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And after losing out on his top free agent targets and with the Dwight Howard trade in a holding pattern, King said he’s treasuring the flexibility he has salvaged.

“I didn’t want to get guys and just spend money because if it doesn’t work, that’s your roster. I’ve done that in the past and then once you get that, that’s where you are. So you want to be prudent,” said King, who reached out to free agents like Tyson Chandler, Nene and Caron Butler but ended up without a high-profile signing. “Very surprised (by the money free agents were commanding).

“But I think some people jumped out and did things that they felt was best for them. But I wanted to make sure we were very prudent in how we did it. And I’m confident with Deron and Brook and Anthony and we’ll add some more pieces – Shawne coming in, and we’ll get some other pieces – that we’ll add some more veteran guys that will help in other areas as well. We’ll get there. It just may not be opening day, but I think our fans shouldn’t panic because we didn’t get names, as we’re trying to build a team.”

The Nets still need to acquire a starting power forward and are in discussions to re-sign Kris Humphries, who King lauded for his versatility.

“We’re working on it. It’s something we’ll get there,” King said about the power forward hole. “It can be done via signings, trades, but it’ll be something we’ll look at and add to the few.”

NYK StateOfMind wrote:Yeah, but if Dwight Howard goes to either the Lakers or Jazz... Would Lopez, Morrow and Shawne Williams be enough to prevent Deron Williams from walking as a free agent come the offseason? Where would the Nets front-office go from there? That's why, in my eyes, it was key for the Nets to land a key player this offseason ala Tyson Chandler, Nene etc, etc to increase the overall chances of Deron not jumping ship as a FA.

“We all understand where we’re trying to get to and that’s where the confidence comes from,” King said. “We all understand where we’re trying to get to and don’t want to make a mistake ... I knew if we wanted guys we could get them. If it wasn’t taking us in the direction we want to go, I didn’t want to just do it.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/net ... z1giDldUyn

stevieboy wrote:

“We all understand where we’re trying to get to and that’s where the confidence comes from,” King said. “We all understand where we’re trying to get to and don’t want to make a mistake ... I knew if we wanted guys we could get them. If it wasn’t taking us in the direction we want to go, I didn’t want to just do it.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/net ... z1giDldUyn

NYK StateOfMind wrote:Yeah, but if Dwight Howard goes to either the Lakers or Mavs... Would Lopez, Morrow and Shawne Williams be enough to prevent Deron Williams from walking as a free agent come the offseason? Where would the Nets front-office go from there? That's why, in my eyes, it was key for the Nets to land a key player this offseason ala Tyson Chandler, Nene etc, etc to increase the overall chances of Deron not jumping ship as a FA.

NyCeEvO wrote:After watching what has happened (and not happened), I'm very proud to call Billy King our (and my GM). I loved what he said today.

And after losing out on his top free agent targets and with the Dwight Howard trade in a holding pattern, King said he’s treasuring the flexibility he has salvaged.

“I didn’t want to get guys and just spend money because if it doesn’t work, that’s your roster. I’ve done that in the past and then once you get that, that’s where you are. So you want to be prudent,” said King, who reached out to free agents like Tyson Chandler, Nene and Caron Butler but ended up without a high-profile signing. “Very surprised (by the money free agents were commanding).

“But I think some people jumped out and did things that they felt was best for them. But I wanted to make sure we were very prudent in how we did it. And I’m confident with Deron and Brook and Anthony and we’ll add some more pieces – Shawne coming in, and we’ll get some other pieces – that we’ll add some more veteran guys that will help in other areas as well. We’ll get there. It just may not be opening day, but I think our fans shouldn’t panic because we didn’t get names, as we’re trying to build a team.”

The Nets still need to acquire a starting power forward and are in discussions to re-sign Kris Humphries, who King lauded for his versatility.

“We’re working on it. It’s something we’ll get there,” King said about the power forward hole. “It can be done via signings, trades, but it’ll be something we’ll look at and add to the few.”

-via Stefan Bondy's "Nets star and GM discuss amnesties, free agents and the team's future" NYDailyNews article

I think I almost shed a tear reading this. He gets, he finally gets it.

Also, I'm glad to see that while he listens to D-Will, it's obviously he just didn't do anything and everything just to please him. D-Will said that Tyson and Nene would instantly change the culture of Nets basketball (which is true) but we'd ultimately be paying a price that they're not really worth.

D12 must be pissed. D-Will comes here for less than a year and we're catering the team to his needs. D12 has been in Orlando 7 years and only after he requests a trade do they start really listening to him. He says he wants to be a part of decisions. Well, it's obvious the Nets are doing this on purpose. Letting everyone know from owner to GM to superstar, we're one big team that's on the same page.

Rich Rane wrote:I think it's just as important that Deron is understanding the moves and the vision as well. He's not like LeBron in Cleveland and asking for multi-year guys that'll clog the cap (Pavlovic, Varejao). He knows we're asking for mostly single-year deals. He knows the gamble we're playing. He knows the realistic chance at Dwight. He knows, that even with Dwight, that we're going to leave the team open for solid pieces if we do pair them together.

Deron Williams walks in with Bobby Marks, the assistant general manager. Williams, who often eats his lunch in King's office, carries a tray of a sandwich and chips. Williams and King are building a tight bond that will be crucial to retaining him. Williams often says that he will stay and headline the team's move to Brooklyn, as long as the team is capably built. He eschewed signing the contract extension offered to him in recent weeks. The most he could sign for now is an added two years and about $39 million. If he stays and signs with the Nets, his deal could be for five years and around $100 million. Before he signs, the roster needs major reconstructing, and Williams and King often discuss moves during their lunch.

"This is my lunch spot," Williams announces.

"I've got to get him an office, get him a phone, get him an assistant," King says.

"I've been waiting for my sign," Williams says with a laugh.

"That is my work station," Williams motions to the couch where Sussman sits.

In his office at the team’s practice site in East Rutherford, N.J., King acknowledged that Williams has been consulted in free-agent signings and trades and expressed confidence that Williams will re-sign next summer with the Nets because they will have two precious commodities with which to recruit help for him: salary-cap space and New York City.

“I think what people think about is LeBron James leaving Cleveland,” King said. “But Dwyane Wade stayed in Miami, and Miami had only squeaked into the playoffs that season. They had the cap space, and Wade said to LeBron, ‘Hey, you want to play together, come here, I’m not going there.’ ”

-via http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/sport ... ted=2&_r=2