Nets Rumors

Nets Notes: Schröder, Bridges, Marks, Wilson

Being traded is nothing new for Dennis Schröder, and the veteran guard tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that his approach to the game doesn’t change no matter where he plays. When the Raptors shipped Schröder to the Nets on Thursday, it marked his fifth team in the last three seasons. Brooklyn is in the same situation as Toronto, battling for a spot in the play-in tournament, and Schröder said he’ll do everything he can to help.

“It don’t matter what the circumstances are. I just want to win, and having that mentality of doing it as a team,” he said. “Having a leader out there and just talking to teammates, even if it’s a bad situation. I’m always trying to be straightforward with guys and I want people to be the same way with me. If they see anything, what I can do better, just call it out, and then we go from there. That’s how I’ve been my whole career, and it’s just for great intentions, just for winning basketball, and that’s what I try to bring in.” 

Landing Schröder (along with Thaddeus Young, who has since been waived) in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie is a surprisingly good return for the Nets, Lewis adds, considering that Dinwiddie had been unhappy in Brooklyn and could have been considered a distressed asset. The Nets were able to add an experienced lead guard who can help with this year’s postseason push and is under contract for $13MM next season.

There’s more from Brooklyn:

  • The Nets took a “half-measure” approach to the trade deadline, opting for smaller deals instead of seeking to maximize the return for Mikal Bridges or Nic Claxton, observes Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post. The moves indicate that the organization values a chance to reach the playoffs this season and is committed to building around Bridges in the future, Sanchez adds.
  • General manager Sean Marks explained that Thursday’s deals were made with a focus on what else the team may be able to do this summer and beyond, per Collin Helwig of Nets Daily. “I think we go into these days always thinking about future flexibility, try to maintain some level of sustainability when we’re looking at how does the team look this year,” Marks said. “How’s it gonna look in six months’ time from now? How’s it gonna look in three, four years? We’re looking way down the road and at what’s fitting with our timetable, fitting with the group that we’re envisioning that we will come back with this next offseason, and we’ll bring back as Nets in a year or two from here. I think we feel pretty good about it by adding the players that we obviously added and bringing those guys in, but at the same time you’re keeping some those draft assets as well. And again, that future flexibility.”
  • With the Nets left shorthanded after the deadline deals, rookie Jalen Wilson made his first career start on Thursday and played nearly 40 minutes, Helwig adds in a separate story. “I give him an extreme amount of credit for using his minutes wisely and putting it in my mind that somehow, some way, I got to put him on the floor,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “That’s what you’re supposed to do as a player, to put that in the coach’s mind.” Helwig views Wilson as a strong candidate to have his two-way contract converted to a standard deal before the end of the season.

Nets Waive Jordan Goodwin

FEBRUARY 9: The Nets have officially waived Goodwin, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).


FEBRUARY 8: The Nets are waiving guard Jordan Goodwin after acquiring him in the three-team trade that sent Royce O’Neale to Phoenix, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

After waiving Goodwin, the Nets will have 14 players on standard contracts and two players on two-way deals, giving them two open roster spots in total (one standard, one two-way).

The 25-year-old point guard played sparingly for the Suns after arriving in the Bradley Beal trade, averaging 5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14.0 minutes and 40 games. Last season with the Wizards, he averaged 6.6 points and 2.7 assists in 62 games (seven starts).

Goodwin was on a minimum contract with a partially guaranteed team option for next season. The Nets will be on the book for his hit this season ($1.93MM). He’ll be eligible to sign with any team as a free agent other than the Suns.

Suns Acquire Royce O’Neale In Three-Way Deal

7:22pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Grizzlies, who classified the draft asset they’re getting from the Suns as a “future first-round pick swap.”

Memphis will be able to swap its own 2026 first-round pick for the least favorable of the Suns’, Wizards’, and Magic’s first-rounders that year, tweets Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian.

As previously reported, Brooklyn waived Thaddeus Young and Memphis cut Victor Oladipo to make room on their respective rosters for the incoming players.


4:58pm: The Suns hung onto Boston’s 2028 second-round pick, tweets Gambadoro, which means the three future second-rounders they’re sending Brooklyn are as follows:

  • Either the Pistons’, Bucks,’ or Magic’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
  • The Grizzlies’ 2028 second-round pick.
  • The Grizzlies’ 2029 second-round pick.

12:18pm: The Nets are finalized a trade to send forward Royce O’Neale to the Suns for matching salaries and three second-round picks, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Phoenix is also acquiring forward David Roddy from the Grizzlies in exchange for a pick swap, Charania adds. (Twitter link).

The Suns are sending out Keita Bates-Diop, Yuta Watanabe, Jordan Goodwin and Chimezie Metu, John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix tweets. They are all on minimum salary deals.

Watanabe and Metu will head to the Grizzlies, while Brooklyn will acquire Bates-Diop and Goodwin, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).

O’Neale is in the final year of a four-year, $36MM contract and could enter unrestricted free agency this summer with full Bird rights. He’s making $9.5MM this season.

He’ll be extension eligible with the Suns for a maximum of two-years and $20.5MM, Yossi Gozlan of Hoops Hype tweets.

Roddy is making $2.72MM this season and already had $4.83MM option for next season picked up by Memphis. Phoenix can use the $4,975,371 traded player exception it generated in the Dario Saric trade with Oklahoma City last season to absorb Roddy’s salary. That exception expires on Friday.

The Suns were considered the top suitor for the Hornets’ Miles Bridges. However, Bridges reportedly told Charlotte’s front office he wouldn’t approve any trade. Phoenix pivoted to O’Neale, who will immediately jump into its rotation.

O’Neale gives Phoenix a playoff-tested, defensive-minded veteran. He has been coming off the bench most of this season but could slot into Phoenix’s star-laden lineup if the Suns want to use Grayson Allen in a sixth-man role.

O’Neale is averaging 7.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 24.5 minutes per game this season. He’s a career 38.1% 3-point shooter and should get plenty of open looks playing with Phoenix’s stars.

Phoenix will see its luxury tax bill rise by $13.5MM, Gozlan tweets. Overall, the Suns will have a payroll and luxury tax penalty adding up to more than $254.5MM this season, Gozlan notes in another tweet.

By swapping out four players for a pair, Phoenix will also have to add another player to reach the league minimum or 14. That will also increase their tax bill.

Watanabe and Bates-Diop are signed through next year. Metu has an expiring contract and Goodwin’s contract includes a team option for next season.

Nets Waiving Thaddeus Young

The Nets aren’t keeping Thaddeus Young after acquiring him from Toronto in the swap that brought Dennis Schröder to Brooklyn. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link), Brooklyn is waiving Young.

The move will clear the roster space necessary to complete Brooklyn’s Royce O’Neale trade. In that move, the Nets are bringing in Keita Bates-Diop and Jordan Goodwin, so they needed to make a cut to avoid exceeding the 15-man roster limit.

Young is on an expiring $8MM contract, meaning if he clears waivers, he’s among the appealing veteran options who are eligible to sign with teams over the tax apron since his contract fall short of the mid-level exception. He won’t be eligible to sign with the Raptors, but any other team could be an option.

Young, 35, averaged 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists this season across 23 games (six starts) with the Raptors this season. Toronto originally acquired Young in a 2022 deadline deal, later re-signing him. He averaged 5.0 PPG in parts of three seasons with the Raptors.

Raptors Trade Dennis Schröder, Thaddeus Young To Nets

2:56pm: The trade is official, according to announcements from both the Raptors and Nets. As we outlined in separate stories, Brooklyn waived Harry Giles to complete the deal, while Toronto immediately released Dinwiddie.


11:47am: The Raptors and Nets have agreed to a trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (Twitter links) that guard Dennis Schröder and forward Thaddeus Young will be heading to Brooklyn, while guard Spencer Dinwiddie is being sent to Toronto.

A free agent addition in the offseason, Schröder is making $12.4MM this season and has a $13MM cap hit for 2024/25. Young ($8MM) and Dinwiddie ($20.36MM) are both on expiring contracts. Dinwiddie will earn a $1.5MM bonus if he appears in two more games this season, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), while Dinwiddie didn’t formally request a trade out of Brooklyn, both he and the Nets are happy he’s headed out of town.

The Nets can acquire Schröder using their $18.1MM traded player exception, which would have expired tomorrow, observes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). They’ll create a new TPE worth $20.36MM — Dinwiddie’s outgoing cap hit — and it will be good until February 8, 2025.

It’s essentially a salary dump for the Raptors, since moving off Schröder’s salary for next season will give Toronto more financial flexibility to re-sign its own impending free agents. Guard Immanuel Quickley (restricted) and newly-acquired big man Kelly Olynyk (unrestricted) fall into that category.

Schröder has had a solid season, averaging 13.7 PPG, 6.1 APG and 2.7 RPG on .442/.350/.852 shooting in 51 games (30.6 MPG), including 33 starts. But the 30-year-old was clearly was no longer in Toronto’s long-term plans, particularly after acquiring Quickley from New York in a previous in-season trade.

As for Young, the longtime veteran forward was valued for his locker room presence and production when called upon. However, he’s 35 years old and doesn’t fit the Raptors’ timeline. This will be Young’s second stint with the Nets, having previously played for Brooklyn from 2015-16.

Dinwiddie, 30, has averaged 12.6 PPG, 6.0 APG and 3.0 RPG in 48 games (30.7 MPG) this season, but has struggled with efficiency (.391/.320/.781 shooting line, .530 true shooting), and isn’t a great defender. It’s unclear how much of a role he’ll have with the Raptors, but it’s worth noting that Dinwiddie has performed well as a secondary and tertiary creator in the past.

Schröder will be a major upgrade for the Nets on the defensive end, and they won’t have to worry about losing him for nothing in free agency, since he’ll be under contract until 2025.

Nets To Cut Harry Giles

Harry Giles will be a roster casualty in Brooklyn, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, who reports (via Twitter) that the Nets are waiving the big man.

Giles, a former first-round pick, returned to the NBA in 2023/24 after missing two full seasons due to knee injuries. He signed a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract with the Nets, earning a spot on the team’s regular season roster and then having his full salary guaranteed when he remained on the roster through January 7.

Giles played sparingly in Brooklyn, appearing in 16 games and averaging just 5.1 minutes per night. He posted 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in his limited role.

The Nets have agreed to a pair of trades today in which they’ll take back more players than they send out. Waiving Giles will allow them to complete one of those deals. They’ll have to cut one more player – either from their current roster or one of the incoming players in the first trade – in order to finalize the second transaction.

Giles, meanwhile, will clear waivers on Saturday if he goes unclaimed, and will be free to sign with any team at that point. He also remains eligible for a two-way contract.

Hawks, Pelicans End Dejounte Murray Trade Talks

The Hawks and Pelicans have halted talks regarding Dejounte Murray because the teams weren’t making progress and had little hope of completing a deal by this afternoon’s deadline, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link). Numerous reports stated that Atlanta and New Orleans were discussing Murray, but there was never an indication of any traction.

Talks may have been complicated by a 15% trade kicker in Murray’s contract that he was unlikely to waive to help facilitate a deal, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Hawks are hoping to get two first-round picks in return for Murray, but the teams with rumored interest haven’t been willing to offer more than one, Scotto adds. In addition to New Orleans, the Lakers, Knicks and Nets were among the prominent teams with interest in the former All-Star guard.

Scotto states that it’s looking increasingly likely that Atlanta will hold onto Murray through the rest of the season and revisit trade talks this summer in hopes of getting better offers.

Scotto’s Latest: Mavs, Washington, Grimes, Pacers, Hornets, Hyland, More

The Mavericks and Hornets have discussed various P.J. Washington trade concepts that include a future first-round pick from Dallas, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

According to Scotto, if Charlotte is going to agree to take back Richaun Holmes, who holds a $12.9MM player option for next season, in exchange for Washington, the Hornets want that Dallas first-rounder to be unprotected. The Mavs have resisted that idea so far, Scotto writes, adding that Seth Curry has also been part of those trade discussions between the two teams.

While Scotto doesn’t say that Grant Williams has come up in the trade talks between the Mavs and Hornets, he suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise if that’s the case, since Dallas has talked about Williams with multiple teams already.

In addition to Washington, the Mavs have expressed interest in Raptors wing Bruce Brown and Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, among others, Scotto reports. League sources tell HoopsHype that Dallas explored acquiring Grimes in exchange for a package headlined by Josh Green, but New York turned down the proposal.

Here’s more from Scotto, with just hours to go until Thursday’s trade deadline:

  • Although Buddy Hield is considered Indiana’s top trade candidate, rival executives think the Pacers might move some of their frontcourt depth, with Obi Toppin and Jalen Smith among the players believed to be available, Scotto writes. Lottery pick Jarace Walker, on the other hand, remains off limits based on what the Pacers are telling other clubs, league sources tell HoopsHype.
  • The Hornets have expressed interest in Bones Hyland, according to Scotto, who says the Clippers are seeking a pair of second-round picks in exchange for the third-year guard.
  • Despite some speculation that the Nets are interested in D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn hasn’t had any “substantive” talks with the Lakers and/or Hawks about getting involved in a potential Dejounte Murray trade to acquire Russell, Scotto reports.
  • The Pistons and Grizzlies continue to talk about a possible Killian Hayes trade, with second-round draft compensation serving as the sticking point, per Scotto.

Western Rumors: Suns, Rockets, O’Neale, Tate, Jazz, Grizzlies

The Suns continue to keep an eye on Nets forward Royce O’Neale and Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who hears from league sources that Phoenix has discussed a package of Nassir Little and second-round picks for one of those two players.

As Scotto details, the Suns are hoping to find a wing and/or a frontcourt piece on the trade market and will likely be aggressive on the buyout market looking for that sort of player if they’re unable to make a deal. Phoenix will be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM, but not every player on the buyout market will fit that bill.

The Rockets, who are among the other teams with interest in O’Neale, have sought either a late first-round pick or multiple second-rounders to part with Tate, league sources tell Scotto. Aaron Holiday is another Houston player who has generated trade interest.

If the Rockets were to acquire draft assets for a player like Tate or Holiday, they could ultimately flip those picks for another rotation player, Scotto writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference in advance of today’s trade deadline:

  • Scotto hears from multiple executives who have explored trading for Kelly Olynyk that the Jazz are seeking draft compensation — ideally a first-round pick. Another potential Utah trade candidate, Kris Dunn, appears likely to stick with the team through the deadline unless the team gets an “unexpected” offer it can’t refuse, a league source tells HoopsHype.
  • The Jazz have had some talks with the Hornets about forward P.J. Washington, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says John Collins came up in those discussions.
  • Rival executives believe that some of the Grizzlies‘ recent first-round picks – Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, and Jake LaRavia – could be trade candidates, given the emergence of cheaper youngsters like Vince Williams and GG Jackson, says Scotto. Memphis is facing a bit of a roster and cap crunch for 2024/25, so creating a bit more flexibility in both areas would help.
  • Suns head coach Frank Vogel said on Wednesday won’t mind if his front office decides to stand pat at the deadline, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m very in the loop with all of those conversations, but as I said (Tuesday), we love where we’re at as a team,” Vogel said. “If we don’t do anything, I’ll be really happy with the group we have, but obviously, you always look at ways to improve your team.”

Fischer’s Latest: Pelicans, Stewart, Hawks, Olynyk, Drummond, Lakers, Nets

The Pelicans are searching for a rim protector, but they’ve had to cross at least two names off their wish list, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Sources tell Fischer that New Orleans was hoping to acquire Jarrett Allen, but the Cavaliers aren’t willing to include him in trade talks. The team also targeted Wendell Carter, but Fischer’s sources say the Magic refuse to make him available.

Fischer cites Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart as a potential alternative for the Pelicans. Detroit agreed to two deals today and may be willing to consider moving Stewart as the team reshapes its roster. Hawks centers Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela could also be possibilities, according to Fischer.

Fischer hears that the Pelicans and Hawks were involved in “tangible trade talks” this week involving both centers, along with guard Dejounte Murray, who’s considered one of the top names on this year’s trade market. However, sources tell Fischer that the teams haven’t been able to make any progress toward a deal.

Fischer offers more inside information on the eve of the deadline:

  • Jazz center Kelly Olynyk could be on the way to Toronto, but there are plenty of teams interested in acquiring him, whether it’s from Utah or the Raptors, according to Fischer’s sources. Fischer names the Sixers, Heat and Warriors as teams that have shown interest in Olynyk, adding that the Celtics were also on that list before today’s trade for Xavier Tillman.
  • The Tillman deal removes one suitor for Bulls center Andre Drummond, Fischer adds. The Sixers remain interested in Drummond as a short-term starter while Joel Embiid is injured, according to Fischer, who also lists the Mavericks and Suns as potential landing spots. Fischer’s sources say the Rockets and Lakers also had interest in the veteran center, but they’re considered less likely alternatives. Chicago is hoping for multiple second-round picks in exchange for Drummond, with Fischer noting that it seems like a reasonable price considering that’s what the Celtics gave Memphis for Tillman. Fischer also cautions that the Bulls are hoping to advance through the play-in tournament, so Drummond isn’t certain to be dealt.
  • The Lakers like several Brooklyn players, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale, Fischer adds. He also points out that the Nets have Lonnie Walker, who was popular with L.A. fans in last year’s playoffs and has attracted interest from several contenders.