After being described by head coach Jacque Vaughn on Wednesday as “extremely engaged” as of late (link via Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post), Nets guard Kyrie Irving made the first game-winning buzzer beater of his career on Friday in Toronto, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.
Although Irving’s game-winner improved the Nets’ record to 11-3 since he returned from an eight-game suspension, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic remains hesitant to call Brooklyn a legitimate contender, suggesting that next week’s games against Milwaukee and Cleveland should help create a clearer picture of where the team stands in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. Still, the Nets appear to be hitting their stride after a slow start to the season.
With the Nets on the rise and Irving’s future beyond this season uncertain, there’s a sense around the NBA that the club could be in the market for win-now upgrades prior to the February trade deadline, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. One league scout who spoke to Bulpett said that Brooklyn should be looking to add more frontcourt help.
“Their biggest problem is they can’t defend and can’t rebound,” the scout said. “They don’t have enough size. They just get beat on. They need somebody who can command the lane. In today’s game, they’re not letting you take hard fouls, so you’ve got to have someone who can block a shot.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Within a feature on James Harden, Yaron Weitzman of FoxSports.com cites multiple Nets sources who say that Harden and Kevin Durant “butted heads” last season when both players were in Brooklyn. According to Weitzman, Durant didn’t think Harden was in top physical shape and told him so, while Harden “struggled to adjust to an ecosystem where everything was no longer catered to him.” Harden also became frustrated with the approach the Nets training staff took to maintenance, rest, and recovery, and tells Weitzman he felt like there was “no structure” in Brooklyn.
- Here’s more from Harden on his exit from Brooklyn, via Weitzman: “I just feel like, internally, things weren’t what I expected when I was trying to get traded there. I think everybody knows that. And I knew people were going to talk and say, ‘You quit’ and all that stuff, but then the following summer, the other superstar there (Durant) wanted to leave. So it’s like: Am I still the quitter?”
- Vaughn, who has a 16-7 record since replacing Steve Nash as the Nets’ head coach, is winning over Durant, Sanchez writes for The New York Post. The superstar forward stated earlier in the week that Vaughn is doing a “great job” making in-game adjustments and has handled the team’s injury absences well. “I’ve liked the brand of basketball we’ve played on both ends of the floor,” Durant said. “Regardless of who is on the court, we still played our system.”
- Nets guard Seth Curry received an MRI on his injured hamstring on Thursday before being cleared for Friday’s game in Toronto, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Vaughn suggested that the MRI was merely precautionary. “We MRI everything now, we do an MRI every time,” he said.
- In a pair of features for NetsDaily, Matthew Brooks explained how the Nets are continuing to prioritize the development of their young players while contending for a title and took a closer look at Vaughn’s unique approach to practices and shootarounds.
Kyrie and KD trying to compare Vaughn to Nash is disappointing, immature, and hilarious when we all remember that they are the ones who didnt want to play for Vaughn before Nash was hired. So i guess KD intentiomally played poorly to get Mash fired, and Kyrie is desperately trying to com another team to pay him at season end.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say they are title contenders but 11-3 since he’s returned that’s with Ben being in and out of the line up and coming back after 2 years out, that’s pretty darn good.
As the scout said, they aren’t good defensively and they suck at rebounding. Well luckily for them that can probably be addressed by trading for just 1 or 2 role players and they don’t need to make a major move.
One player I think would be a really great fit is Mo Bamba. He’s not trade eligible until mid Jan but apparently the Magic are open to trading him and are said to want a first or young player to grow with their young team. They have a bunch of point guards (Fultz, Suggs, Cole, Hampton) and a bunch of forwards (Bol, Wagner, Paolo, Isaacs).
I’d offer them Seth Curry, Cam Thomas and a second for Mo Bamba and RJ Hampton.
Mo I think could really be the extra piece they need. He has only ever got role players back up minutes but I think if you gave him a more consistent 25-30 minutes he would average something like 8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He reminds me of a Myles Turner in the fact he can defend the rim well but still can step out and shoot the three. From all accounts I’ve heard he’s also very intelligent, really easy to get along with and very hard working. With his age aswell I think he’d be a great fit.
RJ could also be worth getting involved in the package too. Tall guard, smart and hardworking aswell, he’s just behind so many players in Orlando and if he moved to Brooklyn I think him working with Patty Mills he could pick up a lot and be a handy player.
As for the Magic Cam Thomas would be a good player for them. He’s young and suits the timelines of Paolo and so on. He’s a genuine SG and on their roster they lack young SGs so he’s someone I’m sure they’d atleast have interest in. Plus your throwing in the second round pick for RJ to be included hopefully.
Nets line up
Simmons Kyrie KD ONeale Mo
Mills Harris Warren Morris Claxton
Hampton Wantanabe
Two really good on ball defenders in Simmons and ONeale, KD does good when needed too. Mo just sits in the paint and protects the rim. Offensively Mo can keep the paint clear and you have two of the best offensive weapons in the league. Kyrie the best ball handler of all time and KD one of the best shooters. Simmons can obviously play make and attack the rim and ONeale and Mo in the corners for spacing.
I like the second unit, Mills is solid, Warren is coming back and looking good, Joe Harris is a solid 3 and D guy, Claxton steps back to being the back up and you have competition for the 10th man role with Morris, Hampton and Watanbe.
As a Magic fan, I’d take that deal for Cam Thomas and Seth Curry. Can Thomas is going to be good and our guards are injured so often that we always could use an extra man. Seth Curry can bring some veteran leadership and hopefully a first round pick at the trade deadline.
Yeah that was the thinking, Cam would be useful potentially long term depending on how he transitioned and adjusted. Just getting 20 minutes per night consistently would be huge for him and really help him develop.
Then as you said Seth as a veteran, another shooter, and possibly ship him at the deadline. Having a non ball dominant shooter is handy with Fultz Suggs Cole all ball dominate and the first two not really shooters. Back to Curry, if you don’t get anything good for him by the trade deadline it’s just another expiring contract, potential buy out if you wanted the roster space. Then on top of that a pick aswell.
Think it would be good for both sides.
Mo and RJ I think would be good for Brooklyn particularly Mo. Seth isn’t exactly needed with Patty Mills and Joe Harris the back up guards. Both those two guys offer the shooting and more. Cam Thomas isn’t even getting minute so he’s not really a loss, I mean long term sure but the championship window is now. As going forward Mo and RJ add to the future anyway
That doesn’t matter the fact is Jacque is 16-7, Nash could not coach and how stupid the Nots we’re to not can Nash during the off season like the day after they were disgraced by the C’s. Luckily they woke up.
Weren’t the Nets 1 inch away from beating Bucks im postseason 2 yrs ago???? Besides, dont assistant coaches do any coaching??? Nash allowed Vaughn to have a lot of input. Anyways, good for Vaughn for getting a real opportunity!