EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) â€" With a awaiting of a trade for Dwight Howard vanishing and a deteriorate opener reduction than a week away, New Jersey Nets manager Avery Johnson was removing a feel for his team.
That all altered Thursday when core Brook Lopez pennyless his right foot, an damage that left Johnson jolt his conduct and deliberation his options.
Lopez, a Nets' heading scorer, had medicine Friday for a nondisplaced fracture. He was harm in a preseason persion opposite a Knicks on Wednesday and will be sidelined during slightest 6 weeks and substantially more.
In a meantime, ubiquitous manager Billy King acquired former All-Star core Mehmet Okur from Utah for a second-round breeze pick, sealed giveaway representative ensure DeShawn Stevenson and waived brazen Ime Udoka.
With a additions of Okur and Stevenson, a Nets have strike a income cap, so their revamped group is set.
It has one star, indicate ensure Deron Williams, and a lot of new faces â€" Okur, Stevenson, giveaway representative forwards Shawne Williams and Sheldon Williams, rookies Marshon Brooks and brazen Jordan Williams and holdovers Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Damion James and Kris Humphries.
"Every day is a new day we tell a players," Johnson pronounced Friday. "When we get adult in a morning we consider about being a disproportion maker. You consider about certain energy. Everybody is undefeated now."
The Nets (24-58) substantially aren't going to stay that proceed long. They open on Monday during Washington and play 10 of their initial 14 games on a road. The home opener is Tuesday opposite Atlanta.
"There is no obey in how we conflict as coaches, how we proceed practice," Johnson said. "It's not indispensably a conditions we diagrammed going in, so we adjust. So if devise A doesn't work, we have to go to devise B and C and that's what we are doing."
The large doubt is Okur, who is to use with a group Saturday.
"We indispensable another man to fill in, though he's only not stuffing in," Johnson said. "He's a maestro player. He's had a plain career so far. He knows how to play and how to pass. He's still sharpened a round flattering good."
Okur played in 13 games final deteriorate while recuperating from Achilles and behind injuries. The 32-year-old Turk has averaged 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in 617 career games with Detroit and Utah.
Deron Williams played with Okur in Utah, and a dual spoke Thursday.
"He was repelled a small bit during first, substantially my reaction, though he's warming adult to it and vehement entrance over, vehement to play with me again," Deron Williams said. "I'll try to make a transition as easy as possible."
Deron Williams pronounced a Nets would not have to revamp their offense since Lopez played some-more on a outward than in a paint.
"It's a team," Deron Williams said. "Whether we am gentle or not, it's a team. We've got good guys, guys who know how to play basketball and make plays. That's all we need as prolonged as a invulnerability is sealed in. Guys can strike shots, strike large shots, and we consider we do. we like we combined DeShawne. He can strike shots though he also brings that toughness and can ensure people."
Johnson also is gentle with his team, for now.
"I know they will play hard," Johnson said. "When we have a group with Deron Williams as a indicate ensure he will do a good pursuit of quarterbacking a team."
King expects Lopez to play in a persion in 6 to 8 weeks.
Dr. Martin O'Malley, a feet specialist, and group orthopedist Dr. Riley Williams III extrinsic a screw into a fifth metatarsal of Lopez's feet during a Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. O'Malley pronounced reconstruction will start in dual weeks.
Lopez averaged 20.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 82 games final season.
"We go to him a lot late in games and stuff," Humphries said. "We won't have that. We'll substantially have to play during a small opposite gait and be crook with a sharpened and be some-more adult and down and accurate in executing on a break. Depending on who plays his minutes, we'll be some-more of an up-tempo team."
Stevenson averaged 5.3 points and 1.2 assists in assisting a Mavericks win their initial pretension final season. He was used mostly in a defensive purpose and can measure some-more if needed.
"It substantially will be tough entrance from a group where we came from, though during a same time it's a challenge," Stevenson pronounced after his initial use with a Nets. "We were challenged to win a championship and this is a opposite form of challenge."
News referensi http://news.yahoo.com/nets-lopez-6-8-weeks-foot-surgery-212420237--spt.html
