Williams and Johnson become Nets' backbone

• Williams and Johnson should keep defenses honest, especially on the perimeter.
• The backcourt is divergent from the All-Stars the Nets pursued in the last two seasons, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard.
• The Nets also have depth at guard with MarShon Brooks, C.J. Watson, Keith Bogans and Tyshawn Taylor.

BROOKLYN -- Nets point guard Deron Williams said it in July when the Williams-Joe Johnson backcourt combo became official.

Nets general manager Billy King reiterated it as NBA training camps start opening.

"I think we have the best backcourt in the NBA," he said. "That's no disrespect to Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. I just think where these guys (Williams, Johnson) are in their careers, they are. What I really like is that they're both very physical offensively and defensively. They'll be the most physical backcourt in the league."

The backcourt is divergent from the All-Stars the Nets pursued in the last two seasons -- forward Carmelo Anthony in 2010-11 and center Dwight Howard in 2011-12. The Nets ended up with neither, not for lack of trying, then committed to building around the backcourt.

King enters this season with relief from the constant questions about the future look of his team.

"For the first time since I've been here, we'll go to training camp without the swirl of trade rumors," he said. "We're going into training camp without any distractions. We can just focus on basketball, and our players can focus on basketball.

"For me, it's going to be great to watch training camp and not get that look out of the corner of the eye from your players, wondering if they're leaving or not."

He can concentrate on getting the Nets to be the best team in New York or even a team better than last season and contending for a playoff spot for the first time since 2006-07.

It won't be with the names tossed around for the past two seasons, but the Nets have built a roster that should have flexibility and depth, the ability to play big or small, run more or play in the halfcourt.

It starts with Williams and Johnson giving opponents a tough decision. No longer can teams put a bigger guard on Williams and disregard his shooting guard. Both can shoot from the outside or drive to the basket, and Williams is capable of distributing the ball.

Williams and Johnson should keep defenses honest, especially on the perimeter. The interior is the big question for the Nets, who re-signed center Brook Lopez and forward Kris Humphries.

Exasperated with trying to pry Howard from the Orlando Magic, King added depth: forwards Josh Childress, Mirza Teletovic ("He shoots from the parking lot," coach Avery Johnson said), Reggie Evans and forward-center Andray Blatche.

The Nets also have depth at guard with MarShon Brooks (an all-rookie second-team selection who averaged 12.6 points last season and is a developing three-point ace), C.J. Watson, Keith Bogans and Tyshawn Taylor.

Don't forget, Brooklyn also has small forward Gerald Wallace, who is expected to start along with Williams, Johnson, Humphries and Lopez.

Avery Johnson, who won a title as a player with the 1999 San Antonio Spurs and led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2006 Finals as a coach, likes his offensive options. What about the other end of the floor?

"Everybody talks about playing defense, but you have to do it every quarter, every game, every game," he said.

They will play that style in an effort to fulfill grand expectations of the first Nets team to play in Brooklyn. TNT's Charles Barkley called the Nets the best team in New York. That's a big statement, considering the Knicks were 36-30 and made the playoffs last season, and the Nets were 22-44, 12th in the Eastern Conference.

"I have internal expectations. I never try to put a number of wins on a group and say we have to do this or that. We have to see how they play together," King said. "The greatest thing about it, (Barkley) gets to say those things. From our standpoint, is it our goal to win a championship? Absolutely. That's our goal going in. But we have to see how quickly we jell."

That Manhattan-Brooklyn rivalry heats up fast, too. The Nets open Barclays Center vs. the Knicks on Nov. 1.

Avery Johnson understands time can't be wasted.

"We're a team that has a lot to prove," he said. "We're a hungry team. Most of the players on our team have never played in the Finals, most of them.

"We've got some guys who have never been to the playoffs. They want to get in the big show, and that's the Finals. They know it's going to take a lot of hard work to get there.

He added, "Guys know that time is running out, that they don't have 10 more years. The meat and potatoes of our rotation are guys who have a three- to five-year window."