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Lionel Hollins: Deron Williams is a point guard, will play on the ball

By Net Income
Brooklyn Nets

Lionel Hollins, along with rookies Markel Brown and Cory Jefferson, were at Yankee Stadium, where Hollins met Derek Jeter and hung with Bald Vinny and the Bleacher Creatures. He also spoke to reporters about his two wounded warriors, Deron Williams and Brook Lopez.

He painted optimistic pictures of their recoveries --although he noted two-a-days would be the test-- and also made sure everyone knows what his plans are for D-Will.

"He’s a point guard,’’ Hollins told the Post's Brian Lewis. "He’s our point guard. Will we play Jarrett Jack and Deron together? I’m sure we will. But that doesn’t mean Deron has to be off the ball. When you have two guys who can handle the ball, it doesn’t matter who handles it, but he’s going to be the primary ballhandler.’

In talking with the YES Network's Meredith Marakovits, Hollins said that while he wants to stress defense, he knows he has an offense that can score points.

"It's definitely going to be stressed, but I tell you, there's a lot of great offensive players on this team, a lot of guys who can shoot, a lot of guys with basketball IQs," Hollins told Marakovits.  "So, I'm not looking for them to be No. 1 or No. 2 defensive team but I definitely want to be a good defensive team and parlay what they do offensively."

As for Brook Lopez, Hollins was quoted by the Daily News' Stephen Lorenzo this way...

"I want Brook to be a more versatile player," the Nets new head coach said. "I want him to be a playmaker as well as a scorer, but I want him to rebound, I want him to get offensive rebounds, I want him to guard the basket,

Hollins was also asked about ESPN's Future Rankings that put the Nets in 30th place, calling the franchise "dysfunctional."

"I hear that from players, different teams over the years, ‘Oh, we don’t get any respect.’ I hear it from football teams, I hear it from baseball teams,’’ Hollins said. "It doesn’t matter to me, because, one, no matter what anybody says we have to go out and do it between the lines and, two, just because they say we can’t doesn’t mean we can’t, and just because they say you are doesn’t mean you are. I don’t read it anyway. It doesn’t matter. How would anybody know? It’s just somebody’s guess.’’

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