Julius Erving believes Brooklyn Nets are "buying" their way to a title; reveals his Eastern Conference pick for the Finals
The Brooklyn Nets have been making headlines both on and off the court since the season began. The New York-based franchise arguably has the best roster in the league and looks set to make a championship run. But that has not deterred former players and analysts from pointing out their shortcomings.
Julius Erving unsure about Brooklyn Nets' roster construction
NBA legend Julius Erving made an appearance on Danny Green's podcast The Green Room recently and expressed his views on the Brooklyn Nets' aggressive team-building strategy. Erving said:
“They load up – they call it ‘buying a championship.’ The Lakers are known for doing that too. They’re getting all these pieces. … They don’t know at the end of the season what it’s going to look like."
The Brooklyn Nets have been aggressive in the market this year, acquiring some impressive veteran buyout candidates like LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin.
Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets front office have been busy since the start of the campaign. Their bold plans paid early dividends, as the management ended up forming a trio of James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
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Erving continued, predicting his pick for the Eastern Conference finals:
"The ambition of Ben [Simmons] and Joel [Embiid], these guys are hungry now, they’ve been a part of what they call ‘The Process’ for several years, and it’s time for The Process to bear some fruit. I’m betting my money on Philly."
Like Erving, there have been others who've questioned the Brooklyn Nets' roster construction, as there is a belief that three ball-dominant players (Harden, Durant and Irving) cannot co-exist on the same roster.
There are also reservations about their veterans (DeAndre Jordan, Aldridge and Griffin), plus the jury is still out on their role players (Jeff Green, Bruce Brown).
However, Steve Nash and his vastly experienced coaching staff have been able to navigate their way through mid-season troubles like Covid-19, injury problems and initial chemistry issues. The Brooklyn Nets are second in the East, right behind the Philadelphia 76ers on head-to-head.
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