Noah Clowney

Nets Notes: Schröder, Simmons, Clowney, Walker, Tsai

April 12th, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets will have a decision to make a point guard this offseason, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ben Simmons and Dennis Schröder, both of whom have been starters this season when healthy, will be entering the final year of their respective contracts. And while Simmons’ $40MM cap hit may ensure he remains in Brooklyn, it has been Schröder who has taken on a leadership role since being acquired at the trade deadline.

“He was a leader right when he got in,” interim head coach Kevin Ollie said. “He brings a championship mentality. … He just has a natural ability to lead, ability to win. You know winners when you see them. They hold everybody accountable, but they make themselves full of accountability, too. That’s what he did first and foremost.”

Schröder has been the healthier of the two players, making more appearances since being dealt to the Nets in February (29) than Simmons made all season (15) before undergoing back surgery last month. That track record of good health, along with his $13MM expiring contract, would make him easier to trade this summer than Simmons, who is still on a max deal. But Schröder has expressed a desire to stick with the Nets, as Lewis relays.

“I always want to be stationed somewhere where people show me appreciation,” he said on Wednesday. “And I felt that from the first day — people reaching out to my family, to my wife, to my mom. That shows, OK, they really [want me]. And the playing style, as well, I like. They trust me, in what I am capable of. … I know the business side of it as well. So, I’m not taking anything emotional or personal. I know how it is. But at the end of the day, of course I want to stay here.”

Here’s more out of Brooklyn:

Nets center Noah Clowney continues to make a positive impression in his late-season audition for a larger role next season, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Making his second career start on Wednesday, the rookie big man racked up a career-high seven blocks to go with 10 points and seven rebounds in a win over Toronto. Ollie lauded the Nets’ G League coaching staff in Long Island for preparing Clowney to contribute at the NBA level. “I think they just did a great job coaching him, putting him in situations down there so when we got him he was already set,” Ollie said. “He knew exactly what we wanted to do, how he can perform, and he came in ready.”
Even with the Nets battling a series of injuries, Lonnie Walker has been a DNP-CD in two of the team’s past four games, according to Collin Helwig of NetsDaily, who believes Walker’s inconsistent role throughout the season signals that the two sides will go their separate ways when the veteran swingman becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
NetsDaily passes along some notable quotes from a recent Joe Tsai podcast appearance in which the Nets’ owner discussed how he got involved in the NBA, his impressions of the league’s economics, and why it’s “absolutely fun” to control an NBA franchise.

New York Notes: Knicks, Robinson, Watford, Clowney

April 8th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA fined the Knicks $25K on Monday for an injury reporting violation (Twitter link). According to the league, New York originally listed center Mitchell Robinson as out for the March 27 contest vs. Toronto, but he wound up playing 12 minutes in his first game back from a lengthy absence.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams:

Speaking of Robinson, who missed most of the season with a fractured left ankle that required surgery, he has been quite rusty since he returned a couple weeks ago, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. In addition to having poor conditioning and timing, the 26-year-old says he still isn’t 100% confident in his ankle. “Pushing off. Absorbing contact through it. Stuff like that,” the Knicks big man said. “’Cause obviously no one wants this to happen again. I damn sure don’t. … It’s something I’ve gotta get back used to again.”
In another story for The New York Post, Bondy examines the Knicks‘ complicated playoff possibilities with four regular season games remaining. New York, which is currently 46-32, the No. 4 seed in the East, can finish as high as No. 2, but theoretically could drop all the way down to No. 8, though the latter is very unlikely.
Third-year forward Trendon Watford will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Nets give him a qualifying offer. He hasn’t been a rotation regular for much of the 2023/24 season, but he’s been trying to take advantage of an expanded role as Brooklyn deals with multiple frontcourt injuries, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Watford is averaging 13.1 PPG on .571/.474/.696 over the past eight games (23.5 MPG).
Nets rookie Noah Clowney got his first career start in Sunday’s loss to Sacramento and the young big man got thoroughly outplayed by Kings center Domantas Sabonis, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Clowney had seven points, 10 rebounds and was minus-26 in his 35 minutes, compared to 18 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and plus-18 in 35 minutes for Sacramento’s star big man. “He’s just gotta be in it, you know? This is good for him,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “He’s gotta be in it and experience it, learn from it, just as long as you don’t quit in it, and he’s not gonna quit in it. These guys have been around — Sabonis is an All-Star — so hopefully he watches the tape and maybe gets something from Sabonis to bring it in his game, go lift some weights, all that stuff.” Clowney became just the fourth teenager in franchise history to start a game for the Nets, Lewis adds.

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.

New York Notes: Robinson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Clowney, Wilson

March 28th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson returned on Wednesday from an ankle injury that robbed him of nearly four months of action. Robinson contributed eight points, two rebounds and two blocks in 12 minutes during a 44-point romp past Toronto. Even in limited minutes, he looked like a defensive force, Fred Katz and Eric Koreen of The Athletic write.

“I believe my defense is kind of there,” Robinson said. “I think I still got a little bit to work on for that, but the shot blocking is still there, so that’s pretty good.”

Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic noticed how Robinson, now backing up Isaiah Hartenstein, impacted the Knicks’ rotation.

“Mitchell Robinson, when he checked in, looked like a giant out there,” Rajakovic said.

We have more on the New York teams:

The four-year, $46.9MM contract that Donte DiVincenzo signed as a free agent last summer is turning into a huge bargain, Katz writes. DiVincenzo, who set a franchise record with 11 three-pointers against the Pistons on Monday, has emerged as a starter. He’s just another example of mid-sized contracts the Knicks have given out where the player has exceeded their cap hit in terms of production. “Donte has been amazing for us this season,” Josh Hart said.
Knicks forward OG Anunoby, trying to work his way back from elbow soreness, did some conditioning work in Toronto, but head coach Tom Thibodeau said Anunoby’s status hadn’t changed, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. “No, just allowing it to calm down and each day it’s a little better, but be patient, get through it,” Thibodeau said.
Rookies Noah Clowney and Jalen Wilson made significant contributions during the Nets’ win over Toronto on Monday, combining for 19 points and 11 rebounds, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post writes. “They come in, they do solid things. They do simple better,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said of Clowney and Wilson. While the Nets haven’t been officially eliminated from the play-in tournament, Brian Lewis of the Post argues that Clowney, Wilson and the team’s other young players should get extended minutes the rest of the way.

New York Notes: Claxton, Clowney, Anunoby, Hartenstein

March 23rd, 2024 at 1:37pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets center Nic Claxton only attempted three shots in Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee, which was a season low, and the team would be wise to get him more involved before he hits unrestricted free agency this offseason, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required).

“I’m open a lot,” Claxton told the Post. “I’ve just got to keep putting myself in the right spots and hope that I get the ball.”

According to Lewis, Claxton has been Brooklyn’s most consistent player in 2023/24, and has shown improvement as a play-maker and in the pick-and-roll, with interim head coach Kevin Ollie calling the 24-year-old the team’s “hub.”

“He’s a great passer. He’s unselfish,” Ollie said of Claxton. “We run a lot of our backside action with him with the ball, some of our high frequencies of offensive possessions, of our (dribble hand-offs) with him handling it, and then him being able to hand it off to Dennis (Schröder) or Mikal (Bridges), then him rolling behind that and getting some lobs, which has been great.

“Him doing those different things has allowed us to play freer basketball. I’m gonna continue to allow him to do that. I allow him to push the ball up the court, take advantages there. I just want him to play unlocked basketball and continue to be our hub. But with freedom comes discipline, too. He has to take care of the ball and continue to do those certain things as well.”

However, as Lewis writes, if Claxton’s lack of touches continues, it’s possible he might begin to question his role and future with the Nets. According to Lewis’ sources, Claxton is expected to command $20MM+ annually on the open market this summer.

Here are a few more notes on the league’s two New York-based teams:

Rookie big man Noah Clowney had one of the better outings of his young career on Thursday vs. Milwaukee, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds while showcasing an ability to switch across multiple positions on defense, per Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily. The Nets were plus-10 in Clowney’s 14 minutes. He has only appeared in 11 games for an average of 9.1 MPG, having spent most of his rookie campaign in the G League with Long Island. While some fans have been clamoring for Clowney to play power forward instead of center, Kaplan says in the long run the 19-year-old’s overall development is much more important than the position he ends up playing in the future.
Knicks forward OG Anunoby was ruled out for his third straight game on Saturday vs. the Nets, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Anunoby is dealing with soreness in his surgically repaired elbow, with the team officially listing him out for right elbow injury management. It’s unclear when the impending free agent will return to action — he played three games last week before the elbow flared up, and while it’s reportedly improving, he continues to be sidelined for now.
He isn’t quite the defender Mitchell Robinson is, but Isaiah Hartenstein is a much better passer and he’s done an admirable job filling in as the Knicks‘ starting center, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). Another impending free agent, Hartenstein said he tries to make a positive impact no matter what his role is. “I tell everyone in the NBA you always have to sacrifice,” Hartenstein said. “Before, especially when we had Julius (Randle), we had all those guys, I had a kind of different role. Now I’m playing how I’m used to playing.”

Nets Notes: Claxton, Finney-Smith, Thomas, Whitehead, Irving

November 27th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

After missing eight games earlier this season with a high left ankle sprain, Nets center Nic Claxton twisted the ankle again Saturday night, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The injury happened late in the first quarter against Miami, and Claxton was able to walk to the locker room without assistance. He returned before the first half ended, but was held out of Sunday’s game.

Claxton was originally listed as probable for Sunday, but was downgraded to questionable before being ruled out less than an hour before tip-off. As he did during Claxton’s prolonged absence, coach Jacque Vaughn opted for a small-ball lineup with Dorian Finney-Smith getting the start in the middle. The 6’7″ forward has become a valuable long-distance threat for Brooklyn, ranking fourth in shooting percentage among players with at least 90 three-point attempts, and Vaughn is urging Finney-Smith to keep seeking his shots no matter what position he’s playing.

“He’s going to get opportunities, and hopefully we unleashed that mentally when I said to him ‘Shoot eight threes, bro. Go ahead, shoot them. We want you to shoot them, we believe in you. You’ve done it in the past,’” Vaughn said. “The last three, five years he was 40-something percent on corner 3s. … So he has the résumé behind it and we want to encourage him to keep shooting.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

The Nets are hoping to get some practice time for Cam Thomas, who missed his eighth straight game Sunday with a sprained ankle, Lewis adds, but a crowded schedule is preventing the team from having any official practice days. Vaughn indicated that he might have to get creative with Thomas, who would rank ninth in the league scoring race at 26.9 PPG if he had played enough to qualify. “Yeah, you didn’t participate in shootaround or whatever we had this walk-through [Sunday, Monday’s] an off day, so that kind of puts him in a tough position for us to schedule an actual practice for him,” Vaughn said. “So hopefully we’ll get to a point where we can simulate some things with some video guys and also with some G-League guys maybe in this week coming up.”
First-round picks Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney were thrilled to make their NBA debuts late in Saturday’s game, Lewis states in a separate story. “I feel like a healthy Dariq Whitehead can be very special,” said Whitehead, who missed Summer League and training camp after foot surgery. “So just knowing that if I get my feet under me, get everything right in terms of the other problems that come with it — shin splints, and stuff like that — then I think I’ll be 100% fine, ready to go. I’ve definitely been feeling great.”
After Kevin Durant talked about his Nets experience over the weekend, Kyrie Irving offered his perspective on what went wrong in Brooklyn. In a video posted by Clippers beat writer Tomer Azarly, Irving said, “It’s kind of like the girl that got away. … Looking back, you got a great bad wife, kids and you’re like, ‘Tss.’ I don’t wanna second guess it, I don’t wanna get in trouble with my wife. I’m not thinking about nobody else, baby.”

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Clowney, Harden, T. Young

October 14th, 2023 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets guard Ben Simmons is showing signs of the player he used to be, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons provided updates throughout the summer, saying he was fully recovered from the knee and back injuries that ended his 2022/23 season and was ready to prove himself again. He has looked sharp through two preseason games, as Lewis observes that his quickness and passing touch have returned and he’s displaying good form on his mid-range jump shots.

“I’m still fast, I still jump high (and) I’m still strong,” Simmons said. “I’ve had to adapt to the game, but I think my (basketball) IQ and the way I play the game, I’m able to affect the game in multiple ways, (even) without the athleticism that, at the end of the day, I got back. I looked OK. I’m getting better.”

A return to form by Simmons would be a best-case scenario for Brooklyn, which owes him $77MM over the next two years. Simmons understands that he’ll always have skeptics, but he’s enjoying the feeling of being able to get back on the court again.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “It feels really good. I’m not really one to talk too much to the media when it’s not needed, so it’s fun to just come out here, play my game and let everyone else do the talking.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets rookie Noah Clowney looked overmatched at times during Summer League, but he has shown growth in his game so far in the preseason, Lewis adds in a separate story (subscription required). At 19, Clowney is one of the league’s five youngest players, but he’s already added 10 pounds of muscle as the team works to bulk him up so he can defend in the post. “The goal is just to keep getting better,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of tools that I can polish up and I can really utilize. That’s been the offseason and training camp (mission), and we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to play as a team, just trying to put it all together.”
As his battle with Sixers management continues, James Harden didn’t play in the team’s Blue and White scrimmage and wasn’t introduced to the crowd, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Heading into his 17th NBA season Thaddeus Young has provided perspective to help the Raptors deal with their offseason coaching change, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Management wanted a clean start after last season’s disappointing 41-41 finish, so it replaced all the coaches and much of the team’s support staff. Young, who fell out of Nurse’s rotation last season, said he believes he can still contribute at age 35.

Atlantic Notes: Clowney, Embiid, Beverley, Hauser

August 28th, 2023 at 10:42am CST by Arthur Hill

Summer League gave Nets rookie Noah Clowney a chance to adjust to the speed of the NBA game before his first training camp, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Clowney struggled with his shot in Las Vegas, connecting at just 22.6% from the field and 23.5% beyond the arc, but he considers the experience a valuable one.

“Obviously the game is faster,” Clowney said. “It’s really all a bunch of small details, really — like screening angles, getting into screens faster, then getting out faster and things like that. What shots are good shots, if you don’t (have) a shot, get right into the next action. … You learn from it, and I think the only way you can learn from it is by going through the experience of that Summer League. So I’m glad I played in it. It was fun. I didn’t play my best, obviously. (My shooting) percentages were horrible. But it was a learning experience. I feel like that’s what it was supposed to be. So I’m happy with it.”

One of the youngest players in this year’s draft, Clowney just turned 19 in July, so he may spend much of his first season in the G League. He has drawn comparisons to starting center Nic Claxton, and Nets officials are optimistic about his long-term potential.

“I love the intangibles. I love how hard he competes. I love the length that he has,” general manager Sean Marks said. “When you have a 7-foot-3-inch wingspan, I can’t teach that. Our coaches can teach a lot of things, but they can’t teach that. I love the fact that he doesn’t shy away from shooting from the outside. He’s very versatile, can play a couple of different positions out there.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

France’s disappointment in this year’s World Cup doesn’t mean national team general manager Boris Diaw will be any more aggressive in recruiting Sixers center Joel Embiid for the 2024 Olympics, per Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops. Embiid has both French and U.S. citizenship, but he hasn’t committed to representing either country. “I don’t think it’s a pursuit. It’s about people who want to come,” Diaw said. “Some people come or don’t come to the national team for different reasons. He’s a special case for his own reasons. I don’t think there’s a way to be aggressive on our part.”
Sixers guard Patrick Beverley doesn’t believe the Celtics can win a title with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as the core of the team, relays Kaley Brown of Boston.com. “No – too much of the same player,” Beverley said on his podcast. “They don’t complement each other enough … they complement each other, but not enough.” Even so, Beverley added that Boston shouldn’t get rid of either player and said the team got “a lot better” by trading for Kristaps Porzingis.
Grant Williams‘ departure creates an opportunity for Celtics forward Sam Hauser to earn consistent minutes moving into his third NBA season, observes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Hauser briefly moved ahead of Williams in the rotation last season, and Weiss examines how he can best fit into coach Joe Mazzulla’s offense.

And-Ones: Summer League, McClung, Motiejunas, NBAGL Showcase

July 21st, 2023 at 10:37pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets‘ poor play was one of the worst parts of Las Vegas Summer League, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Despite having eight players on the roster attending (and a ninth, James Nnaji, as one of a handful of remaining unsigned draft picks), Charlotte went 1-6 and was minus-55 overall. No one played particularly well, with Hollinger noting that the team may end up regretting not taking Scoot Henderson instead of Brandon Miller, if their brief Summer League performances were any indication.

Of more immediate concern for the Hornets are the fourth-year team option decisions on 2021 first-round picks James Bouknight and Kai Jones, which are due by late October. Neither looks like a sure bet to have his option picked up, as both players struggled in Vegas despite entering their third seasons, Hollinger adds. Bouknight’s option in 2024/25 is worth $6.1MM, while Jones’ is worth $4.7MM — not exactly team-friendly rates given they haven’t contributed much thus far.

Nnaji showed some defensive promise, but may be a draft-and-stash prospect while he develops his offensive game, says Hollinger.

Among the other players who struggled in Summer League were Pistons center James Wiseman (poor screening and defense), Nets first-rounder Noah Clowney (looked overmatched) and Lakers draft picks Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis, according to Hollinger.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

On the other end of the spectrum, Hollinger also revealed his under-the-radar Summer League standouts for The Athletic, including Javon Freeman-Liberty, who just agreed to a two-way deal with the Raptors, and Cavaliers guards Sam Merrill and Craig Porter Jr., the latter of whom went undrafted and signed a two-way contract with Cleveland. Hollinger says he would have given Merrill, whose contract for next season is non-guaranteed, the Summer League MVP award over Cam Whitmore.
Free agent guard Mac McClung, who finished last season on a two-way deal with the Sixers, tells Sean Deveney of Heavy.com he’s focused on making another NBA team, but he’s open to going to Europe if he can’t find a roster spot. “We’ll see,” McClung said. “I am in free agency right now, my agent is talking to some teams, back and forth. We’re just trying to evaluate what is the best situation for me. Hopefully, I will be in the NBA next year and finding my way.”
Former NBA big man Donatas Motiejunas has signed a two-year extension with AS Monaco Basket, the team announced (via Twitter). Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com had the scoop on Motiejunas’ extension (Twitter link). The 32-year-old spent six seasons in the NBA, ending with a brief stint with San Antonio back in 2018/19. He was productive on a per-minute basis for Monaco, which won France’s LNB Pro A and finished third in the EuroLeague playoffs.
In 2023/24, the NBA G League’s Winter Showcase event will be held in Orlando instead of Las Vegas, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The Showcase has been held Vegas for several years, but will be moving due to the NBA’s new in-season tournament, as the semifinals and final will be held in early December in Vegas.

Nets Sign First-Rounder Noah Clowney

July 11th, 2023 at 5:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets have officially signed Noah Clowney to a rookie scale contract, according to a team press release.

As the 21st pick in the draft, Clowney will receive $3,089,520 in his first season. The four-year contract is worth $15,146,274.

The salary figures assume that he signed for 120% of the rookie scale amounts for 2023’s first-round picks. First-rounders almost always get the maximum amount for their salary slot.

Rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years.

The 6’10” Clowney played one season at Alabama, where he averaged 9.8 points on 48.6% shooting from the field, 7.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 25.4 minutes per game across 36 total games (all starts).

Brooklyn signed its other first-rounder, Dariq Whitehead, on Monday. The team now has 14 players on standard contracts – including Edmond Sumner, whose salary is non-guaranteed – and a pair on two-way deals.

Load More Posts