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Nets Re-Sign Joe Harris

July 24th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 24: The Nets have officially re-signed Harris, going over the cap using his Early Bird rights to sign him.

JUNE 30: The Nets have reached an agreement with free agent sharpshooter Joe Harris, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Harris will re-sign with Brooklyn on a two-year, $16MM deal.

It will be a straight two-year contract with no options on either side, adds Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Nets will retain Harris’ $1.5MM cap hold, use all their available space and then use his Early Bird rights to go over the cap and finalize the signing, according to salary cap expert Albert Nahmad (Twitter link). They can still produce up to $8.1MM in cap space, plus whatever they might save in a buyout of Dwight Howard.

Harris, 26, struggled to find a spot in the NBA before coming to Brooklyn two seasons ago. He emerged as a valuable reserve for the Nets, averaging 8.2 points per game in 2016/17 and improving that to 10.8 this season while hitting 42% from 3-point range.

The new deal represents a significant salary jump for Harris, who earned $1.5MM this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nets Notes: Lin, Faried, Napier, Vezenkov

July 14th, 2018 at 5:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets weren’t convinced that point guard Jeremy Lin will be physically ready for training camp, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Lin, who was traded to the Hawks on Thursday, is coming off a ruptured patellar tendon that he suffered in last season’s opener.

The 29-year-old point guard hasn’t been medically cleared for three-on-three contact games and may take a while to get ready for five-on-five. He played just 37 games over two years after signing with Brooklyn in 2016 and carried a $12.5MM salary that the team needed to unload before completing a deal with Denver.

“I love Jeremy Lin because he represents the underdog in all of us — truly first class on and off the court,” tweeted co-owner Joe Tsai after the deal was completed. “Jeremy is not only exciting to watch, he sets an example for perseverance and leadership. We are great friends, and I will follow his progress no matter where he is.”

There’s more today out of Brooklyn:

The Nets had been trying for months to acquire Kenneth Faried from the Nuggets, Lewis adds in the same story. Brooklyn officials hoped to make a deal before last month’s draft, but Denver was unwilling to give up this year’s first-rounder, which it used to get Michael Porter Jr. Nets GM Sean Marks improved his bargaining position by unloading Timofey Mozgov to the Hornets and Lin to the Hawks, giving him enough cap room to take on Faried and Darrell Arthur while getting a future first-rounder and second-rounder.
Today’s agreement with Shabazz Napier will use up the last of the Nets’ remaining cap room, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Brooklyn has 14 players under contract, 13 with guaranteed money, and can now exceed the cap by finalizing deals with Joe Harris under the Early Bird exception and Ed Davis under the room mid-level exception.
Aleksandar Vezenkov, a second-round pick from 2016, will get a better chance to develop his skills after signing with Olympiacos in Greece this week, according to NetsDaily.com. A stretch four, Vezenkov spent last season with F.C. Barcelona, which allotted more minutes to players who weren’t likely to eventually leave for the NBA. That shouldn’t be a concern with Olympiacos, where Vezenkov will play for former Cavaliers coach David Blatt.

New York Notes: Harris, Davis, Nets, Hezonja

July 2nd, 2018 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

Before he agreed to a two-year, $16MM deal with the Nets, free agent sharpshooter Joe Harris fielded competitive offers from rival suitors. However, he tells Michael Scotto of The Athletic that his priority was remaining in Brooklyn.

“I had some offers for longer-term deals, but ultimately from the get-go, I had basically said that I wanted to stay in Brooklyn and however we could come to an agreement on that,” Harris said.

Meanwhile, the Nets’ other noteworthy July 1 move involved reaching a contract agreement with Ed Davis, who will ink a one-year, $4.4MM contract with the club. According to Scotto, Davis received interest from the Warriors, Sixers, Thunder, and Trail Blazers before striking a deal with the Nets.

Here are a few more notes on the NBA’s two New York teams:

The Nets are not actively shopping anyone on their roster in trade talks, a league source tells Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). That includes Jeremy Lin, who has a $12.5MM expiring contract in 2018/19 and will be part of a point guard rotation that also includes Spencer Dinwiddie and D’Angelo Russell.
Within his report on Mario Hezonja‘s agreement with the Knicks, Marc Berman of The New York Post notes that the forward chose New York over seven other teams, including the runner-up Trail Blazers. “The main reason is David Fizdale. He sold him,” a source told Berman. “The goal is to be here long term and finish his career. He was a fan of the team growing up.” Hezonja’s deal significantly reduces the odds of Michael Beasley returning to the Knicks, Berman adds.
Nets restricted free agent Milton Doyle has drawn interest from the Timberwolves and an Eastern Conference team, among others, reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). A two-way player last year, Doyle could sign an offer sheet with another club, but Brooklyn would have the chance to match it.

Pacers May Pursue Doug McDermott, Joe Harris

June 30th, 2018 at 6:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

With Will Barton expected to re-sign in Denver, the Pacers will turn their attention to Doug McDermott and Joe Harris, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

McDermott, 26, became a free agent on Wednesday when the Mavericks withdrew their qualifying offer. He split this season between New York and Dallas, playing 26 games for the Mavs after a February trade and averaging 9.0 points per night while shooting 49% from 3-point range.

Harris, also 26, is coming off his best NBA season. He averaged 10.8 points and shot 42% on 3-pointers in 78 games for the Nets.

Nets Notes: Harris, Lin, Marks, Cap Room

April 17th, 2018 at 12:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets are committed to re-signing free agent Joe Harris this summer, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic. The fourth-year swingman is coming off his best NBA season, averaging 10.8 points per game while shooting .419 from 3-point range. He emerged as a rotation player in Brooklyn last season after two years of trying to earn a role in Cleveland, and said “I don’t really envision myself being anywhere else” during a media session last week.

Scotto talked to eight NBA executives who estimate Harris will get offers between $4MM and $7MM per season. That shouldn’t be an issue for the Nets, who will have up to $20MM in available cap space. Harris just wrapped up a two-year veterans’ minimum deal he signed with Brooklyn in 2016.

“I think Joe made it pretty clear in some of the statements he made that he’d love to be back here,” GM Sean Marks said. “That’s how the organization feels about him, too. As [coach] Kenny [Atkinson] alluded to before, we’ve got some decisions to make on several, but definitely, Joe is a guy we see in a Nets uniform.”

There’s more news out of Brooklyn:

Jeremy Lin‘s season was wiped out by a ruptured patella tendon on opening night, but the front office believes he will be an impact player next season, Scotto relays in the same story. Injuries limited Lin to 36 games during 2016/17 in his first season with Brooklyn, so he feels like he has something to prove heading into the final year of his contract. “I would say I wouldn’t bet against Jeremy,” Marks cautioned. “The way he’s attacked his rehab over the course of the last six to eight months is really impressive. He’s come back with a little bit of a new lease on life, which is great.”
The Nets plan to remain patient in the rebuilding process, Scotto adds. The team raised its victory total from 20 to 28 this season and is aiming for modest improvements over the summer. Brooklyn’s cap room will be reduced by about $8.5MM if it makes a qualifying offer to Nik Stauskas and picks up non-guaranteed salaries for Spencer Dinwiddie and Isaiah Whitehead. Lin’s contract expires next summer and Allen Crabbe can opt out, giving the Nets much more flexibility in the 2019 free agent market.
Atkinson is happy with the progress that Crabbe, D’Angelo Russell and Jarrett Allen all made during their first year with the franchise, but he wants them to improve on defense, especially with forcing turnovers, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Atlantic Notes: Harris, Celtics, Saric, Prokhorov

April 16th, 2018 at 9:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Re-signing Joe Harris is one of Nets GM Sean Marks’ offseason priorities, he told Alex Labidou of the team’s website and other reporters during a press conference. Harris averaged 10.8 PPG and shot 41.9% from long range in 25.3 MPG this season. “I think Joe made it pretty clear from statements he made that he’d love to be back here. That’s how the organization feels about him, too,” Marks said. Harris made just over $1.5MM and will likely receive a significant salary bump.

In other Atlantic Division developments:

The Celtics might regret not trading their own first-round pick for Grizzlies swingman Tyreke Evans to fortify their bench, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News opines. It’s possible but certainly no slam dunk that the Celtics will get a useful player with the No. 27 overall pick, Deveney continues. Boston didn’t know at the time it would lose Kyrie Irving for the postseason but Game 1 against the Bucks showed how badly the team could use a playmaker off the bench, Deveney adds.
Dario Saric‘s 3-point shooting is a key component in the Sixers’ playoff run, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Saric had 20 points and went 4-for-6 from long range in Game 1 against the Heat. “It’s the future of our sport,” coach Brett Brown said. “If you don’t have a four-man that can stretch the floor you aren’t going to play very long in the playoffs.”
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s stake in the team in 2015 may have been purchased at an artificially low price, according to Josh Kosman of the New York Post. Prokhorov did not make it easy for Forest City Enterprises to find an outside buyer when it tried to sell its 20 percent share of the franchise, withholding financial information from prospective buyers, sources told Kosman. Prokhorov would up buying that stake at a $875MM valuation and that valuation increased 270% in three years when he sold 49% of the team last week.

Nets Notes: Okafor, Harris, Backcourt, Ownership

April 12th, 2018 at 6:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

With the Nets‘ season complete, one subplot to watch this offseason will be what happens to Jahlil Okafor as he enters free agency. After Okafor was traded from the Sixers to the Nets, there was an expectation that he’d see more playing time in Brooklyn, but that was not the case. After the early-December trade, Okafor only appeared in 26 games.

Michael Scotto of The Athletic (subscription required) spoke to several Eastern Conference personnel to gauge possible interest in Okafor as a free agent. While the former third overall pick does have upside, particularly on offense, his limited rebounding and defensive skills will impact his ability to secure guaranteed playing time. One Eastern Conference executive described Okafor’s style as “antiquated” while another said that Okafor’s best bet may be a one-year deal where he can rebuild his value as a starter.

“He’s a pretty impressive force in one singular area,” an Eastern Conference scout told The Athletic. “He doesn’t defend, and he doesn’t rebound. Coach K did not do him any favors by hiding him for that year. He’s become a better person after having made a few tough mistakes in his rookie season. He’s changed his body and developed a bit of range to his game, but those things were easier than committing himself to the other effort improvements.”

Check out more Nets notes below:

With Jeremy Lin slated to return in the fall, the Nets will enter the 2018/19 season with a crowded backcourt, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. In addition to Lin, D‘Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert will all be in the mix for Brooklyn next season.
Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris will be a free agent as well and it’s been reported he could be in line for a substantial raise. However, Harris said he wants to remain in Brooklyn and that the front office is aware, tweets Brian Lewis of the New York Post.“I’ve been in talks here – especially recently – a lot with my agent, and I’ve reiterated that I’d like to be here,” Harris said. “And I told that to Kenny (Atkinson) and Sean (Marks)…I think everybody is kind of on the same line (of thinking) right here.”
As we relayed earlier today, Mikhail Prokhorov has sold a 49% stake in the Nets to Joseph Tsai.

Nets Rumors: Harris, Okafor, Russell

April 2nd, 2018 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

In his second season with the Nets, Joe Harris has enjoyed a career year, establishing new career bests in PPG (10.7), FG% (.486), 3PT% (.411), and several other categories. However, as Michael Scotto of The Athletic details, Harris isn’t necessarily eager to parlay his success into a big payday with a new team.

“In my short experience in the NBA, this has been a very ideal fit just overall in terms of having the opportunity to play and all the great people that are within the organization,” Harris said of the Nets. “It’s hard to say the grass is greener on the other side or somewhere else.”

While Harris sounds interested in staying in Brooklyn, and agent Mark Bartelstein calls the relationship between the Nets and his client a “great marriage,” the young wing will be in line for a raise. Scotto cites eight NBA executives who believe that Harris will command between $4-7MM annually on a new deal after earning the minimum in 2017/18.

“He shoots, plays hard, cuts, and moves well off the ball,” one Eastern Conference executive said of Harris. “He’s really improved.”

Given how well wings have done in free agency over the past couple years, a deal in the $4-7MM range sounds to me like a conservative estimate for Harris and a possible bargain for a team that ends up with him. If his price tag is in that neighborhood, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Harris back with the Nets next season.

Here’s more out of Brooklyn:

A midseason trade from Philadelphia to Brooklyn initially seemed to be the opportunity Jahlil Okafor needed to earn some minutes, but the third-year center isn’t playing much more for the Nets than he did for the Sixers. With unrestricted free agency approaching, Jahlil Okafor said he’ll consider several factors when deciding on a team, but it sounds like an opportunity for more playing time will be at or near the top of his list. “At the end of the day, I want to play basketball,” Okafor said, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson indicated that Okafor would be in better positioned for a regular role if he’d spent a full offseason and training camp with the squad. However, the 22-year-old sounds unconvinced by that line of thinking, as Lewis details. “I don’t really know what that means. I’ve been here for three or four months,” Okafor said. “Saying a full offseason would help me, I’ve been with these guys for three or four months now, done everything they’ve asked of me. I’m not sure what they want. But everybody’s treated me really well.”
Although D’Angelo Russell is still considered an important part of the Nets’ long-term future, there have been some bumps in the road this season. The latest one came on Saturday, when Russell was benched for the final three quarters and overtime in Brooklyn’s win over Miami. NetsDaily has the story.
On Sunday, our Austin Kent took a closer look at the stocks of several Nets free-agents-to-be, including Harris and Okafor.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2018: Brooklyn Nets

April 1st, 2018 at 8:55pm CST by Austin Kent

With little other options available, Nets general manager Sean Marks has made the most out of his biggest asset: cap space. For that reason, the Nets will likely be diligent as to how they handle free agency in 2018.

While Brooklyn will have its first-round pick in 2019 and doesn’t necessarily have to use its payroll as a landfill for unwanted player contracts just to add assets, the club may continue to leverage its cap space during what continues to be the early stages of a rebuild.

With no set core in place, the Nets won’t feel much pressure to make deals this summer, which is actually kind of a luxury. Don’t expect the franchise to stretch itself thin to bring back any of its free agents if doing so will put them in a bad position.

Jahlil Okafor, C, 22 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $14MM deal in 2015
Is there another player in NBA history who, despite a solid first-year campaign and reasonable health throughout, saw his value plummet more over the course of a rookie contract? It’s hard to imagine that Okafor’s decline is solely a product of his old-school game — he’s also had the misfortune of being employed by two franchises that couldn’t seem to care less about legitimately developing him as an asset. There will be at least one team willing to give Okafor another shot. It could even be the Nets, considering they’d get for an entire offseason and training camp this time. In any case, Okafor will probably have to sign a short-term, prove-it deal before he gets another significant NBA contract.

Quincy Acy, PF, 27 (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $4MM deal in 2017
Acy is an affordable role player who has served well in two stints with the Nets. Since he comes with a cheap price tag, appears to be content with a minor role, and is a serviceable veteran who contributes when called upon, it’s hard to imagine Brooklyn wouldn’t welcome him back. Acy may get a longer-term commitment from the Nets this time around, but he isn’t likely to draw much more than a modest raise above the league minimum from Brooklyn or anybody else.

Dante Cunningham, SF, 31 (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2017
The Nets absorbed Cunningham’s contract in a midseason deal, so there’s no guarantee that either party would be interested in a commitment beyond 2017/18. Cunningham is a utility forward seemingly intent on contributing to a reasonably competitive team so maybe their timelines just don’t match. In any event, the eight-year veteran isn’t likely to top the $2MM-$3MM threshold he’s flirted with for the majority of his career.

Joe Harris, SG, 26 (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $3MM deal in 2016
The return on investment for Harris has been great, but the Nets may want to pump the brakes when it comes to re-signing him in the offseason. While Harris has been an excellent example of how the Nets franchise has developed youngsters, overpaying for a niche player without a set core in place isn’t the wisest course of action. If it looks like Harris might get poached by a more competitive team looking to add a solid depth piece, the Nets shouldn’t reach to retain him — not with so many other holes to fill first.

Nik Stauskas, SG, 24 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $12MM deal in 2014
The Nets have given Stauskas something of a tryout to prove that he could possibly live up to his eighth overall selection back in 2014, but he hasn’t done enough to warrant a raise from his rookie deal. While Stauskas may get another chance to prove himself next season, it’ll have to come cheap and potentially non-guaranteed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Atlantic Notes: Hardaway Jr., Hornacek, Harris, Larkin, DeRozan

March 31st, 2018 at 10:14am CST by marksuleymanov

Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek allowed Tim Hardaway Jr. to draw up a play against the Hornets this past Monday. Hornacek’s trust in Hardaway to man the clipboard — even for one play — was a boost to their relationship, Marc Berman of the New York Post relays.

Berman notes that Hardaway is believed to have interest in coaching after his playing days. In the interim, Hardaway appreciated having Hornacek’s trust and the effort he has put into developing the team.

“He’s doing a great job in a tough situation,’’ Hardaway said. “Coaches are in a tough situation too. It’s easy for him to fold as well. He’s continuing to develop us as ballplayers, continuing to encourage us on both ends of the floor, especially in practice, continuing to have that killer instinct and mentality to instill in the ball club. We appreciate that and we’ll keep on fighting for him.’’

Check out more Atlantic Division notes down below:

As the Knicks tried to lure free agents to New York City, the messy breakup with Phil Jackson and the triangle offense was likely a hindrance to that goal, Hornacek told reporters, including ESPN’s Ian Begley. “I think it probably was,” Hornacek said. “I think we truly believed that we could blend it [into Hornacek’s preferred offense]. And we found out that probably wasn’t great.” Hornacek added that a healthy Kristaps Porzingis and a young core of talent will be the Knicks’ strongest recruiting pitch.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe looked at 10 things he likes and dislikes around the league and Nets‘ sharpshooter Joe Harris is one thing he likes. Harris’ journey from being released by the Cavaliers to becoming a scoring machine in Brooklyn has him lined up to sign a “fat contract” soon, Lowe writes.
In a wide-ranging interview with HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy, Celtics guard Shane Larkin discussed his impending free agency, past injuries, and his current stint in Boston. Larkin noted that if possible, he would love to remain in Celtics green. “Obviously going into free agency, you can’t say, “Yeah, this is what’s going to happen.” I love being in Boston and if Boston is the right place for me to be next season, I would be happy to come back and have no hesitation because I love the fans, I love the city and I love everything about it,” he said.
DeMar DeRozan has not been scoring as much as he’s accustomed to recently but he and the team are far from concerned, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. DeRozan, instead, has focused on other aspects of the game, such as defense and playmaking. DeRozan joked that he reserves his scoring for emergency situations as he can help the Raptors in other ways.