Mikhail Prkhorov, the Russian owner of the Brooklyn Nets, knows where his blessings come from. According to him, it is the “basketball gods” that are behind a string of acquisitions that have put Brooklyn squarely in the title hunt.
“Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets,” Nets owner Mikhail
Prokhorov said in a statement. “With the arrival of Kevin Garnett and
Paul Pierce, we have achieved a great balance on our roster between
veteran stars and young talents. This team will be dazzling to watch,
and tough to compete against.”
With the moratorium now lifted, Brooklyn has officially added not only Garnett and Pierce but also Jason Terry, D.J. White, Shaun Livingston, and Andrei Kirilenko.
The addition of the Russian born Kirilenko is a recent boost for the franchise. A versatile forward, the former NBA All-Star averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season after a yearlong hiatus.
These additions, particularly Garnett and Pierce, were made with the goal of making the Nets a championship caliber team quickly.
“We are excited to welcome Kevin, Paul and Jason to Brooklyn,” said Nets general manager Billy King. “All three players have championship
pedigree and possess the veteran qualities that will make us a stronger
team.”
Heading into next season, Brooklyn is poised to have a starting lineup of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Pierce, Garnett, and Brook Lopez.