Category: Brooklyn Nets Blog

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Nets exercise options on Brook Lopez and Terrence Williams

The New Jersey Nets have exercised the fourth year contract option on Brook Lopez and the third year contract option on Terrence Williams, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.  Lopez and Williams are now signed through the 2011-12 season.  Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.

Lopez was selected 10th overall by the Nets in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft.  Last season he was the only Net to appear and start in all 82 games, becoming the first center in franchise history to do so.  He averaged team-highs with 18.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.70 blocks (ranked 10th in the NBA) and dished out 2.3 assists in 36.9 minutes per game, while shooting .499 (563-1,129) from the field and .817 (416-509) from the line (3rd among qualified centers).  In his rookie season, 2008-09, he was selected to NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting (Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo).  He also set the Nets all-time rookie blocks record with 151.

Williams was selected 11th overall by New Jersey in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft.  The Louisville product appeared in 78 games for New Jersey last season, earning nine starts.  He finished 5th among rookies in double-doubles with eight and 9th among rookies in rebounds and assists, while earning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for April.  Williams averaged 8.4 points while shooting .401 (261-651) from the field, along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 22.6 minutes per game.


MOSCOW, RUSSIA. OCTOBER 10. 2010. New Jersey Nets Brook Lopez attends the opening of the first NBA store NBA Shop in Shop in Russia, Moscow. (Photo ITAR-TASS / Alexei Filippov) Photo via Newscom

Rafer Alston seeks NBA comeback

Rafer Alston seeks NBA comeback

Veteran point guard Rafer Alston wants to continue playing professional basketball. And if he can’t do it in the NBA, the New York native is willing to cross oceans to keep his career going.

On Thursday, Alston’s long-time personal manager and close friend Eddie Lau told InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner in an email that the player is in “the best shape of his life and that he is looking for a chance to get back in the NBA as a backup point guard.”

Lau also said that Alston is open to playing overseas, should that be the best opportunity for him.

Several recent reports said that the guard is working out with a team in China, and could sign a contract there.

Alston played for part of the 2009-10 NBA season, with the New Jersey Nets and Miami Heat. His career NBA average is 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

Future Brooklyn Nets arena gets vodka sponsor

Today Stolichnaya, a pioneer in the flavored vodka category, and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the sales and marketing arm of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, announced that Stolichnaya is embarking as a Founding Partner in a five-year alliance with the Barclays Center, the planned state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, and with NETS Basketball. The opening of the Barclays Center in late spring/early summer of 2012 will mark the return of major professional sports to Brooklyn for the first time since 1957, and Stoli will become the official vodka partner of the Barclays Center.

“This partnership represents Stoli’s first long-term foray into professional sports and we look forward to an exciting and successful partnership with the Barclays Center and NETS Basketball,” said Andrey Skurikhin, Partner at SPI Group, the Stolichnaya brand owner. “Stoli is a pioneering brand in the spirits industry and celebrates the same spirit of innovation that characterizes the development of the Barclays Center and the revitalization of the NETS. We look forward to engaging with our consumers in this much anticipated, exciting new venue.”

“We are thrilled to become partners with the most innovative and historic brand in the spirits industry,” said Brett Yormark, president and CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “The Barclays Center continues to align with renowned companies which seek to build their brands in the heart of world commerce. Stoli has made a major commitment to the Barclays Center and we look forward to building its brand with a year-round marketing platform.”

As part of the agreement with the Barclays Center, Stoli will receive numerous entitlements, including category exclusive branding throughout the new arena and the branding of six bars.

Fan poll results: Six East locks to make playoffs

An InsideHoops.com front page poll asking fans to predict the eight Eastern conference teams that will qualify for the 2010-11 NBA playoffs had the following results:

Celtics     2,046 votes
Heat     2,045 votes
Magic     2,011 votes
Bulls     1,985 votes
Hawks     1,886 vote
Bucks     1,658 votes
Bobcats     1,011 votes
Knicks     1,074 votes
Wizards     637 votes
Sixers     481 votes
Pistons     336 votes
Nets     333 votes
Cavaliers 333 votes
Pacers     229 votes
Raptors     173 votes

Fans felt that the six teams — the Magic, Celtics, Heat, Bulls, Hawks and Bucks — are strong locks to make the playoffs.

After those teams, the Bobcats and Knicks came in next, with the 7th and 8th highest votes.

InsideHoops.com editor says: These are some pretty fantastic results. Look at the top eight teams, in order. That’s pretty close to what an East power ranking list should look like.

Missing the playoffs but getting good support were the Wizards, receiving the 9th highest votes.


Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard (12) is congratulated by teammates Rashard Lewis (L), Jameer Nelson (14) and Vince Carter (15) during overtime in Game 4 of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series against the Boston Celtics in Boston, Massachusetts May 24, 2010. REUTERS/Adam Hunger (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

Terrence Williams shooting for Nets starting SG spot

Howard Kussoy of the New York Post reports:

Terrence Williams shooting for Nets starting SG spot

Terrence Williams currently is entrenched in an intriguing training-camp battle with Anthony Morrow, who was acquired this summer in a sign-and-trade with the Warriors, for the starting shooting-guard spot. Vying for the same position, the two wingmen are taking different paths.

Williams has impressed Nets coach Avery Johnson with his athleticism and his ability to penetrate, while removing some doubt about his questionable decision-making during his rookie season.

“Terrence’s versatility to score, post-up smaller guys, initiate our offense for us then play off the ball . . . you can do more things with him,” Johnson said. “He still may do something crazy one out of every five possessions, but it was four out of five earlier. He’s taking pretty good care of the ball and making good passes.”

Have opinions to share? Discuss them on the New Jersey Nets forum.


April 07, 2010 Milwaukee, WI. Bradley Center..New Jersey Nets Terrence Williams brings the ball up the court, Williams had 6 points coming off the Nets bench..Milwaukee Bucks won over the New Jersey Nets 108-89. Mike McGinnis/CSM.

Nets continue push for Carmelo Anthony

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports:

Nets continue push for Carmelo Anthony

The Nets may come out of all this discussing and proposing without Carmelo Anthony, but it won’t be from a lack of trying.

The Nets have been in steady discussions with the Nuggets and other teams, attempting to piece together a deal that would bring the 26-year-old All-Star to New Jersey through a sign and trade. The Nets have explored a straight Nuggets-Nets deal and have sought to bring in other teams, if necessary, to get it done.

Sources around the league insist the Nets have been persistent in their pursuit which has provided a roller coaster of optimism and say the Nets believe they have made progress. But as one rival executive stressed, “Denver has a new [management] team in place, and they are going to check, recheck and then delay any deal, especially anything involving their best player.”


Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony (L) goes up for a jump shot against Utah Jazz's C.J. Miles in the first quarter of Game 4 of their NBA Western Conference playoff series in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 25, 2010. REUTERS/Ramin Rahimian (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

NJ Nets name Robby Hoenshel assistant trainer and director of sports rehabilitation

The New Jersey Nets have named Robby Hoenshel assistant trainer and director of sports rehabilitation, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Hoenshel comes to the Nets after working at the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute where he served as a physical therapist.  His duties included evaluation and treatment of sports and orthopedic injuries.  Prior to working at Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute, the University of North Florida alum and Jacksonville native worked as a manager and physical therapist at Heartland Rehab in his hometown.

Hoenshel resides in New Jersey with his wife Jenny.

NJ Nets name Doug Overton player development coach

The New Jersey Nets have named Doug Overton player development coach, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Overton takes on a new role in player development after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach.  He will be assisting the players with individual skills on the court.  Before coming to the Nets, Overton served as an assistant coach on Phil Martelli’s staff at Saint Joseph’s during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 campaigns.  Prior to his stint at Saint Joseph’s, the Philadelphia native spent the 2005-06 season as the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia 76ers, where he assisted the coaching and scouting staffs and worked with the team’s community outreach programs.

An 11-year NBA veteran, Overton spent three different stints with the Nets (1998-99, 2000-01 and 2003-04) averaging 6.0 points and 2.8 assists in 26 games.  In 499 career games with seven teams (Washington, Denver, Orlando, New Jersey, Boston, Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia) Overton averaged 4.5 points and 2.1 points.