The Brooklyn Nets are already getting to work on the 2013 NBA season. After an offseason that saw the team signing two future Hall of Players along with talent for depth, the Nets understand that without chemistry, the signings mean nothing. In order to avoid the season the Miami Heat had the first year with the "Big 3", Deron Williams is hosting player-only workouts to get Brooklyn prepared for the season ahead.
The Brooklyn Nets have a payroll that will total up to $200 million this season after luxury taxes and coaching fees are added in. That is a lot of money as the main goal is to win a championship sooner rather than later. On paper, the Nets have one of the best teams in the NBA. Their starting lineup is loaded with All-Star appearances with Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Brook Lopez and Kevin Garnett the assumed starting five. They also have key players for depth with Andrei Kirilenko and Jason Terry.
In order to begin getting everyone on the same page before training camp and preseason practice begins, Williams is hosting player-only practices out in Californina. Think Jets West, but with less drama. The New York Daily News reports only five out of the 15 players were unable to attend. The entire starting lineup is excepted to attend, even Lopez who recently shed his walking boot after offseason foot surgery.
Brooklyn's window to win a championship is small. It is unclear how long Pierce and Garnett really intend to play for and the roster and contracts were designed with a "win now" mentality. Despite the fact that new head coach Jason Kidd has never coached a day in his life, the expectations for this team are through the roof. Pierce's contract is up at the end of the season. Garnett, Kirilenko, Terry and Lopez are all done in two years. The clock is ticking.
The impromptu training camp session hosted by Williams proves that the point guard is still the leader of the team. Williams has made it clear he wants Brooklyn to be his team, despite the veteran presence. He is making every effort to prove he is the true leader. At 29, he is in his prime playing days. During the playoffs, he averaged 20.6 points on a 42 shooting percentage.
The team still has just over five weeks until they truly must report to training camp, so this is a nice start and good chance to start building chemistry on and off the court. The first true test will come Oct. 30 when Brooklyn's season kicks off.