1997–98 New Jersey Nets season

The 1997–98 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 31st season in the National Basketball Association, and 22nd season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets received the seventh overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, and selected small forward Tim Thomas out of Villanova University, but soon traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for power forward, and top draft pick Keith Van Horn from the University of Utah, Lucious Harris, Michael Cage and Don MacLean, and then signed free agent Sherman Douglas on the first day of the regular season, which began on October 31, 1997. The Nets had a new look as the team changed their primary logo, and added new uniforms adding dark navy to their color scheme.

The Nets won their first four games of the regular season, and played above .500 for the entire season, holding a 27–21 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded David Benoit, Kevin Edwards and Yinka Dare to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rony Seikaly, and second-year forward Brian Evans. Despite a 7-game losing streak between February and March, the Nets showed improvement by finishing in third place in the Atlantic Division with a 43–39 record, which earned them the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference, as they qualified for the NBA playoffs.

Van Horn shook off a preseason ankle injury, which cost him to miss the first month of the regular season, and averaged 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in 62 games, as was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, Sam Cassell averaged 19.6 points, 8.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while second-year star Kerry Kittles provided the team with 17.2 points and 1.7 steals per game, while leading them with 110 three-point field goals, Kendall Gill contributed 13.4 points and 1.9 steals per game, and Jayson Williams averaged 12.9 points, led the Nets with 13.6 rebounds per game, and was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York City, New York. Off the bench, sixth man Chris Gatling provided with 11.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, while Douglas contributed 8.0 points and 4.0 assists per game, and Cage averaged 1.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Van Horn also finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting behind Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, while Gill finished tied in eleventh place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and head coach John Calipari finished tied in ninth place in Coach of the Year voting.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1998 NBA playoffs, the Nets faced off against Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls; however, due to injuries to Cassell (groin), Williams (thumb), and Van Horn (stomach virus), the Nets were swept by the Bulls in three straight games. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz in six games in the 1998 NBA Finals for their third consecutive championship, and sixth overall in eight years.

Following the season, Douglas signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Clippers, while Cage and MacLean were both traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, whom Cage used to play for, and Xavier McDaniel retired, although he was released to free agency in January.

The Nets new primary logo and home uniforms both remained in use until 2012, while the road jerseys lasted until 2009.