Nets CEO Brett Yormark admits that the franchise is having attendance issues with fans in the Barclays Center, particularly with no-shows, but said he expects that the franchise will rebound and be a “major player” in free agency next summer, NetsDaily.com relays. Yormark is banking on free agents being drawn to the team’s youthful core and believes that its $50MM Sunset Park training facility, scheduled to open in February, will attract top players, NetsDaily notes. Brooklyn is currently projected to have approximately $32MM-$38MM in free cap space next summer, depending on the amount of next year’s salary cap.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks rookie Jerian Grant has been struggling mightily this season, and the point guard chalks much of his woes up to his failure to adapt to the triangle offense, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News relays (via Twitter). Grant is averaging 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 17.2 minutes per contest on the season.
- Jae Crowder‘s grit, defense and wide-ranging skillset have come to embody the current Celtics team philosophy, despite the small forward being considered a throw in when he was acquired as part of last season’s Rajon Rondo trade with the Mavericks, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes in his look back at the swap.
- The Sixers have assigned power forward Christian Wood to their D-League affiliate in Delaware, the team announced via a press release. This marks Wood’s third stint with the 87ers on the season.