Win now. Not next year. Not three years or four years. Now.
And part of that thinking stressed by Nets general manager Billy King yesterday could involve either Dallas center Tyson Chandler or Denver’s Nene.
“There’s mutual interest,” one source close to the situation with Chandler said last night while another described the two-way interest as “strong.”
But Nene remains the Nets’ preferred target at forward.
Chandler, 29, sounded like a guy who has played his last game in Dallas, where the championship Mavs appear willing only to offer one year as they try to prepare for the possibility of landing either Deron Williams or Chris Paul next summer.
“I really think I’m going to be on a new team come training camp,” Chandler told ESPN.com.
Maybe that’s the Nets, whose laundry list of to-dos in both free agency and the trading segment of the season includes upgrading bigs.
“We have some holes in our front line right now, so that’s a priority. That’s where I’m focusing right now,” King said yesterday, the first day team executives could talk to agents while players can report to team facilities today — but coaches and team executives can’t watch.
“I want to build a team I think can be successful,” said King, who spoke to “quite a few” agents, including the representatives for Dwight Howard, Nene, Williams and Chandler. “We’re not going to sit here and say, ‘We’ll wait to the future.’ Because the future is not promised to anybody.”
The first order of public business for King was addressing ramifications of an ESPN.com report that said the Nets were preparing a blockbuster offer including center Brook Lopez and two first-round picks for Orlando in an attempt to land Howard before he can become a free agent after this season (something Williams also can do).
King, expressing concern for how rumors affect players, was adamant the Dwight Howard Saga would not become a sequel to the Carmelo Anthony nonsense of last season.
“It won’t continue. I promise you it won’t continue. The circus-like atmosphere that surrounded us last year won’t happen this season, I promise,” said King, claiming he last spoke to Orlando execs in February.
This shows the Nets are being aggressive. It shows Williams they are committed to winning. So many goals lead to one point: getting Williams’ signature on a contractual dotted line. No deals of any sort can be official before Dec. 9.
“The bold move was getting Deron. That was getting the face of a franchise,” said King, who noted two more coaches will be added to fill vacancies (P.J. Carlesimo and Mario Elie).
If money is the determining factor, the Nets have the edge. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, should Williams opt out, he could re-sign with the Nets for five years, $100 million. Other teams could pay four years, $70 million. The Nets could extend him two years beyond what he has now (this season and next) while he would get one year in an extend and trade. The Nets will talk extension, but it is in Williams’ best financial interest to wait.
But waiting is not something the Nets can afford. So at 9 a.m. yesterday, calls went out.