Jordi Fernandez‘s experience in Sacramento makes him a valuable resource for Nets general manager Sean Marks as he engages in trade talks with the Kings, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes in a subscriber-only piece. While the topics might include the future availability of De’Aaron Fox, the more immediate concern is Sacramento’s interest in Cameron Johnson, Lewis adds. The Post reported last summer that the Kings topped the list of teams hoping to acquire Johnson, and his trade value has only increased in the midst of a career-best season.
Brooklyn is believed to be asking for the equivalent of two first-round picks in exchange for Johnson. Lewis suggests that Sacramento could meet that price by offering rookie guard Devin Carter, along with a future first-rounder and other players to match salaries. That’s where input could be valuable from Fernandez, who spent two years as an assistant with the Kings before the Nets hired him as their head coach during the offseason, along with assistant coaches Deividas Dulkys and Dutch Gaitley, who also left Sacramento for Brooklyn.
“I look at the coaching staff and the front office — that relationship and that dynamic — as a partnership,” Marks said. “It’s not something where I’m telling you what to do and you go and do it, or vice versa. This is something that I should rely on them, because at the end of the day their experiences and their interactions with players — whether it’s from other teams or just being on the court — they’re up close. I’m not in the foxhole down on the court with them.
“So it would behoove me to talk to them and rely on their input. And I think, one, it’s being honest right off the get-go at the start of the season. And even before that when Jordi signed up. I mean, Jordi and I had heart-to-hearts of ‘hey, look, we’re going to build this and this is how we’re going to build it. We want to be a partnership together on this.’ So he’s been nothing but fantastic in that realm.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- In the same story, Cam Thomas talks to Lewis about the frustration of dealing with another strain of his left hamstring two games after returning from the first one. Thomas is guaranteed another long absence, as he won’t be reevaluated until January 19 when the Nets return from an upcoming six-game road trip. “Me dealing with what I’m dealing with is tough,” he said. “But we’ve still got enough guys in here to play; we’ve got to go out there and keep playing. I’m gonna keep fighting through, keep fighting through it. I’m going to just keep going.”
- Day’Ron Sharpe posted season highs with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 22 minutes Monday night, Lewis states in a separate story. Sharpe, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, is averaging 9.5 points and 8.0 boards in his last four games while shooting 53.3% from the field. “I feel like I still got some room to go. I just feel like this is the start of it,” he said. “About three games ago, I feel like I really was starting to feel like myself again. Just coming back from the injury and not playing for months, I’m just still trying to figure my way out. And I feel like this is the start of it.”
- It’s no secret that the Nets are tearing down their roster in hopes of landing a high lottery pick, but the players and coaches have offered a consistent public message throughout the process, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post (subscription-only). “I wouldn’t say it’s hard. We all understand it’s part of the business, and that this is what we signed up for on Day 1,” said Keon Johnson, one of several young players getting increased minutes during the makeover. “But one thing we can control is what’s in front of us. Night in and night out, we don’t know who is going to be laced up. We don’t know who is going to be playing, but it’s just a better opportunity for everybody to be prepared and hope that your number is called.”
However, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (