Q & A with Head Coach Lawrence Frank

East Rutherford, NJ (Sept. 29, 2004): Head Coach Lawrence Frank took time out to answer some of the media's questions about the Nets upcoming season.

Who on this team is going to rebound?
The game is not played on paper. We've always been a gang rebounding team, and without seeing our guys practice or go through a training camp, that’s going to be a tough question to answer. Yet, I think it's a relevant question. It's something we struggled with last year. At the same time, it's going to be a gang-rebounding thing. We’re going to need five guys to rebound.

What are some of your thoughts on the current roster?
Everyone in the organization went through a great deal of pain or grieving, but in the middle of August we were all able to turn the page. I read and hear what's said. We are not rebuilding. Once you rebuild it's an excuse to lose. On paper, everyone is criticizing our talent. But what is talent? Every team in this league has physical talent. Being a good teammate, understanding your role, competing every single night, taking good shots, playing with all your heart, and playing through nagging injuries are talents. That's what we have to do. Regardless of expectations and what the roster looks like we feel very good if we play Nets' basketball we're going to win games.

Is that one of your first tasks with the players - the mental approach?
It starts with their attitudes - all of our attitudes. It's all about perception. Are the guys who've been here, are they going to feel like we were so close up the mountain and now it's been torn away or are they going to understand that this is part of reality. We're not the only team that's done this. It starts with our attitude and approach.

How's Jason Kidd's knee?
He's mostly doing upper-body stuff. He's rehabbed extremely hard. The primary focus is just getting him healthy. He, like everyone else, was extremely disappointed with what went on. His only focus is getting healthy so he can get back on the floor. We're going to be more conservative about pressing him. There's no timetable. We're going to be smart. Jason is such a competitor that he wants to be playing. But we're just going to take it slow and see what's best for him.

What about Alonzo Mourning?
Alonzo is coming to camp. He's going to try and make a comeback. We'll see. We're going to be supportive in every way and see what he can do. We're a little bit in the land of the unknown, but he's such a competitor that he's going to try everything he can to put himself in a position so he can be back on the floor.

Are you going to have to watch Zo's minutes?
I can't pre-determine it. I'll probably answer that better after training camp. I'll have a better feel not only for him, but also for where those other guys are at. With this whole team, you have to come with an open mind.

With Kidd out, do you change your style of play?
What we've done relies and puts pressure on teamwork. Now more than ever we need to be a team. We feel good. Are we going to get the same transition buckets like with Jason? No. It's going to be different. But there's still an emphasis on passing the ball ahead and trying to create easy fast-break opportunities. But if we don't get it done on the defensive end there aren't going to be many break opportunities. We're always going to look for transition opportunities. But if not, we're going to have to be extremely organized in the half-court and rely on our ball and player movement to create rhythm shots.

Is it a challenge for you, personally, now that the team is so different?
I think all of us are excited. We look at this as a great opportunity. I think our players look at it as a great opportunity. There’s nothing better than achieving something when everyone says you can’t. We have our own internal expectations in terms of what we can achieve. Now, is it going to come easy? Of course not. But at the same time we’re committed that we know that the things that have been real good for us in terms of the way we go about our jobs, if we’re committed to those values, we’ll be competitive every single night. We expect to win. We are the three-time Atlantic Division champs. I’m not a fool and I know we have different names on the back. But we believe in the type of people that we have. We’re going to maximize everything we can to put ourselves in a position to win.

What are your realistic expectations for this team?
Without the benefit of seeing this team practice, it would be impossible for me to say. But once we get a feel for this team, you know me, I’m not bold on making predictions. But our focus, our mantra, our theme is today matters. Earn your way everyday. We’ve never been a team that’s going to look and get so locked in on the outcome and forget about the process. That’s going to be our same focus. Yeah, we have goals. I guess it’s probably human nature, once the team changes, you could be tempted to lower those goals, but we’re not.

Will there be a problem with Kidd trade rumors hovering?
I think anything could be a potential problem. But our focus is going to determine if we allow it. I mean, life in the NBA is all about distractions. We’re going to have our share, just like everyone else. We’re going to do everything we can to get Jason on the floor using caution. But at the same time, we can’t wait for Jason to come back with a cape. This is our team as it stands right now. This is how we’re going to prepare. We’re not going to hold out maximum effort until he gets here. We’re going to put forth maximum effort from the first day to the last.

Is it a hard sell for guys who have been here to have that focus?
I think the guys who have been here know. They know we’ve kind of done that the last three years. We need the guys who have been here to show the way to the guys who are new. They’re not necessarily new to the NBA, but they’re new here. Our guys forged a brotherhood; it wasn’t a ‘cliquish’ team. There was support for each other. That’s what we have to get to. Hopefully we have character and the personnel where the guys understand that’s what it’s going to take. The last three years, you could list five, six, seven teams more physically talented than our team, but yet some of the intangibles we had put us in a position to beat some of those teams. So I think our guys who have been here, who have been in the background, have to step to the forefront to show some leadership. And the guys who are new need to follow their lead. We are not going to dummy down, the bar is still up here. We’re going to need everyone to raise our level, and it starts with me.

Are the shooting guard and point guard positions open?
I would think barring a miracle recovery from Kidd, that the point guard spot, the two spot and the four spot are wide open. Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins will be starters and then those other three spots are wide open.

What about Jefferson at the two spot?
Richard can play some guard; he’s at that point. He played some for us late last year, so it’s something he can definitely go to. Probably the biggest adjustment is definitely chasing guards off baseline screens. It’s something he can definitely do. On our roster, four guys can play at least two positions. Mercer and Buford can play a couple of positions. Richard and Eric Williams can play both the three and the four. Jason Collins can play the four and the five. So we have some versatility. It may be on a game-by-game basis at times or situational basis in terms of is it a match-up problem we can create. Whatever will help us win games, that’s what I will do.

What about Nenad Krstic?
We have had guys in here since August on a voluntarily basis. He came a little bit later because of his Olympic commitment but he has a phenomenal work ethic. It is going to take him a bit. As we saw with Zoran [Planinic] and many other players who come from overseas, there is a cultural adjustment first, let alone a basketball adjustment. But if he continues with this work ethic, he is going to put himself in a position where he is going to play. It is going to take time but he has been great to watch. He is going to need to get stronger. But he has a great approach. With that sort of approach, we feel good about his potential.

Talk about your coaching staff?
We have a phenomenal staff. Brian Hill is wonderful. However, he will not be with us for an indefinite period of time due to family matters. We have added two new guys to our staff. John Kuester, who was with Larry Brown for seven years, is a phenomenal teacher and a great coach. Will definitely be a head coach in this league, great enthusiasm, has been around a lot of different players, and was a very good player himself. Bill Cartwright played 16 years in the NBA. Bill brings a great way about him. He is a first-class guy, a phenomenal teacher and he is a very analytical guy. He brings a great perspective. Not just playing on those championship teams but he was a coach and an assistant. So he brings a great perspective and Tommy Barrise is an assistant coach who sits behind the bench. Tommy is a phenomenal worker and as loyal as they come. We have a terrific staff with a great work ethic.