1998–99 New Jersey Nets season

The 1998–99 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 32nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 23rd season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.

During the off-season, the Nets signed free agents Eric Murdock and Scott Burrell, and acquired Jim McIlvaine from the Seattle SuperSonics. However, the team struggled and got off to an awful start by losing 18 of their first 21 games of the regular season. Head coach John Calipari was fired after a 3–17 start to the season, and was replaced with assistant Don Casey. At mid-season, Sam Cassell, who was out with an ankle injury after four games, was traded along with Chris Gatling to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade, as the Nets acquired Stephon Marbury from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and acquired Jamie Feick from the Bucks.

As the season progressed, the Nets were dealt with a blow when Jayson Williams suffered a severe knee injury in April, and was out for the remainder of the season after 30 games. Near the end of the season, the team signed free agent and 7' 7" Romanian center Gheorghe Mureșan, as the Nets finished in last place in the Atlantic Division with a disappointing 16–34 record.

Marbury averaged 23.4 points and 8.7 assists per game in 31 games after the trade, while second-year star Keith Van Horn averaged 21.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. In addition, Kerry Kittles provided the team with 12.9 points and 1.7 steals per game, while Kendall Gill contributed 11.8 points and 2.7 steals per game, and Williams averaged 8.1 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Murdock contributed 7.9 points, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game, but only played just 15 games due to a groin injury, Feick averaged 6.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in 26 games, Burrell provided with 6.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, and Lucious Harris contributed 5.4 points per game.

The Nets finished 21st in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 400,387 at the Continental Airlines Arena during the regular season. Following the season, Murdock was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, and Rony Seikaly was released to free agency and then retired. For the season, the Nets added new gray alternate road uniforms with dark navy side panels, which were slightly redesigned in 2000.