Are the Nets Trying to Emulate the Spurs?
If one studies the greats, then eventually one will become great. The Brooklyn Nets have had a tumultuous start to their days after moving across the river to Brooklyn. They have an owner who will do what he must to build a championship team.
They have a GM who has made questionable offseason moves, while sacrificing valuable picks and cap flexibility. They have had a troubled coaching staff by having 3 coaches in a 2-year stint in Brooklyn. They have players who, while healthy, can perform at an all star level, but are troubled by nagging injuries and old age. Needless to say, it has been a rocky start in Brooklyn. But, now they may finally have stability from top to bottom. With that stability, they can finally reach their expectation as a playoff team. By emulating one of the most stable and successful organizations in the NBA, the Spurs, the Nets can finally take a step in the right direction.
Coaching
The Brooklyn Nets have a new coach running the helm this year, Lionel Hollins. Lionel Hollins prior to coaching the Nets, coached the Memphis Grizzlies. A coach with high basketball IQ and a great teacher, Lionel Hollins can spark the inner potential in the Brooklyn Nets roster. Coach Greg Popovich recently dethroned the Big Three which resulted in the breakup of the Big Three. Pop relied on impressive ball movement and utilizing their shooters and creating great opportunities for the big men down low. Both Hollins and Pop were awarded the Coach of the Year award, and both know how to improve a team. Under Hollins, the Grizzlies had the best winning percentage in franchise history. Hollins now has a great post player in Brook Lopez whose post game can be compared to Tim Duncan’s post game. By having such a big presence down low, it opens up the sharp shooters waiting for the ball to make the 3-pointer. Hollins can learn from Pop to be able to develop Lopez’ post game, and being able to space the floor with NBA sharp shooters.
Roster
The Nets and the Spurs have similar roster structure in the fact that they have an all-star caliber point guard running the offense, a post threat down low and a bevy of sharp shooters outside. The Nets are lacking a defensive juggernaut in Kawhi Leonard but Alan Anderson, and Andrei Kirilenko both on the bench but both above average perimeter defenders. By looking at their projected 2014-15 rosters, one can see the similarities in between the rosters.
Brooklyn Nets Projected 2014-15 Roster
- Deron Williams- PG
- Joe Johnson- SG
- Mirza Teletovic- SF
- Kevin Garnett- PF
- Brook Lopez- C
- Mason Plumlee- PF/C
- Alan Anderson- SG/SF
- Andrei Kirilenko- SF
- Jarret Jack- PG
- Bojan Bogdanovic- SG/SF
- Sergey Karasev- SG
- Jerome Jordan- C
- Marquis Teague- PG
- Jorge Gutierrez- PG
- Markel Brown- PG
- Cory Jefferson- PF
San Antonio Spurs Projected 2014-15 Roster
- Tony Parker- PG
- Manu Ginobili- SG
- Kawhi Leonard- SF
- Tim Duncan- PF
- Tiago Splitter- C
- Danny Green- SG
- Marco Belinelli- SG
- Boris Diaw- PF
- Austin Daye- SF
- Matt Bonner- PF
- Patty Mills- PG
- Jeff Ayres – PF
- Aron Baynes- PF
- Cory Jospeh- PG
The Nets have low post scorers like Lopez, KG and Plumlee. On the other hand, the Spurs have Tim Duncan, Tiago Splitter and Doris Diaw. The Nets have 3-Point threats in Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Mirza Teletovic, Alan Anderson, Jarret Jack and Bojan Bogdanovic. The Spurs have Tony Paker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Marco Belinelli, Matt Bonner, Austin Daye and Patty Mills. By having that combination of both low post threats and three-point threats, the opposing defense cannot bring over help defense anywhere because if they collapse down low, the big man can pass out and the shooters will hit the three. If the opposing big men go out to the perimeter to cover a shooter, the post and the paint will be open for the big men. Also, the Nets and the Spurs roster are filled with international players just to add an arbitrary similarity.
The Nets have the coaching staff and the roster to potentially emulate the Spurs system, all they have to do is stay healthy and gain the hunger of winning. Gregg Popovich has had the Spurs core for almost a decade and built great team chemistry and trust and it will take some time for Hollins to get acclimated to Brooklyn and their players. As the progresses, as will the Brooklyn Nets from the coaching staff to the players. The Nets have the pieces to become a threat in the Eastern Conference. All they need to do is put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
What readers said at the time
5 replies came in under this piece in 2014, and they are kept here as they were written — the readers’ words, not ours, spelling and all. The thread is closed; the desk does not take new comments.
jerry251 October 2014
Knock on wood for good health, especially for DWill, Brook and Kirilenko. I’m not expected too much from KG, but Plumlee may work better at PF next to Brook anyway.
I think Nets may finally have a more Diverse team that the Spurs, especially if Gutierrez makes team over Teague (you have 16 players listed above) That worked well for the Spurs. Teague would have to be traded, giving up assets, if Gutz proves to be much better in next month.
Some of the positions listed for the Nets players should be expanded, which makes Nets very versatile. Specifically JJ is SF/PG, AK is SF/PF, Mirza is PF, not SF, Brown is SG/PG hopeful and finally since Jack will also be playing next to DWill, he can be listed as PG/SG. Finally, I’m not hopeful that KG will work well at PF (didn’t go well last season), next to Lopez, so I’d list him as C/PF.
jerry251 October 2014
Sorry, I meant to say JJ is SF/SG. He played mostly SF last season, after SDot began getting big minutes; However, JJ lost some weight, so he should be a little quicker at guarding other SGs. Hollins should love the Nets versatility.
kylealea1 October 2014
The Nets have the tools to emulate a dynasty in the Spurs, but it what gets translated onto the court is what matters. The direction that Hollins is bringing this Nets squad is something that the other 3 coached lacked, structure. Hollins will bring stability back to Brooklyn, and hopefully it’ll help the Nets
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