Nets Rumors

Kevin Durant Talks Offseason Trade Request, Nets, Legacy, More

November 16th, 2022 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have had an up-and-down first month of the 2022/23 season and are in the midst of another downturn right now, having given up 153 points to the Kings in a blowout loss on Tuesday.

Still, Kevin Durant tells Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that he likes the energy new head coach Jacque Vaughn has brought to the team. According to Durant, the Nets have been “preparing ourselves well” for games, “playing as hard as we can,” and are starting to build real chemistry.

In Durant’s view, the way the Nets are readying themselves for games under Vaughn is how the team should have been approaching its preparation last season. That was the primary reason the star forward requested a trade in the summer, he told Haynes.

“It wasn’t difficult at all to request a trade because it was about ball,” Durant said. “I went to them and was like, ‘Yo, I don’t like how we are preparing. I don’t like shootarounds. I like practices. I need more. I want to work on more s–t. Hold me accountable. Get on my ass in film if that’s going to help you get on everybody else’s head. I want to do more closeouts. I want to work on more shell drills at practice.’

“This was the type of s–t I was coming at them with. It wasn’t like, ‘Yo, y’all need to make sure everybody around me can make my life easier.’ Hell nah, I want to make everybody else’s life easier. Ask Steve Nash, you can go call him right now. I would say, ‘Yo, I need more closeout drills. We need to practice more.’ That’s what I was on.

“I wasn’t feeling that, and nobody was on that same vibe with me. Jacque Vaughn is. I had some complaints in the summer, and my complaints were not about just me; it was about how we are moving as a unit. I want us to be respected out here in the basketball world. I don’t want players to look at us and say, ‘Oh man, these (expletive) are full of s–t. That’s not the type of team I want to be on.’ So when we’re all playing like s–t, you know the one person they’re going to look at. That’s why I requested a trade.”

Durant opened up to both Haynes and Marc J. Spears of Andscape on Tuesday about a number of topics beyond his offseason trade request. Both interviews are worth checking out in full, but here are some of the highlights from the former MVP:

On the Nets’ lineup with Kyrie Irving unavailable and Ben Simmons struggling to regain his old form:

“Look at our starting lineup. Edmond Sumner, Royce O’Neale, Joe Harris, (Nic) Claxton and me. It’s not disrespect, but what are you expecting from that group? You expect us to win because I’m out there. So if you’re watching from that lens, you’re expecting us to play well because No. 7 is out there.”

On the perception that he’s not a true leader:

“I’m not a leader? What the f–k does that mean? A lot of people say I’m not a leader because I didn’t tell Kyrie to get vaccinated. Come on. Or I didn’t condemn Kyrie for leaving the team, going out and living his life. I’m not about to tell a grown-ass man what he can and can’t do with his own life and dissect his views or how he thinks about s–t.

“… I don’t need to show or tell everybody what I’m doing with my teammates so y’all can pump me up and say, ‘Yeah, KD, you’re the boss, you’re the leader.’ These other (expletives) need that. I don’t. I don’t come to you and say, ‘Haynes, write this story about me.’ I don’t do that to nobody. But I come here and respect y’all. I talk to y’all like a real one, even after a blowout (loss).”

On whether he’s happy in Brooklyn:

“I’m incredible. Loving life right now. I don’t think the world understands that. Maybe I need to get miked up more. Maybe I need to have more fluff pieces written about me. Smile more in pictures.

“What’s not to love about this life? I’m a great player. I get up to go hoop every day, work on my game. I make a s–t ton of money. I buy a lot of cool s–t. I don’t understand why there’s even a question on whether I’m happy or not. I just look at the big picture of things. Obviously, basketball, I want to do well, win every game and I want s–t to be perfect. But that doesn’t mean my whole life is f—ed up.”

On his legacy as a player:

“All that extra s–t like, ‘You got to win before you retire and make sure your legacy is straight,’ that’s bulls–t to me. My legacy is predicated on what Cam Thomas is learning from me and what he’ll take away to help him by the time he’s in his 10th year. That’s my legacy. What I did with Andre Roberson, the confidence I helped him build when he was in the league. That’s my legacy. Being able to play with Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry and Kyrie and still be me. Yeah, that’s my legacy. That’s who I am. That’s what I bring to the game.

“I can play with anybody, anywhere, at any time, and you know I’m going bring it every day. That should be my legacy.”

Ben Simmons Addresses Criticism, Discusses Knee Injury

November 16th, 2022 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Ben Simmons‘ inconsistent availability and underwhelming production has been a building source of frustration within the Nets‘ organization in recent weeks, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell Charania and Amick that some Brooklyn coaches and players have been concerned about Simmons’ “availability and level of play” and that some have questioned his passion for the game. The report is similar to one from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski earlier this month.

Simmons, who made his regular season debut with the Nets last month after recovering from back surgery, has missed five games in recent weeks due to a left knee issue. When he has played, he hasn’t looked like his old All-Star self — up until Tuesday, when he scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, the 26-year-old hadn’t scored double-digit points or made more than three field goals in any game this season.

Speaking to The Athletic, Simmons admitted that he’s aware of the criticisms being levied at him and understands them, but said that his physical issues – both the back and the knee – have significantly hampered him.

“You’re obviously not gonna be happy when anybody’s out,” Simmons said. “But for me, I’ve been dealing with the knee since the start of the season. It’s been swollen. I had PRP (injections). I had blood drained a couple times. So it’s not a made up thing, you know? It’s a real thing.

“… I’m on full overload with treatment, everything I need to do to stay out there. I’m just spending more time on the table, honestly, more downtime (where) I’m literally just leg up, icing, doing whatever I need to do – sleeping.”

Simmons said his back issues first flared up in February 2020, but that his back has been feeling much better since he went under the knife to address the injury.

“Yeah (the knee is a bigger problem than the back), which is good,” Simmons said. “And that’s one thing with the league. You’ll be starting to have some (trouble) with one thing and then you’re thinking about your ankle or your leg or whatever it is. That’s gonna happen, but getting it under control is the most important part for me.”

Simmons was the centerpiece of the trade package the Nets received when they sent James Harden to Philadelphia last season and was viewed as part of the team’s potential “Big Three,” alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The thinking was that Simmons’ defense and play-making would make him an ideal complement for two elite scorers like Durant and Irving.

However, Simmons hasn’t looked this season like the same player he was in Philadelphia. According to Charania and Amick, Markieff Morris spoke during a players-only meeting on October 29 about how the team needs Simmons to play at a high level and respond to adversity in order to succeed, and club officials and teammates have been in frequent contact with the former No. 1 overall pick to try to make him comfortable in Brooklyn.

After starting at point guard and averaging 31.8 minutes in his first six games this season, Simmons has come off the bench as a center in his four most recent outings, logging just 18.7 MPG. The Nets will need him to play a larger role to make a deep run in the postseason, and Tuesday’s performance provided a glimmer of hope. For his part, Simmons says he’s determined to get past his injury issues and help the team.

“I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I’m a competitor,” he told The Athletic. “I want to win and play. So I’m gonna do what I can to get out there.”

As Nick Friedell of ESPN tweets, Simmons told reporters on Tuesday that he also feels as if the rust from missing the entire 2021/22 season is coming off one game at a time.

“It takes time to build up,” Simmons said. “Especially with a nerve injury, it takes 18 months for your nerve to fully heal, and people don’t know that, but over time I get better and better. Just keep pushing.”

New York Notes: Fournier, Knicks, Players-Only Dinner, Nets Injuries

November 15th, 2022 at 7:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Evan Fournier struggled in a starting role and has been even worse coming off the bench, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes. The Knicks shooting guard has missed all 10 of his shot attempts in the last two games and he has scored just 16 points in six games as a reserve.

“The thing is when you only shoot three times a game … it adds up. It adds up. And at the end of the season, you look at your [shooting] percentage and it’s not good,” Fournier said. “But it’s just hard to find a rhythm right now. I think not knowing the rotation, what’s coming your way, et cetera, et cetera. I have to do a better job of all that and just being in the moment, being ready for whatever.”

Fournier’s four-year, $73MM contract has turned into an albatross. He’s in the second year of the deal, though the club holds an option on the final year.

We have more on the New York teams:

The defensive breakdowns the Knicks displayed while giving up 145 points to Oklahoma City on Sunday could be due to a number of factors, writes Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post (subscription required). A potential solution could be a coaching change and Tom Thibodeau is rumored to be on the hot seat. Rotation changes, or perhaps a blockbuster trade, could alternatively turn the team’s fortunes, Sanchez adds.
Could the Knicks have solved their problems over dinner? Julius Randle organized a players-only dinner in Utah on Monday as the team began a road trip, Zach Brazilier of the New York Post reports. “It was good, good to have a team dinner like that,” RJ Barrett said. “Try to figure this out the best that we can. We all care, trying to get this going on the right track.”
Injuries to Seth Curry, T.J. Warren and Ben Simmons, plus the ongoing suspension of Kyrie Irving, have forced the Nets to go deeper into their bench and alter their rotations, according to Ethan Sears of the New York Post. “It just puts us straight on everyone else,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We put David Duke in, Patty [Mills] earlier, Markieff [Morris] earlier in our normal rotation. … It puts a strain on us when we are not completely whole, for sure.”

Stein’s Latest: Simmons, Mavs, Lakers, Freedom, I. Thomas

November 14th, 2022 at 4:22pm CST by Rory Maher

“Contrary to recent reports,” the Mavericks have no interest in trading for Nets swingman Ben Simmons, league sources tell Marc Stein in his latest post at Substack.

A couple of weeks ago, Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported that the Nets had “cursory” trade talks with a Western Conference team, then later said those discussions were about a veteran shooter, and Simmons’ name came up. Begley cautioned that those talks may not have advanced beyond the exploratory stage, but Brooklyn was rumored to be “aggressive” in its pursuit of shooting.

On the heels of Begley’s reports, a Western Conference executive told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney last week that the Mavericks might be worth watching.

“Dallas is a team to watch, Simmons would be an interesting fit next to Luka (Doncic) if the Nets were willing to take back (Tim) Hardaway and (Davis) Bertans. I am not sure how much higher the Mavs could go in terms of an offer but that would definitely be interesting for Luka.”

Stein says the Mavericks may have been mentioned “to try to create some sort of market for Simmons,” who has yet to regain his old form after missing all of last season. Simmons missed his fifth game of 2022/23 Sunday with knee soreness, though he seems confident it won’t be a long-term injury.

Here’s more from Stein:

The Lakers have taken a look at some free agents, but Stein gets the sense that they’ll wait until Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant return before making any roster changes. Both players have yet to make their season debuts after each had thumb surgery last month, but they’re expected to play on Friday. The Lakers are hopeful Schröder can provide an offensive boost, Stein adds.
After Dwight Howard signed a seven-figure deal to join the Taoyuan Leopards, other Taiwanese clubs are looking at veteran NBA free agents, according to Stein, who writes that Enes Freedom and Isaiah Thomas are among the targets.
Carmelo Anthony is another veteran being pursued by a Taiwanese team, but “it’s widely presumed” that the 38-year-old “is holding out for another NBA opportunity,” says Stein. Anthony averaged 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds on .441/.375/.830 shooting in 69 games (26.0 minutes) for the Lakers last season.

Sixers Expected To Try Again On Kevin Durant Trade

November 14th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers reached out to the Nets about Kevin Durant after his trade demand this summer and they’re likely to try again before the deadline, an Eastern Conference executive tells Sean Deveney of Heavy. However, the results of the last deal between the teams could make Brooklyn reluctant to consider Philadelphia as a trading partner. “There is no doubt the Sixers have asked on Durant, they did in the summer, and will keep asking about him,” the executive said. “But the Nets are going to be a little put off by them already because of the Ben Simmons thing because they feel like they were set up to give away James Harden all along. So the Sixers burned them once, do the Nets want to go back and say, OK, sure, we’ll do a KD deal, too.” The executive adds that Maxey would likely have to be included in the offer to get Brooklyn to consider it.

Irving Tweets "We Are All Equal Under The Sun"

November 13th, 2022 at 8:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets guard Kyrie Irving sent out a tweet on Sunday related to his suspension, Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays. Irving stated that he was not trying to incite racial disharmony or prejudice. “I was not put here on earth to participate in any religious/political wars or incite racial disharmony/prejudice within communities,” he wrote. “We are all equal under the sun and I am here to participate in the building of an Equal world and follow the Word from the Most High/GOD/YAH.”
The Celtics were willing to let Ime Udoka take the Nets job without demanding any compensation in return, according to Jay King of The Athletic. Now, the organization still has to decide what to do with Udoka after the season unless another suitor comes along. It seems likely Udoka will never coach the team again, King adds.

Nets Notes: Irving, Tsai, Vaughn, Durant

November 12th, 2022 at 7:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

This afternoon’s game was the fifth that Kyrie Irving has missed since his suspension began, but Nets owner Joe Tsai told Brian Lewis of The New York Post that Irving “still has work to do” before he can resume playing. Irving is suspended indefinitely, but the team specified that he would miss at least five games when the penalty was announced. He has been given a list of six conditions that he must meet before reinstatement will be considered.

“He has to show people that he’s sorry,” Tsai said. “What’s important — and what people miss — is he only apologized after he was suspended.”

Head coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters that he hasn’t been given an estimate of when Irving might return, other than saying that he won’t play in Sunday’s game against the Lakers. Irving has started to fulfill the requirements set by the Nets, including separate meetings this week with Tsai and with NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

There’s more on the Nets:

Brooklyn has won four of its five games with Irving suspended as Vaughn has instilled a more aggressive attitude in the team since replacing Steve Nash, Lewis adds. Vaughn compares his philosophy to a boxer throwing the first punch and believes it’s sustainable once Irving returns. “For this group, we have to be that way,” Vaughn said. “A big part of that is you see the different lineups. We play small at times. We’ve had Kevin (Durant), we’ve had Yuta (Watanabe), we’ve had Markieff (Morris) at center at times. So in order to do that you have to be scrappy and understand it won’t look pretty all the time. But the results are what matter.”
Speaking to reporters after today’s game, Durant said Irving is handling the suspension well, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. “His spirits is high,” Durant said. “Looking forward to playing the game, you know Ky, he’s a gamer, he loves to play. So hopefully all this stuff is over with, we can move past it, and get him back on the floor soon.”
The players are rallying around Vaughn after his official hiring was preceded by several days of rumors that Ime Udoka would be the next head coach, Lewis states in a separate story. “Yeah, you just never know in this business,” Nic Claxton said. “We all heard reports that we were supposed to be getting Ime within the next couple of days. But we’re excited that JV is our coach. He’s a really good coach. He’s inspiring and I’m ready to get things going.”

Nets Notes: Durant, Simmons, Watanabe, Warren

November 11th, 2022 at 5:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Sean Deveney of Heavy.com recently spoke to a couple of NBA executives, one from each conference, about hypothetical trades involving Nets star Kevin Durant.

As Deveney notes, there’s no indication that Brooklyn is looking to move its best player, but perhaps that could change depending on how the team performs over the next couple months. After starting the season 1-5, the Nets have won four of their past six games, currently sitting with a 5-7 record.

Would the Celtics entertain offering Jaylen Brown for Durant, as was rumored over the summer when Durant requested a trade?

“Oh, it would be zero interest from the Celtics, that would be a non-starter,” the East exec said. “Brown’s an All-Star and he’s eight years younger than KD (who is 34). The team’s playing well, they’re not going to touch that. I am sure it will be talked about again, and maybe the Celtics will struggle and things can change. But that would be shocking.”

What about Suns package centered around Deandre Ayton? Phoenix was reportedly one of Durant’s desired landing spots in the offseason, along with Miami. Ayton cannot be traded until January 15 and has a full no-trade clause for one year after he signed a maximum-salary offer sheet with the Pacers as a restricted free agent (the Suns quickly matched), but as Deveney writes, he could waive it if he wants a fresh start.

“Ayton always made the most sense as a return piece for (the Nets),” the West exec said, per Deveney. “There might have been more to the talks between those teams in the summer if his contract situation wasn’t what it was. But, what else would Phoenix give up?”

Deveney believes the Nets would want Mikal Bridges in addition to Ayton, but speculates that a package of Ayton, Cameron Johnson and Jae Crowder might be enough to get a deal done.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Ben Simmons will come off the bench against the Clippers on Saturday for the third straight game, writes Chris Milholen of Inside The Nets. Simmons has been on a minutes restriction after returning from a four-game absence due to knee soreness and swelling, but head coach Jacque Vaughn said he’s hopeful he’ll gradually be able to increase Simmons’ minutes, per Milholen.
Forward Yuta Watanabe is currently dealing with a sprained ankle, which has caused him to miss Brooklyn’s blowout victory over the Knicks on Wednesday. Vaughn told reporters, including ESPN’s Nick Friedell (Twitter link), that Watanabe is unlikely to play in the Nets’ upcoming road games this weekend in Los Angeles, a back-to-back set against the Clippers and Lakers.
The Nets announced on Friday that forward T.J. Warren, who has yet to make his debut in 2022/23, has begun taking contact with coaches in practices recently. The team is hopeful he’ll participate in contact practices with teammates within the next couple weeks, and Brooklyn will provide another update on his status in two weeks (Twitter link via Friedell). Warren signed a minimum-salary deal as a free agent with the Nets and has appeared in just four games since ’20/21 after undergoing consecutive foot surgeries.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

November 11th, 2022 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Kyrie Irving, who has been suspended for the Nets‘ last four games after sharing antisemitic content, has met with the team, the NBA, and the National Basketball Players Association on “several occasions” in recent days, the NBPA told players in an email obtained by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the players’ union said in that email that Irving’s rights “have been protected at every turn” and that “the NBPA “(looks) forward very soon to a resolution of all matters satisfactory to all parties.” The memo also reiterated that both the NBPA and Irving “unequivocally condemn antisemitism and all other forms of hate.”

When the Nets initially announced Irving’s suspension, the team stated the ban would cover at least five games, so the guard will miss Saturday’s contest against the Clippers. In theory, he could accompany the Nets on their four-game road trip and suit up as early as Sunday vs. the Lakers.

However, head coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters today that there’s no update on Irving and that he still hasn’t talked to the seven-time All-Star (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of ESPN), so it remains unclear if he’ll play in any of the games out west. According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), there’s “skepticism” that Irving will return to action on Sunday, and it’s not a lock he’ll be back on Tuesday vs. Sacramento either.

Shortly after Vaughn spoke to the media, Nets owner Joe Tsai put out a statement announcing that he and his wife (and Nets co-owner) Clara Wu Tsai met with Irving and his family on Thursday.

“We spent quality time to understand each other and it’s clear to me that Kyrie does not have any beliefs of hate towards Jewish people or any group,” Tsai said (Twitter links). “The Nets and Kyrie, together with the NBA and NBPA, are working constructively toward a process of forgiveness, healing and education.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver conveyed a similar message on Thursday, telling Sopan Deb of The New York Times that he doesn’t believe Irving is antisemitic.

“We had a direct and candid conversation,” Silver said. “He’s someone I’ve known for a decade, and I’ve never heard an antisemitic word from him or, frankly, hate directed at any group … (But) whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content.”

While none of the latest comments and reports shed any real light on when Irving might play again for the Nets, most of them seem to point toward it happening sooner or later. That’s a change in tone from what we hearing at the start of the week, when one report indicated there was “growing pessimism” in some corners of the league that Kyrie would ever play for Brooklyn again.

Here’s more on Irving:

Two sources told Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that Thursday’s meeting between Irving and the Tsais was “very positive,” which bodes well for his chances of returning to the team.
Irving’s teammates Royce O’Neale and Nic Claxton both told reporters on Friday that they’ve been in touch with Irving and he has been in good spirits (Twitter links via Friedell).
After saying last week that he didn’t condone Irving’s actions, LeBron James came to the defense of his former teammate on Thursday, tweeting that Irving has apologized and should be allowed to return to the court. “What he’s (been) asked to do to get back on the floor I think is excessive,” James wrote. “He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him.”
As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, Nike co-founder Phil Knight told CNBC on Thursday that the relationship between Nike and Irving is likely over for good. “Kyrie stepped over the line,” Knight said. “It’s kind of that simple. He made some statements that we just can’t abide by and that’s why we ended the relationship. And I was fine with that.”

Nets Notes: Vaughn, Marks, Durant, Irving, Sumner, Curry

November 10th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Under newly minted head coach Jacque Vaughn, the Nets have surged to a solid 3-2 record. Brooklyn seems to be thriving, at least in the short term, under the new leadership, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Vaughn had been a seven-year assistant with the Nets under various head coaches before he was promoted, first to interim head coach, and then to head coach in the wake of Steve Nash‘s dismissal earlier this year.

“I was excited for him,” Brooklyn All-Star Kevin Durant said. “I know the work that he puts in every day. I know how much he cares about the development of each player, and this team as a whole. Look forward to playing for him. All the guys have responded to how he wants us to play, so I’m looking forward to how we progress after this.”

The hiring of Vaughn marks a historic moment for the league at large, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape, as he is the 16th current Black head coach in the NBA, an all-time high. Spears notes that the NBA is comprised of 71.8% Black players, per Statistica.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports opines that the hiring of the player-friendly Vaughn represents an important move for Brooklyn’s future.

“You could see the way the guys gravitated towards Jacque and his coaching and teaching and charismatic attitude,” a Nets employee told Fischer, referring to his previous stint as an interim coach in 2020.

There’s more out of Brooklyn:

According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the Nets intend to see if Vaughn will be able to continue winning with the team’s current personnel before ultimately making a determination on how to move forward, be that trying to contend or attempting to retool the roster.
Nets team president Sean Marks indicated that he spoke with Durant prior to making the official decision to hire Vaughn for the long haul, but wasn’t necessarily soliciting his input, tweets Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “I update the players and the players knew ahead of time, but again, Kevin’s job here is to go and play basketball, and that’s what he wants to do,” Marks said. “So that decision was not up to Kevin.”
With point guard Kyrie Irving suspended indefinitely, the Nets have been significantly improved in every way, writes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. The team has gone 3-1 since Irving was banished. Vaccaro adds that lately Brooklyn has been actively looking to share the ball and appears to have stepped up defensively.
Part of the reason Brooklyn has improved as of late has been depth. Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post notes that guards Edmond Sumner, starting for Irving, and Seth Curry have been key contributors recently. “He’ll continue to do that, set the tone,” Vaughn said of Sumner, who missed the entirety of the 2021/22 season following an Achilles tendon tear. “He just makes a difference. He’s engaged, he gets the rest of the group engaged.” Curry, meanwhile, is one of the league’s most lethal long-range specialists. “I still got a long ways to go physically, I’m still working my way back,” Curry noted. He has been recovering from a left ankle scope in May. “Just trying to keep a good mindset of work every day and come to the game bringing energy no matter what. I’m going to make shots, like I said, eventually.”

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