On Day One, the Nets talked like a legitimate championship contender.
They expressed confidence in themselves while showing respect to the league’s other top teams. They discussed the importance of meshing with one another and developing chemistry. They raved about new coach Jason Kidd and all the wisdom the former point guard will bring.
Most importantly, they made it a point not to run away from the title talk. In fact, the Nets embraced the sky-high expectations that are now as much a part of the organization as glitzy Barclays Center.
“Ultimately, our goal is to win a championship,” said newcomer Paul Pierce, one of the reasons there is so much optimism with this team. “We have the pieces in this locker room to get it done.”
From the moment general manager Billy King pulled off the coup of landing future Hall of Famers Pierce and Kevin Garnett and lethal reserve scoring guard Jason Terry from the Celtics and adding much-needed versatility and depth by bringing in Andrei Kirilenko and Alan Anderson, the new-look Nets have been the talk of the NBA.
Last April’s dismal opening-round playoff series loss to a depleted Bulls team feels like five years ago, and the days in the swamps of New Jersey when the Nets were either a laughingstock or an afterthought — or both — seems even longer.
The press room was packed, loaded with media, photographers, cameras and recorders documenting every word.
“They definitely went all-in, definitely opened their wallets to spend the money to get guys in here,” point guard Deron Williams said. “It’s definitely night and day compared to a couple of years ago when we were in New Jersey, the season where [center] Brook [Lopez] was hurt.”
Pierce said he came to Brooklyn to compete for a title, to win his second ring of a star-studded career. He sees that chance in Brooklyn, with a starting five comprised of players who have all reached at least one All-Star Game and a stacked bench that will feature Andray Blatche, Terry and Kirlenko, three potential NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidates. So does Williams, an elite point guard who now has tons of help.
“It will be fun to have all these options,” Williams said. “I mean, you look at our starting five, everybody can shoot, everybody can pass, everybody can do so many things, so it makes my job easier. I’m going to have a lot of weapons out there, not just in the starting five, but coming off the bench.”
Yet, there were no outlandish predictions, no “we’re coming after you” taunts directed at potential rivals in Miami, Indiana or Chicago. There was a quiet, self-assured confidence about the Nets on Monday. Reserve forward Andray Blatche went the furthest, saying, “in my head, yes, we’re the best team.”
Several Nets believe this is a very talented group,capable of doing special things, playing into June. It’s a far cry from the organization’s days in New Jersey.
“The expectations have grown here in Brooklyn,” Pierce said. “It’s no longer the New Jersey Nets hoping we can win the division. Now it’s the Brooklyn Nets with championship aspirations, and you see that with the people around, the owners, what they’ve done to try to change the organization around.”