Well, at least Brook Lopez and Devin Harris should be flattered that LeBron James thinks they belong in the NBA. But it certainly sounded as if James doesn’t think the Nets should be.

It’s probably too late for Jay-Z to get back his Christmas gift and card.

What James said last night to reporters in Phoenix isn’t wrong necessarily. There are too many NBA teams, and plenty of them aren’t good.

The league is watered down and some teams have too many stars – ahem, like the Heat - that make them powerhouses and others just fighting to stay afloat. Some probably should be contracted. But it was surprising that he singled out the Nets – and Timberwolves – when he was asked about the possibility of the league downsizing.

"Just imagine if you could take Kevin Love off Minnesota and add him to another team," James told reporters. "Or, looking at some of the teams that's not that great, you take Brook Lopez or you take Devin Harris off these teams that's not that good right now and add 'em to a team that could be really good.

"I'm not saying, 'Let's take New Jersey, let's take Minnesota out of the league.' But, hey you guys are not stupid. I'm not stupid. I know what would be great for the league."

Guess the Nets really had no chance to get James this past summer if this is how he really feels. But still it is strange for him to mention the Nets.

One of James’ closest friends, at least before he spurned them in free agency and these latest comments, is Nets part-owner Jay-Z. Also, the Nets have the richest NBA owner now in Mikhail Prokhorov and the team is moving to Brooklyn in less than two years.

The Nets are not very good now, haven’t been for a few years, but most believe they are certainly heading in the right direction, especially with Prokhorov signing the checks.

James, apparently, doesn’t think so.

Not sure if this matters, but let’s just throw it out there: James is close friends with Carmelo Anthony and both are represented by Leon Rose.

Does that mean Anthony would feel the same way? Probably not, but there have been reports that he wants no part of New Jersey. Again, we’re just throwing that out there.

The Nets are struggling in the standings and the box office, but they are not in danger of contracting. Now if James said Memphis and Sacramento no one would really have said anything. Those are two teams that are candidates for relocation if not contraction.

Not the Nets.

They’re trying to turn themselves from the worst team to one of the best and they hope it starts with the acquisition of Anthony.

Talks are on hold out of respect for Anthony, who lost his sister a few nights ago. But they will start up again at some point after Christmas or New Year’s

If the Nets get Anthony, they want to play him with Lopez and try and get a top quality point guard either through free agency or a trade. Chris Paul and Deron Williams – both free agents in 2012 – are on top of every team’s wish list, the Nets included.

The Nets hope to build a team that could compete with the likes of James’ Heat. Contracting isn’t on the mind of the Nets as much as attracting star talent is.

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Follow me on Twitter: @Al_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Nets for The Record (Bergen County, N.J.)