Brooklyn Nets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Randle, Reddish, Young, Simmons

February 5th, 2023 at 2:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Knicks power forward Julius Randle has returned to an All-Star level of play following a down year during the 2021/22 season. Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details how the 6’9″ big man adjusted his approach to the game to maximize his abilities yet again.

Randle recently credited a summer 2022 conversation with New York assistant coach Johnnie Bryant, who gave Randle a reality check about his attitude last season.

“He was talking about the year before and said something like, ‘If you were your teammates and saw you acting the way you did sometimes, with body language, showing frustration, would you want to be your teammate?’” Randle recalled. “And I said, ‘No.’ So I had to look myself in the mirror and take accountability and get better and learn from it.”

“He came and saw me and it was more like big brother, little brother, holding me accountable, talking to me, getting my mind right, more than anything,” Randle explained. “He came to me and had an honest conversation. And it helped me put my ego and my pride to the side. And try to adjust my game and look at myself in the mirror and do what’s best for the team.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Though it seems likely the Knicks will find a new home for 2018 lottery pick Cam Reddish, who has been out of New York’s rotation for two months, Steve Popper of Newsday wonders if the club will make additional trades by Thursday’s trade deadline.
Raptors forward Thaddeus Young has been a massive tone-setter for Toronto’s younger players, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who opines that Young’s influence will resonate beyond his time with the club. “Big time vet,” Raptors big man Precious Achiuwa said of the 34-year-old. “Been in the league a long time, and we’re just trying to learn from him as much as we can.”
Nets point forward Ben Simmons had imaging done on his troublesome knee, but head coach Jacque Vaughn indicates that an MRI revealed nothing particularly worrisome long-term in the ligament, per Nick Friedell of ESPN (Twitter link). Simmons has been unavailable since January 26 as a result of knee soreness.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

February 5th, 2023 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Although Kyrie Irving ostensibly missed Saturday’s Nets game – a dramatic comeback win over Washington – due to right calf soreness, it’s safe to assume his Friday trade request was the reason he wasn’t on the court in Brooklyn.

The Nets are scheduled to play three more home games before Thursday’s trade deadline – Monday vs. the Clippers, Tuesday vs. the Suns, and Thursday vs. the Bulls – but we shouldn’t expect Irving to be available for any of those ones either. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), Brooklyn plans to keep Irving sidelined until a trade is finalized.

And what if the trade deadline comes and goes without the Nets finding a suitable deal for Irving? According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), the 30-year-old hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’d sit out the rest of the season in that scenario, but Lewis says it’s a “nuclear option” that has been discussed.

Here’s more on Irving:

Although the Lakers are widely considered a frontrunner to land Irving, having been linked to him since last summer, sources with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times expressed pessimism about the odds of Kyrie being dealt to the Lakers.
As Woike explains, Irving’s expectations for his next contract are a factor working against a trade to the Lakers — the All-Star guard is expected to seek a four-year, maximum-salary deal, while the Lakers would prefer no more than a two-year commitment. A similar disconnect between Irving and the Nets is reportedly what led to his trade request in the first place.
Asked about the possibility of the Lakers acquiring Irving, LeBron James said it was a question for Rob Pelinka and the front office, but made it clear he wouldn’t be against a reunion with his former Cavs teammate. “Obviously, that’s a — what’s the word you use — ‘duh’ question when you talk about a player like that,” James said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Russell Westbrook would have to be part of an outgoing package in any Irving deal involving the Lakers, but he said on Saturday that he’s not feeling any added pressure hearing his name in trade rumors once again, according to McMenamin. “That’s not up to me. Like I said, I’ve known this was a business since I was 18, 19 years old, since I got into it,” Westbrook said. “My dad taught me that at that age, getting to this league is a business, and people make whatever decision they make. And I’ll make sure I’m ready and professional, like I always have been and always will be.”
Law Murray of The Athletic explores the Clippers‘ reported interest in Irving, noting that L.A.’s up-and-down season has made the team more open to pursuing Kyrie than it would have been last summer. Murray hears that the Clippers have made a “strong offer” for Irving.
While there’s no indication that Kevin Durant will follow Irving’s lead and request a trade before this Thursday, rival executives are hopeful that the Kyrie drama will help expedite Durant’s own exit from Brooklyn, perhaps as soon as this offseason, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “I know (Nets owner) Joe Tsai came into this year looking at it like, ‘Let’s see how this plays out,'” an Eastern Conference GM said to Deveney. “Well, he’s seen how it has played out. … No matter what happens with Kyrie in the next few days, you have to think that Joe Tsai is going to say it is time to tear it all down and start over. And that means KD is next up.”

Clippers Part Of Kyrie Irving Trade Talks

February 4th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are among the teams that are active in trade negotiations for Nets guard Kyrie Irving, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

When Irving’s trade request was made public Friday, Wojnarowski listed the Lakers, Mavericks and Suns as the teams with the greatest interest in acquiring him. Sources tell Woj that the Clippers, who are in need of point guard help, should be added to that list.

Wojnarowski hears that Brooklyn is talking to a number of teams about Irving and appears determined to work out a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline. He adds that the Nets expect Kevin Durant to return soon from his MCL sprain and are focused on getting a return that will keep them in title contention.

Sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the Clippers made a “strong offer” to Brooklyn and that Tyronn Lue is interested in coaching Irving again after they spent time together in Cleveland.

Irving decided to seek a trade after being unhappy with an extension offer that Brooklyn presented to him last week. Wojnarowski’s sources say Irving wants a deal close to the maximum $198.5MM over four years that he’s eligible to receive. If he’s traded, he can sign a two-year extension with his new team worth up to $78.6MM through the end of June.

Wojnarowski cites a “strong mutual interest” between Irving and the Lakers that dates back to last summer when he was considering whether to pick up his option for the current season. Woj’s sources describe the Lakers as a “motivated suitor” for Irving and say LeBron James is “an immense proponent” of dealing for his former Cavaliers teammate.

Irving missed tonight’s game with right calf soreness, and there’s a chance he might not play for the Nets again if they’re serious about trading him away.

Clippers May Seek Buyout With John Wall If He’s Not Traded

February 4th, 2023 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are attempting to trade point guard John Wall and may consider a buyout if they can’t find a deal, multiple sources tell Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times.

Wall, 32, signed with L.A. in July after reaching a buyout with Houston. His two-year contract includes a $6.479MM salary for this season and a $6.8MM team option for 2023/24.

After sitting out all of last season, Wall was playing fairly regularly before suffering an abdominal injury on January 13. He has missed the past 11 games, and Greif hears there are concerns about his fit with the Clippers for the remainder of the season.

Wall has averaged 11.4 points, 5.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 34 games, but he’s shooting just 40% from the field and 27% on pull-up jumpers. Wall also has a team-low minus-9.2 net rating, which measures the point differential between when he’s on the court and not.

Wall still doesn’t have a target date to return from his injury, although Greif notes that he was able to participate in a full-court scrimmage with coaches and some of his teammates this week. Wall wouldn’t comment directly on trade rumors, telling Greif that he’s concentrating on things he can control.

“This period for the whole league is interesting, trying to see if any trades happen, getting to see if teams stay healthy and stuff like that, so you kind of just all playing it by ear,” Wall said. “Kind of like, if you be here just try to figure out what your role is, and if you’re not here, then you got to try to find a new situation, like what the new situation might be and stuff like that. I’m just trying to focus on trying to get back and play. Just let everything else happen the way it’s going to happen.”

The Wall rumors come as the Clippers continue to search for point guard help before Thursday’s trade deadline. Greif identifies Toronto’s Fred VanVleet as the team’s number one target, and notes that Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have also been linked to L.A. in trade rumors. Greif doesn’t consider the Clippers to be a potential landing spot for Kyrie Irving, who submitted a trade request to the Nets on Friday.

Kyrie Irving Sitting Out First Game Since Trade Request

February 4th, 2023 at 5:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

In the wake of Friday’s trade request, Kyrie Irving won’t be active for the Nets‘ game tonight against the Wizards, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. Brooklyn has added Irving to its injury report, citing right calf soreness.

In a pre-game session with reporters, coach Jacque Vaughn said Irving didn’t attend the team’s afternoon walkthrough, and he’s not sure if Kyrie plans to show up for the game (Twitter link). Vaughn added that he considers Irving’s status to be day-to-day and doesn’t know when he might play again.

Vaughn reached out to Irving on Friday after the trade request became public, but not to talk about basketball or his future with the team, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).

“There’s a business side to this thing and there’s a human side to this thing,” Vaughn said. “I elected to touch on the human side and check on him as an individual. I’ll leave the business side to (general manager) Sean (Marks) and that group.”

If Irving has played his last game for Brooklyn, Vaughn faces the challenge of trying to keep the team competitive, especially while Kevin Durant remains sidelined with a right MCL sprain, Lewis adds. Vaughn instructed his players to remain focused on business and shut out the distractions.

“I said to them, we’re not gonna make this weird,” he stated. “We’re here to play, we’re here to do a job, show up and do your job. I said you’ve done the first step of this thing … let’s do the work to get a win tonight.”

There’s more news regarding Irving:

Friedell reports that the Nets’ locker room feels “off” after Irving’s decision, but some players expressed support for him (Twitter link). Nic Claxton and Royce O’Neale admitted they were surprised by the trade request, but Claxton dismissed the idea that Irving let the team down. “At the end of the day we’re all our own individuals,” he said.
In a full story for the New York Post (subscription required), Lewis examines the organization’s options with Irving and cites a limited market for a trade to be completed before Thursday’s deadline. The Lakers are considered to be the most interested suitor, with one Western Conference general manager telling Lewis, “I think there’s only one team that actually wants him.” Lewis also doesn’t believe it’s out of the question that Irving could eventually re-sign with Brooklyn if he’s not dealt.
John Hollinger of The Athletic identifies nine teams that might have some interest in trading for Irving, listing the Lakers as the number one option. Hollinger states that a three-team trade may be the most likely outcome and notes that Brooklyn will be asking for players who can help right away, rather than draft picks.
Sources tell Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) that the Hawks won’t be among the teams pursuing Irving.

Fischer’s Latest: Westbrook, Jazz, Nurkic, Burks, Reid, Centers

February 4th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Lakers have talked recently to both the Hornets and Jazz about trades involving Russell Westbrook‘s expiring $47.1MM contract, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Sources around the NBA inform Fischer that the Heat are not interested in trading incumbent starting point guard Kyle Lowry in a deal for Westbrook (and presumably future draft equity). Fischer notes that opposing clubs generally are hoping for both of L.A.’s two movable future first-round draft picks, in 2027 and 2029, in any Westbrook deal, a price the Lakers are hesitant to pay.

According to Fischer, point guard Mike Conley, swingman Malik Beasley and big man Jarred Vanderbilt would be a part of any trade for Westbrook if the Jazz and Lakers are able to reach a deal, but Utah is discussing all of those players with other teams as well.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Jazz have talked at least to the Hawks, Trail Blazers, and Knicks about trades centered around both Vanderbilt and Beasley as a package deal. Sources inform Fischer that Utah shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also been floated in some of these conversations.
Fischer reports that injured Trail Blazers starting center Jusuf Nurkic can be had on the trade market, though his pricey long-term contract has cooled rival teams’ interest.
Sources tell Fischer that the Pistons has interest in potentially signing reserve guard Alec Burks to an extension this offseason, as the team did in the fall with veteran forward Bogdan Bogdanovic. Detroit has expressed reluctance to trade either player at the deadline, Fischer adds.
Timberwolves reserve center Naz Reid has rejected potential contract extensions, making him a possible trade candidate, per Fischer. Reid is hoping to earn something in the neighborhood of $10MM per year, Fischer says, a price Minnesota may be reluctant to pay after having already invested heavily in its starting frontcourt of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Fischer adds that other reserve centers could very well be on the move, as his sources indicate that the Sixers, Clippers, Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Nets, Celtics, Raptors and Kings are all looking to improve that position.

Kyrie Irving Notes: Possible Suitors, Tsai, Nets’ Reaction

February 4th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

Following Kyrie Irving‘s trade request on Friday, initial reporting identified the Lakers, Mavericks, and Suns as the point guard’s top potential suitors. Could there be other teams willing to enter the fray and make a play for the Nets star?

Don’t count on the Clippers being one of Irving’s suitors, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest Lowe Post podcast. Although the Clippers have been linked to some points guards who are considered trade candidates, Lowe and his guest Bobby Marks expressed skepticism that L.A. would have legitimate interest in acquiring Kyrie.

“Everything I’ve heard for a year is leading me to say I would be very, very surprised if the Clippers actually dip their toe into this Kyrie Irving situation,” Lowe said. “Maybe that’ll change if Kawhi (Leonard) goes to them and says, ‘Do this or else’ or whatever. I just don’t get the sense that they have the appetite for it.”

There has been some speculation that the Heat could get involved, but Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links) says Miami won’t be aggressive in its pursuit of Irving. The Heat will monitor the situation and could be a landing spot if Brooklyn gets desperate, Jackson says, but other suitors will likely be more motivated. Jackson adds that Irving “doesn’t exactly fit the qualities” the Heat value in their players, including “reliability, selflessness, (and) putting (the) team first.”

Sam Amick of The Athletic offers up the Jazz as an outside-the-box suitor for Irving, observing that CEO Danny Ainge wouldn’t have the same reservations about Kyrie that some other executives would, even though his time in Boston didn’t necessarily go as planned.

Amick is just speculating though — there’s no indication the Jazz have actually expressed interest in Irving. I’d be surprised if they do, given that the chemistry in the locker room has been a major asset in Utah this season, and Irving may not have any desire to re-sign with the Jazz when his contract expires in the summer.

Here’s more on the Irving situation:

League sources with knowledge of the Mavericks‘ thinking downplayed Dallas’ chances of landing Irving, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. In the same story, Scotto says the Nets are fans of Mikal Bridges. However, it’s highly unlikely the Suns would be willing to give him up in a deal for Irving.
Nets owner Joe Tsai was firmly against the idea of offering Irving a maximum-salary extension last summer and that stance hasn’t changed, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). Begley doesn’t specify whether Tsai is only opposed to the idea of a long-term maximum extension for Kyrie or if he’d also be opposed to guaranteeing him the max for one or two years. Either way, the difference in opinions on Irving’s value going forward was clearly the driving factor in his decision to request a trade.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated on his Hoop Collective podcast that he believes the Nets were surprised by Irving’s trade request, as RealGM relays. A source close to people in the organization who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com conveyed a similar sentiment. “People are walking around like, ‘What the f–k just happened?’ It’s crazy,” the source said. “Crazy. But we’ve seen it before there, so nobody should be that surprised. Crazy.” One player source who spoke to Bulpett speculated that Irving’s trade request was a gambit designed to get him the sort of extension he wants.
After “a few months in the sun,” the Nets find themselves in a familiar place, clouded by chaos, Alex Schiffer writes for The Athletic. Elsewhere at The Athletic, John Hollinger explores what an Irving trade might look like for nine different teams, including extreme long shots like the Pelicans and Bulls.
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post argues that the Nets should give Irving the trade he wants and “end the charade” of trying to mollify him in Brooklyn.

Trade Rumors: Irving, Lakers, Walker, Rozier, Mavs, More

February 3rd, 2023 at 10:58pm CST by Rory Maher

Many around the league believe Kyrie Irving‘s preferred landing spot is the Lakers, according to reports from Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports and Marc Stein at Substack, among others.

Count Lakers legend Magic Johnson, formerly the team’s president of basketball operations, as a supporter of acquiring Irving.

“Personally, I’d love to see Kyrie in the purple and gold,” he said (via Twitter).

Irving, of course, won a championship with LeBron James while the two were on the Cavaliers in 2015/16. James also acknowledged Irving’s trade request, cryptically tweeting out an eye emoji and a crown.

However, the Nets are expected to be a buyer at the deadline, which could complicate matters, Stein notes. It’s hard to imagine getting equal value for Irving considering the market for him is reportedly pretty thin.

The Lakers do indeed have interest in Irving, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. The likely framework would be Russell Westbrook and their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in exchange for Irving and Joe Harris, per Buha’s sources.

L.A. would push to lottery-protect at least one of those picks, according to Buha, who suggests a third team might have to be involved, depending on Brooklyn’s goals. The Lakers don’t have interest in trading Austin Reaves or Max Christie in a potential Irving package, sources tell Buha.

Interestingly, Lonnie Walker and Patrick Beverley could be involved in an Irving deal or in another trade in order to upgrade the rotation, Buha reports. Beverley’s inclusion is no surprise, but this is the first time this season I’ve seen Walker’s name involved in trade rumors.

Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Lakers have reportedly had preliminary talks with the Jazz regarding Westbrook, but they remain interested in Hornets guard Terry Rozier, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Executives with knowledge of Dallas’ plans tell Goodwill that the Mavericks would definitely take Irving, the question is at what cost. Head coach Jason Kidd is a proponent of acquiring the star point guard, according to Fischer’s sources. Dallas has “confidence in Kidd’s coaching ability to connect with Irving,” Stein writes.
There isn’t universal agreement within the Mavericks‘ organization about adding Irving, however. Some front office members have concerns about Irving’s long-term fit with Luka Doncic, according to sources Tim Cato of The Athletic spoke to. The concern is centered on how they’d mesh in the locker room, as they have “drastically different off-court personas.”
According to Stein, the Nets are believed to be interested Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith in a potential Irving deal, but the Mavericks “would surely insist” on trying to shed the contract of either Tim Hardaway Jr. or Davis Bertans. Dinwiddie played for the Nets from 2016-2021, so they’re very familiar with him as a person and player.
The Mavericks are also interested in Hawks swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic, as “they’re desperate and determined” to get help for Doncic, says Goodwill.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

February 3rd, 2023 at 8:00pm CST by Rory Maher

After Kyrie Irving‘s agent reached out to the Nets about an extension last week, Brooklyn offered him a deal that included an unlikely incentive based on the team winning a championship, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

Haynes was told that Irving’s camp refused to negotiate after the offer, and now the All-Star guard reportedly won’t re-sign with the Nets even if he was offered a fully guaranteed maximum-salary extension, which would be worth $198.5MM over four years.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), an unlikely incentive can be worth up to 15% of a contract’s yearly value.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the Nets offered a multiyear extension, with the stipulations tied to the last year of the deal. Charania didn’t specify the years or amount that was offered.

Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Nets were “reluctant to rush into a long-term commitment without further evidence that Irving could stay reliable, perform at a high level and remain controversy-free.” Reading between the lines, it’s pretty clear that he wasn’t offered a four-year extension.

The market isn’t exactly brimming with teams in pursuit of Irving due to how many games he’s missed over the past handful of years, not to mention the controversy. In fact, two of his primary would-be suitors, the Lakers and Mavericks, are wary of giving up “significant trade assets” in a potential offer, sources tell Wojnarowski.

Irving, who turns 31 next month, is making $36.9MM in the final year of his contract. If he’s traded, he would be eligible for a two-year extension worth up to $78.6MM until June 30, but Woj sounds skeptical that would be available to Irving, especially right away, writing that “no teams are privately expressing a desire to make that investment.” That includes the Suns, another team expected to have interest in acquiring Irving.

The Nets are currently 31-20, the No. 4 seed in the East, but have gone just 4-7 since Kevin Durant was injured. Wojnarowski reports that many rival teams are “far more interested” in seeing how Durant reacts to Irving’s trade request and learning whether Durant may decide to follow suit, rather than pursuing Irving himself.

In an appearance on NBA TV (Twitter video link), Haynes said he “would be very surprised if Kyrie is a Net past the trade deadline,” which is February 9 at 2:00pm CT.

Lakers, Mavs, Suns Among Possible Kyrie Irving Suitors

February 3rd, 2023 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Mavericks are among the teams expected to talk to the Nets before next Thursday’s trade deadline about a possible deal involving Kyrie Irving, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link).

In addition to the Lakers and Mavs, the Suns have emerged as a potential suitor for Irving, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times tweets that there has also been some buzz in league circles about the Heat being a team to watch.

Irving has reportedly requested a trade out of Brooklyn.

There are a handful of reasons why the list of obvious matches for Irving isn’t lengthy. His history of mercurial behavior and inconsistent availability will scare many teams away, as will the fact that he’s an unrestricted free agent at season’s end — some suitors will be reluctant to give up much for a player who might be a rental, while others may not welcome the idea of having to negotiate a new contract with the 30-year-old. Additionally, Irving’s $36.9MM cap hit is sizable and wouldn’t be easy for certain clubs to match.

Still, Irving remains an elite talent on the court, having averaged 27.1 PPG, 5.3 APG, and 5.1 RPG on a sparkling .486/.374/.883 shooting line in 40 games (37.0 MPG) for Brooklyn this season, so it’s safe to assume Sean Marks and the Nets’ front office will get some inquiries.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Irving hasn’t given the Nets a list of preferred landing spots, but his interest in the Lakers has carried over from the 2022 offseason.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, have had interest in Irving in the past, though they’ve been reluctant to give up a substantial haul of assets for the All-Star guard, tweets Wojnarowski. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon observes (via Twitter) that Mavs president of basketball operations Nico Harrison (a former Nike executive) and head coach Jason Kidd have long-standing relationships with Irving, and Dallas badly wants a co-star for Luka Doncic.

As for the Suns, they’re viewed as one of the only teams capable of making a deal with the Nets that could leave both teams as contenders, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

When Irving explored the possibility of changing teams last summer, the Lakers, Mavericks, and Heat were said to be on his wish list, along with the Clippers, Knicks, and Sixers. New York and Philadelphia don’t look like logical fits for Kyrie at this point, but L.A.’s other team could be worth keeping an eye on.

There haven’t been any reports linking Irving to the Clippers so far, but they’ve reportedly expressed interest in some other point guards and have been “proactive” in gauging John Wall‘s trade market, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times.