After the Chicago Bulls eliminated the Brooklyn Nets from the playoffs last season, owner Mikhail Prokhorov was quick to make sure they would not suffer a similar fate this season.

The Nets went all in this offseason by trading for future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett as well as acquiring Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko. To top it all off, the Nets hired Jason Kidd, arguably the greatest Nets player ever, to coach the team, barely two weeks after he retired from playing the sport.

By adding those players along with the already stout core of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, the Nets were thought to be contenders. They were supposed to be the next super team, one that could usurp the basketball throne from the Miami Heat. Yet, going into Thanksgiving they sit at a terrible 3-10.

Many are beginning to panic. The Nets are being compared to the catastrophe that was the Lakers last season. Some are calling for the termination of Kidd as coach while others have already given up on the season. However, it shouldn’t be panic time for the Nets, and here’s why.

It’s only November, and barely any basketball has been played. There are 82 games in a season and after 13 games, or 16 percent of the season, it’s way too early to begin giving a verdict on teams. For the Nets to throw in the towel now would be like an NFL team quitting after starting a season 1-2 — it’s simply ridiculous. As the season goes on, the chemistry within the team will surely improve and the real Nets will emerge.

Brooklyn isn’t the only team that’s doing poorly, another reason why they shouldn’t panic. In fact, in the Eastern conference only two out of 15 teams, the Pacers and the Heat, have a winning record. This bodes well for the Nets since although they aren’t performing, other teams aren’t capitalizing on their misfortunes.

On top of that, the Atlantic Division, the one the Nets are in, is the worst division in the NBA. At 6-7, the Toronto Raptors are currently at the top of the division and if the season ended now, would own the fourth seed in the playoffs. The fact that the Nets are only three games behind should more than provide the Nets with optimism to keep playing hard.

Every team must deal with injuries. But, the Nets have been particularly unlucky. Most members are plagued with an injury, and All-Star point guard Deron Williams is a significant absentee. The Nets haven’t been together as a starting unit since their second game against the Heat. Without their star players, the Nets don’t stand a chance. But just as Deron Williams showed last year after the All-Star break, once he and other players get back to form, they are unstoppable.

The Nets are a team designed to play in the summer, that is, a team able to make a deep run within the playoffs. With their experience and leadership, they envisioned this team going toe-to-toe with the best teams in the league. The fact that the Nets beat the Heat, and almost beat the Pacers, only gives optimism for this team. If the Nets can make the playoffs, they should be taken seriously. Only three games behind in their division, it’s certainly a possibility.

Although the Nets started out extremely slowly, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern. The Nets will fix their problems and redeem their season. As long as the Nets don’t continue their descent into mediocrity then it’s not time to panic.

Ferenc Puskas is a contributing writer. Email him at [email protected]