Patty Mills already has witnessed a “night and day different feeling” around the Nets from last season, calling the need for a culture shift “the foundation of all successful championship-winning teams.”
A former NBA champ with the Spurs in 2014, the 14-year veteran was credited earlier this week by Nets coach Steve Nash and All-Star teammate Kyrie Irving for his role in helping the team get back on track following a disappointing 2021-22 campaign.
“Look, I believe in all of that stuff,” Mills said earlier this week. “I think that it’s always been a part of who I am and just enjoying being around teammates and getting to know them a lot more. Maybe that comes from my Australian background on the Australian teams, but then to see it at a professional, elite level in San Antonio kind of took that to a whole other level.
“But trying to get to be the last team standing or just trying to do everything possible to do that, it starts with those relationships.”
Irving, who appeared in just 29 regular-season games last season due to restrictions regarding his refusal to get vaccinated for COVID-19, also stressed the 34-year-old Mills’ importance within the team dynamic on and off the court.
“Everybody should be included in our success, and that’s what I believe Patty holds within our team. He’s a successful piece, he knows what it takes to be in an organization, he knows what it’s like to build trust and also do it at the highest level,” Irving said Thursday. “You need a guy like Patty Mills just simply to have the locker room synergized, but he also can give you minutes and quality play and can think out there for the young guys, as well as give us some veteran leadership.”
Small forward T.J. Warren, who has missed nearly two full seasons following multiple foot surgeries, is “doing some shooting” and “a little bit more movement the last two weeks than he was prior,” Nash said. He added that Warren will be reassessed in about a month. … Nash didn’t reveal any lineup or rotation decisions for Monday’s preseason opener against the 76ers.
The Nets requested waivers Saturday on forward Kaiser Gates and signed forward Brandon Rachal.