Player Profile: Jason Terry

Jason Terry, nicknamed "The Jet" is a veteran guard. Who is known for being one of the best sixth man in the league. Can give you a nice scoring threat off the bench.

In his career, Terry has played for four different teams. Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, and now Brooklyn. He has always been a great 3 point shooter. Me personally, I have always compared Terry to Ray Allen. Very similar.

Terry won his first and only championship in 2010 alongside Nets current coach Jason Kidd. He was then a member of the Dallas Mavericks as they defeated LeBron James and the Miami Heat in 6 games.

Terry may be on the wrong side of 30, but from what I've seen from him over the years he's still got what it takes to play at a very high level.

Also, it he vastly improves Brooklyn's bench. Last year the backup 2 guard usually was Keith Bogans. Jason Terry is a very good upgrade. To go along with Alan Anderson off the bench.

The trade that brought Terry, Pierce, & Garrett to Brooklyn was one of the biggest headlines this offseason. Terry was probably least talked about in that trade with all the attention on Pierce & KG. But having been a champion Terry is going to help this team massively. I'm going to make a bold prediction: At 36 years old, Jason Terry is going to win the sixth man of the year award.

Player Profile: Andrei Kirilenko

Andrei Kirilenko is a Russian born NBA forward. He started his career with the Utah Jazz and played a few good seasons there along with his teammate Deron Williams.

He eventually went back to Russia to play for Moscow. He spent a couple years back in his home land. Also, where Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is from.

Last year he signed a 2 year $20 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kirilenko has had injury problems over his career but last season he remained relatively healthy.

Andrei is known for his defense. He can score from time to time. But he's not a scorer. But is very good at getting in the lane. He will also be asked this season in Brooklyn to guard the likes of, LeBron James, & Kevin Durant.

He signed a deal with Brooklyn this off-season for 1 year $3.1 million. I'll also note that he's making $6.9 million less this season than he did last season. Simply shows Kirlenko's desire to win. Andrei is a very important piece to Brooklyn.

Player Profile: Andray Blatche

Andray Blatche is a 6'11 talented NBA center. He can play many positions. Has better handle skills than most NBA centers would have. Blatche has been a very inconsistent player his NBA career.

When he was in Washington he was highly touted out of high school. The first couple of years he was good. Then he started getting out of shape which caused him to miss alot of games.

Blatche kept getting benched due to the fact of his body. He wasn't in shape. He wasn't motivated. He had mental lapses. Wasn't as fast down the court as he used to be.

Washington finally amnestied Blatche due to that. Blatche became a free agent. Last summer in Houston, Blatche worked out with John Lucas III to get back in shape. The Brooklyn Nets ended up taking a gamble on Andray. It ended up to be a good gamble.

Blatche played great as the backup center for Brooklyn last season. He proved to the NBA he still had What it takes to be a good NBA player. By the way, Washington still owes Blatche $16 million over the next two seasons due to the amnesty clause.

Blatche resigned with Brooklyn this off-season. For a minimum contract of 1 year $1.4 million. He's going to have a big role this season with Garnett needing to be on a minutes limit. Also, KG will be a great influence on Blatche due to his experience, toughness, attitude, & will to win. Besides from Brook, Blatche benefits the most from the KG acquisition.

Player Profile: Shaun Livingston

Shaun Livingston is tall for a point guard, he's 6'7. Livingston is only 27 but he has already bounced around the NBA quite a bit. Having played for Charlotte, Cleveland, Miami, Oklahoma City, Washington (2 stints 2010 & 2012), LA Clippers, Milwaukee, & now Brooklyn.

Livingston isn't a point guard that is going to score that often at all. Not a good shooter but can get in the lane and is a good passer. Has great size for a point guard. Good defender. Decent back-up for Deron. (Better than Tyshawn)

Shaun had a very serious injury occur to him early on in his career when he was with the Clippers. Dislocating his left knee cap & tearing his ACL, PCL, and badly straining his MCL. Also dislocating his patella. Also, if you plan on watching the video, I hope you don't have a weak stomach.

He already had missed alot of games early on in his career due to injury. When healthy, Livingston can really help a team out on the bench. That's exactly What Brooklyn signed him to do.

Player Profile: Reggie Evans

Reggie Evans is a 6'8 forward. One of the best rebounders in the NBA. He does not have much of an offensive game. Not a good free-throw shooter either.

Last season Reggie led the NBA with rebounds per 48 minutes. He also had a game where he scored 22 points and grabbed 26 boards.

Evans also led the NBA last season in 20+ rebound games with 9. He became the starter for Brooklyn after Kris Humphries got injured and Evans stayed the starter for the remainder of the season.

Evans gives the Nets hustle, aggressiveness, and plenty of energy off the bench. This is a guy you love to be teammates with, but hate to play against him.

Player Profile: Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce, aka "The Truth" is a 10 time all-star. Shaq was the first person to call Pierce "The Truth". Paul is known to be one of the most clutch players in the NBA.

Pierce attended the University of Kansas.
Where he averaged over 16 PPG in his career there. After his junior year Pierce declared for the NBA Draft. He was taken 10th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1998 NBA Draft.

Pierce became a main-stay in Boston. Became loved by the fans of Boston. He hadn't experienced much success with the Celtics until Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came aboard in the 2007-2008 season.

That season Pierce won the championship he had always dreamed of. He was also named the Finals MVP. When you look at Paul's career in Boston you compare him to people like, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, & Dirk Nowitzki as players who spent their entire career with one NBA franchise.

This was until Draft Night in 2013. Pierce was sent to Brooklyn along with Kevin Garnett, & Jason Terry.

Although leaving Boston was tough for Pierce he knows he's at the stage of his career where he wants to win and win now. He doesn't have a much better shot anywhere else. Brooklyn definitely has a chance to help get Pierce his second ring.

Player Profile: Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett, widely known as just "KG" is a 15 time All-Star. Garnett is widely known around the league for his toughness, tenacity, defense, and of course, trash talking. KG instantly can change a culture of any NBA team.

Kevin was drafted straight out of High-school by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 Draft as the 5th overall pick. Since then he has been an NBA icon. Great athlete coming out of High-school. Has a heart of a champion. One of the most intense players in the NBA.

KG spent most of his career with Minnesota, where he lead the T-Wolves to 8 consecutive playoff appearances. Also, leading them to the 2004 Western Conference Finals. That same season he won the regular season MVP award.

Kevin spent a total of 12 seasons with Minnesota before being dealt to the Boston Celtics in 2007 to team up with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Considering it was their first season together there was the worry they may have struggles. Well, they went on to win the NBA Championship that season as they defeated the LA Lakers and Garnett & Pierce got that title they've always wanted.

Kevin & Paul became a great duo in Boston. They made it to the Finals in '09 as well, second season in a row. This time they were defeated by the Lakers. As the years went by, people questioned at KG's age, how much could he really produce? He proved all the critics wrong. He may not be as athletic as he used to, but he still can contribute alot to a team.

On Draft night of the 2013 NBA Draft, Kevin Garnett agreed to waive his no trade-clause to be sent to the Brooklyn Nets along with, longtime Celtic Paul Pierce, & Jason Terry. In exchange for Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks, Keith Bogans, Gerald Wallace, & Kris Joseph, & 3 future first round picks.

Obviously, it was a tough decision for Kevin to waive his no-trade clause considering his loyalty. But in basketball terms, he made a very smart decision if he wants to win another title before he retires.

Player Profile: Deron Williams

Deron Williams, aka "D-Will" is a 3-time all-star & 2-time U.S. gold medalist. For about the last 5 years he has been considered one of the best point guards in the league. When he was in Utah he was regarded as arguably the best PG in the game.

Deron attended the University of Illionois, where in 2005 Williams led his Fighting Illini to the National Championship Game where they eventually lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

He then went on and declared for the 2005 NBA draft where he was selected 3rd overall by the Utah Jazz. He had a decent rookie season. His second season is when he became noticed averaging over 16 PPG & 9.3 APG. He was starting to get the NBA's attention. Deron led Utah all the way to the Western Conference Finals where they lost to the eventual champion, San Antonio Spurs.

In his third season, Deron led Utah to a 54-28 regular season record. They would eventually get bounced in game 6 of the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers. After that season, he became known as one of the leagues elite point guards. Some even considered him the best. The next season he averaged 19.2 PPG & 10 APG. Also, was again snubbed at the All-Star Break.

In the 2009-10 season, Deron appeared in his first career All-Star game. The very next season followed with his second All-Star appearance. A year in which Deron received alot of criticism. Reports said Deron and long-time Jazz coach Jerry Sloan had arguments and rumors had it that Deron wanted him out. Eventually, Sloan decided to resign as Jazz head coach and most of the blame came on Deron.

On February 23rd, 2011, Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, 2 first-round picks, & $3 million in cash. In the 12 games Deron played with the Nets that season he averaged almost 13 APG. He also had a total of 47 assists in his first 3 games with New Jersey.

In that summer during the lockout, Deron went overseas to Turkey to play with a Turkish team called Besiktas. When the lockout ended, Deron went on to average 21 PPG & 8 APG that season. He was the only player to accomplish that in the 2011-12 season.

Deron was an unrestricted free-agent in the Summer of 2012. He had only two teams on his list, Brooklyn, & Dallas. It seemed like Dallas was going to be his choice until Brooklyn acquired Joe Johnson. That sealed the deal. Williams re-signed with the Nets on a 5 year, $98 million deal.

Deron had a sub-par year last season, but with the new additions, Deron should have no problem returning to his elite status.

Player Profile: Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez, 7 foot all-star center. Lopez was drafted by the then New Jersey Nets in the 1st round 10th overall. Brook is a great talent. Good scored. Decent defender. His biggest weaknesses would be his toughness & rebounding. Being 7 foot you should be able to average double-digit rebounding numbers. But not Brook. He averages 7 RPG. Something he needs to continue to work on.

Brook attended Stanford University where he played alongside his twin brother, Robin Lopez. Brook spent 2 years at Stanford until declaring for the NBA Draft. With drafting Brook, the Nets were basically drafting their big man of the future.

Lopez had a pretty good rookie season. Still was struggling to rebound the ball well but his offense continued to improve. In his second NBA season, Brook averaged near 19 PPG & 8.6 RPG. Unfortunately, Brook was a part of a Nets team that finished 12-70 that season. The next season he averaged a career-high 20.4 PPG. Rebounding totals dropped to just over 6.

After that season something called the "Dwightmare" occurred. In the pre-season, Brook broke his foot and only played a total of 5 games the entire season. Rumors had it that Dwight Howard was destined to be on his way to the Nets for Lopez & pieces. Dwight requested a trade to then New Jersey. Talks occurred, nothing happened.

In the summer of 2012 it seemed like Dwight would be destined to be on his way to Brooklyn, but Orlando didn't take Brooklyn's offer of Lopez, Humphries, Brooks, & 3 future first-rounders. They instead sent him to LA, which we all know how that turned out. Lopez ended up signing a 4 year $61 million extension with Brooklyn.

Brook has become one of the better centers in the game today. I would have to put him top 3. If he improves his rebounding, defense, & toughness he could be the best Center in the game.

Player Profile: Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson, aka. Mr. Clutch is a 6 time all-star. All appearances coming with the Atlanta Hawks. He's still on a contract that was worth 6 years $119 million. So, his contract was relatively hard to move until the Nets took it on last summer. 

Johnson has never been out of the  second round of the playoffs in his entire career. When the Nets traded for him last summer they saw it as an opportunity to have the best backcourt in the NBA. To go along with Deron Williams. Joe is also one of the most clutch players in the NBA. He hit clutch shot after clutch shot last season. Including 2 buzzer-beating winners against Detroit & Milwaukee. 

Joe was always the star when he was in Atlanta. But when the trade to Brooklyn occurred alot of the burden came off his shoulders considering Deron is the superstar here. 

Joe attended the University of Arkansas. He was drafted in the 1st round and was selected 10th overall by the Boston Celtics. Where he got to play alongside longtime Celtic and new Net, Paul Pierce. Johnson then was traded to Phoenix for Rodney Rodgers, & Tony Delk on February 20, 2002. Joe spent the 2002-2005 seasons with Phoenix. Later, on August 19, 2005 Johnson was involved with a sign-and-trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks. In return Phoenix received Boris Diaw and two future first round picks. Joe spent the next 6 years in Atlanta leading the Hawks to numerous playoff appearances & earning 6 all-star appearances. 

On July 1st, 2010 Johnson signed a 6 year $119 million extension with the Hawks. Making him one of the highest paid players in the NBA. In the summer of 2012, Johnson was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. In return Atlanta received, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, DeShawn Stevenson, & a 2013 first round pick. Clutch is the word to define Johnson. He'll need to be same this year as well.

Nets Release 2013-2014 Schedule

• Nets open up the regular season October 30th in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. 7 ET on NBA TV.

• Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce return to Boston January 26th. 6:30 ET on ESPN.

• Home Opener is against the defending champion Miami Heat on November 1st. 8 ET on ESPN.

• Nets will host the Chicago Bulls on Christmas Day. Noon on ESPN.

• Nets first matchup vs the Knicks is December 5th. 7 ET on TNT. Then they face off at MSG on MLK day. 2:30 ET on ESPN. The next two matchups will be in April.

• Nets face the San Antonio Spurs on New Years Eve. 6 ET.

• They face the OKC Thunder for the first time on January 2nd. 8 ET on NBA TV.

• Nets have a total of 26 nationally televised games this season.

These are just some of the biggest games the Nets have this season. To see full schedule, click here ---> http://www.nba.com/nets/schedule