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Harris and Carter Come Ready to Lead (Season Preview Pt. 1) Oct. 27, 2008 by Ben Couch - NJNETS.COM |
East Rutherford, NJ — They came during the summer. Out to East Rutherford as a unit, working out, playing pickup and getting to know each other. Three rookies, seven returning veterans, three free-agent signees and every other New Jersey Net who could gathered more than three weeks before the start of training camp.
And a superstar set the tone.
“It was important to establish my dedication to the team and let the new vets know that I want to win,” Vince Carter said. “Regardless of what’s being said or predicted, I want to win. My mentality is that we have a good enough team to win basketball games. Now, who else is going to jump on board and believe it?”
With the Nets’ roster overhauled in two major moves – the deadline trade of Jason Kidd for a package headlined by Devin Harris and the Draft Day exchange of Richard Jefferson for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons – Carter became the team’s unquestioned leader. Carter embraced the role toward the end of last season, when he toughed out an ankle injury, delaying surgery until the summer (he’s recovered fully) and traveled on the coaches’ bus to games, arriving well before the rest of his teammates.
But Carter wouldn’t be in position to lead were it not for his talent. The 31-year-old shooting guard enters his 11th NBA season with career averages of 23.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. A drop in scoring last season (21.3 PPG, down from 25.2) would have indicated a slowdown, but Carter posted career high rebounding and assist averages (6.0 and 5.1, respectively) while shooting .456 from the floor and .359 from deep. He joined Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as the only players to average at least 21 points, six rebounds and five assists last season.
For all Carter’s ability, he can’t outpoint teams on his own, and the team is looking to the other half of the backcourt for supplementary buckets. Harris – who Carter deems “fast as hell” – carved out a niche by slicing defenses during 3 ∏ seasons in Dallas.
“Devin’s very, very talented,” said General Manager
With the Mavericks, Harris progressed from 15-minute-per-game rookie to full-time starter on a championship contender. During a 25-game showcase with the Nets last season, Harris averaged 15.4 points, 6.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 33 minutes, though he struggled with his shot (.320 from three, .423 overall) and admittedly played “subpar” defense.
As he looks to improve on that small sample, the 25-year-old point guard has prepared himself to take control of the offense. And with only three players on the roster who were on the team at the beginning of last season, the role of floor leader has Harris joining Carter in setting a strong example for his teammates.
“(Coach Lawrence Frank) talked about it during the summer,” Harris said. “The thing about being a leader is, I’m going to have to be the same guy every day. I’m going to have to show the same face every day. Whether we win or lose, I can’t be too hard. Patience is definitely going to be tested, but we have expectations on ourselves.”
Seeking to exploit his guards’ ability to get to the rim, Frank tweaked the Nets’ offense during the summer, implementing elements of the Dribble-Drive Attack popularized by Memphis’ John Calipari. The fluid, read-and-react nature of the offense allows for plenty of individual freelancing within the broader concepts.
The basic set involves four players on the perimeter and a big man on the weak side of the post. The ball handler attempts to take his man off the dribble, and either drives or dishes to a cutting or rotating teammate. With every pass, the process repeats, unless someone has enough space to catch-and-shoot. The DDA requires penetrating guards and shooting forwards, and is enhanced by bigs who can sky for lobs. The Nets have all those pieces.
And Frank is quick to remind anyone that his roster isn’t two players deep.
“You know whose team it is?” asked Frank, rhetorically. “It’s everyone’s team. It’s not Vince’s team or Devin’s team or anyone’s – it’s our team, collectively. Everyone has a responsibility. No one can abdicate themselves by saying, ‘Hey, it’s not me.’ No. We all have a job to do. And if everyone does their job on a consistent basis, then we’ll be as good as we can be.”
This is Part One of a three-part preview written for the Official 2008-2009 Nets Yearbook. Visit Izod Center to pick up your copy today.
