Continuity at center of Brooklyn Nets' off-season plans

The Nets were all talking positively about the team's future Thursday as players packed up and headed for home or vacation ... or in the case of Deron Williams, a visit with the team's foot specialist.

At the core of the confidence was a belief that the team was likely to stick together. At least that was the hope. After two seasons when the team added 16 new players --six last year, 10 the year before-- Billy King et al seemed to be wary of upending the roster once again.

"I think we’ve got a good core, and the object is to try to build on the core." said King who pointed to the teams still playing as models of stability.  But he may not have a choice in the matter. There are so many moving parts out there that fate could force him into yet another rebuild.

Paul Pierce was non-committal about returning to Brooklyn although the front office believes that he will ultimately sign a hefty two-year deal ... even if he was wearing a Boston Red Sox cap Thursday. Kevin Garnett is mulling retirement. Andrei Kirilenko, who played only 19 minutes a game and missed 37 entirely, is reportedly unhappy with his minutes and could opt out.  Andray Blatche and Shaun Livingston say they want to stay but will listen to offers. And of course, Williams and Brook Lopez's health status makes them questionable ... and not easily tradeable if that's what the Nets decide to do with them.

That leaves Joe Johnson as the team's mainstay and as he proved in the playoffs --21.2 points on 53.3 percent shooting overall, 41.5 percent from three-- he could be a bigger presence next season.

The team has limited flexibility after trading so many first and second round picks and piling up the salary commitments.  What the opening night roster looks like in next November is anyone's guess, despite the calls for continuity.

• Facing Roster Questions, Nets Enter Off-Season With a Focus on Continuity - Andrew Keh - New York Times
• Nets' Best Hope Is That Everybody Doesn't Bolt - Alex Raskin - Wall Street Journal
  
• Nets want to keep Pierce, Garnett, rest of core - AP
• After playoff ouster, Nets may face offseason overhaul - Jeff Zillgitt - USA Today
• In with the old: Mikhail Prokhorov wants these Nets intact - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
  
• Mikhail Prokhorov and Nets still have long way to go to beat Heat and become championship team - Mitch Lawrence - New York Daily News
• Nets star Deron Williams facing more surgery on ankles - Mitch Abramson - New York Daily News
  
• Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett decisions are key to Nets' offseason plans - Rod Boone - Newsday
• Nets can't afford to have Deron Williams play at sub-par level - Neil Best - Newsday
• Netspectations - Nets 2014-15: Keep 'em or dump 'em? - Newsday
• Choices looming for Nets - Andy Vasquez - The Record
• Nets: Three off-season priorities - Andy Vasquez - The Record
• Collins looks beyond basketball career - Andy Vasquez - The Record
• Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett experiment destined to be a one-and-done disappointment - Johnette Howard - ESPN New York
  
• 2014 NBA playoffs -- Paul Pierce on future -- 'Still something left in tank' - Ohm Youngmisuk - ESPN New York
• Pondering Pierce's future - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston
  
• Paul Pierce and KG diss media at wrap-up - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Big man Lopez may not fit in Nets’ plans - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
  
• Deron Williams: 'I can't finish the way I want to finish' - Larry Fleisher - Metro
• The Brooklyn Nets? Gone till November - Kelly Dwyer - Yahoo! Sports
• Deron Williams may need surgery - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
• Brooklyn's Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce Experiment Failed as Uncertain Offseason Awaits for Nets - Michael Scotto - Sheridan Hoops
• Nets should hope Garnett retires - Shlomo Sprung - Sheridan Hoops