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Kevin Durant's and Kyrie Irving's arrival spells Nets shedding label of 'Little Engine that Could'


You can't call the Brooklyn Nets The Little Engine that Could anymore.

Signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has a way transforming a franchise that before the free agent frenzy was quietly minding its own business and ascending the rankings in the Eastern conference step by step.

A franchise that has had a nomadic existence to say the least.

From Teackneck New Jersey, to Commack, Long Island to West Hempstead, New York to Uniondale, New York to Piscataway, New Jersey to East Rutherford, New Jersey to Brooklyn, New York, the Nets are well traveled to say the least.






LIST OF NETS HOME ARENAS
Teaneck Armory Teaneck, New Jersey 1967–1968
Long Island Arena Commack, New York 1968–1969
Island Garden West Hempstead, New York 1969–1972
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Uniondale, New York 1972–1977
Rutgers Athletic Center Piscataway, New Jersey 1977–1981
Brendan Byrne Arena (1981–1996),
renamed Continental Airlines Arena (1996–2007),
renamed Izod Center (2007–2010) East Rutherford, New Jersey 1981–2010
Prudential Center Newark, New Jersey 2010–2012
Barclays Center2012-present


The Nets have played in ten different arenas in their 52-year existence and have always been the second act to their Manhattan counterparts playing at Madison Square Garden. Both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were heavily rumored to be interested in joining the Knicks only to ultimately sprurn James Dolan and the clown show at the "World's Most Famous Arena" and join the up and coming Brooklyn squad.

The Nets have always been an afterthought in their own city. Hardly talked about on the local radiowaves, television or online. Whether the Knicks are good, bad, or ugly, they're always frontpage material, while the Nets are most times not even backcover worthy. Even during the Jason Kidd era with the then-New Jersey Nets; making consecutive finals appearances, the franchise struggled to draw fans and sellout its home arena on the NBA's grandest stage.

Now, the Nets, not the Knicks, will be the hottest ticket in town with ticket prices and demand for season ticket packages expected to be at an all-time high at Barclays Center. According to Vegas Insider, the Nets are currently listed at 40/1 odds to win the NBA title and 12/1 to win the Eastern Conference. Not too shabby for a franchise that was simply hoping and praying to reach the 30-win plateau just two seasons ago.

Those title odds are based on the increasing likelihood that Kevin Durant won't return this season. While there's an outside chance that Durant could return for a playoff run, the Nets championsip window likely starts in 2020. General manager Sean Marks brilliantly assembled a roster that, at the very least, can be in the mix to come out of the East.

In the short-term, the Nets want the dynamic duo of Irving and Durant to deliver the Larry O'Brien trophy that has eluded them for over five decades. Bigger picture, the Netslanding two of the game's premier players changes the entire perception of the franchise from the outside looking in.

Brooklyn is now considered a free agent destination, which was never the case in the first few years at the Barclays Center and certainly during the 35 years in the Garden State. For once, the Nets are the bigger brother; they're Goliath with some big guns to deal some damage to the rest of the league. It's not a position the organization has often been in and it's not one that Nets fans are accustomed to dealing with. So while expectations will be riding high and the Brooklyn squad will have lofty goals for the first time in a long time, this offseason marks a changing of the organization's complexion and a complete revitalization of the Nets for years to come.




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EXCLUSIVE: Top orthopedic surgeon says Kevin Durant has 'much better odds to return to 100 percent than John Wall'



Nets Insider sat down with Dr. Steven Weinfeld, Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, to discuss Kevin Durant's Achilles injury. Dr. Weinfield indicated that while rehabbing his Achilles heel is paramount, the greater challenge for Durant comes in getting his calf muscle back to full strength. The question on every Nets fans' mind is when will the ten-time All-star be able to return to the court? The team hasn't ruled him out for the entire 2019-2020 campaign just yet, but the prospect of him playing this upcoming season is still improbable, according to Dr. Weinfeld.

"I think it's unlikely that he would play this season, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if he did come back," admitted Mount Sinai's Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery. "Certainly things you want to be clear about as a surgeon allowing an athlete to come back to play high level sport is that obviously their repair is healed enough and that their stength is where it needs to be and that's what takes the longest in an Achilles injury. It's not so much the healing of the tendon, that usually takes somewhere between 4, 5, or 6 months, but the strength of the calf muscle doesn't usually come back for about a year and sometimes even longer. So that's what keeps the high performance athlete out as long as it does because you really have to be sure their strength is as good as it can be before you let them come back."

The Nets didn't hesitate to acquire Durant via a sign-and-trade with Golden State and agreed to a 4-year, $164 million deal with the superstar during free agency. Brooklyn signed the deal knowing there was a strong likelihood that Durant won't even see the court this upcoming season. Dr. J. Martin O'Malley of Hospital for Special Surgery performed the surgery on Durant's Achilles following the catastrophic setback in Game 5 of the NBA finals and he also serves as the Nets team doctor.




Durant's familiarity and comfort level with the Nets medical staff was a major determining factor in him ultimately signing a deal to come to Brooklyn. While most critics are scoffing at the thought of Durant seeing the hardwood this upcoming season, according to Weinfeld, Durant's chances are exceedingly better than that of injured Wizards star John Wall's.

"A point guard plays a different kind of game than Kevin Durant does," noted Dr. Weinfeld. "An explosive type athlete, his demand is different than that of Kevin Durant's. You talk about odds of coming back to where he was, I think Durant's odds are better than an athlete like John Wall whose whole game is quickness and explosiveness. He [Wall] counts much more on those muscles being exactly where they need to be as opposed to a player like Durant and his style.

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis has already stated that Wall 'probably won't play' next year at all as the team is taking a cautious approach with its floor general. On January 8, Wall underwent surgery to repair a Haglund's deformity and a chronic Achilles tendon injury. Unfortunately for the 28-year old, he developed an infection in the incision from that surgery and the team announced he would be out at least 12-months retroactive to February. The Wizards just inked Wall to a four-year, $170 million deal that is set to begin at the start of the 2019-2020 season. Given the setback that Wall has suffered, it's reasonable to think that Durant is on the fast track back on the court compared Washington's franchise player.

While many fans don't expect to see either Wall or Durant until the 2020-2021 season, Dr. Weinfeld is confident that Durant can return to the player fans saw lead the Warriors to two championships, three straight finals appearances, and dominate the NBA as a two-time Finals MVP and a two-time league MVP.

"I think he'll probably be somewhere between 90 and 100 percent," stated Dr. Weinfeld. "That's my thought assuming everything goes smoothly and he doesn't have any setbacks, I think you can expect somehwere in the 90 to 100 percent range."


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Podcast: Ian Eagle talks meeting Kyrie Irving while stuck on an Amtrak







25-year television voice of the Brooklyn Nets, Ian Eagle joins Bryan Fonseca and Dexter Henry for episode 90 of the Ain't Hard To Tell Podcast. Eagle details meeting Kyrie Irving -- then a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers -- while stuck on an Amtrak on a Sunday night, learning that Irving has been a huge Net fan his entire life.

Ian Eagle talks meeting Kyrie Irving while stuck on an Amtrak | Ain't Hard To Tell Podcast

Rookie PG Jaylen Hands tells Nets he's thankful to play in NBA Summer League




The Nets second round draft pick via a trade with the Clippers, UCLA guard Jaylen Hands, gave a classy shoutout via Twitter on Monday night. In an age where marquee rookies are being held out of summer league games for fear of injury, Hands is thanking the organization that he'll be starting his pro career with for the opportunity to compete in Las Vegas.



This is a strict departure from the current mentality surrounding summer league games where executives and agents alike cringe at the thought of a potential star player suffering a catastrophic injury in an exhibition contest. Clearly Hands isn't concerned about potential injuries, but instead focusing on his own development as he tries to make the Nets 15-man roster. Ideally Hands would like to be one of the the active 13 players that suit up for Brooklyn, but it will be an uphill climb with guards Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Garrett Temple expected to be major contributors this upcoming season.

Hands has all the makings of a solid NBA player with a high IQ and above average shooting stroke, particularly from deep. The first-year pro has certainly endeared himself to the Nets coaching staff and front office with his remarks on his NBA Summer League experience.

While Hands somewhat underachived this summer averaging 11 minutes and 5.5 points per game while shooting 30.8% from the field and 11.1% from long range. Unfortunately for the young baller, he didn't exactly put his best foot forward during the summer months. Nonetheless, Sean Marks and his scouting department saw something special in the 20-year old floor general and he'll have the opportunity to learn from one of the NBA's best in Kyrie Irving during training camp and practices this season.

Jarrett Allen should relish role as backup to DeAndre Jordan



There's no shame in playing behind a three-time All-NBA Player, two-time rebounding champion, two-time All-Defensive team player, one-time All-Star and the NBA's all-time leader in field goal percentage at 67 percent.

But don't tell Jarrett Allen that.

The Nets youngster, at just 20, is on the rise and there's a growing concern in Brooklyn that he'll be buried behind DeAndre Jordan on the depth chart.

The reality is Allen is clearly a budding star in the making, but Jordan's ability to bang with the Joel Embiid's and Marc Gasol's and Al Horford's of the world make it doubly important for the Nets to station a viable defensive presence in the paint. Not that Allen isn't a talented defender in his own right as his 1.5 bpg average is among the league leaders.

As a rim protector, the former University of Texas standout stacks up to the league's best. Unfortunately, his lack of strength and the fact that his young frame hasn't filled out yet has worked against him, specifically last year in the playoffs against Embiid.

Allen was thrown around like a rag doll at times and was even dealt a crushing elbow from the Sixers outspoken center that later boiled over into Jared Dudley standing up for his fallen temmmate.

Sean Marks burst into the referees' locker room following the team's Game 4 loss to Philadelphia in which Brooklyn was at the receiving end of some overly physical play where the officials swallowed their whistles.

Backup center Ed Davis was injured early in the series and didn't return leaving Allen as the only viable center option to compete with the Sixers bigs. Things didn't go swimmingly for Allen, but it was a definite growing experience.

Now enter Jordan, who no man in the league can or would even try to push around. Whether Allen or Jordan should start is honestly a silly question. Kenny Atkinson always determines his lineups based on the strength of his opponents and the flow of the game, so Jordan's arrival in Brooklyn just brings more toughness and physicality to a Nets frontline that was lacking in both areas last season.

Davis was a terrific rebounder and hustle player for the Nets last season, but Jordan adds a different dynamic to the Nets defense. Perhaps Allen's minutes shrink from 36 per game to 28-30, but at 31-years old, Brooklyn isn't interested in tiring out Jordan, but instead keeping him fresh for a playoff push.

Expect Jordan to receive 15-20 minutes per game depending on the matchup and juncture in the season. Naming the starter is ceremonial at best, and both the Nets and the coaching staff understand Allen's upside and they won't do anything to hinder his development. Instead, Allen will learn from a terrific rebounder, defender, and hustle player in Jordan. 

DeAndre Jordan's free throw woes appear to be a problem of the past



How could a 46.6 percent free throw shooter not be a liability at the stripe? It's been a bugaboo of sorts that has followed DeAndre Jordan around for the better part of his 11-year career in the NBA.

However, something after ten seasons clicked. It was almost as if Jordan had exorcized the demons of the past and unlocked a shooting stroke that was previously undiscovered at the foul line.

2018 was a tumultous season for Jordan after he was spent nine seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2008-2017 until the core of that team including: Chris Paul. and Blake Griffin were traded away to the Rockets and Pistons respectively.

Jordan was the last piece of the Clippers high-flying act left, but even he eventually signed a deal to join the Dallas Mavericks during the 2018 offseason. It was only three years before that Mavs owner Marc Cuban tried to whisk Jordan away from the Clippers during free agency only to see the star center agree to a deal to join Dallas then change his mind to ultimately stay with Los Angeles.

There clearly weren't any bitter feelings on either side as the two eventually came together during last offseason, but after 50-games in a Mavericks uniform, Jordan became a part of the trade that sent him to the Knicks and saw them ship out Kristaps Porzingis.

In just 19 games with the Knicks last season, Jordan flourished averaging 15.1 ppg, 15.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest. All eye-popping numbers from a recently turned 31-year old. Jordan is a close friend of Kevin Durant and once it was announced that the former Warrior and Kyrie Irving were headed to Brooklyn, Jordan wasn't far behind them.

While Jordan is one of the most feared shotblockers, rebounders and dunkers in the league, his Achilles heel has always been his free throw shooting.

Jordan, whose stroke looked shooter-esque while at the stripe, shot as low as 37.5 percent at the line. He often received the Hack-a-Shaq treatment in the fourth quarters of close contents and teams saw him as an offensive liability.

Last year, Jordan achieved a remarkable feat by shooting 70.5 percent at the charity stripe. Now to put that in perspective, the NBA player's average free throw percentage is 79 percent. So while the center is still below average, he's nearly double his percentage since the earlier part of his career, which is a remarkable achievement.

If the newly inked Nets center can continue on this upward trend he will continue to shed the label of liability on offense and find more minutes on the court. The NBA rule change regarding the Hack-A-Shaq went into effect during the 2016 campaign and extended the rule whereby a team cannot intentionally foul a player inside of two minutes of the fourth quarter to now where it applies to all four quarters.

If an intenional foul takes place inside of two minutes of any quarter, the team that is fouled shoots one free throw and retains possession of the ball. This rule change, coupled with Jordan's diligent efforts to raise his percentage will make him a much more impactful player and  an asset for the Nets this upcoming season.


Prokhorov taking a backseat to Marks is the best thing that ever happened to the Nets





Remember Mikhail Prokhorov's championship promise? When he took over as majority owner of the Nets back in 2010 he said he expected the team to make the playoffs the following season and win a Larry O'Brien trophy within five years at the most.

Below is an excerpt from his speech to Nets fans and season ticketholders:


"If everything goes as planned, I expect to be in the playoffs next season...and championship in one year minimum and maximum in five years...

"The excitement is with the Nets. We will have a desire to win that is unmatched anywhere in the league. This will be a first class organization with all the support it needs...

"This will be the first truly global team in the NBA with exceptional international exposure no other team can reach, and there will be fans of the Nets from New Jersey to Brooklyn to Moscow...

“I can convince the very best of the best that the Nets are the place they want to be."


Five years came and went without the Nets coming anywhere near achieving a championship squad. In fact, the trade for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry backfired in the worst way as the organization mortgaged its future on a longshot for three aging stars to lead them to a title. That didn't happen, and instead the Nets became the laughing stock of the league.

Three years out of the playoffs before Sean Marks and company turned things around last season and won 42 games to reach the sixth seed in the East before being ousted by the Sixers in five games.

Prokhorov's pride was on the line back in 2015 and he pushed all his chips to the middle of the table, but luck was not on his side. Former General manager Billy King took the blame for what many considered one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history that awarded the Celtics countless unprotected draft picks in exchange for three over-the-hill players.

The Nets owner is less visible in the media and instead of making headlines with the media, he's empowering his employees to do their jobs and providing them with terrific resources to be as effective as possible.

Prokhorov learned his lesson through that challenge as he's now taken a backseat to allow Marks to build a culture and develop the roster organically through purchasing draft picks, investing in international scouting and developing players from starting at the G-League level.

The Nets are now the talk of the NBA with the acquisition of Kevin Durant via sign and trade and Kyrie Irving by way of free agency. Prokhorov's best decision was to check his ego at the door and allow the basketball experts to make the basketball decisions. With a healthy Durant, the Nets are trending toward being a team that could be considered a championship contender. The team's owner learned his lesson that a lot more is at stake for the Nets organization that just his personal pride.

Don't sleep on Kevin Durant returning to the court this upcoming season


I've been watching the Nets for 25 years and I never recall a season with more anticipation or excitement than the 2019 campaign.

While Knicks fans, Celtics fans, and all-around Nets-haters try to rain on the parade by intimating that Kevin Durant won't be back this season and maybe never the same player again; I'm not buying it. 

Look, I understand the severity of Durant's injury and the normal timetable for recovery is 9-12 months. There isn't a strong track record of players rebounding from this setback in quick fashion and even fewer return to the same level of play they showcased prior to the injury.

All those things are good and well, but Durant is a different animal. His lean body will allow for a quicker recovery than more muscle-bound or bulkier athletes. Durant's strength has always been his ability to rise up and shoot over opponents. 

Standing 7-feet tall, Durant is almost indefensible and is regarded as one of the greatest shooters in the history of the NBA. Even if Durant returns at 75 percent this season, and isn't fully himself until the 2020 season, a 75 percent Durant is better than 99 percent of the league. 

The other factor at work is that the surgeon that conducted the surgery on Durant is the Nets team doctor, part of the HSS team. The surgeon has closely followed Durant's situation and reports were that when Durant heard the doctors plan for rehab, he was very encouraged and elated. 

Durant posted pictures of him already rehabbing in the swimming pool and shooting baskets which is a major step forward. 

Take that for what you think it means, but that spells a quicker road to recovery than many anticipate. Brooklyn doesn't want to make the same mistake that Golden State did a year ago by rushing Durant back before he's ready. 

I have the utmost confidence in the Nets medical staff and Durant wanting to push himself as hard as possible without making the same mistake of coming back too soon again. 

Right now the Nets are not even mentioned in the top 3 teams in the East with the Bucks, Celtics, and Pacers all edging out the rising Brooklyn squad, but coming off a 42-win season it's expected that the team will take the next step forward. 

So what does that mean? 45 wins, 49 wins, 50-plus wins? Who knows, but it's not unreasonable to think that even if the Nets are the fourth-best team in the East that they'll be favored to win a first round matchup and then who knows if Durant will be back and ready in time for late-April to early-May. 

The Nets have a lot of work ahead to develop chemistry on the team with Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Prince, Garrett Temple and others joining the fold. Durant's injury is certainly an early question mark, but ruling him out the entire campaign is foolish at this point.  








Kevin Durant posts rehab photos on Instagram


Kevin Durant's rehab is underway and the sharpshooter is already shooting a basketball! Well technically he is because he's working out in a pool, but that's a major first step toward him making a return to the hardwood.


Check out all the photos below.

On this Day 18 years ago the Nets traded for Jason Kidd


Nearly 20 years later, it's a day that will live in infamy for many Nets fans. It's a day that forever changed the course of a franchise that for many years was considered the red-headed stepchild of the NBA. It was the day the Nets traded away Stephon Marbury for floor general and future first ballot hall of famer Jason Kidd. The agreement was in place on June 29, but couldn't be agreed to until July 18 when Marbury's base-year salary status came to a close.

The other pieces of the trade include Chris Carr, Elliot Perry and forward Bill Curley headed to the Nets while the Wolves got guard Terrell Brandon from Milwaukee and forward Brian Evans and two draft choices from the Nets, including a first-rounder. The then-New Jersey Nets sent Sam Cassell and Chris Gatling to the Bucks, who also get Paul Grant from the Wolves.

It was a complicated scenario, but the two star point guards saw their careers go in opposite directions. Marbury put up empty numbers during his time with the Suns, while Kidd served as the catalyst for the Nets 26-game turnaround and the first of back-to-back Finals appearances in his first year with the team. While the Nets abandoned the Meadowlands for a short stop in Newark before the permanent move to Brooklyn, it's clear that the Kidd trade was a landmark moment for the franchise.

With Kyrie Irving arriving as a free agent signing and Kevin Durants coming by way of a sign and trade involving DeAngelo Russell and several future draft picks, it's clear that this offseason marks the most important and perhaps impactful since Kidd's arrival to the Metropolitan area.

As Nets fans are anxiously await Durant to heal from a potentially devastating Achilles injury. An injury that he suffered in Game 5 of the finals-in his first action back since the Warriors reported he injured his calf in the semi-finals against the Rockets-it's not impossible that he returns to the court this season.

With or without Durant this year, the buzz and hype around the Brooklyn Nets is unprecedented. They transformed from one of the league's laughing stocks to a potential perennial power in the Eastern Conference. General manager Sean Marks was handed a complete mess left by former GM Billy King who was pressured by ownership to win-now back in 2014 and mortgaged the future to acquire aging stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry. In three short years the Nets have quietly and meticulously built a culture that is the envy of the rest of the NBA.

Opponents admire the Nets tenacious play and free-flowing offensive system, including Kevin Durant. While most New Jerseyeans were sad to see the Nets leave the Garden State, there's no doubt that a marquee offseason like the one of the Nets enjoyed would be extremely unlikely playing in front of an empty building in the swamp. The Nets have established a brand of basketball, an identity and a culture in Brooklyn.

Now we'll have to seen if Marks' wheelings and dealings will return the Nets back to prominence like they once enjoyed under Kidd's leadership in the early-2000s.