reliable third option for the franchise for several years.
9. Mike Gminski
Career stats with Nets: 11.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.6 SPG (1980-1988)
Gmninski was drafted by and played eight seasons for the New Jersey Nets. Gminski possessed a soft shooting touch for a big man and was a consistent force for the Nets both offensively and defensively for the better part of a decade.
Career stats with Nets: 19.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.9 SPG (1990-1995)
With the number one pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets selected talented big man, Derrick Coleman. As a prolific scorer and rebounder, he won Rookie of the Year and even mad ethe All-Star team in 1994.
Career stats with Nets: 14.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.6 SPG (1996-2004)
Though it is not something he is actively remembered for, Kittles was a lottery pick in the highly famed 1996 NBA Draft. As a rookie he set the Nets’ franchise record [also an NBA rookie record] fir made three-point field goals with 158. Though injuries slowed his production, he was a valuable contributor to the franchise for several years.
6. Brook Lopez
Career stats with Nets: 18.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.6 SPG (2008-2017)
Drafted 10th overall by the New Jersey Nets in 2008, Brook worked his way up from a productive bench player to an effective scorer and defensive force. In his last year with the Nets, Lopez even began stretching his range out to beyond the three point line, proving he was adaptable to the modern game.
5. Vince Carter
Career stats with Nets: 22.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.1 SPG (2005-2009)
Carter’s path to the New Jersey Nets started with his unhappiness in Toronto and requesting a trade out. Though his stint with the Nets was relatively brief, Vince Carter was still in the tail end of his prime. His team with New Jersey overlapped with both Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Though not at the height of his powers, Carter was an explosive scorer for the Nets during his time there.
 4. Richard Jefferson
Career stats with Nets: 17.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.9 SPG (2001-2008)
Richard Jefferson was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 13th overall pick and traded to the New Jersey Nets where he played for seven seasons. Alongside fellow Nets great, Jason Kidd – Jefferson played a vital role in the teams back-to-back runs to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003 where they ran into a prime Shaquille O’Neal and an upcoming Kobe Bryant.
Career stats with Nets: 16.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.9 SPG (1981-1989)
After being drafted by the New Jersey Nets in the 1981 NBA Draft, Williams instantly established himself as an elite rebounder, and a reliable contributor in the paint. He helped improved their win record by 20 wins from the year before he was drafted and spent eight years with the franchise.
Career stats with Nets: 28.2 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.3 SPG (1973-1976)
Though only with the New York Nets for a few short years, he promptly the led the franchise to their only two ABA titles. The hyper athletic forward, known for his jaw-dropping dunks and aerial assaults on his defenders.
1. Jason Kidd
Career stats with Nets: 14.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 9.0 APG, 1.9 SPG (2001-2007)
The legendary point guard played for four teams, with his longest stretch being with the New Jersey Nets. Kidd’s impact on the Nets was immediate and profound; doubling the team’s win total from the year he joined them and leading them to their first ever NBA Finals. That same season he finished second to Tim Duncan in MVP voting. Though the recent additions of Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving to a lesser extent, means that Kidd is no longer the best player to ever play for the Nets – he still has had the greatest influence on the franchise to date.
Respectfully I would say dr j
Ahead of Jason Kidd?
If not for the Doctor, Kidd would have been the greatest player in Kentucky Colonels history.
No, really . The Nets would have had to fold in the NBA/ABA merger, the NBA already had a New York team that made more money. Why split the market?, for Brian Taylor?, John Williamson?, Swen Nater?. Who’s to say the Nets would have even lasted ’till the merger without having the biggest draw in the ABA?, maybe switch the history of the Nets with the Virginia Squires or Kentucky Colonels. Hell, if the NBA would have accepted Erving’s contract with the Atlanta Hawks would there have been an ABA for the NBA to merge with?. Either way you look at it, no Doc = no Nets in the NBA.
Jason Kidd was absolutely a great player, but no team(including the nets)nor league would have ceased to exist had he never played. Kidd was a great player on a good team in a strong league.
If you want to argue about the different eras, or leagues or economies or whatever, knock yourself out. The fact is, from 1971 through 1976, the Dr. J. held his teams, his league and to a lesser degree the sport on his shoulders.
No Kenny Anderson?
No Sam Bowie?
No Michael Ray Richardson?
No KVH?
I’d take those guys over Kittles and Morris.
I do agree with your #1 choice, though. As great as Dr J was, he was only with the Nets in the ABA. They were the New York Nets, as well. Kidd gave the NEW JERSEY Nets their only real glory.