File this under "easier said than done."
Stefan Bondy, in an examination of the Nets' current woes, quotes Deron Williams as (wistfully?) saying that the Nets need to follow the Spurs' model --that is, consistency and constancy-- in their team-building. But Bondy also seems to suggest that Billy King's moves have prevented them from meeting that goal, comparing them to those he made in Philadelphia, moves that got him fired.
He quotes D-Will as saying,
""(San Antonio) is a team you envy, because they've had a system, they've had a coach and pretty much the same group of guys for a long time. And you can just tell that they're comfortable playing with each other, We haven't had that luxury. We're trying to get that eventually."
Near the bottom of his article, Bondy notes that while the point guard wants his team to be like San Antonio, the Nets more resemble King's 76ers.
GM Billy King is in a position all-too familiar from his days as president of the Sixers, when his cap-crushing moves and coaching changes paved the way for a long stretch of mediocrity following Larry Brown's departure. There was a point in Philly when King fired three coaches in 15 months, and when the contracts of Samuel Dalembert, Chris Webber and Kenny Thomas placed ownership deep in the red with a desire to sell.
In Brooklyn, there has been three coaching departures in 24 months (Kidd maneuvered his own way out). There was also four big trades (for Williams, Gerald Wallace, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett) that cost King prospect Derrick Favors and six first-round draft picks, not including two others that can be swapped by the Hawks and Celtics.
The future is now, in other words. Except it isn't. The Nets have to learn all over again.
In the short term, Bondy notes Lionel Hollins won't give any timetable as to when the team will improve.
"Everbody likes to put numbers on it, but I don't know how far away we are from that. I just know sometimes we go forwards, sometimes we stop and go backwards. And I just want us to go forwards where we see it every game of who we are and what we're trying to do."
And so it goes.
- Deron Williams says Nets should model team after Spurs - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
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Nets, Spurs a contrast in culture, execution - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York