New Nets have championship dreams

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Published on Thursday, 18 July 2013 23:24

Paul Pierce believes his new team is primed to make a run at the Eastern Conference title, although the veteran small forward has a bigger goal in mind for the Brooklyn Nets: capturing the NBA championship.

"I think we're going to be right up there with the best of them," Pierce said Thursday.

"Obviously I would've loved to have finished my career in Boston, but that day and age is finally over with. My ultimate drive is winning a championship."

Pierce was introduced in front of a large media contingent along with Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry at the Barclays Center. Garnett, Pierce and Terry were obtained in a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics.

Free-agent signee Andrei Kirilenko could not attend because of personal obligations overseas, Nets general manager Billy King said.

The Nets-New York Knicks rivalry is obviously on everyone's minds as well -- although all the players responded no when asked their opinion on who is No. 1 in the city.

The Nets had to persuade Garnett to waive his no-trade clause to complete the deal. They also had to guarantee his full $12 million salary for 2014-15, according to a league source.

The Nets believe the additions put them in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference along with the likes of the two-time defending-champion Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls.

A league source said the team's payroll for next season is around $101 million, while its projected luxury-tax bill is around $83 million

The Nets have sold more than $3 million in full season tickets since the official announcement that Garnett, Pierce, Kirilenko and Terry were joining the team and are 800 full season-ticket plans shy of reaching their 13,000 full season-ticket cap.