Avery Johnson Busy in the Media Today and Tomorrow

[Teletopez]

TUNE-IN: Avery Johnson Press Conference LIVE Stream on NJNets.com Tuesday, June 15 at 12 pm

 

TUNE-IN: Coach Johnson joins Mike Francesa live on WFAN from Yankee Stadium Tues, June 15, 4-5:00 pm

 

TUNE-IN: Avery Johnson on ESPN Radio with Michael Kay Tuesday, June 15 at 5:40 pm

 

TUNE-IN: Avery Johnson on WFAN with Evan and Joe Wednesday, June 16 at 8:05 am

[Teletopez]

http://www.nba.com/nets/news/nets_live.html

[Teletopez]

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• Introduction: Yormark
  
• Harris and Brook welcome Johnson's wife.
   
  Rod Thorn
  
• We think that with all the values he will instill into our players, he will be outstanding for this franchise.
   
  Avery Johnson
  
• Thank you, Rod, for this opportunity.
  
• Thank you to all the people alongside me with ESPN.
  
• I had an opportunity, with the media, to understand what the word, "sources" means. So I'll have a better idea when I have a fun time with the media over the next couple of years.
  
• I will work morning, noon, and night to get the big trophy.
  
• I want to thank Prokhorov for this opportunity. I had some great talks with him Sunday and Monday.
  
• We have some good pieces to start with. You already see two of them here in Lopez and Harris. I'm really excited about working with Devin again. Devin is a little older, he knows my system, and I can give him the reigns now. (Mentions Lopez, Harris, Yi, and Lee as the good young core)
  
• I already met a bunch of folks, Yormark, Sussman. There's a great group to start off with. The sky is the limit and we have a great situation. We have draft picks and quite a lot of money to spend. We have an owner that's all in and wants to win. We have a great basketball mind in Rod Thorn. I'm just glad to be apart of it.
  
• I want to thank my wife for coming here. I want to thank my attorneys for coming down, and they worked overtime to negotiate a contract with Rod.
  
• When Mark Cuban hired me to coach Dallas, a lot of people questioned my experience. And while a lot of people look at the tough losses we had, I like to look at the positives.
  
• We're going to have a defensive system from day one and hold each other accountable while supporting everyone.
  
• Rod Thorn has said he will try to bring over a player that will make this a winning program.
  
• (To FA) We can go from worst to first, and you can be apart of that.
   
  Answering Questions
  
• Prokhorov has told me how many games he will attend, what role he will play, what role I will be playing, and how I will be keeping in touch with him through the season.
  
• We can get more than one guy in this FA market. We feel if we add the right FA's along with three draft picks and the roster we have, we have a great chance.
  
• I'm going to spend quite a lot of time with the players well before the season starts during workouts. I'm going to let them know what kind of practice and hard work will be necessary. We're going to try and lay that vision out early.
  
• You always look at the best-case and worst-case scenario. Even under the worst-case scenario, I want to be the coach of the New Jersey Nets. Even if things don't happen this summer, we have next summer. We're not just spending money to spend money. We feel there are a lot of great possibilities.
  
• (Answering Question from Devin Harris about how he will use soon-to-be-all-star Brook Lopez) I have experience working with big men and I look forward to doing whatever I can as we work with Brook Lopez.
  
• Even though I've been known as a defensive coach, we scored over 100 points in Dallas. I believe in an attacking offense. But you can't run without getting stops. They had trouble making stops last year. I've never had a player like Brook Lopez to throw the ball inside to. Overall, we're going to build the D, rebound, and move and run the ball.
   
  Rod Thorn
  
• We were a very poor defensive and rebounding team and had fundamental issues. Avery is very good with young guys and teaching.
  
• We have some pieces, we need other pieces, but Avery will be able to adapt and be an inspirational coach.
  
• Our talent was better than our record. We had a bad start, injuries, and we never recovered. We need to get more talent.
   
  Devin Harris
  
• We won a lot of games together and I think we can do that here.
   
  Brook Lopez
  
• (Bob Lorenz cracks a joke about Lopez's bright green sweater)
  
• You can already feel a culture change around here.
  
• I wish workouts would start already.
  
• (Talking about possibly bringing over a defensive big man who can play alongside him) There are some great big men in this year's draft. I've been following and I've looked at highlight reels, and Favors and Cousins both seem very talented.
  

 

I tried to get down most of what was said, though there was some lag in the stream so a few things are missing.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Waldo

[Teletopez]

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Before we wade deeply into Avery Johnson festivities, you might want to know that Brook Lopez is down to 240 pounds because he spent most of early May in bed.

 

“Mono,” the Nets center explained. “Isn’t that embarrassing? But I feel fine now.”

 

He wouldn’t say what he’s doing to get his weight back, but Lopez – who flew in just for the A.J. presser – is going back to Phoenix to work out with his brother at API (Athletes Performance Facility).

 

“It’s probably been a month, a month and a half by now,” he said of his recovery. “It’s just I have to get my conditioning back.”

Dave D'Alessandro

Edited June 15, 2010 by Waldo

[YugoRocketsFan]

Good stuff Waldo, at least the Nets will win more games than last year ^.^

[NomarFachix]

Brook Lopez looks hawt in that lime sweater vest

[Universe]

Nice work Wally and Brook Lopez sweater = beastly.

[Klashnekoff]

Good work here Wally.

 

Lopez man .. i swear this kid is gonna be better then Tim Duncan prime. Yep i said it. :glasses:

[NomarFachix]

Lopez man .. i swear this kid is gonna be better then Tim Duncan prime. Yep i said it. :glasses:

 

... :o