Paul Pierce spent one season playing for the Brooklyn Nets after a long career in Boston.
Expectations were high, as the team also consisted of former all-stars like Kevin Garnett, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson.
Pierce spoke to Ryan Hollins & Brendan Haywood about what went wrong in his short time with the Nets.
(Via The Opinionated 7-Footers):
“I thought we’d be a lot better. To be all honest with you, I just think Deron Williams, I thought he was ready to be an MVP type of player by going over there. He was like one of the top point guards, it was him and Chris Paul. My whole thinking was, ‘Alright, he’s got to be the guy for us to win. He’s got to turn into an MVP level player. He’s got some help around him. He’s the guy.’ And I’m just not sure he was ready for that type of pressure. I felt like the pressure got to him, he wasn’t ready to take that next step. I mean he was good with the stats and all, but like I didn’t really get it. I thought he was ready.
“Just from the outside looking in, he was the one that was going to have to take us to that next step because by that time, me and Ticket, we were like the help. We were the leaders, but needed the young guys, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams, to be the guys and I’m not sure he was ready to do that. I think it was too much pressure for him. It wasn’t on us at that point in our careers to go out there and carry this team, it was on them two. I wanted to see Deron succeed, but I just didn’t think he was ready for that. I think the pressure kind of got to him by playing in Brooklyn and expectations. You got great players who play great, but when you get expectations, you see a difference in people and I think that’s what it was.”
