Deron Williams And Brook Lopez, Both Recovering Well

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

The Brooklyn Nets in what has been a major off-season of change, are getting good news when it comes to the health of two of their best players in Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. They are both coming off of surgeries, and this season if either one aren’t at 100% it could be a long season for Brooklyn.

wfuv.org

Their new coach Lionel Hollins seems very pleased about where they both stand coming back from surgery right now. “You can't be where you want to be unless you're healthy,” And you can't get in shape unless you're healthy. If you are injured all summer, there's no way you can work out”. "Deron is healthy, Brook is healthy and they are both able to work out." 

“Conditioning is something they both will be able to work on as they move forward,” Hollins said. “And when you are in shape you can go out, and try things, and do things because naturally if you are successful, your confidence rises. That's the only way I look at it and that's my approach."

Training camp is about a month and a half away for the Nets, and after undergoing surgery on both his ankles on May 27^th, Williams is expected to be healthy and ready to go. For Lopez, he said that he was cleared and ready to play about a week ago after foot surgery in December and ankle surgery in March. With a new coach will come a new system for the Nets, so having two of their main players in camp will be important toward whatever success the Nets may have this coming season.

Join Nick's Google+ Network

Read More

Three-Team Trade Helps Brooklyn Immensely

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

July 9, 2014

Three-Team Deal Helps Brooklyn Immensely

chatsports.com

The LeBron James 2014 off-season factor made its way to Brooklyn on Wednesday, as the Cleveland Cavaliers in need of clearing cap room to offer James his max contract, basically just handed players away. The three-team deal also included the Boston Celtics, who acquired Marcus Thornton from the Nets, Tyler Zeller, and a 2016 protected pick from the Cavaliers. The Nets made out excellent in this deal, receiving Jarrett Jack to replace Shaun Livingston, and 2013 first round pick Sergey Karasev.

Even though James isn’t coming to Brooklyn it shows the effect that he is having on the off-season with many players and teams waiting on him to decide. For Brooklyn his interest in the Cavaliers allowed them to get the Point Guard they wanted in Jack, and a 20-year old with a lot of potential in Karasev.

Jack, was the Nets first option for quite a while when it became apparent that keeping Livingston was going to be unlikely. Jack is coming off a bit of a disappointing season with the Cavaliers after a great post season with the Warriors the year before. Jack averaged 9.1 PPG on a poor 41% shooting from the field to go along with 4.1 APG, and 2.8 RPG. If Jason Kidd was still coaching the Nets, you would certainly a lot of Jack and Deron Williams playing on the court together, but Lionel Hollins tends to go with a more traditional lineup so it will be interesting to see how Jack is used. Jack has two years left on his deal worth $12.6 million, and a team option for the 2016-17 season.

Karasev is a very interesting pickup for the Nets, with Karasev being a 6-7 Shooting Guard that was the 19^th overall pick last June. The Nets had a lot of interest in the Russian in that draft, which they eventually picked Mason Plumlee with the 22^nd pick. Karasev only played in 22 games last season, but brings the Nets a great shooter and ball-handler. He does however need to add some strength to his frame, which will come with him being only 20 years old. Getting Jack and Karasev for Thornton’s expiring contract is a good haul for the Nets, who have added a lot of young players this off-season. The Cavaliers will now be able to offer James what he wants money wise, and after just giving away players, they better hope he is indeed interested in coming back home.

Read More

Brooklyn Nets Select Lionel Hollins As Their New Head Coach

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

July 2nd, 2014

Nets Select Lionel Hollins

AP/ Danny Johnston

In the aftermath of Jason Kidd being sent to the Milwaukee Bucks after his move to gain more power in the organization failed, the Nets were left without a coach, but Billy King wasted little time grabbing Lionel Hollins formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies very quickly.

The Nets have already seen Shaun Livingston leave, so the need for some stability in the organization in the free agency period is important, as not too many players would be looking to come to a team that they don’t know who the coach will be. Having a respected and veteran Head Coach like Hollins should help the Nets chances of trying to retain Paul Pierce, who is a free agent, and a must-sign for Brooklyn. It also should be a positive for the possible return of Kevin Garnett.

In his previous three seasons coaching the Grizzlies, Hollins led one of the best defensive teams in the league under his watch to three straight playoff appearances, and in 2012-13, his final season with the club, they won 56 games and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

The contract for Hollins is a multi-year deal with an annual salary of more the four million dollars a season. A very good job done by the Nets to get the needed stability after what was a shocking and chaotic situation in their organization with Kidd.

Read More