Minus a star player, the Brooklyn Nets are pushing continuity and chemistry as the cornerstones of their rebuilding plan for 2018-19.
The Brooklyn Nets, both in a press conference on Sept. 18 and in a promotional video released on Friday, are pushing and relying on teamwork and chemistry entering camp this season.
With the absence of a superstar in Brooklyn, the Nets will especially have to rely on the teams continuity throughout the year.
The promotional video, called “The Bridge,” was teased by the team’s official Twitter account
https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1043138787352760320
Last week, the Nets held a press conference on the team’s outlook this season. Brian Fonseca of NetsDaily got a chance to ask head coach Kenny Atkinson about team chemistry:
"“Listen, that stuff matters. (General manager) Sean Mark and I both believe that matters. I think we’re more together than ever as a group, as a staff, and that’s throughout the organization. Obviously that breeds confidence, all those things together.”"
Aside from direct commentary from Atkinson and Sean Marks on the team’s chemistry, the two continued to divert the press conference from individual players, instead focusing on the team as a whole.
The team’s chemistry entering camp is at an all-time high since the move to Brooklyn and what has felt like an all-time cycle of losing for the past few seasons.
Marks and Atkinson continued to divert the conversation in the press conference away from predictions of wins, losses and playoff potential, proving that their focus is on building a winning team from the ground up in training camp.
DeMarre Carroll also told reporters”
"“We should surprise a lot of people.”“We’re just going to keep staying true to the system.”"
Entering the preseason, Nets fans know that this team has potential and a lot of that potential will rely heavily on chemistry and a lack of injuries. Now, it is time to see truly how strong that chemistry is when the Nets take on the New York Knicks in Brooklyn next week.
Ever since Atkinson and Marks took over the Nets organization, a cornerstone of the culture in Brooklyn has always been positivity and team unity.
Even though Marks has had a lot of turnover of his roster, now that the Nets are putting the pieces together, it is time to start pushing team continuity within this group.
Players, coaches and front office members alike understand that the NBA is a business. But what is different in Brooklyn this season is that Atkinson’s strength is developing players into fitting into his system.
Look no further than the career beginnings of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jarrett Allen in Brooklyn. It is going to be because of the continuity of the Nets and Atkinson’s developmental skills that will either make or break the season.