Billy King will tell you that the success of the Springfield Armor experiment is not just about the players, but about the staff, too. He looks at their development as well. Can the coaching and basketball operations people make the move up the ladder as Dennis Horner and Jerry Smith did this past season?

There's a lot to suggest that Bob MacKinnon passed that test. He took a team that had won seven and 13 games in their first two seasons and kept piling up firsts: first conference championship, three All-Stars, four call-ups, going from last to first in rebounding. As Milton Lee, the team's GM, notes, it was about changing the culture, something Lee played a big role in as well, finding players who fit MacKinnon's style.

Both MacKinnon and Lee, as well as Armor assistant, Chris Carrawell, will be busy this weekend with the Nets mass workout out and next week with the free agent mini-camp. Lee, in fact, helped choose the D-Leaguers who'll be there. It's all part of the Armor's integration with the Nets, which so far, so good.

• Bob MacKinnon, Milton Lee turned around the Springfield Armor - Terrence Payne - Nets are Scorching