Boston Celtice small forward Gerald Wallace spent about a year and a half with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, never shy about giving his honest opinion. Speaking with The Boston Herald on Sunday, Wallace was asked about the Nets’ struggles so far this season. Here’s was he had to say:
“People think it’s easy,” he said with a shake of his head.
“I kind of figured this might happen a little bit, especially at the start, with Deron (Williams) missing all of the training camp and preseason,” he went on. “I think it’s just awkward that everybody just expected them to come out of the gates on fire. Playing on a team, you’ve got to have chemistry. You know, guys have got to know how to play together.”
Wallace thinks the Nets will eventually turn it around:
“Regardless of how much talent you may have at all five positions, you have to come to work,” said Wallace. “So it’s going to take them time. I see them turning it around, especially once everybody gets healthy.”
When asked about the Nets “lacking passion,” Wallace says it’s more about the Nets being confused.
“I think it’s like they’re more confused, and their energy and fight don’t come out all the time,” Wallace said. “The game I really got a chance to see them, they came out with a swag, as to where they felt like they were just going to win the game by coming out on the court. Then they’d show up in the fourth quarter and try to win the game.
As for the championship aspirations that were immediately set in place upon Wallace’s departure to Beantown?
“This is what they wanted to do,” said Wallace. “They wanted a championship like right now, so it’s got to happen for them. I’m not sure it will happen for them this year.”
Wallace knows about chemistry: he was a starter on last season’s team that featured 10 new players from the season before and stumbled out to a 14-14 start while trying to find the oh-so valuable chemistry that this current Nets team severely lacks.
Though team building takes time, the Nets’ 3-10 start is wholly unacceptable with losses to teams such as the Cavs, Magic, Bobcats, Pistons, Wizards, and Kings (combined record of 29-50). No matter the injuries and lack of cohesion, the talent that exists should be enough to beat at least half of these lottery-bound teams.
