Brooklyn Nets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lance Stephenson Wants To Play For Knicks Or Nets

July 25th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lance Stephenson not only plans to make an NBA comeback — he knows where he’d prefer to play.

“I think it is time for a New York team. I want to play for the Nets or the Knicks, either one would do,” Stephenson told the New York Post’s Tashara Jones.

The 32-year-old Stephenson, who has played 554 regular-season games, would actually be making a second comeback if an NBA team takes a chance on him. He didn’t play in the league during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, then saw action in six games with the Hawks and 40 with the Pacers in ’21/22.

Stephenson was unable to land an NBA contract last season. He wound up Puerto Rico during the spring with Leones de Ponce and appeared in four games with that club.

“I definitely miss the NBA now that I am playing in Puerto Rico. I did not want to leave. So my goal right now is to get back in there and show them that I am born ready,” he said.

Stephenson began his career with Indiana and had three stints with the organization. In the 40 games he played for the Pacers two seasons ago, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.9 assists in 18.6 minutes. He underwent surgery on his right knee after that season.

Stephenson was born in Brooklyn but he’s never played for either of the New York teams. He’s hoping to change that.

“I feel like I did enough for people to remember me and know me as one of the top players that played in New York,” he said. “I feel like I am just New York.”

Bridges Thrilled To Join Team USA

July 25th, 2023 at 5:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets forward Mikal Bridges is thrilled he was asked to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, he told Paul George on Podcast P (hat tip to Eurohoops.net). “(Team USA head coach) Steve Kerr brought up the idea to me, and I was like, hell yeah, I’m here, just please let me know. I kind of had the idea there, and then I ended up going to Brooklyn and playing really well,” Bridges said. “After that, when I saw him again and we talked about it, I was really ready for it. So, no, definitely, there was nothing holding me back from that, unless I had some injury or something happen, but no, I was ready. I’m very excited.”

Mikal Bridges Doesn’t Expect Any Major Moves From Nets

July 24th, 2023 at 7:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets have been rumored as a potential participant in a Damian Lillard trade — either acquiring him directly or helping to facilitate a deal between Portland and Miami — but Mikal Bridges believes the team is done with major offseason moves, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Speaking at his youth camp, Bridges said the opening night roster is probably more or less set and he’s looking forward to seeing how the team can benefit from stability and what Jacque Vaughn can implement in his first full season as head coach.

“Just excited for him to have a preseason, have his guys he wants around and pretty much have it his way,” Bridges said. “And I’m excited for us to all be together and have these schemes from jump, (instead of) being thrown out there with three different teams in one lineup and just trying to go figure it out. So I’m definitely excited.”

Brooklyn still has some minor decisions to make before training camp, Lewis adds. The team has a two-way slot to fill and it has to decide whether to keep guard David Duke, who is an unrestricted free agent after not receiving a qualifying offer. Lewis notes that the Nets have also received trade interest involving Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith.

Bridges is relieved that Brooklyn was able to re-sign forward Cameron Johnson, who has been his close friend since they both entered the league in Phoenix. The Pistons in particular were viewed as a potential destination for Johnson before he agreed to a four-year, $94.5MM deal early in free agency.

“I think Detroit was in talks a lot, and I know (former Suns coach Monty Williams) is over there, so I’m just like, ‘All right now, calm down. Don’t take Twin away,’” Bridges said. “So definitely very, very for the team — outside my selfish reasons, but for the team — big-time. We need Cam. And for him to get paid and kind of get that baby weight off his shoulders, I think it’s great for the team and great for him.”

Atlantic Notes: Chandler, Siakam, Anonoby, Harden, Harris

July 22nd, 2023 at 9:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kennedy Chandler is hoping for a two-way contract offer from the Nets after getting extensive playing time with their Summer League team, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Chandler averaged 14.0 points, 5.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in Las Vegas, but he did little to ease concerns about his outside shot. He was just 2-of-14 from beyond the arc during Summer League after shooting 13.3% on three-pointers with the Grizzlies last season.

Armoni Brooks and second-round pick Jalen Wilson hold two of Brooklyn’s two-way spots, but there’s an opening after RaiQuan Gray, who was in line for the other one, was waived this week. Chandler is expected to receive consideration, according to Lewis, but his fate might depend on who else becomes available.

Chandler was an intriguing prospect with Memphis a year ago after a strong season at Tennessee and a 41 1/2-inch leap at the draft combine. However, he was waived on the final weekend of the season when the Grizzlies promoted Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a standard contract. Chandler has guaranteed money for two more years, but he doesn’t want to face the end of his NBA career at age 20.

“That’s the whole point of me playing this summer,” he said. “I want to play every single game, kill, dominate whoever is in front of me. And not just worry about myself, honestly. You just worry about doing what I can do; then the rest will come.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors are exploring the market for Pascal Siakam, but they aren’t interested in trading OG Anunoby, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Koreen confirms that Toronto talked to Charlotte and Portland about moving Siakam in a deal for the No. 2 or No. 3 pick, but never got close to a trade with either team. He adds that if Raptors officials don’t like the offers they get for Siakam, they’re likely to begin extension talks sometime this summer.
As Sixers guard James Harden waits for a trade, he has removed any mention of the team or Philadelphia from his social media accounts, per Dhani Joseph of The New York Post.
Sixers owner Josh Harris felt “humbled and awed” after his group’s purchase of the NFL’s Washington Commanders for a record $6.05 billion was finalized this week, writes John Keim of ESPN. “I feel an awesome responsibility to the city of Washington,” said Harris, who grew up in the area. “I know what I’ve got to do. It comes down to winning. It’s on me and on our ownership group to deliver. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Atlantic Notes: Bazley, Maxey, Herro, Tucker, Knicks

July 22nd, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Nets power forward Darius Bazley envisions himself as being a versatile, defense-first contributor for Brooklyn, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Following a 2022/23 season split between the Thunder and Suns, the 6’8″ big man inked a one-year, veteran’s minimum agreement with Brooklyn, citing the team’s energy and chemistry as reasons why the Nets appealed to him.

“Just watching them a little bit in the playoffs, also just throughout the course of the season, the new team that they had towards the end here, they looked like they had fun,” Bazley said. “They looked like they played hard and together. It was just something I wanted to be a part of. When it all came down to it, Brooklyn was the place to be.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

As chatter about Damian Lillard‘s demand to be traded to the Heat continues, league executives who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy.com suggested that a stronger package could be put together around Sixers shooting guard Tyrese Maxey, whom they see as a better young player than Miami shooting guard Tyler Herro. “I like Herro, I think everyone does,” a rival scout said. “But when you look at where these guys are gonna be in four or five years, you can see a lot more growth potential with Maxey. He is more of an attacker, he gets into the lane, he is a lot more efficient with his shot. And you know, in today’s game, efficiency is everything. So I mean, it’s a no-brainer in that respect.”
Sixers star guard James Harden continues to want out of town, while veteran power forward P.J. Tucker‘s name was recently floated as a potential piece to include in a possible trade. Kyle Neubeck of ThePhillyVoice.com wonders if it may behoove Philadelphia strategically to move off Tucker’s contract. Though the 39-year-old remains a high-level defender, his meager offensive contributions last seasons don’t necessarily portend a bright future in that regard. Neubeck notes that moving Tucker for cap relief and/or a more athletic player could help the club.
Although the Knicks have now signed three players to fill their three two-way contracts heading into the 2023/24 season, the team is not permitted to withdraw its two-way qualifying offer to Duane Washington Jr. without his permission, in accordance with NBA guidelines, as Fred Katz of The Athletic observes (Twitter links). If Washington were to accept his two-way QO, the Knicks would have to waive one of their two-way players, since they’re not permitted to carry four.

And-Ones: Summer League, McClung, Motiejunas, NBAGL Showcase

July 21st, 2023 at 10:37pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets‘ poor play was one of the worst parts of Las Vegas Summer League, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Despite having eight players on the roster attending (and a ninth, James Nnaji, as one of a handful of remaining unsigned draft picks), Charlotte went 1-6 and was minus-55 overall. No one played particularly well, with Hollinger noting that the team may end up regretting not taking Scoot Henderson instead of Brandon Miller, if their brief Summer League performances were any indication.

Of more immediate concern for the Hornets are the fourth-year team option decisions on 2021 first-round picks James Bouknight and Kai Jones, which are due by late October. Neither looks like a sure bet to have his option picked up, as both players struggled in Vegas despite entering their third seasons, Hollinger adds. Bouknight’s option in 2024/25 is worth $6.1MM, while Jones’ is worth $4.7MM — not exactly team-friendly rates given they haven’t contributed much thus far.

Nnaji showed some defensive promise, but may be a draft-and-stash prospect while he develops his offensive game, says Hollinger.

Among the other players who struggled in Summer League were Pistons center James Wiseman (poor screening and defense), Nets first-rounder Noah Clowney (looked overmatched) and Lakers draft picks Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis, according to Hollinger.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

On the other end of the spectrum, Hollinger also revealed his under-the-radar Summer League standouts for The Athletic, including Javon Freeman-Liberty, who just agreed to a two-way deal with the Raptors, and Cavaliers guards Sam Merrill and Craig Porter Jr., the latter of whom went undrafted and signed a two-way contract with Cleveland. Hollinger says he would have given Merrill, whose contract for next season is non-guaranteed, the Summer League MVP award over Cam Whitmore.
Free agent guard Mac McClung, who finished last season on a two-way deal with the Sixers, tells Sean Deveney of Heavy.com he’s focused on making another NBA team, but he’s open to going to Europe if he can’t find a roster spot. “We’ll see,” McClung said. “I am in free agency right now, my agent is talking to some teams, back and forth. We’re just trying to evaluate what is the best situation for me. Hopefully, I will be in the NBA next year and finding my way.”
Former NBA big man Donatas Motiejunas has signed a two-year extension with AS Monaco Basket, the team announced (via Twitter). Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com had the scoop on Motiejunas’ extension (Twitter link). The 32-year-old spent six seasons in the NBA, ending with a brief stint with San Antonio back in 2018/19. He was productive on a per-minute basis for Monaco, which won France’s LNB Pro A and finished third in the EuroLeague playoffs.
In 2023/24, the NBA G League’s Winter Showcase event will be held in Orlando instead of Las Vegas, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The Showcase has been held Vegas for several years, but will be moving due to the NBA’s new in-season tournament, as the semifinals and final will be held in early December in Vegas.

Ben Simmons Receives Service Credit For 2021/22 Season

July 19th, 2023 at 10:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Swingman Ben Simmons has been granted a year of service for 2021/22 despite missing the entire season, league sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.

According to Lowe, Simmons’ service-time update came in the form of a side letter when the new Collective Bargaining Agreement was released in late June. The issue was a contentious one, with executives from several NBA teams arguing Simmons should not have received credit for ’21/22 due to his holdout.

Years of service impact how much money players can make, whether it’s the veteran’s minimum or a maximum-salary contract, among other benefits. Simmons now officially has seven years of service under his belt. He has technically only played in five of those seven seasons, with Simmons missing the entire ’16/17 season — which would have been his rookie campagin — due to a foot injury.

Simmons’ service situation for ’21/22 is intended to be viewed in isolation and is not meant to be a precedent for future cases, sources tell ESPN.

As Lowe writes, Simmons requested a trade in the 2021 offseason and refused to play for the Sixers in ’21/22. The three-time All-Star cited mental health issues for not fully engaging with the team.

Simmons was traded to the Nets at the 2022 deadline in the deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia. He didn’t play for Brooklyn in ’21/22 either due to knee and back problems, undergoing a microdiscectomy surgery in April 2022 to repair a herniated disc.

The Sixers withheld Simmons’ salary in ’21/22, Lowe notes, citing a breach of contract. Simmons and the NBPA filed a grievance to recoup the withheld money, reaching a settlement with the Sixers last summer that paid Simmons a portion of the $20MM that was withheld.

Harden recently requested his own trade out of Philadelphia, but his situation is different because he’s in the final year of his contract. A clause in the CBA says if Harden were to refuse to report to training camp or play in games for more than 30 days, the Sixers could potentially block him from entering free agency and signing with any other team, including international clubs, sources confirmed to Lowe.

That said, a report earlier today indicated that Harden intended to show up to training camp if he was still on the roster at that time, so that could be a moot point. Still, it illustrates that there are potentially severe penalties to holding out in certain scenarios.

Simmons was limited to 42 games with the Nets last season, as knee and back issues continued to hamper the Australian. Brooklyn is hopeful he’ll be healthy by September before training camp begins.

Contract Details: Yurtseven, Micic, Jones, Craig, Banton, Bazley, Petrusev

July 19th, 2023 at 11:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz‘s deal with Omer Yurtseven is a two-year contract that features a partial guarantee for 2023/24 and is non-guaranteed in ’24/25, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

As previously reported, Yurtseven’s first-year salary is $2.8MM. His partial guarantee for the coming season is worth half that amount ($1.4MM), tweets Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. The big man’s deal has a descending structure, Hoops Rumors has learned, so assuming he remains under contract through the first year, his cap hit for ’24/25 will dip to $2.66MM.

Here are more details on a few recently signed contracts from around the NBA:

Vasilije Micic‘s three-year, $23.5MM contract with the Thunder includes a team option in the third year, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The Spurs signed Tre Jones to a two-year contract with a descending structure, Hoops Rumors has learned. The guaranteed base salaries are worth approximately $9.9MM and $9.1MM, for a total of $19MM. Jones can earn an extra $1MM in unlikely incentives to increase the total value of the deal to $20MM.
Torrey Craig‘s two-year deal with the Bulls, which includes a second-year player option, is for the veteran’s minimum.
Dalano Banton‘s two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Celtics is partially guaranteed for $200K in 2023/24. His guarantee will increase to a little over $1MM (50% of his salary) if he remains on the roster beyond the first day of the regular season. His second year is a team option.
Darius Bazley‘s one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Nets is non-guaranteed. He’ll receive a $200K partial guarantee if he makes the opening-night roster. That partial guarantee would increase to $700K if he’s still under contract beyond December 15.
The Sixers signed Filip Petrusev to a two-year, minimum-salary contract that is non-guaranteed in the second season. The first year is partially guaranteed for $559,782, which is half of the rookie minimum (and the equivalent of the full-season salary for a player on a two-way contract).

Nets, Cavaliers To Play In NBA’s 2024 Paris Game

July 19th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets and Cavaliers will compete in the NBA’s Paris Game in 2024, the league announced today in a press release.

The game will take place at the Accor Arena in Paris, France on January 11, 2024.

After having previously only held exhibition games in Paris, the NBA played its first regular season game at Accor Arena in January 2020, when the Bucks faced the Hornets. Following a three-year layoff due to COVID-19, the league returned to Paris this past January, with the Bulls facing the Pistons.

The contest between the Nets and Cavaliers will be the NBA’s third regular season game in France. It’ll also be the first one that features two playoff teams from the prior season.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing the live NBA experience back to Paris with two exciting teams in the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in a statement. “This game has become a destination for our passionate fans across Europe and will build on the incredible momentum around basketball and the NBA in France and throughout the region.”

The NBA’s popularity in France figures to be on the rise this season due to the stateside arrival of No. 1 overall pick and generational prospect Victor Wembanyama. A previous report indicated that there’s hope that the Frenchman’s Spurs will get a chance to participate in the Paris game in 2025.

The league announced in May that the Mavericks and Timberwolves will take part in a pair of October preseason games in Abu Dhabi, but has yet to confirm any other regular season games that will take place outside of the U.S. or Canada in 2023/24. Last season, in addition to the Paris contest, the Spurs hosted a December game in Mexico City.

Nets Sign Armoni Brooks To Two-Way Contract

July 18th, 2023 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have signed free agent guard Armoni Brooks to a two-way contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) first reported the agreement.

Brooks, 25, has appeared in 74 games for the Rockets and Raptors since the start of the 2020/21 season, averaging 6.9 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .366/.330/.758 shooting. He was in camp with Atlanta last fall before being waived in October.

Although he hasn’t really shown it at the NBA level yet, Brooks is a solid outside shooter, having made 38.6% of his career three-pointers on 7.2 attempts per game in 86 G League contests. He also played well for the Nets’ Summer League team in Las Vegas this month, putting up 17.8 PPG on a scorching hot .500/.476/.875 shooting line.

Brooks and Jalen Wilson now occupy two of Brooklyn’s three two-way contract slots. RaiQuan Gray had also been on a two-way deal with the team, but was waived this afternoon, so the Nets still have one slot open.