TimesPeople



September 27, 2008
Nets Search for Iden y Without 2 of the Big 3

By JONATHAN ABRAMS


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — There are, by the simple definition of media day, pictures to be taken, people to meet, hands that need to clasp other hands. Then, there are the duties that go along with being Yi Jianlian, the Nets’ second-year forward from China.


As the cameras sparkled, so did Yi’s grin while he posed with several journalists from Asia on Friday.


Soon, Yi, a willowy forward, will be alone in front of the cameras. His personal posse will either grow or decline with his development, as well as the progression of the Nets, who open training camp Saturday with a cast of new faces.


Yi is among eight new Nets, with three rookies sprinkled among them. At this point last year, only Vince Carter, Josh Boone and Sean Williams played under Nets Coach Lawrence Frank.


“I’m planning on just leaving it all on the court,” Yi said through an interpreter. “My performance on the court should speak for itself.”
Not for a while, though. Yi and the incoming point guard, Keyon Dooling, sustained mild ankle injuries during an open scrimmage last week and are scheduled to sit for the next week or so. Yi, who battled injuries throughout his rookie season, said he expected to participate when the team opened its preseason schedule overseas against the Miami Heat.


Still, for all the infusion of new Nets on Friday, who was not there also stood out.


In Milwaukee, forward Richard Jefferson, traded in exchange for Yi and Bobby Simmons this off-season, is preparing for training camp with the Bucks. Jason Kidd is doing the same in Dallas for the Mavericks.


It is the first time since the 2001-2 season that the Nets are opening camp without them penciled in. Instead, a lot of erasing and replacing was performed this off-season. Many would claim there was more subtraction than addition.


In the Atlantic Division, where Boston is still Boston, and the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors added All-Stars in Elton Brand and Jermaine O’Neal, the Nets shipped away one centerpiece during the summer after trading another during the season.


The motto on the Nets’ Web site is, “It’s about ... knowing your Nets.” It will also be about the Nets knowing their Nets.


“We brought in a lot of veterans with Eduardo Nájera, Jarvis Hayes, Bobby Simmons,” said Carter, who, with point guard Devin Harris, will be looked upon to provide leadership. “I’ve got to remember all the new guys.”


Frank said the team looked at last year’s roster and decided it could never amount to more than an average team. The concept turned into taking a stick of dynamite to the roster and adding salary flexibility and draft picks.


“Well, we cleared out his locker,” Frank joked when asked about how he would fill Kidd’s vacancy.


“Jason is a Hall of Fame player,” Frank said. “He’s one of the great point guards of his generation. And yet, we feel very, very good about the point guard we have. This whole thing is not about one player. It’s not about the big three. It’s about being a team because that’s going to be our recipe to be successful. Not that it wasn’t in the past. But it can’t be focusing on who’s not here.”


Frank added that he was preparing the Nets to reach the playoffs, a destination they failed to reach last season for the first time in seven years. Then again, he is aware that a simple glance at his roster, with three starting spots up for grabs, suggests otherwise.


“Our expectations are high,” Frank said. “We aren’t going to let the outside influences determine our expectations. We are preparing to be a very good playoff team. That’s how we approach every day in practice, every day in our preparation, and that’s what we expect from each other.”


ARENAS STAYS SILENT Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards were each fined $15,000 by the N.B.A. after he left the team’s media day Friday, avoiding any discussion of his third left knee operation in a year and a half.


He did show up long enough to pose for photographs, but the team said Arenas cited his knee rehabilitation in declining to speak. A Wizards spokesman said Arenas would address the news media Saturday, when the team opened training camp in Richmond, Va. (AP)
BATTIER INJURES FOOT Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier will be sidelined up to four weeks and miss most of the preseason because of an inflammation in his left foot. He had surgery May 9 to remove bone spurs from his left ankle. The team said the foot inflammation occurred during rehabilitation. (AP)

JASON WILLIAMS RETIRES Point guard Jason Williams ended his 10-year career less than two months after signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. (AP)

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