With a long overdue move to Brooklyn now complete, the New Jersey Nets are hopeful this monumental change of scenery will open the door to a much-needed change to the losing culture that has cursed the regenerated franchise for years.
The Nets certainly have the pieces in place to do so. From veteran stars like Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez to young studs bursting with potential like Marshon Brooks and Turkish shooter Ilkan Karaman, there is not a deficiency of talent in the BK. Whether those pieces can come together to formulate a competitive team on the hardwood is yet to be seen, but the Nets are feeling very optimistic heading into the 2012-13 NBA season.
“It was a long road to get to where we are as an organization,” said Nets general manager Billy King in a press conference on Tuesday, via NBA.com. “[After] a lot of plans, lot of talks, lot of discussions, I think we’re here. Having all the guys in town, it’s exciting to see them workout, to see them play with each other, to see them get excited about teammate they may not have known anything about.”
The Nets have failed to make the playoffs in five consecutive seasons with three straight seasons below the 25-win mark, including a 12-70 win-loss record in 2009-10 which set substantial NBA records.
They have never won an NBA championship — losing in back-to-back Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003 to the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, respectively. In 37 NBA seasons, the franchise has clinched a playoff berth just 16 times with a 52-65 record in postseason play.
With a new home in Brooklyn, however, the Nets have a more positive future in mind, as was evidenced by their pursuit of treasured center Dwight Howard — now of the Lakers — and the subsequent acquisition of all-star guard Joe Johnson.
The addition of Johnson provides New Jersey with one of the most devastating starting fives in the NBA. With center Brook Lopez and power forward Kris Humphries — a very underrated front court — banging down low; the offensive prowess of Williams and Johnson combined with veteran forward Gerald Wallace should pose a lot of trouble for opposing teams in the Eastern Conference. Add the youthful presence of Brooks off the bench, and the Nets present a legitimate contender to their new home fans.
“I can’t wait,” Brooks told the Nets’ Ben Couch. “That’s going to be crazy. That really is going to be nuts. There’s going to be a lot of energy in the building – you know Brooklyn. The whole city’s excited.”
And why shouldn’t the city be excited? They have waited a long time for professional sports to return to their borough — 55 years to be exact. The Nets hope the anticipated return can also conjure successful, championship-caliber play reminiscent of the great Dodgers of old, who won Major League Baseball’s World Series in 1955.
“We have a responsibility to them provide them with a team that they can be proud of, that they can wear our logo and be proud,” King said. “I think we’ve really got a group of guys that are focused on playing basketball and trying to win. And we’ve got a lot of guys that I think have all been knocked at a certain point in their career for some thing or another. I think if, collectively, they can gain strength in each other, then we can have a good unit.”
Calling home to a new city with some new talent and a fresh new look, the Nets are banking on a bright future with some new found success. The hype may seem overwhelming, but Brooklyn deserves to be optimistic.