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Shane Larkin looking forward to Nets vs. Knicks

By Net Income
Brooklyn Nets

Shane Larkin led the Knicks in minutes last season, starting 22 of the 76 games he played in. A pick-and-roll point guard miscast in the triangle, he had no chance in New York. The cap space hungry Knicks decided even before the season that they didn't want him around, declining his third year rookie option before the season began.

It didn't bother Larkin that much, as he told the Post back in February...

"If I go out there and play well the last 25 games, the Knicks could want me or someone else could want me. It’s not that I’m set on one team. They didn’t pick up my option. I can go wherever, but of course I want to stay in New York.’’

Still, the Nets and particularly Lionel Hollins liked what they saw in Larkin, going back to his glory days at the University of Miami. So at midnight on July 1, Hollins and Billy King called the 22-year-old, telling him they didn't want him to leave New York, just travel across the East River.  He agreed and now, he's looking forward to the Nets-Knicks games this season.

He told Kathryn Przybala, the Nets in-house beat writer...

"I was really excited. I was in New York last year, so obviously I’m excited to still be playing here in New York City, where basketball is a mecca. Coming across the water is definitely going to be interesting. I’m happy to be on the other side now and it’ll be fun when we play the Knicks."

Right after he agreed to sign, he tweeted (then deleted) a message that proclaimed he was happy to be done with the triangle. The Nets expect to take full advantage of his pick-and-roll skills and he's happy to hear it.  He also has confidence he can raise his game.

"I just try to get it done in the paint. I like throwing lobs. Hope we can connect on some of those this year ...  There are a lot of point guards that do it well now. Ty Lawson is a guy I try to resemble myself after. We’re the same height. You try and take different parts of different guys’ games."

He likes his new teammates and tweeted a welcome to an old one when Andrea Bargnani agreed to sign.

Maybe he'll be one of the players Larkin "throws lobs" to.

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