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Nets Notes: Claxton, Deadline, Season, Simmons

February 4th, 2024 at 4:25pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Thanks to the absences of several frontcourt rotation players, Nets starting center Nic Claxton has taken on a bigger minutes load, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Across his past 13 appearances, he’s been averaging 33.7 minutes per game, a noticeable increase from the 27.5 MPG he averaged in his prior 25.

“It’s been a challenge, but it’s been a good challenge to have,” Claxton said after practice on Friday. “It’s why you put in all the work in the offseason, to be able to trust your body to play however many minutes that I need to play. I’m looking forward to also getting guys back in the near future and it will also be good to have Ben back, too.”

“You want to play minutes,” Claxton continued. “I’m not complaining. I remember when I wasn’t even in the rotation. So, now that I’m being asked to play a few more minutes than normal, like I said, that’s why you put the work in the offseason.”

Accordingly, Claxton’s counting stats have risen as of late. He’s averaging 13.8 PPG on 66.1% shooting from the field in his last 13 games to go along with 11.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 BPG and 1.2 SPG. Those numbers have boosted his season-long averages to 12.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 0.7 SPG.

Claxton is finishing up the second season of his two-year, $17.3MM contract with Brooklyn and appears to be in line for a major raise should he continue to produce at this level.

There’s more out of Brooklyn:

Though they have struggled of late, the Nets intend to continue pushing for a spot in the postseason, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post, in conversation with colleague Brandon London (YouTube video link). “They don’t have any intention of giving up on the season,” Lewis said. At 20-28, Brooklyn has fallen out of the East’s top 10 and would find itself on the outside of the play-in tournament bracket if the season ended today.
In a separate piece (subscriber-exclusive link), Lewis consults with rival league scouts about which players the Nets should look to offload – and which should be retained – as the February 8 trade deadline approaches.
Nets guard Ben Simmons weighed in on how Sixers fans react every time he visits, per Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “It’s funny to me,” Simmons said. “I got grown men pissed off and yelling at me. … It’s not that deep. It’s sports, but it comes with it so I enjoy it.” Simmons played 14 minutes during his new team’s 136-121 victory over his former team on Saturday, pulling down nine boards and five dimes. He was greeted by a chorus of boos during his limited run.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Brunson, McBride, Simmons

February 3rd, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics fell at home to the undermanned Lakers on Thursday, resulting in some of Boston’s starters being benched in the midst of a bad stretch in the second half. According to MassLive.com’s Brian Robb, center Kristaps Porzingis had no issues with the decision.

“We deserved it,” Porzingis said. “Of course we were pissed off. We’re pissed off at ourselves and I completely understood. I never want to come out of the game, but I completely understood we had to change something.”

All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, who was also benched in the second half, shared similar sentiments after Boston fell to an L.A. team that was playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“I haven’t been in that position too often, so it kind of is what it is,” Brown said. “We weren’t playing our best, I wasn’t playing my best, so nothing I can really say there. Every time I step on the court, I try to add to winning. Tonight, I tried to make sure I was being unselfish, hitting the guys in stride, sharing the ball. But I was a little lackadaisical, it wasn’t my best game. But I’ll put it behind me and get ready for the next one.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson accepted an invitation to participate in the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend, according to TNT and Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Brunson has a shot to be the first Knicks player to ever win the event.
The Knicks have leaned on Miles McBride more since trading away Immanuel Quickley, and he’s rewarding their faith in him with improved offensive play. Since Dec. 30, McBride is averaging 8.5 points while shooting 46.6% from three — a vast improvement over the 28.2% clip he connected at during the first two years of his career. “Honestly, it’s all about my belief. I feel like I was taking the same shots, and now I’m just getting a little bit more of an opportunity,” McBride said, per The New York Post’s Peter Botte. “The organization and the coaching staff continued to believe in me, and it was just about me consistently working on my shot. I put in the work and it’s showing.“
Ben Simmons returned for the Nets on Monday, recording 10 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in his first game since early November. However, he was ruled out the following game against Phoenix on Wednesday with a knee contusion. He’s expected to play on Saturday against the Sixers and is listed as probable on the injury report, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). C.J. Holmes of New York Daily News tweets Simmons was a partial participant at practice on Friday and was set to receive treatments that night and Saturday morning.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Wizards, Pistons, Russell, Hawks

January 31st, 2024 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

After recording 10 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists with no turnovers in 18 minutes during Monday’s win vs. Utah, former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons appeared to tweak his left knee due to an awkward landing after blocking Talen Horton-Tucker‘s shot (video link).

The Nets swingman subsequently underwent an MRI after experiencing swelling, but it revealed no structural damage, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Simmons is out for Wednesday’s contest against Phoenix with a left knee contusion and is considered day-to-day, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps). Simmons’ agent, Bernard Lee, said there’s hope that it will be a one-game absence, since Brooklyn doesn’t play again until Saturday vs. Philly, giving the 27-year-old more time to recover (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the East:

As has been previously reported, the Wizards are focused on securing first-round draft picks — preferably in drafts beyond 2024 — as they take calls on veterans, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who take a look at the possible return value of nine different players on the roster. League sources tell The Athletic’s duo that the Wizards are looking for two first-rounders for Kyle Kuzma, though the writers have gotten some push back on that from sources within the team, who said the reported asking price is “somewhat overblown.”
While Bojan Bogdanovic has popped up in plenty of trade rumors the past couple years, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic isn’t convinced the Croatian veteran will be moved prior to the February 8 deadline. Edwards hears the Pistons are willing to take calls on Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but they aren’t actively shopping two of their best floor spacers. Edwards also covers other topics in his mailbag, including what he thinks of Detroit making a run at possible targets like Zach LaVine (he argues against it).
In Tuesday’s matchup with the Lakers, Hawks fans taunted D’Angelo Russell with “We don’t want you!” chants, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Russell has been linked to Atlanta as part of L.A.’s interest in Dejounte Murray, who badly outplayed Russell en route to a Hawks win. It has been reported that Atlanta doesn’t have interest in Russell and would want to flip him to a third team in a potential deal.

Nets Rumors: Bridges, Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, O’Neale, D-Lo, Simmons

January 31st, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

After getting off to 13-10 start this season, the Nets lost 17 of their next 21 games. Even after back-to-back wins on Saturday and Monday, they now own an underwhelming 19-27 record, which isn’t good enough for a play-in spot. However, Brooklyn’s front office isn’t any more willing to listen to inquiries on forward Mikal Bridges than it was earlier this season, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Rockets recently expressed interest in Bridges and conveyed a willingness to offer back several of the Nets’ own draft assets that they gave up for James Harden, league sources tell Scotto. However, talks didn’t move forward because Brooklyn wasn’t willing to entertain the idea of moving the 27-year-old.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) confirmed a few days ago that Bridges is still viewed as “essentially untouchable” and suggested that even if Houston was willing to return all of Brooklyn’s draft assets, the Nets wouldn’t consider it. The Rockets still control the Nets’ unprotected first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, along with the right to swap first-rounders with Brooklyn in 2025 and 2027.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Point guard Spencer Dinwiddie appears increasingly unlikely to remain in Brooklyn beyond this season, according to Scotto. That doesn’t necessarily mean Dinwiddie will be moved by next Thursday though, since the Nets could also try to do a sign-and-trade with him this offseason, like they did back in 2021 when he left Brooklyn for Washington.
Rival executives who have spoken to HoopsHype believe the Nets could potentially extract a first-round pick and a rotation player in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and multiple second-round picks for Royce O’Neale, says Scotto.
While Dejounte Murray is still the Lakers‘ top trade target, Los Angeles continues to have interest in a handful of Nets players, including Finney-Smith, O’Neale, and Dinwiddie, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back (Twitter video link).
Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link) identified Dinwiddie as the most likely Net to be traded by the deadline and noted that Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has been “floated” as a possibility for Brooklyn. I imagine the Lakers would only be interested in a Dinwiddie/Russell swap if they could acquire a wing like Finney-Smith or O’Neale in the same deal by sending the Nets another asset or two.
Before making any deadline moves, the Nets are hoping to evaluate how their rotation looks with Ben Simmons back in the fold, Scotto observes. The former No. 1 overall pick was in high spirits after having a big game in his return on Monday, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “It’s amazing because this is probably one of the best teams in terms of just friendships I’ve been a part of. Everyone gets along, we don’t have egos or anything like that on the team, and guys want to win and compete,” Simmons said. “So for me to be able to be in an environment like this is amazing. I get to come to work with a bunch of friends that want to get better and compete. So, I’m happy.”

Nets Notes: Simmons, Walker, Finney-Smith, Sharpe

January 30th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ben Simmons‘ return to action could not have gone much better. He nearly posted a triple-double despite playing just 18 minutes in the Nets‘ rout of Utah on Monday.

Simmons had 10 points, a game-high 11 assists and eight rebounds after missing 38 straight games with a nerve impingement in his back.

“Once he said he was ready to go, I had no qualms that he was going to be able to push the pace for us and get back to the high-energy, high-octane pace that he’s played with this group,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn told the New York Post’s Brian Lewis and other media members. “You see how he just impacts other people. He makes other dudes better, and he likes doing that.”

We have more on the Nets:

Lonnie Walker is on his third team in the past three seasons. He’s on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal and is hoping for more security in his next contract, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype shares in a video tweet. “I’m on a minimum, so I carry that weight on my shoulders as far as finding a home, playing the right way, and continuing to get better,” Walker said. “Right now, I’m locked in trying to find that forever home.” The Nets swingman is averaging 11.8 points in 28 appearances this season.
Forward Dorian Finney-Smith missed Monday’s game with a sprained left ankle and also won’t play Wednesday against the Suns, Lewis tweets. Finney-Smith has been the subject of numerous trade rumors in recent weeks.
Simmons is listed as probable for Wednesday’s game due to a left knee contusion, Lewis add in another tweet. Backup center Day’Ron Sharpe remains sidelined due to a hyperextended left knee.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, P. Williams, Sixers, Embiid, Rozier

January 29th, 2024 at 4:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets swingman Ben Simmons will be active for Monday’s game vs. Utah, the team confirmed (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that Simmons was likely to play Monday.

Simmons hasn’t appeared in a game since November 6, when he sustained a nerve impingement in his lower back. He has been limited to six games thus far in 2023/24, averaging 6.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG and 6.7 APG in 31.8 MPG.

According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Simmons’ teammates are excited to have him back.

“He definitely helps us. It’s good to see him back with the group,” starting center Nic Claxton said of Simmons. “Of course he brings this extremely high basketball IQ, being able to defend multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball, rebounding. So we are definitely happy to have him back.

“He’s been diligent, he’s been locked in on his rehab. Of course, nobody wants to go through what he’s going through with his back injury and everything but, you know, he’s happy to be back. I’m just happy to see how everything will look with him back with the group.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Bulls forward Patrick Williams is wearing a precautionary walking boot and is undergoing more testing on his injured left foot on Monday, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Williams, who has been managing right ankle and left foot injuries for much of the season, will miss his second straight game with left midfoot soreness on Tuesday vs. Toronto, Johnson tweets. “(The Los Angeles doctor) just recommended keeping his foot immobilized for right now,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “The biggest thing we’ve got to do is bring him back to Chicago and there will be a lot more imaging just to see where he’s at, but I think the pain is too great right now for him to play. Up to now I think it was something he was managing for quite some time, but it wasn’t something where the pain was so significant that he had to miss time. This is the first time it’s gotten to this place.”
Reigning MVP Joel Embiid was a late scratch from Saturday’s game in Denver due to left knee soreness. He was not previously on the injury report. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the NBA is expected to investigate the incident, with a source telling Pompey that a Sixers fine will likely follow for failing to follow the league’s protocol. Embiid will miss his second straight game on Monday and can miss no more than five more games over his final 37 in order to be considered for MVP, Pompey adds.
Heat guard Terry Rozier has struggled in his first few games with Miami but his teammates and coaches keep telling him to stay in attack mode, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “We need him to be him. We want him to be him,” star forward Jimmy Butler said. “That’s the reason that he’s here. And the more comfortable that he gets, the more he realizes we’re all in his corner to shoot the ball and to be aggressive, to attack. “So as much as we are on him about it, we’ll be on him even more about it, because we want him to be him.”

Nets Notes: Vaughn, Trade Rumors, Simmons, Johnson

January 28th, 2024 at 7:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Moving forward, the Nets should be concerned about head coach Jacque Vaughn‘s long-term fit, says Lucas Kaplan of Nets Daily.

Kaplan notes that Brooklyn’s offense has been fairly limited, in part due to personnel, but also because it has appeared at a loss for how to attack defenses that rely on switching. Kaplan adds that Brooklyn has struggled to score late in games recently, which has cost the team dearly.

At 18-27, the Nets are currently the No. 10 seed in the East, but are also in danger of falling out of the play-in race entirely.

There’s more out of Brooklyn:

Although the Nets have been the subject of frequent trade speculation leading up to the February 8 deadline, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link) writes that Brooklyn’s players are striving to remain focused on the games in front of them. Lewis wonders whether the club will make only minor moves at the deadline or whether more significant changes could be in store. Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, and Spencer Dinwiddie are among the team’s potential trade candidates, and it’s fair to question Vaughn’s job security as well, Lewis writes.
Vaughn has verified that – as previously reported – oft-injured guard Ben Simmons, one of the Nets’ priciest players, remains on track to return to action this week, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. A nerve impingement in his back has kept Simmons on the shelf since November 6. “Yeah, all signs pointing towards the likelihood of him playing next week,” Vaughn said. Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets that the three-time All-Star has been listed as probable to be available Monday against the Jazz. Across his six healthy games this year, Simmons has averaged 6.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 6.7 APG, and 0.8 BPG
Nets forward Cameron Johnson missed Brooklyn’s 106-104 Saturday win over the Rockets, Reilly writes in another article for The Post. He missed the contest due to undivulged personal reasons. “That’s the thing about life is, it’s beyond basketball,” Vaughn said pregame. “So, nothing that is going to be a detriment to him returning or anything of that nature.” The Nets could use all the help they can get, having dropped 12 of their past 16 contests. The 6’8″ wing is averaging 13.8 PPG on .452/.398/.714 shooting this season, along with 4.6 RPG, 2.6 APG and 0.7 SPG.

Nets’ Ben Simmons Could Return Monday

January 25th, 2024 at 5:16pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Nets guard Ben Simmons could return to action as soon as Monday, when Brooklyn takes on Utah, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Simmons hasn’t appeared in a game with the Nets since suffering a lower back nerve impingement on Nov. 6. The ailment has limited him to just six games so far this season.

According to Wojnarowski, Simmons is set to practice with the Nets’ G League team in Long Island over the weekend and there’s “optimism” his return could happen as early as Monday. According to The New York Post’s Brian Lewis, coach Jacque Vaughn said Simmons is expected to be back next week (Twitter link).

While his injuries over the past few seasons have hindered his career, Simmons has been effective when he’s been able to get on the court with Brooklyn. In his six games this year, he averaged 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 31.8 minutes per game across six starts. It’s a small sample size, but it’s worth noting the Nets went 3-3 with Simmons in the lineup and have gone 14-23 since. In 48 career games (39 starts) in Brooklyn, Simmons holds averages of 6.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.2 steals.

It will be interesting to see how Simmons’ return ultimately impacts the rotation, especially ahead of the trade deadline. Vaughn began the year starting Simmons alongside Spencer Dinwiddie, Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton and Mikal Bridges. Then, after some experimentation and injuries, Vaughn landed on using Dorian Finney-Smith in the starting five alongside those four after Simmons went down.

Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith have seen their names involved in trade rumors, for what it’s worth. Players like Dennis Smith Jr., Royce O’Neale, Lonnie Walker and Day’Ron Sharpe are among those battling for bench minutes.

In whatever form it takes, the currently 11th-seeded Nets could use the boost from getting Simmons back into form. Brooklyn acquired the former No. 1 overall pick from Philadelphia in a trade deadline deal that sent James Harden to the Sixers in 2022, but he never played that season. At one point, Simmons – a three-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Team member – was one of the best defenders in the NBA. His agent recently said his injuries were “freakish” and not something that will be a recurring problem in the future.

If Simmons isn’t able to return to action Monday against the Jazz, his next opportunity to suit up would be Wednesday versus the Suns. After that, the Nets don’t play again until Saturday, Feb. 3 in Philadelphia.

Nets Notes: Bridges, Walker, Simmons, Sharpe

January 25th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixth-year wing Mikal Bridges put up impressive statistics when he was traded to Brooklyn last February, averaging 26.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG and 1.0 SPG on .475/.376/.894 shooting in 27 games to close the 2022/23 season.

While his numbers are solid again for the Nets in ’23/24 — he’s averaging 21.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 3.8 APG on .455/.363/.839 shooting in 43 games — Bridges doesn’t expect to make the All-Star Game, he tells Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.

“I don’t think so. Maybe next year,” Bridges said. “You have to win and play to the level.”

As Medina notes, the Nets are currently 17-26, having lost 16 of their past 20 games. Multiple reports have indicated that Brooklyn has no plans to trade Bridges ahead of the February 8 deadline, but he knows things can change quickly in the NBA.

“Just prepare, watch and wait,” Bridges said of the next couple weeks.

Here’s more from Brooklyn:

After giving up a 22-0 run to lose to the Clippers in L.A. on Sunday, the Nets blew another fourth quarter lead in Tuesday’s home contest vs. New York, with the crowd chanting “Let’s go Knicks” late in the final period, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Bridges wasn’t pleased that the atmosphere felt like “an away game at home.” “You could hear in the crowd, felt like a friggin’ away game when they made their run,” Bridges said. “Yes, we got good looks. They got some key buckets. We just got to overcome it, you can’t fold and put our heads down if they make a little run. It’s part of the game, just got to be able to execute after and go out and win.”
Lonnie Walker was a rotation regular to open the season, but his hot shooting start was interrupted by a hamstring injury, which caused him to miss 17 consecutive games. Since returning from the injury, Walker’s minutes have been more sporadic — he has averaged just 12.5 MPG after playing 21.3 MPG prior to the injury. Head coach Jacque Vaughn wants Walker to make better decisions on defense and contribute more on the boards in order to receive more playing time, relays Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com.
The Nets recently provided injury updates on Ben Simmons and Day’Ron Sharpe, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. According to Vaughn, Simmons will be out at least this week, but he could practice with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island soon. Simmons has been out since November 6 with a back injury. As for backup center Sharpe, who has missed the past six games with a hyperextended left knee, he says he still isn’t doing contact work. “I think I’ve got a lot more steps I’ve got to take. Right now, I’m just still on the process of strengthening my leg back,” said Sharpe, who didn’t offer a return timeline. “I don’t know yet. But I just feel good. Better. I feel like I’m going in a positive direction.”

Nets Notes: Simmons, Dinwiddie, Thomas, DSJ

January 22nd, 2024 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons hasn’t played since November 6, but the Nets remain optimistic he’ll be able to return at some point this season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons accompanied the team on its West Coast trip that wrapped up Sunday, and coach Jacque Vaughn said there were benefits to having him involved.

“I think just being able to be around at shootaround, being able to be in the film [review Saturday]. All those things matter as he starts to transition his way to being back on the floor, so that gap isn’t so huge for him,” Vaughn said. “Whether it’s different plays that we’re running from last time that he was in, whether it’s different schemes that we were running, if you aren’t around that it can be a lot when he does return. So overall just being able to be around the group and absorb some of that terminology and knowledge is best for us.”

Simmons has been limited to six games because of a back impingement, but the Nets are hoping it’s not another lost season for the former No. 1 overall pick, who has only been healthy for 48 total games since he was acquired nearly two years ago. Simmons’ agent said recently that he’s in the home stretch of his recovery, but Vaughn refused to speculate on when he might be available.

“I’m not gonna give you a step-by-step,” he said. “He’ll move on to that next step, which will be when we get home he’ll get examined again after this long five-hour flight and see how he responds to another week of basketball.”

There’s more on the Nets:

Trade speculation continues to surround Spencer Dinwiddie, who has broken out of his slump as the deadline nears, Lewis adds. The veteran guard posted 16 points and seven assists on Sunday and is averaging 18 points and six assists over the last three games. Lewis notes that Dinwiddie is believed to be willing to sign an extension with Brooklyn, but his $18.9MM expiring contract is useful if the team gets an opportunity to upgrade its roster.
Cam Thomas continues to be a dangerous weapon coming off the bench, but he admits that it’s easier to establish consistency on offense as a starter, Lewis notes in a separate story. Vaughn recently switched his starting lineup, opting for more size while moving Thomas to a sixth-man role. “Maybe it’ll change soon. I get back in the lineup, then you can see more consistency from me in the scoring part,” Thomas said. “But I’ve just got to do my job, man. Whatever he wants me to do. He wants me to come out of the bench, I’ve got to do that. If he wants me back starting, I’m more than open to do it. But it’s kind of tough, but I’ve just got to do my job.”
In a subscriber-only article, C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News looks at how Dennis Smith Jr. has evolved into a team leader since signing with Brooklyn last summer.