The PNY Center, the Nets training facility in East Rutherford, is in such desperate shape that it will not re-open until "perhaps January," Avery Johnson has told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Although the original timetable had the center opening this month, the damage was more extensive than first believed.
As a result, the Nets are practicing where they can, when they can, at Barclays Center, on the arena floor but mainly on the practice court, which was never built to handle full practices, only shootarounds and walk-throughs.
Is there an upside? Yep. Nets officials say. the team is becoming more Brooklyn. "Everything is more integrated, so now we find ourselves eating more in restaurants here in Brooklyn, spending time here, running into more of our fans," Johnson said.
Meanwhile, Jodie Valade of the Plain-Dealer, writes of how special the Barclays Center is, quoting Jerry Stackhouse saying, "It's unlike anything I've ever seen before."
- Under strained circumstances, Brooklyn is embracing its new Nets - Jodie Valade - Cleveland Plain-Dealer