Playing against a former team isn’t a new experience for Nets guard Landry Shamet, who has already been traded twice in his brief NBA career, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. What’s odd for Shamet in his return to Los Angeles this week has been confinement to his hotel room because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“It is weird not going from the airport and taking the regular route that I would take to get back home,” he said. “But nonetheless, I’m here and I’m glad to be back here and kind of relive some of the memories, I guess.”
Shamet averaged 9.3 PPG as a part-time starter for the Clippers last season before being shipped to Brooklyn in a three-team deal in November. His experiences in Philadelphia and Los Angeles helped prepare him for a role on teams dominated by star players.
“Any team that’s ever been put together with that much talent isn’t going to just happen overnight and be perfect,” Shamet said. “I think that’s the biggest thing — time and patience and accountability. And if you have those things, over time you’re going to grow and you’re going to develop and turn it, hopefully, into what you wanted it to turn into. I think that’s what I’ve learned.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- Andre Roberson tells Chris Milholen of NetsDaily that the number of familiar faces in Brooklyn has made his transition to the team much smoother. Roberson, who signed with the Nets on Tuesday, joins a squad with former Thunder teammates Kevin Durant and Royal Ivey, who is now an assistant coach. Spencer Dinwiddie was a college teammate at Colorado. “It just shows you what kind of people and character you are walking into,” Roberson said. “I think it’s dope and kind of gives me a head start because I know what to expect. So far, so great, so I can’t complain.”
- Center Nicolas Claxton is getting closer to returning from the knee tedinopathy that has sidelined him all season, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. Claxton is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, marking the first time all season he has appeared on the injury report.
- Harden’s presence on the Nets might work against DeMarcus Cousins‘ chances of winding up in Brooklyn, notes Erik Bacharach of Heavy. Cousins was among the most outspoken players when Harden was trying to force a trade out of Houston, calling some of Harden’s comments “disrespectful.”