Julius Erving accuses Nets of ‘buying a championship’

“It’s reminiscent of how the Yankees used to do it all the time,” he said.

“They load up – they call it ‘buying a championship.’ The Lakers are known for doing that, too. They’re getting all these pieces. … They don’t know at the end of the season what it’s going to look like or what it’s going to feel like. But they’re going to be formidable. You’ve got a team with six former All-Stars, and three [All-NBA] guys who have been there and succeeded in the playoffs.”

Beyond that, Erving also predicts the Philadelphia 76ers will upset the Nets in the playoffs.

“First off, [the Sixers] have an advantage coaching-wise based on experience with [coach Doc Rivers], in terms of championship experience that [Green has], that Dwight [Howard] has,” he said.

“And the ambition of Ben [Simmons] and Joel [Embiid], these guys are hungry now, they’ve been a part of what they call ‘The Process’ for several years, and it’s time for The Process to bear some fruit. I’m betting my money on Philly.”

The Nets are currently dealing with a bit of controversy. Irving is out after getting ejected for a strong reaction to a racial slur. Durant is causing drama online. Harden is Harden.

This beef with Erving is the last thing they needed.

Will this group be able to drown out the noise and overcome the criticism to a win a title in 2021? Time will tell.