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Nets Exercise Options On Three Players

October 12th, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Austin Kent

The Nets have exercised team options on three players that make up a substantial part of their young core. The team announced on its website that the 2018/19 options for all of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert have been exercised.

Both Hollis-Jefferson and Russell will be under team control through their fourth seasons, the former having spent the past two years with the squad, the latter arriving in Brooklyn after an offseason trade with the Lakers.

In LeVert’s case, fresh off of his rookie season in Brooklyn, it was his third-year option exercised.

Expect all to see significant time on the court for the Nets in 2017/18 as the franchise claws its way out from a dark chapter in franchise history.

Russell will suit up for the squad having posted 14.2 points per game through two years in Los Angeles. Hollis-Jefferson and LeVert averaged 8.7 and 8.2 points per game in 2016/17, respectively.

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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Porzingis, LeVert, Valanciunas

October 10th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Sixers decided to take a risk as the franchise signed talented but oft-injured center Joel Embiid, to a five-year, maximum salary extension this week. It’s a lofty commitment to a player who has appeared in just 31 regular season NBA games in three years. However, it could also prove to be a steal if Embiid can stay healthy and match his output from last season, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

In 25.4 minutes per game last season, Embiid, 23, averaged 20.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 2.5 BPG. This season, Embiid will be a focal point on a Sixers team with highly-touted rookies (Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz), veterans (J.J. Redick). Murphy also notes that compared to centers such as Steven Adams and Timofey Mozgov, who signed lucrative deals, Embiid possesses a rare upside that could make a huge difference in Philadelphia.

Embiid has been limited in practice this preseason but is expected to make his debut versus Brooklyn tomorrow. It will be the first step in determining whether or not the Sixers’ franchise-altering signing was a mistake or a bargain.

Read about additional news from the Atlantic Division below:

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Eastern Notes: Wade, Bradley, LeVert, Pierce

August 18th, 2017 at 12:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A Dwyane Wade reunion with the Heat would create rotation and chemistry issues, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel explains in his latest mailbag. A buyout agreement between Wade and the rebuilding Bulls is possible, though not close to happening. It’s widely assumed Wade would seriously consider returning to Miami but the Heat already have plenty of options at the guard spots, Winderman notes. Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters, who was re-signed this summer, are the starters and Tyler Johnson is being paid lavishly to be the main backup. Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder and Wayne Ellington are also viable rotation options and if Wade were to close out games, coach Erik Spoelstra would have a tough dilemma deciding which player loses those minutes, Winderman continues. In fact, the Heat brass and coaching staff may privately be wishing they’re not faced with the prospect of Wade getting bought out and looking to re-join them, Winderman adds.

In other items involving Eastern Conference teams:

  • Avery Bradley may be a newcomer to the Pistons’ locker room but coach Stan Van Gundy expects the shooting guard to be quickly embraced as a leader, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports. Bradley was traded by the Celtics in their efforts to clear cap space and sign free agent forward Gordon Hayward. Van Gundy wants Bradley’s toughness and defensive approach to rub off on his other players, Langlois adds. “What Avery’s really embracing is a chance to play a bigger role as a player and as a leader,” Van Gundy told Langlois. “That’s something that excites him.”
  • Nets guard Caris LeVert believes the club can make the playoffs with better health and this summer’s roster changes. “I feel like it’s really realistic,” Levert told Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “Last year, we were like top seven in the East when we had all our players healthy. Just building off that momentum with the pieces we’ve added — obviously we lost a great player in Brook [Lopez] — but I feel with the pieces we’ve added we’ll be in that conversation.”
  • Paul Pierce will have his No. 34 retired by the Celtics, team co-owner Steve Pagliuca informed Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It’s going to be fantastic,” Pagliuca said. “For our era, the most recent era, he embodied the Celtics’ leadership, the Celtics’ brand and was the MVP of the championship team.” Pierce’s 34 will be the 22nd number to hang in the rafters at TD Garden.
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Atlantic Notes: Brown, Smart, Noel, Jackson

March 18th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Austin Kent

After a break down in communication in their Wednesday night matchup, Celtics veteran Marcus Smart was seen arguing with rookie Jaylen Brown. CSN New England’s Gary Tanguay discussed the altercation, adding his own case in defense of the 20-year-old swingman.

Per Tanguay, the heated discussion started when Brown attacked the basket prior to letting a set play develop but the rookie guard was wise, he says, to be aggressive. Tanguay added that Brown is the future of the Celtics franchise, not Smart.

In 65 games this season, Brown has averaged 6.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game but those numbers have jumped over the course of the past two months as the first-year guard has grown into a bigger role with the Celtics.

Smart, on the other hand, averages 10.8 points per game for the Celtics and is generally heralded for his leadership abilities.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Though his Mavericks were emphatically defeated, Nerlens Noel‘s return to Philadelphia was an otherwise positive experience. “[I have] no beef at all,” Noel told Jessica Camerato of CSN Philadelphia of how his time with the Sixers came to an end. The third-year big man held a meet and greet with local fans upon his return.
  • There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the rebuilding Nets. General manager Sean Marks recently shed some on what could be next for the franchise. “Let’s build a rock-solid foundation, develop these young guys, get Isaiah Whitehead, Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson growing up and see where they are at 25, 26,” he said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
  • It’s been three years since Phil Jackson took the reins of the Knicks and Marc Berman of the New York Post says the executive left his basketball brains in Los Angeles. Berman writes that Jackson nailed the only lottery pick he’s been given (Kristaps Porzingis) but has failed to manage personalities, as was a reported strength.
  • The New York Post’s Mike Vaccaro suggests that, if a smooth operating triangle scheme is truly the goal, Phil Jackson may have been better off either handling coaching duties himself or being more assertive in having his Knicks coaches employ the triangle offense.
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Atlantic Notes: Nets, Ibaka, Bradley

March 14th, 2017 at 5:20pm CST by Austin Kent

Despite the fact that the Nets mortgaged their future for a shot at short-term success back in 2013, the franchise has shown flashes of promise throughout a long rebuild. Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders recently wrote about the years-long process, pointing out that for all the up-hill challenges the club’s general managers have faced, they’ve done a decent job drafting young talent.

When the club first moved to from New Jersey to Brooklyn, first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 were all sent to Boston in exchange for a package surrounding Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Suffice it to say, the bold gamble didn’t pay off for the franchise but the organization is making the most out of the scant cards they dealt themselves.

Grizzard mentions former general manager Billy King‘s selection of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the 2015 draft as an intriguing aspect of the current roster, as well as current general manager Sean Marks‘ decision to nab Caris LeVert at No. 20 in 2016.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • After missing 18 games with an Achilles injury, Avery Bradley had been on a minute restriction for the Celtics. As of March 12th the limitations are no longer, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
  • Say what you will about Cory Joseph backing up the injured Kyle Lowry, but one thing the reserve hasn’t been able to replicate is Lowry’s three-point shooting. “We’re more of a spread-it team,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said Monday night, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “Cory’s an attack guy, but he’s going into where everybody else is. It’s not that Cory’s doing something wrong; that’s just his game. When Kyle’s in there, he can space out and be one of the (pass) receivers out there.”
  • When the Raptors acquired Serge Ibaka, they added a rare force capable of impacting a basketball game without scoring a point, Ryan Wolstat of the National Post writes. Ibaka did just that on Monday night, finishing with a plus-18 rating despite not scoring a single basket.

 

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Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Bradley, LeVert

January 22nd, 2017 at 8:10pm CST by Austin Kent

After starting the season with a 7-24 record, the Sixers have reeled off eight wins in their past 11. The emergence of Joel Embiid has reinvigorated the franchise and the rookie big man has helped to anchor a rapidly improving defensive presence.

Now that the Sixers have shown an ability to win games, they’ve clawed their way out of the basement and up the standings. Such momentum has general manager Bryan Colangelo reconsidering the team’s willingness to make a short-term splash.

“[Winning] does lead you to want to explore other opportunities that might accelerate where we are in this. It gives us some opportunity to explore some big deals,” Colangelo told Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com. “We may be one of the only teams in the league that’s prepared with the resources and the assets to acquire a star level player.”

The Sixers have long been in rebuilding mode, but the strides that the team has taken this season under the guidance of Brett Brown suggest that this team may be ready to compete sooner than initially expected.

“My responsibility is to make sure I do the right thing for the organization,” Colangelo added. “I’ve had a lot of dialogue with a lot of teams. I know what’s out there in the marketplace.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • The Celtics have been exposed on defense without shooting guard Avery Bradley, writes Josue Pavon of WEEI 93.7 FM. While Isaiah Thomas‘ defensive shortcomings are not new, the team has seen just how much of a drop off there is between Bradley and fill-in Marcus Smart.
  • The Nets have seen seen a noticeable improvement in their third-quarter performance of late and credit the decision to bump Sean Kilpatrick from the lineup in favor of the more defensively inclined Joe Harris as part of the reason why, says Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Listen, we’re demanding that those guys — anybody that steps on the floor — we’re demanding them to defend,” says head coach Kenny Atkinson. Harris sprained his ankle Friday and his absence will give Kilpatrick one more opportunity to improve on that side of the ball.
  • Not much has gone well for the Nets this season, injuries to Jeremy Lin a major factor in their first-half struggles, but the promising play of Caris LeVert has been one of the few bright spots. Nets Daily discusses the first half of Brooklyn’s season.
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Atlantic Notes: Dinwiddie, LeVert, Millsap, Smart

January 8th, 2017 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets have liked their early returns on Spencer Dinwiddie enough to guarantee his contract for the rest of the season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn signed the third-year guard last month to a three-year deal with a partial guarantee. He has responded by averaging 5.5 points and 1.8 assists through 12 games and earning a spot in the rotation. He made his first start with the team, and just the second of his NBA career, on Friday. After being traded by the Pistons in June and waived twice by the Bulls during the offseason, Dinwiddie likes the prospect of having a shot at stability. “They say bet on yourself,” Dinwiddie posted Saturday on his Instagram account. “Sometimes in the face of adversity you have to double down. Thank you to the Nets organization. Happy to have a home.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Rookie guard Caris LeVert appears to be another gamble that’s paying off, Lewis states in a separate piece. In just his 15th NBA game, LeVert scored 19 points and was a team-best plus-10 against the champion Cavaliers on Friday. The Nets have been happy with the progress of LeVert, who slipped to 20th in the draft after his college career was cut short by a foot injury. “We saw a glimpse of who he can be, who we project him to be,” said coach Kenny Atkinson. “The defensive part of it is obviously the most important, especially on that wing position. We can throw him out there against the Paul Georges and the LeBrons [James], and he did a pretty decent job. The offensive part was a bonus.”
  • The Celtics might be interested in Hawks forward Paul Millsap, but only if he guarantees not to opt out of the final year of his contract, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Atlanta is reportedly listening to offers for the 31-year-old power forward and wants a “quality” draft pick in return. Millsap can opt out of his nearly $21.5MM salary for next season and become a free agent this summer. Washburn speculates that any deal would involve one of the Nets‘ picks that Boston owns plus Amir Johnson and another starter to match salaries. A trade would reunite Millsap with Al Horford, but it would push Horford to center, where he would prefer not to play.
  • Celtics guard Marcus Smart is emerging as more than just a defensive force, writes ESPN’s Chris Forsberg. Boston has already exercised its 2017/18 option on the 22-year-old.
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New York Notes: Galloway, LeVert, Porzingis

December 31st, 2016 at 9:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Knicks made an effort to re-sign Langston Galloway over the summer, but the lure of returning to his home-state propelled the combo guard to join the Pelicans, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “I didn’t think I would leave [New York],’’ Galloway said. “But I had an opportunity to go home. That definitely was big, important for me and my family and wife. It’s definitely been great playing back home, loving the atmosphere New Orleans has.’’

Here’s more from the Big Apple:

  • Caris LeVert has only played 12 games this season because of a foot injury, but Nets coach Kenny Atkinson likes what he’s seeing from the rookie, Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays. “[LeVert’s play has been] Super positive. I just said that to our coaches, his energy, how hard he plays, how fast he is, his athleticism, how aggressive he is,” Atkinson said. “So that’s the positive we take out of [it], that he’s really starting to grow in front of our eyes. That’s good to see.”
  • Randy Foye is taking advantage of his playing opportunity this season and he credits his experience playing alongside diverse play-makers for his ability to help the Nets run an effective offense, Lewis writes in a separate piece. “I played with [Blake Griffin in the past], last year being with [Russell Westbrook] and [Kevin Durant], and seeing the double team and just knowing you’ve got to have the right spacing,” Foye said. The shooting guard signed a one-year deal with Brooklyn during the offseason.
  • Kristaps Porzingis said Anthony Davis‘ game has greatly influenced his own, Berman passes along in a separate piece. “Before I got to the NBA, I was watching him a lot — skinny guy coming out of college, how he was able to adjust to the NBA, at this level,” Porzingis said of Davis. “Obviously, I learned from him — even seeing defensively, able to hold guys in the post. His skill set is his, pretty all-around. He can do everything, but it was more seeing how he can adjust with his physicality.”
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New York Notes: Motiejunas, LeVert, Knicks, Rose

December 25th, 2016 at 6:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

Donatas Motiejunas would have been a huge addition for the Nets if the Rockets hadn’t matched his offer sheet, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Having another 7-footer on the court would have helped a team that ranks last in points allowed and scoring margin. Motiejunas could also have provided a fourth scorer in the starting lineup. The Nets have given more than 800 combined front line minutes to Justin Hamilton and Luis Scola, neither of whom is having a productive season. After matching the four-year, $37MM offer sheet, Houston worked out a separate deal with Motiejunas, then waived him after his physical. That made him a restricted free agent, but he’s not permitted to sign with Brooklyn for a full year after the offer sheet was matched.

The Nets still have nearly $17.8MM in cap room and seem like obvious candidates to make some roster moves before the February 23rd trade deadline. “Will we be active? I think we’ll be strategic,’’ GM Sean Marks said. “We’re not just going to jump on something.”

There’s more news today out of New York:

  • Nets rookie Caris LeVert can expect to see his minutes expanded as the season wears on, according to NetsDaily. LeVert had nine points and seven rebounds in Friday’s loss to Cleveland and is making an impression on coach Kenny Atkinson. “I love how hard he plays. Good for him to see a few shots go down,” Atkinson said. “That’s a positive we get out of this game.”
  • The Knicks‘ winning record isn’t impressive because it was built against lower-level teams, charges Marc Berman of The New York Post. With today’s loss to the Celtics, New York is now 16-14, but just 3-10 against teams that are .500 or better. “That’s the jump we got to make,’’ shooting guard Courtney Lee said. “Just learn from it and put it all together so when we play those losing teams we’re supposed to take of, we do that, but then the plus-.500 teams we got to start taking care of that, too.”
  • Derrick Rose is hoping to remain healthy for the rest of the season after recovering from back spasms, Berman writes in a separate story. After appearing in 66 games with the Bulls last season, Rose has been able to play in 25 of the Knicks’ first 30 contests. “I feel good,” he said. “Not feeling my back anymore. My body is healthy — just trying to find a rhythm, just trying to play my game, either a floater or try to finish at the rim or me trying to dunk. I feel all three elements are my game.”
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Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Afflalo, Nets, Celtics

December 5th, 2016 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

DeMar DeRozan didn’t take meetings with any teams besides the Raptors in free agency this summer, and has spoken since then about wanting to spend his entire career in Toronto. As Masai Ujiri tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, that sort of commitment from an All-Star like DeRozan is a big step for a franchise that historically hasn’t been a go-to destination for top free agents.

“It means a lot coming from a player like him,” the Raptors president said. “When DeMar came here, he dedicated himself to Toronto. He’s giving it his all. Everyone was saying, ‘Oh, when DeMar makes all that money,’ and blah, blah, blah. It’s not like it’s going to change that guy. All that guy knows is basketball. DeMar got his contract in the summer and he is performing and playing even better than before. But that is who DeMar is. We all know he is a phenomenal person and basketball player.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

  • Kings guard Arron Afflalo played his old team in New York on Sunday, and said that even though his brief stint with the Knicks didn’t result in much success, he still valued the experience, per Newsday’s Barbara Barker. “Playing for the Knicks is one of those things that whether it was good, bad or indifferent, it’s something to be proud of. It’s really a historic franchise,” Afflalo said. “Had some good times, had some bad times. Quick one-year run, but it’s something I’ll always remember.”
  • Brian Lewis of The New York Post spoke to NBA scouts about the Nets‘ offer sheet for Donatas Motiejunas, and the general consensus was that it makes sense for Brooklyn to try to land a player like Motiejunas. “What’s to lose? It’s a good move. I don’t see a negative,” said veteran scout Scott McGuire. “They have to shake the bushes.”
  • While Caris LeVert has been cleared to make his debut for the Nets, it’s not clear how much playing time the 2016 first-rounder will actually receive right away, Lewis writes in a separate piece for The Post.
  • With their schedule “about to crank into overdrive,” the Celtics continue to be a bit of a mystery, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com.
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