Nets Are Scorching

@Ken you are terrible. Billy King is the best.

Take whitey's money and build a championship dats da plan of Avery and King.

This move is terrible. Billy King did a terrible job in Philly. Signed or acquired too many expensive players who did not work out.

When was the last time you saw a black head coach and a black GM on the same team? Good job Proky.

I think it is important to hire black guys at all the impportant positions in the NBA. And the Nets are one of the few if not only teams doing it.

Big Daddy, I absolutely agree with you. When I first read about this, I shared many of the same concerns as many Nets fans, I'm sure, as far as questionable moves that King has made in the past. But the more I think about it, the more I'm buying into this move.
Surely, this isn't the ideal GM hiring, but I feel like the common theme of all the moves that the organization is making, top to bottom, is filling holes with talented guys who have a chip on their shoulder. From what I've read about Billy King, he's a bright guy who is generally respected league-wide. I have to believe that he wants to use this platform as a means to prove his nay-sayers wrong. Yes, he absolutely made some really questionable decisions, but most of them were done in an attempt to surround Iverson with enough talent to make a run at the title, and they actually almost got there before it obviously fell apart. For all his faults, though, his track record does suggest that he has a keen eye for young talent, which meshes well with the current youth movement. It's also really important that he is Avery's guy, which means there won't be any friction between owner, GM, and coach.
With Prokhorov being the new hotshot owner, AJ, a guy who spent his entire playing career as the classic underdog PG who won championships with an organization who did it the right way, and a roster full of talented, young, athletic, and high-character guys who have something to prove, Billy King is in a good situation to succeed. Despite his being given the title of GM and president, I feel like all moves, from personnel to the active roster, will be more of a team effort, and won't solely burden King with making decisions on his own.
I really like what they've done thus far in the offseason, despite whiffing on the major FAs. From hiring Avery, drafting Favors over Cousins (though he has been tearing up Summer League), and signing young players at relatively reasonable contracts who all want a chance to prove themselves, this team and organization put a great emphasis on character and has a shot to mesh really well and develop chemistry. There are no prima donnas on this squad, which is a really good thing when you're trying to build a team concept. Got a good feeling about this team, for once, seems like we're finally turning the corner from the Vince Carter days.

Billy King has already made his first move. Chris Webber signs a 5 year deal for 50 million.

As for TWill being a square peg. We really don't know what Johnson has in mind for this team in terms of style. I think he wants to run but still play half court too. Have the ability to change up and of course defend.

I would have loved to be sitting behind him and Prokorov during that finals game. He was commenting to him on a lot of things and addressing it to what he wants to do. Like I said I can read a lips a bit but Avery had his hand over his mouth for some reason. Proky just looked ahead and listened shaking his head in agreement. Proky was buying whatever Avery was selling 100%.

MY feelings are that Avery was pointing out how important defense is and having a lot of skilled bigs. But have athletic wings able to run the floor and hit from outside to open the paint up for the bigs. I'm just guessing from what they were talking about and the action on the floor. They did have the camera on them for a while which surprised me.

I'm guessing of course but it makes some sense judging by what was going on during the game. It seemed like they were both highly impressed with both the Celtic and Lakers and although Avery will NOT use the Triangle notice we did sign a Laker....Hmmmm.

They must have saw something In Farmar, I did. I think Avery is going to take the best of both team's philosophies and try to apply them to our team. That's one reason I am so into the Nets, because I feel Avery has a vision of a team that can beat the Lakers and Celtics or any other team. Having the right pieces that blend well together not mismatched players who are put into positions they will not excel in.

So maybe TWill might be a Square peg, some times you have to adjust your vision to take advantage of the pieces you have. He's still young, athletic, talented and at 6'6"/220 big for a SG. I could be wrong and maybe Avery is trying TWIll at the point and signed Farmar because he does want to run the triangle, I hope not.

@LJ23, yes usually a GM does build a team but in this case the team is built already. Just not a complete job yet. It's Avery's and Proky's vision so the GM is there to make it happen. The GM will be doing his job, working the phones and coordinating scouting, talking with other GMs about players and so on, like all GMs do. But the vision is not his. That's why King is a good fit and maybe Thorn isn't. I think Thorn wanted to move on and build a team for some owner who is lost. There are a lot of teams in the NBA that are mismanaged and "Maybe" Thorn needs a year or so to recuperate and then go back to work building a team for someone. He saw what Walsh did with the Knicks and maybe he feels his legacy will be good with the Nets. Leaving them much better off and on to green pastures to solidify his legacy as a team builder. Anything positive that happens to our team can be traced to Thorn. Do it again and build another team, have them both at least make the finals and he's in. The Nets already did under Thorn so his basketball legacy has a good foundation. Old men think differently then young ones, they ponder what they accomplished and how they will be perceived after they are gone.

@Mike I agree with you about TWill being a square peg, but all the holes on this team at the moment are holes for role players or second bananas. I just have this feeling that Williams has the potential to be a star. Which he'll probably do on some other team after we trade for some journeyman PF... ah well. Then again, I was the one who thought Sean Williams was going to be the truth...

You know with the whole go global thing Proky keeps saying I think Rubio would be perfect on the Nets.

@Big Daddy doesn't a GM build a team? I think he is more than a figure head but he will listen to Avery first.

It's Avery's team and Proky has the final say. Billy King is just a figure head to do the work of a GM, not to build this team. Avery and Proky will build this team, it's their vision. They probably sat together with Thorn and figured out what kind of team they want and how to put it together. I'll never forget watching the finals and Proky talking with Avery in the stands. I can read lips fairly well and it was something Avery was saying to Proky, like that's the type of team I want. I think he was referring to the Celtics. Also ask any GM if they think Lopez is a great player. The answer would be he's on his way. He's 22 and on schedule statistically to get there. Playing on a team as bad as he has it's a wonder he did anything at all. 12 wins people.....now we at least have some players that will stretch the court and open up the paint for Lopez and Favors. The other teams can no longer collapse on him. That can easily make him a 20/10 player. Plus better PG play will get the ball in a better position for the big men. Look for a lot of pick and roll plays. It's looking good Net fans!!!!

Lopez had one great year that doesn't mean he is a great player. I need at least 3 straight great years to say he is a great player.

Lopez is already a great player. The problem is the rest of the team :(

Oh three great moves if Lopez really does become the player everyone says he is going to be.

It is the lil Generals team anyway. And i ask all Nets fans what did Thorn do that was so great? He made two great moves and lots of bad moves. It has been over 7 years since they were in the finals. The guy drafted Jordan with the second pick and he is considered a one of the best GMs why?! After he drafted MJ he left chicago. So it wasn't him that built the championship teams of the 90s it was him that selected the best player ever because Portland was dumb enough to take Bowie. Thorn came to the Nets with the 1st pick overall and a star player that was in his prime in Marbury. BK is left with a very young team and players that Thorn signed that I question such as Outlaw and that center to back up Lopez. Thorn was good but not as good as people say he is. Give Billy King a chance.

Wes, those are pretty strong words. You make it sound as if being a GM is easy. It's not just about player signings. There's much more to the role of a normal GM and they see Billy King as a good candidate...for now.

@Wes- I dont think king is going to be in control as much a u think he is. I se king as a GM who will be giving advice to Proky. But at the end of the day, Proky will be saying what goes on. I think king will be good lending his expertise to Proky. The guy has a good daft record. He recognizes talent...

There's no debate around this move. Billy King is awful!

He has previously shown that, although he has a wonderful academic pedigree, he has absolutely NO BASKETBALL FRONT OFFICE IQ...

He has no understanding of the cap. No understanding of when players hit the downside of their careers and only a slight understanding of draft talent.

This is an absymal move and anyone who debates it need only look at the moves he made in Philly. He traded for Chris Weber after his, I don't know, 50th injury. He gave out ridiculous contracts to marginal players and never got out from under them. Much like Isiah he only hastened those terrible deals by trading away expiring contracts for more aging veterans salaries.

He routinely bid against himself and jacked up the price on guys. He is totally clueless.

Someone needs to research and find out how many GM's, with a proven FAILED track record (i.e. 5 years or more at a job) get hired by another franchise and succeed?

I don't know the numbers but it can't be good.

Got to disagree about Farmar. We have yet to see how he does in a different system. In the triangle he played a different role, in Avery's system, whatever that is he will have a completely different role. Probably much more like a traditional point guard were he might excel. I think that's why Farmar signed with us. The chance to play the PG the way he was taught and is comfortable with. He will have a true 7 foot center and athletic PF as well as a plethora of wings to get the ball to. Maybe he can turn into an assist machine and that's the whole idea for the signing. I don't understand why people are discounting Farmar, I bet they didn't even watch him in the playoffs.

They have one too many shooting guards at the moment (a good player is going to get hosed with minutes). Farmar is a backup point , nothing more. He's like Petro. One SG might be traded away to get more depth at PF which is crucial , but if they stay with this lineup ....
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I'm guessing T.Will will be the main 6th man playing before Morrow at the backup 2 on occasion and before James at the backup 3 often. James is a rook afterall , he probably wouldn't get a lot of minutes the first year anyway. T.Wll can play out of posistion at SF on the bench squad defensively because he's a good rebounder and can jump really well which could help against SF's. He is tough as nails too , so he'll battle.

I hope we don't trade anybody just yet. I don't see anybody available that would help the team. Not some make believe trade, reality. CP3 is NOT on the market as far as what the owner says. So who would we get for a potential star in the making? Let's get another backup PF and see who wants to play and who falls away. The players who show Avery they want to compete will get minutes, the others can be traded. We just are so young and do not know what we really have with so many of these players. It might take all season, even 2 seasons to sort this all out. I'd rather wait and see then make a rash decision and trade a potential all star. The talent is there with TWill. He's not a PG but at 6'6" 220, he's potentially a great SG with size, he's 23 and only a second year player.

Where are T-Will's minutes going to come from? You know they are going to play Farmer and Morrow and probably James as many minutes as they can. Unless Outlaw and James get minutes at PF where will T-Will get his minutes? I love T-Will's gifts but he seems like the square peg trying to get in the round hole right now.

I believe T-Will will be traded if we can get something decent in return. Nets management does not view him as a vital part of this team. He has no real position and we are loaded with guards/wings. Plus his attitude is suspect. If you are a big T-Will fan I would not get too emotionally involved. I doubt him and Avery can co-exist. Avery is all business and T-Will is kind of a flake. They won't give him away though. They are not that stupid, well... LOL... Just look at the current roster.
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Harris/Farmer
C.Lee/Morrow
Outlaw/James

4 of those players have been acquired in last few weeks. Not a good omen for T-Will.

Ezra, you bring up a good question. Based off his track record, King likes to gamble and go all-in on certain players, even if chemistry might be an issue (AI running point vs Green, AI and AI2/Iggy, Webber, Dalambert, Iggy and Turner). But maybe he's more of a figure head like Mitch Kupchak is to the Lakers.

Does this make trading Terrance Williams more or less likely?

I need another fix right about now. Come on Nets do something! LMAO

After our season last year, everyone involved with the nets are extra eager to succeed (players, coaches, owner, front office). There are a lot of intelligent people working for our players. People who have had success in this league (except for proky). i have confidence in these guys...

Mr. Prokhorov is also a rookie in this league. He's bound to make mistakes. Plus luck is very important factor. As long as the owner is willing to spend we should have at least a punchers chance. Can't wait for the next shoe to drop. You know King will want to put his stamp on this team along with AJ, now that Thorn is gone. I wonder what they will do?

It's nice to read posts from people with a voice of reason.

If Prokhorov is an owner of the Stienbrenner mold ( of which he was an admirer) than there will be only ONE BOSS.

Sometimes you can make the "right" move and it turns out wrong. Lets give Mr. King the benefit of the doubt. Welcome aboard Billy.

I don't know what to think yet...I probably will give remarks when he makes an actual move. It's too soon to say. Owners do play a huge role now so maybe King was making moves more oriented to what the Philly owner wanted? Not sure...

Harrington would have been OK, 1-2 years at the league minimum. What he got defies logic. I watched that guy miss assignment after assignment, pass up open players and just shoot not to mention put his head down and barrel to the basket and miss the layup. Yet I have seen him play the right way, he knows how, which Harrington they are going to get, who knows, who cares, he's not a Net.

In Philadelphia, King was put in the position of building a team around a flawed central character. He was somewhat hamstrung by that fact, and ultimately did a good job getting rid of the guy, likely as soon as the organization would allow him to do so.

His drafts weren't bad, given where they were picking.

Did he give out a few too-rich contracts? Sure, but see above.

I have to believe too that he has learned something in the two years since the 76ers gig, and will come with a more sophisticated approach.

He also finds himself in a tailor-made situation, with a pretty clear mandate - build and grow a young team around Lopez and Favors that will begin to really compete in two to three years - which means he's unlikely to overpay veteran players for long-term deals.

My only real concern here is whether he'll be willing or able to reign in or say no to his coach. My guess is that his ability to do that will grow over time.

I'm willing to give the guy a shot. There'll be plenty of time to start hating on him later, if it comes to that.

Just what we need, Harrington, a Knick reject. Don't like his game or his demeanor. He's a professional journeyman making way too much money. But all power to him and the sucker that signs him.

It's going to take time for all these new players to get comfortable with each other. As long as they play hard, play defense and don't give up things will be OK. It's hard not to give up emotionally and then physically if you lose. That's what makes great players, the refusal to give in or give up no matter what the odds are. Just ask anybody who's been in real battle, like a boxer or....real combat were your life is on the line. It's that mentality that Avery Johnson has to instill in his players first and foremost, the will to win at all costs. Like MJ playing with 103+ fever and scoring like 40 points then collapsing after the game, with Pippen holding him up. That's why LeBron will never be MJ. It's an attitude and desire to win that supersedes everything else, that competitive edge. Avery has it and that's why he was hired and that's probably why he scared away a lot of other owners. People like that you either embrace or are afraid of. I embrace that mentality 100%, do or die!!!!!! I fought and although not in combat was in the US Army. You learn quickly who has it and who does not. Courage comes in different shapes and sizes and it helps to know that your team is with you 100%. That is what Avery Johnson must do, weed out the losers and trade them. That's what people are not seeing. Make a team of winners and players that refuse to lose. To that I am glad in a way we did not sign LeBron, he's a bit of a fraud, great player but he can't wear the shoes of a Kobe or MJ. Let's find our own leader and star. For all we know he's already on the team and it might be a combination of a few players like those Piston teams of the past. Refuse to lose!!!! Go Nets!!!

Yes we landed the KING!!!! wait... damn...

@Chris "You want to be paying a guy who’s game is based on athletisism"
his game is not based on his athleticism at all.

Hopefully he doesn't have any more Elton Brand like signings in the future.

Harrington is 30. You want to be paying a guy who's game is based on athletisism $7mm when he's 35? Outlaw deal is better. When Hollinger gets around to analyzing the Harrington deal I'm sure he'll pan it.

I really believe this team is going to surprise a lot of people...

Yes go to battle...didn't say we were going to win tho..but could be fun nevertheless.. new general and some new troops

@Mike-- “I think my tummy hurts” LOL
Have some herbal tea and imagine us getting Harrison Barnes!

This move really doesnt matter. Proky and avery are running the show here...

Can someone tell me why we didn't hire Pritchard/what the conspiracy story behind him is?

AND TO THINK THE NETS WERE BAD B4!! HE IS GOING TO MAKE THIS TEAM WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY WORSE!!

But if we look good in preseason I will personally carry the Nets battle flag, where the bullets are flying and the blood is flowing ... LOL

@NJINME; "Go to battle";
"I think my tummy hurts". We have no PF, Brook Lopez has to get his health back, Devin Harris is either going to shape up or sulk, and the rest of our new comers have to fit in to their roles whatever they might be. We are still like an expansion team with so many question marks. Almost like last years team but much younger. Should be fun but might end up a train wreck like last years team. Can't wait to find out. But this year I will temper my expectations.