There are the draft picks that, barring trade, will bring three of the top 34 college players. There is the money to entice free agents. There are a lot of elements providing reasons to like the Nets’ future. But there is one that eventually may stand above all.
Brook Lopez.
“I don’t think there is a limit for him,” said teammate Jarvis Hayes. “You can’t see a ceiling right now.”
Lopez scores, defends, rebounds, blocks shots, can name every comic book superhero known to man. And Wednesday in only the Nets’ eighth victory of the season, he ran the floor efficiently — not always a pretty sight with his 7-0, 265-pound build, but an effective one.
“I was cherry picking the whole night. I wasn’t playing defense or rebounding,” deadpanned Lopez, the second leading scoring center with the 18.9 scoring average he’ll bring into the game against the Pistons tonight (8:00; YES, WFAN 660 AM) when the Nets again try for their initial two-game winning streak.
“Brook is an extremely talented big man. He runs the floor well. He’s unique in that aspect in that he can go in the low post. He’s a centerpiece we can build around,” said GM/interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe.
One that may entice free agents.
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Nets’ incoming owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, will be featured on CBS’ “60 Minutes” Sunday at 7 p.m. Prokhorov discusses his wealth, how he made his fortune and the Nets. “I am real excited to take the worst team of the league and turn it to be the best,” he said.