Garnett, Pierce and Kirilenko amongst new arrivals.
After a raft of new arrivals over the summer, the Brooklyn Nets will be a genuine threat in the Eastern Conference this season as it’s ‘championship or bust’ for owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
Having finished with the fourth seeding last season with a 49-33 regular season record, the Nets have undoubtedly strengthened this summer with a top trio arriving from Boston.
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry add both quality and depth to the roster, and with Deron Williams and Brook Lopez still at the Barclays Center, they perhaps boast, one of, if not the strongest line-ups in the league.
Williams had been a doubt for the start of the season with an on-going problem with his ankle after suffering a sprain during a work-out in Utah this summer, but having made his comeback in the pre-season win over the Miami Heat on Friday, he should be fit for the opening game.
There is also a new head coach overseeing matters, with franchise legend Jason Kidd being brought back after his year in the Big Apple with the New York Knicks.
He will look to help improve Williams further, but his main hope will be to keep the likes of Pierce and Garnett healthy for as long as possible which may involve resting the veteran duo for parts during the regular season in order to keep them fresh for the play-offs.
Nevertheless, it promises to be an exciting year ahead for Brooklyn as they look to take the next step in their development after their move away from New Jersey.
They will of course also be gracing the British shores early next year, when they face the Atlanta Hawks at the O2 arena in London in January.
On paper, the Nets appear to be a genuine contender for not only the Eastern Conference title, but also an NBA championship.
However, much will depend on how Kidd can bring this new group together and mould them into a dangerous unit offensively, and a solid one on the defensive side of the court.
They will have high expectations and can be confident of finishing in the top four come the end of the regular season, but whether they will have enough to finish above the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers remains to be seen.
Furthermore, it is a huge gamble for the franchise to take by sacrificing their long-term prospects for immediate success, and unfortunately given the age of their new stars it may not be enough to defeat the more settled teams in the NBA.
Rankings
Offence: 9
Defence: 7
Front court: 8
Back court: 8
Bench: 7
Coach: 6
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