2010 Prokhorov: "Championship 1 year minimum. Maximum 5 years"

[LarBrd33]

You gotta hand it to Mikhail Prokhorov... the 6'8 Russian Billionaire who bought the dreadful 12 win New Jersey Nets in 2010... then recorded this hilarious hostage video that made him come across like a Bond villain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au3hkZZpVM4

"If everything goes as planned, I expect championship in 1 year minimum... maximum 5 years." 

... Now here we are in 2013 and the Nets have a lineup of PG - Deron Williams, SG - Joe Johnson, SF - Paul Pierce, PF - Kevin Garnett and C - Brook Lopez... all 5 are recent all-star players.  Team is a serious threat to win a title.  They play in Brooklyn in an awesome new arena.  Dude is absolutely delivering on that hostage video.


Pretty sure this Prokhorov guy might eventually take over the world when he gets finished murdering the short-lived Celtic contender and doing jet ski stunts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7OYLWHtCDk

[D.o.s.]

Before we rush off to anoint them champions, I suggest we consider the 2012 Los Angeles Lakers. Roster on paper isn't everything.

That said, this has got to be the most expensive starting 5 in the history of the game.

[bfrombleacher]

Before we rush off to anoint them champions, I suggest we consider the 2012 Los Angeles Lakers. Roster on paper isn't everything.

That said, this has got to be the most expensive starting 5 in the history of the game.

Howard was coming off a surgery. So was Gasol, I think? So it was Nash and Kobe and a very thin roster, even at the starting 5.

This one right here is stacked to the brim at the starting 5.

If they should fail, I agree with the guy who compared them to the 2003/04 Lakers.

[LarBrd33]

Before we rush off to anoint them champions, I suggest we consider the 2012 Los Angeles Lakers. Roster on paper isn't everything.

That said, this has got to be the most expensive starting 5 in the history of the game.

Funny how much people are undervaluing Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on this forum... while at the same time bashing Ainge for making the trade.  Lol.

Nets won 49 games with Gerald Wallace and Kris Kardashian...  now they are adding one of the best defensive bigs in the entire league and one of the most dynamic scorers in the entire league. 

That team stays healthy I could see them winning 55-60 and winning the East.  That team is big, nasty, experienced and highly skilled.  Lopez is an all-star Center and instantly will be the best big KG has ever played with.  Deron is on Rondo's level if not better.  Joe Johnson is a huge SG with serious talent... easily better than whoever we are trotting out.  They have Jet as a 6th man, Brooks...I'm sure they'll add some more vets.  Very dangerous team.

KG will change the entire culture there.  Post-allstar Deron averaged 23 points, 8 assists with 48%/42%/87% shooting ... that team is going to be [dang] good.

[D.o.s.]

Before we rush off to anoint them champions, I suggest we consider the 2012 Los Angeles Lakers. Roster on paper isn't everything.

That said, this has got to be the most expensive starting 5 in the history of the game.

Funny how much people are undervaluing Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on this forum... while at the same time bashing Ainge for making the trade.  Lol.

Nets won 49 games with Gerald Wallace and Kris Kardashian...  now they are adding one of the best defensive bigs in the entire league and one of the most dynamic scorers in the entire league. 

That team stays healthy I could see them winning 55-60 and winning the East.

Absolutely. And you could say the same thing about the Lakers last year.

These guys have a leg up in the sense that they're in the East, so they've got an easier road to the playoffs, but between Lopez, KG, Pierce, and Deron Williams I think staying healthy is going to be easier said than done.

Remember, when we were all falling over ourselves about the Lakers their starting 5 was Dwight, Gasol, Artest, Kobe, and Steve Nash.

[bfrombleacher]

Regular season wins would depend on how they fill up their roster, a lot. Hopefully they don't go too hard with KG and Pierce.

But in the post season, even though KG is only half the one-two punch of the KG/Rondo expectations-beating wrecking crew, the team will be playing 150%. KG+Rondo alone took the Heat to 7.

[LarBrd33]

Before we rush off to anoint them champions, I suggest we consider the 2012 Los Angeles Lakers. Roster on paper isn't everything.

That said, this has got to be the most expensive starting 5 in the history of the game.

Funny how much people are undervaluing Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on this forum... while at the same time bashing Ainge for making the trade.  Lol.

Nets won 49 games with Gerald Wallace and Kris Kardashian...  now they are adding one of the best defensive bigs in the entire league and one of the most dynamic scorers in the entire league. 

That team stays healthy I could see them winning 55-60 and winning the East.

Absolutely. And you could say the same thing about the Lakers last year.

Yeah... and had the Lakers stayed healthy they would have won 55-60. Dwight was never 100%.  But there was also a massive chemistry problem.

I'm not concerned with chemistry issues here... KG is going to change that team's entire culture.  Deron Williams is still an elite PG... probably one of the top 5 in the league.  Lopez started to really bloom last season and will gain a lot of knowledge from KG.  Joe Johnson plays his role and plays it well.  They are going to be very very good.  They are a championship contender.  It's KG and Pierce with upgrades at every other position over what they played with in Boston.

[ACF]

[D.o.s.]

No, I don't see any chemistry issues either. My concerns are entirely rooted in health, as they seem to have a similarly empty bench as LA did last year.

I do think that the Nets will take the kind of regular season coasting that many here complained about to a new zenith only imagined in Rasheed Wallace's wildest weed reveries.

[LarBrd33]

Regular season wins would depend on how they fill up their roster, a lot. Hopefully they don't go too hard with KG and Pierce.

But in the post season, even though KG is only half the one-two punch of the KG/Rondo expectations-beating wrecking crew, the team will be playing 150%. KG+Rondo alone took the Heat to 7.

They still have Terry, Brooks and I think Blatche off the bench.  Blatche might be a chemistry concern if he's still there, but he actually played pretty well for them this year.

[LarBrd33]

No, I don't see any chemistry issues either. My concerns are entirely rooted in health, as they seem to have a similarly empty bench as LA did last year.

I do think that the Nets will take the kind of regular season coasting that many here complained about to a new zenith only imagined in Rasheed Wallace's wildest weed reveries.

I have a feeling playing in Brooklyn is going to be pretty exciting for them.  KG and Pierce probably have an ax to grind with the Knicks over the playoffs this year... it's going to be fun watching those two teams play.   KG is always locked in... I don't think he's capable of coasting.  Everyone will fall into line there.

[bfrombleacher]

Regular season wins would depend on how they fill up their roster, a lot. Hopefully they don't go too hard with KG and Pierce.

But in the post season, even though KG is only half the one-two punch of the KG/Rondo expectations-beating wrecking crew, the team will be playing 150%. KG+Rondo alone took the Heat to 7.

They still have Terry, Brooks and I think Blatche off the bench.  Blatche might be a chemistry concern if he's still there, but he actually played pretty well for them this year.

Plus CJ Watson potentially, too. But Blatch and Watson are free agents. Perhaps the prospect of being part of this heckuva team would make it enticing.

Blatche is a very key signing. They would be super thin at the front court without him. With him, they'd definitely be sorted at the 4 and 5. It makes the decision to sit KG or/and Lopez so much easier.

Still need a 3. But they're trading Marshon Brookes apparently. Trading potential for quick fix depth is not a hard thing to do, I believe?

And, oh, worst case scenario Joe Johnson plays the 3, which completely slipped my mind.

Never thought I'd be rooting somewhat hard for the Nets. Crazy.

[Rhyso]

As mentioned, the starting 5 is a HUGE team as far as size goes. I am going to enjoy watching them play, especially the KG/Lopez front court. Scoring won't be a problem, i think they need a legit defensive backup who can play SF/PF to spell Pierce (Peitrus? SF), and resign Blatche or find another banger inside for rebounds because Lopez is not strong in that area. Also Kidd as a coach is a bit of a worry, especially when it comes to crunch time plays and playoffs.

[2short]

5 Years?
Pierce and KG won't be there after 2  years.  They need to win next  year or they WON'T.  KG is near retirement (last year) and PP is in that up and down stage of his career.  He'll look good then look bad.  Who is pierce's backup?  They are in the east, the small forward section.  Paul is going to need to stick with carmelo, jeff green, lebron during a playoff series.
I think the nets will look a lot like the celtics with shaq, very good but then breakdown.

wish paul pierce and kevin garnett all the best!

[Moranis]

This seems like a clear top 3 team in the East (with Miami and Chicago)

PG - Williams/Terry
SG - Johnson/Brooks
SF - Pierce/Shengelia
PF - Garnett/Teletovic/Plumlee
C - Lopez/Blatche

If they add a solid bench wing I think that team will have a pretty solid bench as long as the starters stay healthy.