Say this for Lionel Hollins: the new coach of the Brooklyn Nets sure is confident.
“I believe all the possibilities for being a champion are in place,” Hollins said recently in an interview with the team’s website. “And we just have to do our jobs to make it a reality, both the players and the coaches. And then we can all celebrate together.”
When Mikhail Prokhorov became owner of the Nets in 2010, he expected a championship within five seasons. Otherwise, he’d get married. The 2014-15 campaign will be Brooklyn’s last chance to make that dream a reality.
Problem is, even the most optimistic of Nets fans aren’t thinking title at this point. They’re just hoping Deron Williams and Brook Lopez get healthy. That’s going to take time. The players are going to have to learn a new system. That’s going to take time. Bojan Boganovic is going to have to adjust to the NBA. That’s going to take time.
When talking about a team’s championship aspirations, we often play the “if” game i.e. “If this happens, then who knows ...” It’s what makes being a fan so fun and yet so frustrating at the same time.
Every team has question marks. Even the Cavaliers, who just signed the best basketball player on the planet, LeBron James, have them.
To win a title, the stars usually have to align. The Eastern Conference, while inferior to the West, has some intriguing teams. Chicago just added Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic. Washington added Paul Pierce and Kris Humphries. Cleveland brought in James and No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins. Charlotte just signed Lance Stephenson. And then there’s Indiana, Toronto and Miami, which still has Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Championships aren’t won in mid-July. But that doesn’t stop fans from dreaming about the possibility of what’s to come.
What are your expectations for the Nets this season? Let us know in the comments section below.