Day’Ron Sharpe

Nets Notes: Thomas, Simmons, Bogdanovic, Core, Barrett

September 27th, 2024 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

Cam Thomas took a big step forward as a scorer last season, increasing his points per game from 10.6 in 2022/23 to 22.5 in ’23/24 without a significant dip in efficiency — his .554 TS% last season was only a tick below his .567 mark from the year before.

With Mikal Bridges no longer in Brooklyn, Thomas figures to take on even more offensive responsibilities in his fourth NBA season, and new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters on Thursday that he’s looking forward to helping Thomas take on that challenge.

“Development is the No. 1 thing. For everybody, not just the young guys, but also the veterans. Everybody has to get better, there has to be a plan,” Fernandez said, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “And my conversations with Cam are ‘Can I help you be more efficient of a scorer?’ If you look at his numbers, the less he dribbles, the more efficient he is. Like, to the top of the NBA. It’s impressive.

“His superpower is to score the ball, and what we need to do is to help him do that, but in an efficient way. Same as his play-making, because he attracts so much attention, teams are going to try to blitz him, load to him, how he can kick that and create more assists. It’s on me and the rest of the coaching staff to help him, and we believe he can take that next step.”

Thomas, who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract, is eligible to sign an extension at any time up until October 21. If he doesn’t sign a new deal by that point, he’ll be on track for restricted free agency in 2025.

According to Lewis, the Nets aren’t believed to have engaged in contract negotiations yet with either Thomas or Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, who are also extension-eligible. General manager Sean Marks didn’t get into specifics when asked about the possibility of new deals for one or more of those players.

“In terms of extension talks, there are several guys on our team that we could be having those same conversations with. So we’ll certainly engage with agents and the players,” Marks said. “It’s important to always have that door open. The window will certainly close on the extension if we can’t get something done, but it’s important for those players to know we care about them, and here’s where we see them, whether the timing is right this year or if it’s next offseason from an organizational standpoint and also from their standpoint.”

We have more on the Nets:

The Nets confirmed on Thursday that Ben Simmons – who underwent back surgery earlier this year – has been cleared for the start of training camp, as his agent recently announced. However, veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic will be unavailable as he continues to recover after undergoing offseason surgeries on his left foot and wrist, Lewis writes for The New York Post. Although Bogdanovic was essentially just a salary-matching piece in the Bridges trade with the Knicks, he’s not believed to have had any discussions with Brooklyn about a buyout, Lewis notes.
Making sure Simmons is fully healthy will be the Nets’ top priority for the former No. 1 overall pick, new head coach Jordi Fernandez said on Thursday, per Erik Slater of ClutchPoints. As long as Simmons can stay off the injured list, Fernandez is optimistic about how the three-time All-Star will fit in his scheme. “We wanna play fast. He’s still one of the best play-makers to be able to do that,” Fernandez said. “If you can play fast, touch the paint, move the ball, reverse the ball, all that stuff, Ben really fits all that. Now, are playing like this because of Ben? No. We’re playing like that because that’s the style of play we want for our team.”
Although the Nets can’t realistically have championship aspirations in 2024/25, Marks observed on Thursday that it will be an important year for determining which of the team’s current players can be part of the long-term core. “For me, myself, from the front office side, we’re looking at it from, ‘Who are the next Nets?'” Marks told reporters, including Evan Barnes of Newsday (subscriber link). “Who do we look at and say, OK, this person can be part of this rebuild and this person is on the team for the next two, three years. That’s going to be important for us.”
NetsDaily has a full transcript of Marks’ and Fernandez’s comments from Thursday’s press conference.
Jordan Greene of NetsDaily spoke to Bronx native Andre Barrett, who was hired by the Nets as a scout this summer, about his new position, how he ended up in Brooklyn, and his thoughts on the team’s offseason moves.

Four Under-The-Radar Players To Watch For 2024/25

July 29th, 2024 at 8:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Rosters for the 2024/25 season are far from being set, but it’s never too early to try to predict some of next season’s happenings. When considering players who are primed for breakouts, draft picks who immediately became stars like Paolo Banchero and Victor Wembanyama come to mind, but several more players in a tier below that will emerge as rotation mainstays for the first time.

Think players like Sam Hauser of the Celtics. Hauser gradually crept up Boston’s rotation over the past three years, eventually becoming a part of the title core and earning himself an extension. Likewise, Miles McBride was a second-round pick who showed promise, but eventually broke out after the ’23/24 deadline for New York. Isaiah Joe of the Thunder is another example, while Vince Williams of the Grizzlies and Simone Fontecchio of the Pistons also broke onto the scene earlier this year.

With that said, here are four players I think could “break out” next season in the sense that they go from a fringe rotation piece to a reliable regular for a team.

Day’Ron Sharpe

This might be cheating a bit, since Sharpe appeared in 61 games last season and averaged 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. However, he managed to record those numbers in just 15.1 minutes per night, improving across the board for the Nets. I expect Sharpe to play more this season even though he’s still behind Nic Claxton in the rotation.

For starters, the Nets pivoted toward a rebuild this offseason after trading away Mikal Bridges. With Bridges gone and players like Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic and Dennis Schröder set up to be potential trade pieces, there should be more minutes to go around at some point in the season, at least in theory. That would put Sharpe, the No. 29 overall pick in 2021, in prime position to play more and continue to show off his improvement.

Sharpe is set to be a restricted free agent next offseason and, if he manages to continue to show linear growth, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him draw a bevy of suitors. If the Nets didn’t want to pay Sharpe after handing a contract to Claxton this offseason, Sharpe could draw interest at the deadline for a playoff team needing size or another young team looking for a mainstay.

Given his contract status, youth (heturns 23 this season), and team positioning, Sharpe seems like a solid candidate to “break out” for next season.

Max Christie

The Lakers have had a quiet offseason, with their only external additions being 2024 draftees Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. One move that flew under the radar was the long-term extension of Christie, a player who only played 14.1 minutes last season. While the 2022 No. 35 pick saw his responsibilities increase last season from his rookie year, he holds a career average of 3.8 points per game.

Clearly, the Lakers liked what they saw from the 21-year-old Christie, as they rewarded him with a $32MM deal. While he hasn’t played a ton at the NBA level, he holds solid upside as a three-and-D prospect. It was somewhat surprising, for my money, that a team with cap space didn’t try to price Christie out of the Lakers’ range.

The Lakers getting Christie back could be a huge win for a team that needs three-and-D players in their rotation. Given that the Lakers might still make a trade before the year and players ahead of him last year either fell out of favor or simply left in free agency, Christie seems like a lock for more minutes and production next season. He could have a key role for the Lakers in the final couple years of his contract if things play right.

Craig Porter Jr./Ricky Council IV

While Porter and Council are distinctly different players, both could improve and continue to work their way into the rotations of playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference, which is why they’re grouped together here.

Porter played more on a two-way contract last season before being promoted to a standard deal. He’s a small guard but has played well above his size both in college and in the pros. He works well as a secondary ball-handler and a solid defensive guard. While the Cavaliers still have three open roster spots and could add a player or two who may overtake Porter in the guard room, I could see him winning the ninth or 10th spot in the rotation and potentially being the club’s top backup lead guard.

Council didn’t play as much for the Sixers until the end of the season, but his high efficiency impressed the organization and they rewarded him with a standard contract.

While Philadelphia eventually re-signed Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre, Kyle Lowry and KJ Martin, I find it telling that the Council was just one of two players from last year’s roster who stayed on the roster throughout the entire offseason. His contract for next season is non-guaranteed, so they easily could have waived him if they felt someone else better fit his role. Martin and draft picks Jared McCain and Adem Bona might not play much next season, which has Council and Eric Gordon looking like the team’s only true bench wings off the bench.

While it’s not a lock Porter or Council make an impact on the rotation this year — let alone make it through their contracts being guaranteed at the league-wide date in 2025 — their organizations have shown they value each respective player. To me, Porter and Council are some of the more likely candidates to follow Hauser’s footsteps of developing for a couple seasons before breaking into a rotation.

Nets Notes: Johnson, Finney-Smith, Sharpe, Claxton, Bridges

June 26th, 2024 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Mikal Bridges was the first player the Nets agreed to trade this offseason, but he seems unlikely to be the last. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schröder, Ben Simmons, Day’Ron Sharpe, and newcomer Bojan Bogdanovic are among the potential trade candidates to keep an eye on Brooklyn going forward.

Johnson, in particular, could appeal to teams in the market for shooting help, Scotto notes. The former Sun has made 39.2% of his career-three point attempts and is under contract for three more seasons on a deal that declines to $22.5MM in 2024/25 and to $20.5MM in ’25/26 before returning to $22.5MM in ’26/27.

Here’s more on the Nets:

The package Brooklyn is receiving for Bridges doesn’t include any 2024 draft picks, but the Nets still believe they’ll be able to move into the 20s on Wednesday night if there’s a specific player they like in the range, according to Scotto, who points to Finney-Smith as a player who may be dangled in that scenario.
Sharpe has drawn trade interest from teams around the league beyond just the Grizzlies. Executives who spoke to Scotto believe Brooklyn could demand multiple second-round picks in exchange for the young big man, who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract.
The Nets’ desire to re-sign free agent center Nic Claxton doesn’t appear to have diminished, according to Scotto, who hears from sources that the team wants to hang onto the big man going forward. The Pelicans – who were among the teams pursuing Bridges, sources tell HoopsHype – have “several admirers” of Claxton in their front office and are one of the clubs curious to see if he might become available via sign-and-trade, Scotto adds.
While there were conflicting reports on Tuesday about whether Bridges explicitly requested a trade to the Knicks, Brian Lewis of The New York Post hears that the forward at least “quietly angled” to get to Brooklyn’s cross-town rivals. The deal – along with the Nets’ trade to regain control of their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks – has “turbocharged” the organization’s rebuild, Lewis writes.

Moore’s Latest: Kings, Kuzma, Bulls, Bridges, Sixers, Jones, Grizzlies, More

June 19th, 2024 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are expected to return to the trade market this offseason with the same assets they offered Toronto for Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby earlier in 2023/24, writes Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com: Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and draft compensation.

While Sacramento will do its best to re-sign Malik Monk, the team only holds his Early Bird rights and will be limited to offering him up to $78MM over four years. If Monk ends up getting away, the Kings will likely feel some additional pressure to make a trade to upgrade its rotation — and will have some additional financial flexibility to add salary.

The Kings will likely circle back to the Wizards to discuss Kyle Kuzma, according to Moore, who says Sacramento has also talked to the Bulls about Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso. LaVine, whose price tag is believed to be lower now than it ever has been, could become a more attractive target if Monk departs, Moore adds.

Here are a few more items of interest from Moore’s latest look at free agency and the trade market:

The Sixers are expected to have interest in forward Miles Bridges in free agency, according to Moore. Philadelphia would have more than enough cap room to make a competitive offer for Bridges, especially if it misses out on its top targets. Moore reports that the Hornets are “known to be” fans of Bulls restricted free agent Patrick Williams, so he could be a target for Charlotte if the team loses Bridges.
Veteran point guard Tyus Jones, who was a full-time starter this past season for the Wizards, is expected to seek a deal worth north of $15MM annually, two sources tell Moore. Jones is the No. 15 free agent on our top-50 list.
There’s an expectation that the Grizzlies will look to add multiple centers this summer, Moore writes, noting that Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe is a name to watch for Memphis. A Grizzlies offer for Sharpe could consist of a second-round pick and one of their bench wings, Moore adds.
The Grizzlies are also among the teams that have expressed interest in Hawks center Clint Capela, along with the Wizards, Pelicans, and Bulls, Moore says.
The free agent market for Heat forward Haywood Highsmith is expected to start around the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.2MM), two team cap strategists tell Moore.

Nets Notes: Clowney, Finney-Smith, Ollie, Mitchell

April 6th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the play-in tournament now out of reach, the Nets are giving more minutes to first-round pick Noah Clowney, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). The 19-year-old power forward, who spent most of the season in the G League, had 22 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday against Indiana, becoming the youngest player in the league to reach those numbers in a game this season.

“I always say, ‘They bleed the same blood, they put their shorts on just like I do,’” Clowney said. “Yeah, [the Pacers] are a good team, but I’ve got to play with the same confidence I play with in the G [League] that I do here. I don’t want to start playing shy, and then I’m playing bad, tripping over mistakes. Just play confident.”

Lewis notes that Clowney has been taking minutes away from Day’Ron Sharpe in the Nets’ big man rotation as the team starts looking ahead to next year. Clowney has shown an ability to score when facing up to the basket, and although he’s still not strong enough to match up with centers, Brooklyn believes he’ll eventually be able to handle that spot as well.

“He’s position-less, and we want him to play like that,” interim head coach Kevin Ollie said. “He’s sticking one-through-five. I got some clips of him sticking, going over the pick-and-roll and blocking [Jordan] Poole, and switching out onto big men, got a charge [the other day]. I mean, he’s done all of those small things, and when he got comfortable shooting his three-point shot, look out. He’s going to open up all of our offense.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

The father of Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith got to watch him in person tonight for the first time since he started playing basketball, writes Dennis P. Gorman of The Associated Press. Elbert Smith had been in prison since 1996 after being convicted of second-degree murder. The Virginia Parole Board voted unanimously last year to release Smith, who was freed in December. He had to wait for his travel restrictions to be lifted before he could go to Brooklyn to watch his son. “It’s exciting,” Finney-Smith said before the game. “It’s exciting knowing it’s (going to) be his first time ever seeing me play in person. But definitely want to get his win for him, so just try and focus on getting the win.”
The Nets will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017/18, but the organization is still placing value on ending the season the right way, Lewis states in a separate story. Ollie and general manager Sean Marks want to see who keeps competing even though there’s not much at stake. “You can still grow in the season, you can still grow now,” Ollie said. “You can ask yourself what are you really made of? Because a lot of people will quit in this situation. But you can ask yourself what kind of man am I? What kind of team do we want [the] Brooklyn Nets to be? And these are the times — and the challenging times — when you really see your true character.”
Brooklyn will definitely have interest in Donovan Mitchell if the Cavaliers decide to trade him this summer, Lewis adds in another piece. Rumors surrounding Mitchell have heated up since he sidestepped a question about signing an extension with Cleveland.

Nets Notes: Bridges, Simmons, Walker, Sharpe, Thomas

March 9th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Tristan Tucker

With multiple players injured for extended periods this season and the Nets declining offers of multiple first-round picks for him, the pressure has been on Mikal Bridges to be a star for Brooklyn, The New York Post’s Brian Lewis writes. Bridges is slumping as of late, averaging 15.6 points on 37.6% shooting in his past 10 games, and Lewis writes that it’s a result of not just being exhausted, but from getting a lack of offensive help elsewhere.

“You know it hurts when you don’t have [Cam Thomas] or [Cameron Johnson] where they’re double-teaming [him], and you expect him to be Superman. But he’s just not Superman,” interim head coach Kevin Ollie said. “All the game plan is to [stop] him, to take him out of the game. And in this opportunity, he can learn through this. Even through struggle, you have an opportunity to find a lesson in it, and I think he’ll find a lesson in it. When he gets in this situation again, he’ll be better equipped.”

Bridges is still having a career year, averaging bests in points, rebounds and assists. However, he hasn’t yet regained his post-2023 deadline self, when he averaged 26.1 points per game after being moved to Brooklyn. The recent slump isn’t helping, but the forward, who hasn’t missed a game since entering the NBA, insists it isn’t because he needs a break.

“No, it’s just between missing shots and schemes on other teams. It’s just a mix of that,” Bridges said. “It’s not too many times where I come off and it’s easy looks now. And it’s just part of growth, and some are just gonna make me better [and] make the team better when it’s all said and done. But just get through that hump. But no, it’s just between making and missing shots.”

We have more from the Nets:

Ben Simmons being shut down for the season leaves his future with the organization in question, Lewis writes in a separate story. Simmons has played just 57 of a possible 192 regular season games for the Nets and his $40.3MM salary next season makes it hard to move the former All-Defensive Team member in a trade. Lewis speculates the Nets could consider a buyout. Ollie didn’t say whether Simmons would require another surgery, but Brooklyn has to determine whether he’s a sunk cost, Lewis writes. “I hope his mental is fine,” Bridges said. “I just know getting hurt isn’t fun at all. It gets with you mentally, so hope he’s just all right and just hope [for a] speedy recovery.“
Simmons’ career with the Nets may have been over before it started, The New York Post’s Dan Martin writes in a member-only article. Simmons was already showing a knack for unavailability before the Nets acquired him for James Harden. However, it’s worth noting Harden could’ve left for nothing in the offseason in 2022 if Brooklyn didn’t make the move, and taking a shot on a former top defender – who was 25 years old at the time – was a reasonable gamble.
Lonnie Walker has been a silver lining in an otherwise disappointing season for Brooklyn, Lewis writes (subscriber link). Walker is averaging 11.4 points while making 42.5% of his 5.1 three-point attempts per game after signing with Brooklyn on a one-year, minimum salary deal. He’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason.
Day’Ron Sharpe (right wrist contusion) and Cam Thomas (right ankle/midfoot sprain) are both available for the Nets in Saturday’s matchup against the Hornets, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). Sharpe missed the past two games with his injury, while Thomas hasn’t played since Feb. 26. Sharpe is averaging 7.3 points and 6.7 rebounds while Thomas is scoring 20.9 points per game for Brooklyn this season.

New York Notes: Knicks Injuries, Nets, Johnson, Sharpe, Thomas

March 7th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave injury updates on multiple players on Thursday, as Fred Katz of The Athletic relays (All Twitter links).

Thibodeau said forward OG Anunoby, who is recovering from right elbow surgery, has been doing contract drills and is playing five-on-five, which indicates he’s getting close to returning. He’ll be day-to-day moving forward, though he hasn’t yet been fully cleared to play. Anunoby last suited up on January 27.

According to Katz, Thibodeau gave a brief update on Mitchell Robinson, who has been sidelined since December 8 following foot surgery, saying, “Mitch looks good. He told me to tell everyone that.”

Thibodeau also said star guard Jalen Brunson was able to participate in most of Thursday’s practice, but he wasn’t sure what his status would be for the injury report ahead of Friday’s game vs. Orlando, Katz adds.

Here are a few more notes out of New York:

With 20 games remaining, the Nets are three games behind the Hawks for the No. 10 seed in the East — the final spot in the play-in tournament. As Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post writes, Brooklyn has the league’s second-easiest remaining schedule, but is embarking on a stretch with 10 of 11 games on the road, where the team is just 9-19 thus far in 2023/24. How the Nets fare over that stretch could determine whether or not they make the playoffs.
Nets forward Cameron Johnson exited Tuesday’s victory over Philadelphia with a right ankle sprain and was unable to return, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Yeah, it’s just a right ankle sprain and we’re gonna evaluate him [Wednesday],” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “I imagine they’ll evaluate him [Tuesday night], but we’ll have more information [in the morning].” Johnson is officially out for Thursday’s matchup in Detroit, Lewis tweets. On the NBA’s latest injury report, backup center Day’Ron Sharpe has also been ruled out due to a right wrist contusion he sustained during a hard fall Monday.
In more positive news for the Nets, their second-leading scorer could return this weekend, according to Lewis (Twitter link). Cam Thomas has been battling a right ankle/midfoot sprain and will be out Thursday, but he might be back either Saturday vs. Charlotte or Sunday vs. Cleveland. The third-year guard will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason.

New York Notes: Sharpe, Johnson, Simmons, Knicks Injuries, Bogdanovic

February 12th, 2024 at 5:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe will return to action on Tuesday night against the Celtics, according to Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. Sharpe has missed the last 15 games due to a left knee hyperextension.

“I ain’t think I would be out this long,” Sharpe said. “But you know, it could have been worse.”

Cameron Johnson, who has missed the last three games due to an adductor issue, won’t play the first of two consecutive games against Boston. He participated in full-court five-on-five at practice on Monday but may be held out until after the All-Star break.

We have more from the New York teams:

Nets guard Ben Simmons scored a season-high 13 points against San Antonio on Saturday, missing just one field goal attempt. Simmons is gaining more confidence in his body after missing a good chunk of the season, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post . “Feeling better. It takes time. It’s one of those things where it’s just up and down each day. But I’m just staying with it. The storm doesn’t last forever,” Simmons said. “You know, I’m gonna get back to where I was. So just staying on it. And you know, each day is a day to get better.”
Frontcourt injuries have sapped some of the Knicks’ greatest strengths — notably, strength, size and rim protection, Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post writes. That was evident in a loss to Indiana on Saturday. The Knicks will have to make do with a depleted frontcourt once again when they play Houston and Orlando prior to the All-Star break. “It’s always tough when you’re small,” Donte DiVincenzo said, “but I think over these next two games, we’ve just got to find a way to win. Hopefully, we get guys back, but if you don’t, you’ve gotta be ready, gotta be scrappy, and collectively we have to hit the boards a little bit better.”
Bojan Bogdanovic got a taste of what it’s like playing for the home team in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, producing 11 points in 33 minutes during his Knicks’ debut. He was acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline and was blown away by the atmosphere at the Knicks’ home arena, Sanchez writes in separate story. “It’s crazy. I think that we all European players dream to play in the Garden,” he said. “So being able to be part of the Knicks, it’s really special for me. The building was on fire the whole game. So I really appreciate the support and love that they showed me (Saturday).”

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.

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.”

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