With the All-Star break in full swing, the Nets completed the signing of one of free agents the most coveted of the moment: Goran Dragic.
Appeared on five small occasions with the Raptors this season (for 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists on average), before being transferred to the Spurs and then being released there, the Slovenian managed to sign with a candidate (supposed ) On title. Provided that Brooklyn can finally be complete, of course.
Interviewed for the first time by the New York press since joining the Nets, Goran Dragic obviously did not hide for long what led him to this signature: the ring.
” I chose Brooklyn because I think the Nets have a real chance of winning a title, but also to play alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons or LaMarcus Aldridge“, he confided thus.
Steve Nash, friend and mentor
Especially since Goran Dragic also struggled to miss the opportunity to evolve under the orders of Steve Nash. One ” great friend ” and one ” great mentor “, to hear the 35-year-old player, who has already had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the double MVP, between 2008 and 2011, when he played for the Suns.
” At the time, I had decided to leave Europe for the NBA only because there was Steve [Nash] because, if I had landed in another team, I would probably have stayed two or three more years in Europe “, recognized the former leader of the Heat, who had made the leap for the United States in the summer of 2008.
And it is therefore in Brooklyn that Goran Dragic will try to relaunch his career, after a generally complicated last season and a half, in Miami and especially in Toronto. Where he was quickly sidelined in the fall of 2021.
” The Raptors wanted to rejuvenate their roster and they didn’t see me as a part of that project. “, added on this subject the finalist NBA 2020.
Top 6 goal for Brooklyn
With all his experience accumulated during his 14 years in the league (for an All-Star Game selection, a Most Improved Player title and an appearance in the All-NBA Third Team), Goran Dragic will now try to help the Nets to resume their march forward.
Orphans of Kevin Durant and newcomer Ben Simmons, while Kyrie Irving cannot (for the moment) play again at home, the men of Steve Nash – who did not wish to reveal what he said to Goran Dragic for convince him to sign in Brooklyn— slipped to 8th place in the Eastern Conference.
With its record of 31 wins and 28 losses, the New York franchise is now two and a half games ahead of the 9th (Charlotte), but also two and a half games behind the 6th (Boston). Suffice to say that the end of the season will be particularly tense, in order to avoid this famous “play-in” of all dangers…
” We have no more excuses, it is no longer possible “, noted in this regard Goran Dragic. ” Every game is important. What do we have left, 23 games to play? Nobody wants to play in the play-in because everyone wants to be in the Top 6. That’s our goal right now.“
| Goran Dragic | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2008-09 | PHX | 55 | 13 | 39.3 | 37.0 | 76.9 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 4.5 |
| 2009-10 | PHX | 80 | 18 | 45.2 | 39.4 | 73.6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 7.9 |
| 2010-11* | All Teams | 70 | 18 | 43.5 | 36.1 | 62.4 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 7.5 |
| 2010-11* | PHX | 48 | 18 | 42.1 | 27.7 | 60.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 7.4 |
| 2010-11* | HOO | 22 | 17 | 47.2 | 51.9 | 66.7 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 7.7 |
| 2011-12 | HOO | 66 | 27 | 46.2 | 33.7 | 80.5 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 11.7 |
| 2012-13 | PHX | 77 | 34 | 44.3 | 31.9 | 74.8 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 7.4 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 14.7 |
| 2013-14 | PHX | 76 | 35 | 50.5 | 40.8 | 76.0 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 5.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 20.3 |
| 2014-15* | All Teams | 78 | 34 | 50.1 | 34.7 | 77.4 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 16.4 |
| 2014-15* | PHX | 52 | 33 | 50.1 | 35.5 | 74.6 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 16.2 |
| 2014-15* | MIA | 26 | 35 | 50.2 | 32.9 | 80.8 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 16.6 |
| 2015-16 | MIA | 72 | 33 | 47.7 | 31.2 | 72.7 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 5.8 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 14.1 |
| 2016-17 | MIA | 73 | 34 | 47.5 | 40.5 | 79.0 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 5.8 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.2 | 20.3 |
| 2017-18 | MIA | 75 | 32 | 45.0 | 37.0 | 80.1 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 17.3 |
| 2018-19 | MIA | 36 | 28 | 41.3 | 34.8 | 78.2 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 13.7 |
| 2019-20 | MIA | 59 | 28 | 44.1 | 36.7 | 77.6 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 16.2 |
| 2020-21 | MIA | 50 | 27 | 43.2 | 37.3 | 82.8 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 13.4 |
| 2021-22 | TOR | 5 | 18 | 38.2 | 28.6 | 100.0 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 8.0 |
| Total | 872 | 28 | 46.2 | 36.4 | 76.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 13.9 | |
