Respect is the ultimate currency. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/kbqHv9Fexu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 13, 2023

The loss came after Luka Doncic (35 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists) knocked down a step-back triple over the 6’2 Dennis Schröder. Luka Legend forced overtime after he inbounded the ball to Spender Dinwiddie, who then handed him the ball while simultaneously setting the screen, forcing the Lakers to switch from Russell Westbrook being Doncic’s primary defender to Schröder defending Doncic.

“We weren’t looking to foul,” Ham explained postgame. “Felt confident in the five guys we had defending, and he did what Luka does, he made a shot. I’m kicking myself in the butt. I needed to coach a little better in that instance; we should have blitzed him — or at least forced him inside the three-point line.”

“You know, it’s those situations [that are] kinda chaotic — bunch of chatter, everything’s going on, you’re trying to figure out matchups. We — read [the Mavericks’ offense], switched anyways. So I’ll take the bullet for that. That’s on me. We have to be better defensively in those moments and force someone else [other than Doncic] to beat us.

2 clutch @luka7doncic stepbacks.
2 powerful @SDinwiddie_25 dunks.
2 big @Chriswood_5 blocks.

2 overtimes… 1 @dallasmavs win! pic.twitter.com/lCHqHodGcf

— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2023

Leaving Schröder on an island was a vastly different strategic decision for a Lakers team blitzing Doncic with double-teams all game. Although Doncic finished the game with a triple-double, forcing the ball out of his hand or making him shoot over a taller lengthier defender would’ve been the preferred result.

The lakers had a chance to win after rallying back from a 19-point regulation deficit, but they couldn’t make enough plays over the extra 10 minutes they played. Dinwiddie delivered the win after scoring twice during Dallas’ decisive 6-0 run, making sure the Mavs won for the second time in five games.

The Lakers will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

The post Darvin Ham Regrets Not Double-Teaming Luka Doncic Before His Clutch Shot appeared first on SLAM.

There’s optimism Durant will miss less time than he did with a six-week absence last season; a significant sigh of relief around the Nets and their MVP candidate. https://t.co/MrfAPtU90W

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2023

Kevin Durant will likely undergo MRI testing on his right knee on Monday, according to Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn (via Nick Friedell of ESPN).

Vaughn said Durant will likely get an MRI on Monday.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 9, 2023

Durant injured his knee late in the third quarter as Heat swingman Jimmy Butler drove to the rim and got his shot blocked by Nets point forward Ben Simmons. Butler fell back into KD’s knee, and the two-time Finals MVP stayed on the ground for a few moments before he remained in the game. The Nets called a timeout 30 seconds later as KD kept rubbing at the knee up and down the floor.

Durant went back to the locker room to get examined and didn’t return.

“He’s in good spirits as we all are,” Kyrie Irving said of Durant, per ESPN. “The strength of our team is us picking each other up. Just being ready for whatever’s thrown at us. I think one of the greatest qualities of our team is our bench and the way we support each other, despite who’s in the lineup. And now it’s time to go out and exemplify that until we find out the timeline with K and when he could be available again. So we just got to be mature about it.”

The injury couldn’t have happened at a worse time for Brooklyn. The Nets have won 18 of their past 20 games, going on a 12-game win streak that catapulted them into second place in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Brooklyn will have to rely on Irving and a next-man-up mentality to keep up their momentum and prevent a collapse like they suffered last year.

Nearly a year ago, Durant suffered a knee sprain on Jan. 15, 2022, that forced him out of action for close to two months. The Nets were 27-15 at the time and went 5-17 during his absence, including an 11-game losing streak. Brooklyn ultimately made the playoffs as a play-in team but got swept in the first round by the NBA Finals runner-up Boston Celtics.

KD has averaged 30 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game as he’s led the Nets back to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. It’ll be interesting to see how Brooklyn will survive his absence and how they play on learning from the lessons they learned during their collapse last year.

The post Nets Will Re-Evaluate Kevin Durant’s Knee in Two Weeks appeared first on SLAM.

They talked about one crucial detail: KD’s decision to walk back his offseason trade request and reiterate his commitment to playing with the Nets after the front office couldn’t find a suitable trade to move the former MVP. Since then, Brooklyn has taken over third place in the Eastern Conference playoff picture after reeling off a 12-game winning streak and winning 13 of their last 15 games.

During that same 15-game span, Brooklyn was no. 1 in offense (120.4 and no. 5 in defense (111.3). Durant averaged 29.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 59.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. Teammate and close friend Kyrie Irving put up 27.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The big-time production has led to Brooklyn becoming an Eastern Conference Finals contender, and the vibes around Barclays Center have been higher than ever. Durant told Friedell that he knew his teammates “enjoy grinding” and that he “had the faith” that his questions about the team practicing harder and paying attention to detail would be answered and that Brooklyn and his teammates understood those are his values as a player.

“I don’t even look at s— that way. My whole thing was like — are we, does the process matter to us? And that’s one thing I did know that people here enjoy, grinding. So that was the most important thing for me. Titles and stuff come with the process in which you — how you prepare. It was more so, “All right, are we going to practice harder? Are we going to pay more attention to detail?”

“Not just everybody else, all of us, me included. Is that going to be preached to us every day? I had the faith that that would happen because I voiced that throughout the summer as well. Even behind the scenes, like, “Yo, this is what I like to do. This is how I like to practice.” I’ve been saying that for the last couple years, so I figured at that point with me going through that, they understood what I value. That’s what I was hanging my hat on, the preparation side of it.”

Brooklyn and Durant will look to get back their winning ways when they play the New Orleans Pelicans (24-14) on the road.

The post Kevin Durant on Why He’s Confident Brooklyn Can be a Title Contender appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets have beaten the Hornets, Hawks, Pacers, Wizards, Raptors, Pistons, Warriors, Bucks, and the Cavs, 125-117 on Monday to continue a win-streak tied for the longest in the NBA this season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving dropped 32 points apiece to outlast a monster 46-point effort from Darius Garland, who single-handedly brought the Cavs back after scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter.

However, Kai and KD responded to Garland’s onslaught by scoring a combined 21 points on 7-10 shooting, 3-5 from beyond the arc. Durant and Irving have scored 30 points in the same game five times this season, tied for the most such games with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The All-Star duo’s big-time contributions have helped raise Brooklyn’s ceiling to the point they look like championship contenders again after 13 of their last 14 contests. As of Tuesday, Brooklyn is first in offense (120.1 offensive rating) and 10th in defense (111.9 defensive rating) in the previous 14 games.

“To be honest, we’ve always been about basketball,” said Durant, per ESPN. “The outside noise makes it seem like we don’t care about the game, but so many voices speak about our locker room who don’t have any idea what’s going on.

“We’ve always been about the game.”

The @BrooklynNets are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 2006

Peep the best play from all 9 games! pic.twitter.com/jLuPLlUdxi

— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2022

The win streak coincided with Durant passing five-time champion Tim Duncan (26,496 points)after he dropped a 20-footer in the second quarter.

“At some point, you’ve got to be able to celebrate some small wins,” Durant said of overtaking Duncan. “To be able to pass a legend, it’s something I’ll call my folks about tonight. I know that I’ve got more to do.”

pic.twitter.com/K3OH3gez2F

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 27, 2022

Brooklyn has a chance to lengthen their streak with a Wednesday night contest against the Hawks on the road.

The post The Brooklyn Nets Are on Their Longest Win-Streak Since 2006 appeared first on SLAM.

HE DID NOT JUST RIDE THE WARRIORS’ BUS.

Contrary to what some NBA fans and a certain Inside the NBA commentator may believe, KD was still a main source behind the Warrriors winning a consecutive titles. That doesn’t mean he did it by himself tho. Durant will tell you himself that he “never done anything I want to do on this Earth of significance by myself.”

In fact, Durant believes whatever success he achieves with the Brooklyn Nets comes due to a “contribution from everybody.”

“I never made winning about me, even when I was at Golden State,” Durant said per Washington Post. “I could’ve easily stepped out and said, ‘Yeah, this is my s—.’ I never did that. I didn’t even come here to prove to people that I could win on my own.” I can’t put all the pressure on myself, I did that before. You want it all, you want to experience it all, but it wasn’t good for my sanity trying to put everything on me.”

Which is why the suggestion that he rode Golden States’ coattails to immoratlity strikes such a nerve. Like he said, KD never did anything by himself.

“I hated that,” Durant says. “Riding coattails? That’ll never happen when I’m playing basketball. Either I’m going to step back, so you can go ahead and do your thing, or I’m going to take control.”

It’s probably why he’s been so adamant about seperating the time he’s spent with the Warriors to what he’s doing now with the Nets. And why he’s known for challenging basketball fans that like to give him a hard time about his controversial decision to sign with Golden State in 2016 and believe his sensitive because he has a burner account or takes time to talk to fans who want to talk about basketball with him.

The former MVP and Brooklyn will take on the Warriors on Wednesday.

The post Kevin Durant Refutes Narrative He Rode the Coattails of the Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

The two-time Finals MVP has everything a team could ask for out of a 7-footer. His footwork, speed, shooting, and even his aggression as an interior scorer and defender have helped his game improve significantly. Therefore, the Brooklyn Nets superstar believes his next step as a premier scorer is to take advantage of the different defensive coverages thrown at him, which he studies countless hours on.

“I never know how opposing teams are going to guard me, what schemes they’re going to throw at me,” said Durant after last night’s win over the Detroit Pistons. “Sometimes there’s some new stuff that I haven’t seen before. At this point, I’ve seen a lot of different coverages over the last couple of years. I’m trying to stay prepared for that. So that’s definitely how I can keep getting better; just reading the defense even more.”

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At 34-years-old, Durant has pushed back the clock in the last 10 games with glimpses of his 2014 MVP campaign. KD is averaging 32.9 points (second best) while shooting a whopping 63.6 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.

In the win against the Pistons, Durant scored 43 points, to go along with the highest scoring total in a quarter of any player this season at 26 in the third. While the Pistons thought they had an answer for Durant, his knowledge of what the defense throws at him aided him in making the right reads.

“The full-court, they made some good adjustments; running guys at me and Kai [Kyrie Irving], and we had to make the right decision,” Durant said. “We generated some good looks. We’re still working on that: when teams run and jump us, what’s our alignment after that and how we’re gonna make plays after that? That’s more so what I’ve been focused on.” 

“I feel like those threes at the end of the third; they didn’t know what they wanted to do on their coverage. Whether they were gonna play in the drop, trap the ball, or just switch it. I felt like they were indecisive a bit, and I was able to get free on some of those three-pointers.”

Durant is at a state where he believes he can “predict” what the defense will throw at him, and if that isn’t scary enough, he claims his film study adjustment is to focus on the tendencies of his opponent’s method of scoring to ease his game at his end.

There’s nothing Durant hasn’t accomplished in his 16 years in the NBA, and for what it sounds like, he’s only aiming to solidify his spot as the greatest scorer of all time, a case that can already be made in favor of him.

The post How Kevin Durant Elevates His Game by Studying Coverages appeared first on SLAM.

The Sunday night effort puts him just 60 points short of passing Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan (26,493) for 15th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Durant will have a chance to break into the top 15 when the Nets host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

KD scored 26 points in the quarter? Sheesh. (via @BrooklynNets) pic.twitter.com/MPSkiKBDu7

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 19, 2022

Durant is averaging 30.4 points per game; if he matches that production, he can pass Duncan on Friday and enter the Top 10 of the all-time scoring list by the end of the regular-season if he scores 973 points over the next 32 games. KD will join seven other players that rank in the Top 14 in both total career points and career scoring average.

The club members are LeBron James, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, and Dominique Wilkins. For his career, Durant averages 27.3 points per game, fourth behind Jordan, Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor.

The post Kevin Durant Set to Enter Top-15 All-Time Scoring List appeared first on SLAM.

When he thinks about who he sought out for advice on how to reach their level of superstardom and legendary status, KD pointed out the game Kobe put him on to as an up-and-coming centerpiece on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Really, just don’t be a crybaby,” Durant said Wednesday, per ESPN. “I was at that age at 23 where I thought the world revolved around me. And I know we’ve talked a lot about Kobe; he was real humble in how he approached the game, how he approached his teammates, just life in general. So I learned just from watching his movements.

“He was an example; he didn’t say much, but he was an example just by how he moved, and I try to emulate; like I said, him and Mike are two dudes I emulate on and off the court what they do, and I know it will make me better.”

The subject and memories of the Black Mamba came up because Hornets head coach Steve Clifford compared th two former Finals MVPs to each other. He specifically called out how the two legendary hoopers are “very similar in terms of the way work,” how they’re “both students of the game,” and he’s noticed that Durant and Bryant are both passionate and “care deeply about the results more than they like individual numbers.”

When Durant heard about Cliffords’ analysis, he was appreciative.

“It’s hard to fill them shoes and be a Kobe Bryant,” Durant said. “But Kob is somebody I’ve been around and still study to this day. And basically, I just try to copy everything he does, same with Michael Jordan. Those two guys just set the tone for everything you want to be as a basketball player. So I just simply try to copy them as much as I can.”

Another Kobe disciple and a close friend and teammate of Durant also notice the similarities. Irving noticed the sacrifices Durant and Bryant made in the pursuit of greatness. Irving also reflected that for Bryant and Durant and players chasing greatness, there are similarities like “the hours that are put in,” as well as “the way that they prepare” and, of course, “how serious they take what they do.”

“And they’re very competitive, Kobe and KD. Obviously, with Kob transitioning in the last few years, he would definitely be giving us some gems to continue on, and you can tell that K got a lot of advice from him and watched him a lot.”

The post Kevin Durant Shares the Advice Kobe Bryant Gave Him appeared first on SLAM.

Durant had 29 points, eight assists, and nine rebounds, shooting 12-19 from the field. The majority of his buckets came from knocking down “middies,” his bread and butter, and jams (no pun intended). 

The SLAM 178 cover star spoke on the success of his two-man game with Irving. 

“Just gives us some versatility.”, Durant said per Yahoo. “He (Irving) can score at all three levels with legendary efficiency. They (Hornets) even put two guys on the ball; I can throw that (the ball) over the top; he can act as a big man, shoot that little middie and play in the pocket”.

Irving found and generated shots in the pick-and-roll en route to a 33-point, nine-dime, five-rebound, and four-block night. The seven-time All-Star was a walking highlight reel, finishing with several of his patented finishes.

The Durant x Irving show continues on Friday as the Nets take on the Hawks at Barclay’s.

The post Brooklyn Leaning on Two-Man Game and ‘Versatility’ of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons, who already missed several games this season because of a back injury, has missed the past three games due to a left upper lateral calf strain on top of experiencing some knee soreness. He first felt irritation in his calf on Nov.27 when Brooklyn took on the Portland Trail Blazers and later felt it again on Nov.28 against the Orlando Magic.

The only difference between these two games was Simmons asking to come out after playing 11 minutes in the matchup with Orlando and didn’t return. The Nets forward logged 34 minutes versus Portland despite experiencing discomfort in his calf. Since being sidelined, the 26-year-old has progressed his calf and knee. He has reached a point where he is now excited to be where he is in the recovery.

“I’m excited where I’m at right now,” Simmons said after practice on Tuesday with the Nets. “So I’m looking for Friday to get back on the court – It’s a lot of load for coming back from a back injury and then also the knee, so I’m glad I had this time to build some muscle around it, and we’ll work on it.”

The three-time All-Star continued to touch on how the back surgery he had over the summer may be related to his recent injuries on his knee and calf. 

“I think it’s all related,” Simmons said. “When you start talking about back injuries, you start using different muscles; you want to load and lean or whatever it is. I think they all relate in some aspect.”

Moving forward, Simmons plans on being more careful with his minutes. Whether or not he can play both games during back-to-backs is now in question.

“I think we’re definitely going to look at it a lot different,” Simmons said. “I don’t know if it’s measuring minutes, maybe not back-to-backs, whatever it is. I think that’s going to be a joint thing with the training staff and myself and letting them know how I’m feeling.”

So far this year, Simmons is averaging a career-low 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. Brooklyn (13-12) currently sits sixth in the Eastern Conference. If this team looks to reach its full potential down the line, they are definitely going to need Simmons.

The Nets will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in their next game.

The post Ben Simmons Hopeful to Return On Friday Against the Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

On Monday, whatever KD saw from Orlando allowed him to post a season-high 45 points on 79 percent shooting from the field, 3-5 shooting from downtown, seven boards, five assists, two steals, and two blocks to lead Brooklyn to a 109-105 win over Orlando.

“I really don’t know. I really don’t know,” Durant said, per Fan Nation. “I had games where I shot incredible in warmups and had the worst shooting night that night. Mainly, if my mind is in the right place coming into the game as far as following the game plan, I felt that’s when I’m going to have a solid game. I’m just trying to stay locked in as far as what we are doing on the defensive side of the ball and try to stay locked in on how the coach wants to play the offense and the game flows naturally for me.”

No lies detected. pic.twitter.com/eoOp10Qe0E

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 29, 2022

Getting buckets is natural for the four-time scoring champ. This season, he’s score at least 30 in the last three games, and 11 times overall. However, his last two 37-point outings weren’t enough, Brooklyn dropped both games to the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies. This time around, KD got some air support from Joe Harris (17 points) and Kyrie Irving (20 points), and the rest of the supporting cast got some time stops down the stretch.

“Just keep playing within the flow because respectfully, I feel like I’m always on. I feel like I always, even if I’m not making shots that night, I feel like my jumpshot is always sharp,” Durant said. “So I just got to see how the game has been played, see how the defense is being played, what my teammates are doing as well. It’s a lot to think about out there but it’s a fun mental game that I play.” 

Never ceases to amaze. pic.twitter.com/Mq7FPBY6sC

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 29, 2022

KD’s scoring outbursts never get old to watch. Irving said that he does his “best to still be in engaged but it’s hard not to just stare and just watch somebody that special and talented” when he see’s KD catch fire like he did on Monday. Head coach Jacque Vaughn said Durant put up an “unbelievable effort” and credited him his superstar forward for leading Brooklyn to a win that “took a lot out of him.”

Durant is averaging 29.3 points, 6.6 boards, 5.4 assists and 1.8 blocks per game on 54.8 percent shooting from the field and 34.6 from beyond the arc. He’s played the most total minutes in the League so far.in

The post Kevin Durant on His Season-High 45-Point Outing: ‘I Always Feel Like I’m on’ appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

Following a Tuesday morning shootaround, Simmons said it “feels good to be back” at Wells Fargo Center and that he’s “locked-in” and “ready to play” against the 76ers.

Ben Simmons following this morning’s #BrooklynNets shootaround at the Wells Fargo Center: “It feels good to be back. It does feel good to be back. I’m ready to go, locked-in. So I’m ready to play.”

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 22, 2022

The Nets (8-9) head to Philly carrying a consecutive win streak after beating the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies. Simmons goes into the game carrying significant baggage from his last year, where he sat out the season due to mental health on top of public concerns about his lack of aggression. After he was traded to the Nets, Simmons sat out the rest of the regular-season and playoffs due to a back injury that ultimately required surgery in May.

When asked about the prospect of his return being anti-climatic due to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and James Harden not playing, Simmons said that “the fans will make up for it” and that he knows his first game in Wells Fargo Center out of a Philly uniform will be filled with a lot of boos

“Yeah, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”

Ben Simmons on if his return to Philly is anti-climatic with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden not playing for the #Sixers: “I mean the fans will make up for it. Yeah, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”
Simmons knows he’ll hear a lot of boos.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 22, 2022

Philly-Brooklyn takes place at 7:30, with TNT showcasing the game.

The post Ben Simmons: 76ers Reunion Game Is ‘Going to be Fun’ appeared first on SLAM.

Joe Harris, a two-time three-point percentage leader, put it best when he said that Watanabe “definitely got a flamethrower right now. Watanabe’s getting the most out of his job as one of Brooklyn’s lowkey most dangerous long-distance marksmen due to Kevin Durant drawing attention as a premiere walking bucket and Ben Simmons pushing the tempo whenever he gets the ball in transition.

“Yeah, my shots are easy because of KD, Ben, those guys pushing the ball, giving me great passes,” Watanabe told The New York Post. “So I’ve got to appreciate them for giving me great passes. And my job is just make those open shots. So, I’m going to just keep shooting with confidence. I know I can do that.” 

On Sunday, the fifth-year small forward helped deliver Brooklyn’s 127-115 win over Memphis with 16 points on 4-6 shooting from deep, hitting all of his triples in the pivotal fourth quarter, and received a standing O from the Barclays Center faithful and received warm congratulations from KD.

Durant went on to say that the Nets “love his energy” and that “he’s playing great.”

“He’s playing great,” Durant said. “We love his energy. He’s hitting big shots for us. So you always get excited for your teammates, especially guys who come in and don’t necessarily have a guaranteed spot on the team but work their way into the rotation and put their imprint on the game from Day 1. 

“So I’m excited for him, and at this point, I think we should expect that he’ll go out there and play good basketball. I’m not saying he’s going to make every shot and shoot 70 percent from the floor for the rest of the year, but he’s playing solid ball on both ends of the floor. But we expect that from him now.” 

The 28-year-old has reached double-figures in a career-best four straight contests and is averaging 8.1 points per game on 60.9 percent shooting from the field and the aforementioned 57.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

The post Yuta Watanabe On Leading the NBA in Three-Point Shooting Accuracy appeared first on SLAM.

The former Duke Blue Devil scored 14 points on 5-12 shooting from the field (2-5 from beyond the arc) and grabbed four rebounds. He also finished the night with a +/- of +16. Postgame, Irving said “it felt good” to come back and play with his teammates after missing the last two weeks of action after he posted a controversial movie filled with antisemitic messaging.

“It felt good,” Irving said, per ESPN. “It felt good. I missed my teammates, missed the coaching staff. It felt good to get this game out of the way. Now we can move forward with the rest of the season.”

Defense Offense pic.twitter.com/xOUWOFLWAC

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 21, 2022

When Irving was asked about some of the outside noise coming into the game, including if he would file a grievance regarding his future, Irving said that he was “here to focus on the game” and that he would leave the matter of filing a grievance up to his legal team. Irving serves as a vice president on the players union’s leadership team.

Nets owner Joe Tsai suspended Irving for at least four games after Irving dismissed concerns that the film was anti-semitic, didn’t apologize, or clarify that he was against antisemitism. Irving apologized the same night Tsai suspended him. Tsai later drew criticism after multiple reports came out detailing the six requirements he needed to see Irving fill before he returned. He was further scrutinized when he said Irving “still has work to do.”

Former teammates Jaylen Brown and LeBron James labeled the requirements and comments as “alarming” and “excessive.” Brown later said that Tsia and society had more work to do, and James said that Irving “should be able to play” after he apologized.

That hangtime though pic.twitter.com/WVPH3fg7uL

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 21, 2022

Regarding the game itself, Irving’s teammates and coaches were happy to have the 30-year-old back on the court. Kevin Durant said the Nets “just want to keep stacking up good days, see what happens.”

“It’s always nice to just focus on the game,” Durant said. “We understand the circumstances around our game now. Our league is getting bigger; there’s so much attention on it, so every little thing might get blown up nowadays; so as much as we can just focus on playing ball and keep growing as a team, I think our fans can get behind that. I think you guys will get behind that as well. So we just want to keep stacking up good days, see what happens.”

Ben Simmons said Irving’s talent makes it “easy to play with him.”

“It’s Kyrie; he’s so talented,” Simmons said. “Obviously, he’s working on the handle again, trying to get a feel for the ball, but he’s so talented it’s easy to play with him.”

Brooklyn will be back in action on Tuesday when they play the 76ers on the road.

The post Kyrie Irving Set to ‘Move Forward’ From 8-Game Suspension appeared first on SLAM.

The former No. 1 overall pick out of LSU nearly dropped a triple-double after scoring 15 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and passing seven assists in 32 minutes of action. It was the kind of performance that led to Kevin Durant (35 points and eight rebounds on 13-22 shooting from the field and 1-4 shooting from beyond the arc) calling him “incredible” after his best performance of the young season.

“I’m just happy for him because he’s been trying to get his form back,” Durant said, per ESPN. “Trying to figure his rhythm out. Tonight I think he did a good job just talking up, commanding the offense, commanding the team on the defensive side of the ball. He was incredible tonight. So we’re going to keep building on that, and hopefully, we’re able to get this next one, but he controlled the game and was able to get us back into it.”

File this under things you love to see pic.twitter.com/4kYbg20tfZ

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 18, 2022

Simmons was already riding high after posting an 11/5/3 outing against the Kings. Just two days later, Simmons was able to follow that up by taking his game to another level as he attacked the rim frequently and showed no hesitation when the Blazers sent him to the line when they deployed a “Hack-a-Ben” strategy in the final minutes of their eventual loss.

Simmons went 3-4 from the line down the stretch and played at a level that the Nets were hopeful they’d get out of the gates when they traded for him at last season’s February trade deadline.

“I love those moments,” Simmons said. “I’m not going to shy away. That was their plan. Obviously, it didn’t work. We were able to convert a couple free throws, get some stops. Just keep building. I like those moments.”

Another KD/Ben connection pic.twitter.com/Ll7TTmdoNp

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 18, 2022

Head coach Jacque Vaughn said Simmons’ out was “very encouraging” after he played a season-high 32 minutes, the most he’s played in November. Vaughn also praised Simmons’ ability to guard Jusuf Nurkic and Damian Lillard and said that Brooklyn “envisioned him doing everything for us.” Vaughn attributed Simmons’ strong performance to “just feeling good” from missing the last five games due to a swollen left knee.

Simmons and the Nets will look to keep the good vibes going and win their third game in a row against the Grizzlies on Sunday.

“I’m coming,” Simmons said. “I’m getting there, man. It’s taking a little bit of time, but I got my own back. My teammates got my back, my coaches.”

The post Kevin Durant Calls Ben Simmons ‘Incredible’ After Season-High Outing appeared first on SLAM.

This time, arguably their best player, Kevin Durant, spoke out on the blockbuster trade request he made in late June; the two-year drama centered around point guard Kyrie Irving and where their roster currently rests.

Durant essentially took the biggest challenge of his career by joining the Nets in 2019 after winning two titles as a member of the Golden State Warriors. Since then, Durant has only made it as far as the second round of the playoffs, and he believes former coach Steve Nash wasn’t able to bring out the best of the Nets.

“Ask Steve Nash; you can go call him right now. I would say, ‘Yo, I need more closeout drills. We need to practice more.’ That’s what I was on,” Durant told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. “I wasn’t feeling that, and nobody was on that same vibe with me.”

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The team’s commitment towards success last season was the breaking point for Durant. A team unwilling to spend extra hours in practice to improve their play resulted in No. 7 considering a run towards the exit.

“I had some complaints in the summer, and my complaints were not about just me; it was about how we are moving as a unit,” Durant said. “I want us to be respected out here in the basketball world. I don’t want players to look at us and say, ‘Oh man, these [expletive] are full of s—. That’s not the type of team I want to be on.’

“So when we’re all playing like s—, you know the one person they’re going to look at. That’s why I requested a trade.”

The Nets were able to keep Durant in the fold after a summer meeting with Brooklyn’s front office. It didn’t help that Brooklyn faced much scrutiny surrounding Durant’s trade request and free-agent negotiations with Irving.

Irving, who has refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine and was recently mired in controversy for posting a movie filled with anti-Semitic messaging that forced Brooklyn to suspend him indefinitely after he declined to apologize and disown the antisemitism in the film.

Irving’s constant sideline absence left Durant to defend his teammate and flex his leadership, telling reporters that he “can’t tell a grown man what to do.” Durant is making it clear he has accepted Irving’s availability, and it’s time to stop deeming the Nets as championship contenders. Durant subsequently asked, “what do you expect” from Brooklyn’s starters, and bluntly said the Nets are expected to win because he’s in the lineup.

“You expect us to win because I’m out there. So if you’re watching from that lens, you’re expecting us to play well because No. 7 is out there.”

The post Kevin Durant Reflects on Trade Request and Brooklyn’s Roster Moves appeared first on SLAM.

Sacramento shot 10-12 during their game-deciding blitz late in the first half. They also hit 6-6 inside and three-point arc while forcing the Nets into 1-11 shooting and 1-8 in the paint during Sacramento’s decisive run. The Kings entered Tuesday winners of six of their last eight contests.

“S—t, we got smacked. They were better offensively and defensively. They played as a team (for) four quarters,” Ben Simmons said, per the New York Post. ” They just played better than us — They wanted it more. Obviously, we didn’t want it.”

Finishing through contact pic.twitter.com/YCfv4P5a9k

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 16, 2022

Simmons recorded 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists on 5-7 shooting from the field. The output is the most he’s scored since June 14, 2021. When Brooklyn traded for the LSU product at last season’s trade deadline, they hoped the three-time All-Star would solve their defensive woes as a two-way menace.

So far, Simmons has averaged a career-low 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.6 rebounds per game on 48.1 percent shooting from the field. As a defense, Brooklyn ranks 23rd in the League with a 112.7 defensive rating.

Some of their woes may be attributed to Simmons’ lack of aggression and availability. According to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Nets have reportedly grown frustrated with Simmons’ health and level of play. Simmons missed the last eight days after he got his left knee drained because of fluid build-up. The one-time steal champ acknowledged that criticism but reiterated that his injury concerns are “a real thing.

“You’re obviously not gonna be happy when anybody’s out,” Simmons told The Athletic, “But for me, I’ve been dealing with the knee since the start of the season. It’s been swollen. I had PRP (injections). I had blood rained a couple (of) times. So it’s not a made up thing, you know” It’s a real thing.

“I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I’m a competitor. I want to win and play. So I’m gonna do what I can to get out there.”

pic.twitter.com/arDyDHwatw

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 16, 2022

It’s been a tough two years for Simmons, who’s had to battle criticism about his lack of aggression and mental health. He noted that his back problems started on Fed. 22, 2020, against the Milwaukee Bucks, when he said he went to the hospital because he was in so much pain.

Simmons said his latest injury had required near-constant care while his back has vastly improved. He’s said that he’s “on full overload with treatment” and is doing “everything I need to do to stay out there, “like “spending more time on the table,” and when he’s away from the facility, he makes sure that he’s keeping his leg up and “icing, doing whatever I need to do — sleeping.”

Simmons and the Nets will have a chance to avenge their blowout loss with a road game against the Trail Blazers.

The post Ben Simmons On His Recurring Knee Injury: ‘It’s Not a Made-Up Thing appeared first on SLAM.

Silver and Irving met two weeks after the embattled Nets guard posted an Amazon link to a controversial film that featured antisemitic messaging. Irving’s post led to Brooklyn suspending him for at least five games and Nike suspending his deal. Nike co-founder Phil Knight said that the business relationship between the legendary sports apparel company and the former Duke Blue Devil is likely severed for good.

“He’s someone I’ve known for a decade, and I’ve never heard an antisemitic word from him or, frankly, hate directed at any group,” Silver said, according to the New York Times.

“Whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content.

Silver acknowledged that the criticism the League and Nets received for not disciplining Irving faster “may be fair.” Irving was suspended on Nov. 3, a week after he posted his tweet, for not formally apologizing during a news conference he had earlier that day. Irving posted an apology statement on Instagram later that night.

When asked about Irving’s indefinite suspension, Silver told the Times that he thinks the Nets “got the right outcome.” Silver clarified that the League wanted to do “a bit of work and research to understand” Irving’s post, and that information confirmed that the film featured hate speech, which led to the Nets and the League suspending Irving.

“I feel that we got to the right outcome here regarding his suspension,” Silver told the Times. “And in retrospect, we may have been able to get there faster. I accept that criticism. But I felt it was important to understand the context in which it was posted to understand what discipline was appropriate, not in any way to excuse it but to understand what discipline was appropriate.”

Silver said the Nets would consult with the League regarding Irving’s return. Players union leaders CJ McCollum and Jaylen Brown have both called out the conditions of Irving’s return, calling it an “issue” and that it’s “asking for a lot.” Former Irving teammate LeBron James called the list “excessive” on Twitter.

According to insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania, Irving will have a set of conditions to meet before he can return, including a public statement recognizing the film is antisemitic, an apology for supporting the film and the falsehoods within the film, training sessions on the dangers of hate speech, and demonstrating that he understands the severity of the situation with Nets owner Joe Tsai.

The post Adam Silver Has ‘No Doubt’ Kyrie Irving is Not Antisemitic appeared first on SLAM.

Since becoming the last coach to be a part of this feat, Vaughn has been receiving a lot of praise around the league for making this possible. Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers told the media on Wednesday, ​“It’s never been for me how many Black head coaches there are, for me it’s been about Black coaches having the same opportunity as everyone else at becoming head coach. The fact that it’s now 16 only amplifies that – Jacque Vaughn didn’t get the head job because he was Black. He got it because he was the most qualified.”

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff expressed how Vaughn’s hiring has shown growth within the hiring process for Black coaches.

“The most impressive thing about there being 16 Black head coaches in the NBA and the most significant thing is that there is equal opportunity for Black coaches to be head coaches, which hasn’t always been the case,” said Bickerstaff. “Owners and general managers are open-minded enough to see past the exterior and see the real qualifications that make leaders, teachers, and coaches.”

In what is such a momentous time for Black history, players have shown frustration on the matter over past months. Tracing back to June before the NBA Finals started when there were only 15 black head coaches, Celtics star Jaylen Brown told reporters the eventual rise of Black head coaches is related to the “grand scheme of things that kind of goes on in America.” Brown added,”I don’t understand what took so long, to be honest.”

The post Jacque Vaughn’s Promotion to Head Coach Creates NBA History appeared first on SLAM.

Multiple reports came out last week suggesting that the Nets were hiring suspended Boston coach Ime Udoka as Nash’s replacement, but Nets GM Sean Marks denied all reports that Brooklyn was looking to hire the coach out of Boston. 

Vaughn has been with the Nets as an assistant coach since the 2016-2017 season. This is his second stint as interim head coach of the Nets; he filled in for 10 games in the 2019-2020 season, where he went 7-3. Before joining the Nets staff, Vaughn previously served as the head coach of the Magic for three seasons.

He is 67-163 in his career. The Nets and Knicks play Wednesday at 7:30 EST. 

The post Brooklyn Promotes Jacque Vaughn to Head Coach of the Nets appeared first on SLAM.

“Kevin clearly will have many opportunities to be associated with NBA teams and organizations, staying around the game his whole life,” said Kleiman. “I hope I do as well. And I hope that the business we’re building puts us in a position one day to be able to have an opportunity to buy into an NBA team – I think that at whatever level we were able to do it, being hands-on with an organization is also what’s really appealing. I’d love to be able to operate as a CEO of an NBA organization, and I’m sure Kevin would love to be able to have a hand in building, from a player and operational standpoint, being able to build a roster. But I think that that’s everyone’s dream right now in some capacity in our world.”

Kleiman notably mentioned Dwayne Wade, a part owner of the Utah Jazz, as someone to use as a blueprint for owning an NBA team in the near future with the Nets star. 

“I think if LeBron is able to get into Vegas and then you see D-Wade in Utah, I think that only probably opens up the runway even more so for Kevin having an opportunity to do that,” said Kleiman.

If this can become a reality in the future, there’s no doubt Durant and Kleiman will be ready with the experience they are getting now as part owners elsewhere. The duo currently holds stakes with the Philadelphia Union, a Major League Pickleball team, and NJ/NY Gotham FC.

The post Kevin Durant Wants ‘Opportunity to’ Own An NBA Team with Rich Kleiman appeared first on SLAM.

From the slow 4-6 record to start the season to their decision to part ways with former coach Steve Nash and now dealing with the suspension/backlash following Kyrie Irving’s controversial social media posting of a film with anti-Semitic messaging, the Nets are in desperate need of some good news right now.

Lucky for Nets fans, they just may have gotten some much-needed sunlight. In a recent report per The New York Post, All-Star guard Ben Simmon’s injury status has been changed from “out” to “available” for tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Simmons said he “feels great” and will play a limited amount of about 20 minutes tonight against Luka Doncic and the Mavs.

Simmons has missed the Nets’ last four games with a sore left knee and did not travel with the team on their recent road games in Charlotte or Washington. Luckily for Simmons and the Nets, it does not seem like the knee was a severe danger. The MRI came back clean and revealed some swelling that Simmons had drained.

With Irving suspended, for the time being, this Dallas game seems like the perfect opportunity for Simmons to maybe take over and play a point-forward role as he did with the Philadelphia 76ers. We all know how special and gifted a player Simmons can be with the ball in his hands, and with Kevin Durant (who has been on an absolute tear as of late) on the wing, the two could make an unstoppable 1-2 combo.

It will be exciting to see how interim coach Jacque Vaughn utilizes Simmons tonight in this matchup. Doncic has been scorching hot in every game he has played this year. Doncic comes into this Nets game averaging 36.0 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists.

It will take a lot to slow this Maverick’s team down; however, the Nets are riding a two-game win streak, so hopefully, we will see some of the recently developed momentum carry over into tonight.

The post Ben Simmons ‘Feels Great’ and Plans to Play Against Dallas After Missing Four Games Due to Knee Soreness appeared first on SLAM.

Each team has lost the games they’ve played this week, possibly due to the distraction centered around the coaching staff, but veteran leader Al Horford believes the Celtics need to move on from Udoka if his decision happens to ship him to Brooklyn.

“Right now, our focus is on our group and continuing to move forward,” Horford told NBC reporters during the team’s shootaround this morning. “If that materializes for (Udoka), obviously, we’ll be happy for him, but at this point, we’ve already moved forward — We need to bounce back. That’s what’s on my mind.”

The Celtics lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in an overtime thriller Wednesday night, marking their third loss in the last four games. The team averages the most three-pointers (15.4) and sixth most blocks (6.1) across the League under interim Coach Joe Mazzulla. One thing that hasn’t helped is that Boston isn’t forcing many turnovers. They’re averaging 5.7 steals per game this season versus the 7.2 they created last season under Udoka.

That Udoka defense of last year led the team to the NBA Finals, but the past is the past. Horford wants the team to focus on Friday’s game versus the Chicago Bulls.

Considering the reasoning behind the suspension of Udoka, there’s no surprise that a title-contending organization like the Celtics is allowing Udoka to seek coaching opportunities outside Beantown. The objective remains to bring home an 18th title.

“The games are coming on. Things are not going to get easier, ” said Horford. “We’ve got a big challenge starting tonight with Chicago. So, our group, we’re moving ahead. We have to focus and look ahead.”

The post Al Horford Wants Celtics to ‘Focus On Our Group’ So They Can ‘Move Forward’ appeared first on SLAM.

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Irving said he was “deeply sorry” to “all Jewish families and communities that are hurt and affected” in his post. He went on to say that he “initially reacted of emotion” because he thought he was “unjustly” being labeled as an anti-Semite for posting about the film that’s drawn a great deal of ire from plenty of figures in and out of the NBA universe.

Irving said that he wanted “to clarify and confusion on where” he stands by “apologizing for posting the documentary without context and a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the documentary” he stood with or against. Kai concluded the statement by saying he “had no intentions” of disrespecting “any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate.”

Sean Marks says Kyrie’s apology last night was a good first step but the organization wants him to take some more steps — including meeting with Jewish leaders — before playing for the Nets again.

Marks said the organization never considered releasing Kyrie.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 4, 2022

Nets GM Sean Marks said in a statement released Friday morning that Irving’s apology was a good first step, but the franchise still wants him to take more steps, like meeting with Jewish leaders, before he can play with the Nets again. Marks clarified that the Nets had no intention of releasing Irving due to the controversy. Kevin Durant said he hasn’t spoken with Irving since his suspension but has “trust in the organization to do what’s right.”

What did KD think of Kyrie’s conduct this week?

“I ain’t here to judge nobody … I just didn’t like anything that went on. I feel like it was all unnecessary. I feel like we could have kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization. I just don’t like none of it.”

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 4, 2022

The post Kyrie Irving Says He’s ‘Deeply Sorry’ For Posting Controversial Documentary appeared first on SLAM.

Commissioner Adam Silver released an official statement stating how “disappointed” he was that Irving didn’t offer an “unqualified apology.”

The Nets have suspended Kyrie Irving.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 3, 2022

According to the statement, Brooklyn is suspending Irving after they “made repeated attempts to work with” Irving “to help him understand the harm and danger of his words and actions.” The controversy surrounding the former Duke Blue Devil began after he posted a film on his social media that featured several anti-Semitic tropes.

Brooklyn says they believe “taking the path of education in this challenging situation would be the right one and thought that we had made progress with our joint commitment to eradicating hate and tolerance.” They go on to state that they are “dismayed” that Irving “refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, no acknowledge specific hateful material in the film” during his most recent media session.

Nets statement pic.twitter.com/8movfKNRdT

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 3, 2022

The Nets finished the statement by saying Irving “is currently unfit to be associated” with the team and that the three-time All-NBA selection “will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of injective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period serves is no less than five games.”

On Wednesday, the Nets and Irving pledged to donate half a million dollars “toward causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and intolerance in our communities.” The Nets also said that they and Irving will work with the Anti-Defamation League in an “effort to develop educational programming that is inclusive and will comprehensively combat all forms of antisemitism and bigotry.”

The post Brooklyn Suspends Kyrie Irving For Five Games appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets, Irving, the NBA, and the NBPA have been dealing with the fallout of Irving’s insensitive social media activity. Both the Nets and Irving pledged to donate 500,000 dollars to anti-hate organizations earlier this week in an effort to heal the damage that was done.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released his official statement in response to Irving on Thursday. Silver stated that while he appreciated Irving’s donation to the anti-hate organization, he was “disappointed” in Irving’s lack of apology and that he will be “meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss this situation.” 

When pressed by reporters about his social media activity, Irving has had several conflicting statements and accounts on his intentions and on whatever power he believes he may hold. He has not backed down from much of the messaging of the movie. The Nets withheld Irving from media availability following his 4-point performance in Tuesday’s loss against the Chicago Bulls. 

In response to more questioning about the antisemitic movie on Thursday, Irving said he takes “responsibility for posting that” and acknowledged that “some things were questionable in there in, untrue.” He reminded reporters that he doesn’t “believe everything that everybody posts” and that he “didn’t mean to cause any harm.”

When asked if he was anti-semitic, Irving said he “respects all walks of life” while adding that he believes he “cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from.”

I take my responsibility for posting that,” Irving said per SNYNets.” Some things that were questionable in there untrue. Like I said the first time you guys asked me when I was sitting on that stage, I don’t believe everything that everybody posts. It’s a documentary. I take my responsibility.

Irving will likely be facing a good deal of media scrutiny over the next few weeks of the season for his comments. It is unclear if further punishment will be dealt out against Irving by either the NBA or the Brooklyn Nets. The clear message from the NBA is that they do not condone any promotion of hate speech.

The post Adam Silver Releases Statement On Kyrie Irving’s Recent Social Media Post appeared first on SLAM.

The head coaching search didn’t last long for the Nets as reports have now circulated that they’ve narrowed their candidates to just Udoka and former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder. The Nets could possibly name him as their new head coach within the next 24 hours according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Last season, Udoka led the Celtics to a first round sweep against the Nets, which then resulted in seven game series wins against the then-defending champions Milwaukee Bucks and the first seeded Miami Heat.

Leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals was pinnacle success for the first year head coach, but then this offseason, allegations surfaced around a former employee and Udoka having ‘inappropriate relations,’ leading to the one-year suspension.

Altough it isn’t finalized as of yet, Udoka could soon lead the helm of another franchise with high expectations.

The post Ime Udoka Reportedly Emerges as Frontrunner for Nets Head Coaching Job appeared first on SLAM.

Nash spent two full seasons with the team and reached the playoffs on both occasions, one of which featured a classic seven game series against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

This season, the Nets’ elite scoring duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant returned after several speculations of them leaving circulated during the off-season. Then there’s the return of a healthy Ben Simmons, who had not played last season due to reported mental health concerns and severe back pain.

After news had broke out that the Nets had fired Nash, Nash took to Twitter to release a statement thanking ownership and the fanbase for putting trust in him to lead the group. Read his latest statement below.

The Nets have reportedly decided to have interim head coach Jacque Vaughn lead tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

The post ‘Thank You, Brooklyn’: Read Steve Nash’s Statement After Nets Departure appeared first on SLAM.

He coached 161 games in total, going 94-67 with a 58.4 percent win percentage. Jacque Vaughn has reportedly been named interim head coach.

Nash’s tenure in Brooklyn featured a pair of playoff appearances but they never advanced further than the second round. The Nets were swept in the first round against the Boston Celtics last season. Since Kevin Durant’s return, the team has constantly been projected as title favorites but they repeatedly fell short of expectations. 

Nash’s time as head coach was filled with some difficult situations, including Kyrie Irving’s injuries and vaccination status, Ben Simmons’ on-court status, and a trade demand from James Harden, and most recently, Durant’s own reported trade demand this offseason. 

As the team looks to turn around their season and set themselves back on track for contention, their first opportunity to perform in the post-Nash era will be tonight against the Chicago Bulls. 

The post REPORT: Brooklyn Nets and Steve Nash Agree to Part Ways appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets are 1-5 as of Monday, losing four straight to the Grizzlies, Bucks, Mavericks, and Pacers. Brooklyn’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks came in overtime after Ben Simmons forced a turnover and dished the ball to Kevin Durant, who subsequently took off from below the free-throw line to tie the game up with a few ticks left in regulation. The Nets ultimately lost after the Mavericks outscored them 17-13.

“That had some good players and have been playing together for a while so they had some camaraderie that we’re trying to get and six games into the season, our best basketball is ahead of us for sure.”

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) October 31, 2022

When Morris was asked about Brooklyn’s slow start, the former Kansas Jayhawk was dismissive and said that “things aren’t bad.

“We lost a basketball game. I think that we have to realize that six games into the season with a brand new team — Indiana was a bad loss because they just really out-played us, but the games before that we against some good teams —”

Morris also went on to talk about how their prior losses came against teams that have built more chemistry and equity amongst their teammates.

“That had some good players and have been playing together for a while, so they had some camaraderie that we’re trying to get, and six games into the season, our best basketball is ahead of us for sure.”

What is holding Brooklyn back is the circumstances surrounding why the Nets haven’t played together. Durant and Kyrie Irving have played 50 games together after becoming teammates in 2019 due to injuries and Brooklyn deciding not to play Irving while he was unvaccinated against COVID-19. There still waiting for Seth Curry to come back. Joe Harris is acclimating after missing most of last season while healing from a surgically repaired ankle.

The Nets will have a chance to break their losing streak when they host the Pacers on Monday.

The post Markieff Morris Dismisses Brooklyn’s Slow Start: ‘Best Basketball is Ahead of Us for Sure’ appeared first on SLAM.

During Brooklyn’s loss to the Bucks, 110-99, Kyrie Irving took that message to another level while defending his teammate.

he’s improvising out there pic.twitter.com/bRoImkSLgv

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 22, 2022

When Irving sliced through the lane and set Simmons up for a layup deep in the paint, Simmons instead passed the ball back to Kevin Durant, who was standing behind the three-point line. On-court mics caught Irving saying, “shoot it, Ben!” Postgame, Irving elaborated on his plea for Simmons to shoot the ball at that moment.

“When I passed it to him, I felt like he had a layup at the rim,” Irving said, per ESPN. “And I looked him eye to eye, and I was like, “Shoot it, Ben!” And, of course, again, it’s just a clip. It’s a full game that we can look at and dissect, and that’s what I’ll do. This is a big-picture thing. We want Ben to be aggressive every single play, we want him to get an assist every single play, we want him to rebound, we want him to play against the best player, we want him to do all the things we know he’s capable of, but at this time he’s going to have to work himself into his own confidence and feel good about himself.”

“I’m not going to say I’m being patient or humble about it, but the reality is that we’re just going to keep having to try this experiment every single night until we get the right recipe.”

this ball movement pic.twitter.com/9cGvWCrCUM

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 25, 2022

The season is young, but Simmons is still trying to reestablish his rhythm after missing a year and a half of basketball while he refused to play for Philly while dealing with mental health issues. When he was traded, Simmons missed the rest of the regular season and Brooklyn’s first-round loss due to a back injury that ultimately required surgery.

So far, Simmons is averaging 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game on 45.0 percent shooting from the field. The three-time All-Star has fouled out of two of the four games he’s played and is averaging 3.3 turnovers during the 29.5 minutes he plays per game.

Although the Nets sit at 1-3, Irving and the rest of his teammates reiterate that Simmons and Brooklyn will have better days. Coach Steve Nash said Simmons “is a huge piece of the team” and that the Nets will have to “support him and keep working with him” as they build up his confidence and help him regain his rhythm.

“I just think like, if we’re going to come in and be honest as a team, I’m not trying to just be critical over what Ben’s done right or done wrong every single night,” Irving said. “He’s a basketball player; he’s a professional; he has the skills to be a great professional; he’s done it in the past. And he hasn’t played in two years. So you guys keep coming in here asking me, ‘What about Ben?’ ‘What about Ben?’ and it’s just he hasn’t played in two years. Give him a f—ing chance.”

backdoor delivery pic.twitter.com/RCgaWThUKi

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 25, 2022

Irving further defended Simmons when he said that they “stay on him” and that as Simmons continues to hoop and gets back into the groove of things, “we’re going to really have to jell as a team in order to learn how to win as a group.” He also said that no one will be asked to “go out there and be Superman.”

Simmons said he was “more comfortable” on the court after each game. Simmons was also transparent about feeling “a little hesitant” after he “got hit and tweaked” his back.

“I think each game I feel more comfortable,” Simmons said. “I think once I got hit and tweaked my back a little bit, I was a little hesitant after that, as you guys could probably see, but I definitely feel like in each game, I’m progressing a little bit in terms of my physicality and aggression.”

The post Kyrie Irving Urges Patience With Ben Simmons: ‘This Is A Big Picture Thing’ appeared first on SLAM.

Morant doesn’t remind Durant of any other player.

“He’s a unique player. A lot of athleticism and creativity out there. Body type reminds you of somebody like—well, he’s taller than A.I. [Allen Iverson], but a wiry, strong player — but he’s an incredible player, man,” Durant said per Bleacher Report.

The Murray State product lived up to Durant’s pregame praise with 38 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in a 134-124 Memphis win. Morant, Durant, Desmond Bane, and Kyrie Irving combined to score 150 points on 62 percent shooting from the field.

At just 23-years-old, Morant has the rest of the NBA on watch.

A 2022 All-Star and the NBA’s Most Improved Player, the guard led the Grizzlies to second in the Western Conference last season. Morant has averaged 35.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds this season while leading the Grizzlies to a 3-1 start. Memphis ousted the Nets, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks but fell to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Durant’s teammate Ben Simmons spoke on 12 before their Monday night match-up. The duel between Simmons and Morant ended late in the fourth quarter after the 2022 All-Star baited Simmons into fouling out as the Grizzlies inbounded the ball.

“He is an incredible athlete — He pushes the pace, gets his team going, shares the ball. He’s relentless at the rim.”

The Morant magic continues Thursday Night versus the Sacramento Kings.

The post Kevin Durant Calls Ja Morant ‘The Face of Our League Going Forward’ appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons was frustrated with the officiating all night, but none vexed him more than his sixth and final foul, a touch foul when Simmons aggressively defended Ja Morant near halfcourt while Morant tried to waste time with 3:52 left in the game. 

Simmons and Coach Steve Nash were flabbergasted by the call. 

“I just saw the play,” Simmons said after the game. “It wasn’t a foul. [Orr] called it a foul, made a mistake, it is what it is … it’s really frustrating … it’s not a foul, but it was bullshit. It’s frustrating because it’s late game, fourth quarter, it’s a physical, close game. It’s the NBA. It’s not college. It’s not high school. Some people are going to get hit; some people bleed; it’s basketball.”

Ja Morant just explained how he baited Ben Simmons into a sixth foul by remembering something that happened during his rookie year. pic.twitter.com/lKgerareWm

— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) October 25, 2022

Morant believed he had something to do with Simmons’ getting called for the foul and explained how he baited him into being disqualified. 

“If y’all want to go dig up a play, I think my rookie year I was in Philly, and the same situation happened like that versus Ben in the first half. I went to look at Coach to get the play, and [Simmons] ran through the ball, got the steal, and went to dunk — I knew it at that moment. Once I seen him and I was rolling the ball, and I was at half [court], I looked at Coach, and I see him try to like ‘oh yeah.’ So I knew I had him. He was going to press up, and I was just going to force the ref to make the call.” 

Morant and Simmons were going at it all games, each receiving technicals in the first half. Morant finished with 38 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Simmons finished with seven points, eight dimes, and three boards. 

The post Ja Morant Takes Credit For Baiting Ben Simmons into Fouling Out appeared first on SLAM.

After missing last season with a broken foot, Williamson joined a revamped Pelicans core to wipe out the Brooklyn Nets in a 130-108 blowout. Williamson scored 25 points and pulled down nine rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 30 minutes of action. The all-around performance gives fans a real sense of how dominant he was in his return. However, Williamson says he had just “a decent starter performance.”  

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After the game, Williamson said, “It’s a lot of room for improvement. I’m still learning my teammates. Now we get real in-game reps. I’m just excited to grow.”

Looking at Williamson’s stats from the last time he played, Williamson has reason to believe his outstanding performance was not on par with his standard performances. He went an efficient 11-22 from the floor, slightly down from his career 60.4 percent field goal shooting. His teammates and Coach Willie Green weren’t so rigid with their praise. 

Coach Willie Green said it was like Williamson “didn’t miss a beat.” Fellow All-Star teammate Brandon Ingram said he “picked up where he left off.”

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Even his opponents were impressed with his seamless return to play.

“He looked healthy to me,” Kevin Durant said. “He looked good. Got up 22 shots, nine rebounds, 25 points. At this point, it’s just typical for him.”

Williamson has been dominant since the moment he stepped on an NBA floor. Everyone and we mean everyone, will be watching and waiting for his dominance to continue. 

The post Zion Williamson Calls First Game Back ‘a Decent Starter Performance’ appeared first on SLAM.

He also called his close friend “one of the greatest to ever do it,” while adding that he thinks Durant “not only in me but himself.”

“When Kev made that request, I feel like we got better,” Irving told Charania per Stadium. “Afterwards. Not initially, but now where we are now, I feel like we can honestly say we got better with the principles that are needed for success. Without going through some test in the summertime or during the season, we wouldn’t be able to be as close and bonded as we are now.”

Part 2 of Kyrie Irving on @Stadium: “I’m going for every piece of hardware that I could possibly get out of the NBA.” On the Nets post-KD trade request, his team bonding event, admitting “I don’t think it was my time to ask for a trade” with Cavs, Uncle Drew, meaning of A11Even. pic.twitter.com/TI4IKfOBEs

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2022

KD and Kai have played just 44 games together since they first joined forces together in Brooklyn during the 2019 offseason. The All-Star duo have been unavailable due to injuries, load management, and Irving’s decision not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Irving also touched on the importance of organizing team outings and ensuring everyone spends time with each other during the season.

“It makes a big difference when you spend time with your coworkers when you spend time with your teammates, and you spend time with those that are going to be along the journey,” Irving said. “It’s a long f—ing journey, man.”

Building chemistry on and off the court will help the Nets integrate new players like Ben Simmons and Royce O’Neale.

Irving also told Charania about some of his career regrets, including how “the NBA business” is conducted. Irving specifically pointed out how things went down when he requested a trade out of Cleaveland following their second Finals loss to the Warriors in 2017, “there were a lot of things that happened in the business that I didn’t understand.”

“When I asked for a trade from Cleveland, the one thing that I look back on is: Did I exhaust as many opportunities to get closer to guys when I felt some type of difference? There was a lot of things that happened in the business that I didn’t understand,” he said. “Asking for a trade — I don’t think it was my time to ask for a trade. And especially to go to Boston, who was No. 2 or No. 1 in our conference; it’s just right down the street. I’m grateful that I had my time there because it was one of the most historical franchises that, again, I did not know the power of our industry.

“When I reflect on it, at 30 years old I can say I understand the business better, I understand the way that roles work, and if anybody can sit here honestly and say they messed up, it was me. Because if I’m saying that it is family-run and relationship-run, then while I was in these situations, I didn’t handle all of those relationships as I would have wanted.”

Nets’ Kyrie Irving sits down with @Stadium: “I got a chance to catch my son, this was the second time we did natural home birth. I was the doula. My wife is a warrior.” Also: Relationship with dad and beliefs, mental health, opt-in, revealing severity of ’21 ankle injury, more. pic.twitter.com/lGxQWdEtDu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 18, 2022

The Nets open the season against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.

The post Kyrie Irving: Nets ‘Got Better’ After Kevin Durant’s Trade Request appeared first on SLAM.

Scratching that championship quest was the Golden State Warriors, who came back down 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder. A stunning turn of events in the series led to Durant departing from Oklahoma City, to join that same Dubs squad.

Forming a Big 4 in San Francisco with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Durant dealt with his own criticism when he made the move. Now, KD has shared his thoughts on the negativity surrounding his former teammate for Westbrook’s recent play with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“The dialog around our game is just so toxic at this point,” said Durant on the ETCs podcast. “I get criticism [on the court] but it’s starting to turn into something else now.”

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At age 33, Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, the third lowest average in his career. While the Lakers’ performance last season wasn’t entirely on Westbrook, critics (and haters on the internet) have placed a lot of the blame on him.

“When you’re playing alongside the biggest figure in L.A in LeBron James everything you do is gonna be magnified,” said Durant. “…If people don’t trust that your team is gonna be good…you have to be on point every time.”

Both Westbrook and Durant, as of now, have remained with their respective team’s of last season, but the expectations they are assumed to bring to the table remain.

Photo via Getty Images.

The post Kevin Durant on Criticism Towards Russell Westbrook: ‘Dialog Around Our Game is Just so Toxic’ appeared first on SLAM.

The root of the problem stems from injury and his COVID-19 vaccination status as the world opened back up from lockdown. In his three campaigns for the Nets, Irving has averaged 27.1 points per game, 6.0 assists per game, and 4.7 rebounds per game, but he’s only played 103 out of a possible 246 games. 

After tense deliberation with Nets management this summer, Irving opted into the final year of his contract and is set to possibly play his last season in Brooklyn. Due to Irving’s mysterious nature and unpredictable availability, rumors have been building for quite some time that Irving is prepared to retire after this upcoming season.

However, Irving put those rumors to rest on Monday after ESPN’s Mark Friedell asked how much longer he’d like to play. 

“I’m never going to stop playing. You hear me? Get that — I am never going to stop playing. This is not even a debate. It’s not a consideration,” Irving said. 

Irving will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and is free to play wherever he wants, but it appears retirement is not an option, at least not for the foreseeable future. Irving and KD are looking to improve on a disappointing 2021-2022 season, and that’s where Irving’s focus will remain, not with his post-playing career.

The Brooklyn Nets season begins on October 19 at 7:30 PM against the New Orleans Pelicans.   

Photo via Getty Images.

The post Kyrie Irving Refutes All Retirement Rumors: ‘I’m Never Going to Stop Playing’ appeared first on SLAM.

The former All-Star went viral on social media for a fadeaway airball he took at the Nets’ “Practice in the Park” in Brooklyn. Simmons had some displeased words for the audience of that video and took a jab at an NBA superstar that has also struggled to shoot in the previous years.

“They’re going to say that regardless,” said Simmons on fans’ criticism of his shooting. “Even if I hit a shot, what are they going to say? ‘I still can’t —That’s like saying can, Giannis [Antetokounmpo] shoot? Can he?”

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Simmons didn’t play for the 76ers with mental health issues, and a back injury prevented him from playing with Brooklyn last season. He ultimately received back surgery to fix the “lower spine irritation” he was experiencing. Simmons missed Brooklyn’s first-round loss to the Celtics due to that back injury and reportedly received some backlash from his teammates about his unavailability.

In the wake of all the criticism he’s had to deal with, Simmons fired back that all the backlash “comes with being Ben Simmons right now.”

“It finds me all the time,” Simmons said. “And it doesn’t f—ing stop. Sometimes I’m even sick of it, but then I’m like, ‘OK, I’m Ben Simmons, you know? It comes with being Ben Simmons right now.’

In a recent preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Simmons held Giannis Antetokounmpo to 6-21 shooting from the field, showing his defensive abilities are still at the top of the rest of the League. In addition, Coach Steve Nash has made it clear that no matter the position Simmons plays, he’ll settle for whatever jump shot he takes.

Through all the controversy surrounding his name, Simmons is more than confident to be a better version of himself from previous years and is siked to take on one of his biggest challenges this season, play at Wells Fargo Arena against his former Sixers squad.

“F— I can’t wait to go there,” said Simmons.

The post Ben Simmons Responds to Recent Media Criticism About His Jump Shot appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons was shipped from the Philadelphia 76ers to Brooklyn at the trade deadline of last season for James Harden. The basketball world erupted as the big 3 of Harden, Irving, and Durant couldn’t bring the Nets their first championship in franchise history.

When Simmons rolled into town, high expectations were still set on the Nets, and eyes laid on him to make a significant impact defensively. His back-to-back All-Defensive team selections and a fifth-place finish in steals (1.6) for the 2020-2021 season produced a case for it.

However, the Nets got swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics, and Simmons did not play a single game last season, leading to a rash of media backlash and rumors of their superstar players leaving over the summer. The team is still intact now, and Coach Steve Nash believes ‘patience’ will bring Simmons back into the All-star play he had in Philadelphia.

“He (Simmons) is an incredibly talented and unique player,” said Nash. “But he’s not going to be at his best in the short term, and he’s just got to continue to slog through this period of returning to play and getting his confidence, timing and rhythm back.”

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That ‘best’ as Nash mentions, won’t require much scoring from Simmons. The Nets seem to be hopeful that the elite scoring of Durant and Irving would alleviate the pressure off Simmons from shooting jump shots, but Durant would like to see Simmons take as many shots to not only find a shooting stroke but also regain that confidence around the rim.

“Just trust in him. Pass him the ball when he’s open,” said Durant. “When Ben is aggressive and gets downhill and looks for everybody and then puts the ball in the rim, it’s going to be a plus for our team.”

Nash may preach how patience will tell the story of Simmons’ start in Brooklyn, but if Simmons still struggles to shoot, Nash already has a backup plan to remain a top-tier team in the East.

Simmons has been linked to the possibility of playing center this season, which would be an upgrade to the squad considering the position is getting smaller across the League and requires much more skills than rebounding. Simmons would indeed find success throughout the season because of his playmaking and defensive intangibles, but it’ll be up to Nash to make Simmons an effective scorer that’ll once again submit the team as title favorites.

The post Steve Nash Reveals Plan to Help Ben Simmons Back to All-Star Form appeared first on SLAM.

Free agent Blake Griffin has agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 30, 2022

Griffin played 56 games last year in Brooklyn, averaging 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 42.5 percent from the field. The six-time All-Star has bounced around the League since the Clippers traded him to the Detroit Pistons. Griffin has played for four teams from 2017-18: the Clippers, Pistons, Nets, and Celtics.

Last season was the first time the former Rookie of the Year came off the bench more often than he started, the first time he averaged fewer than 25 minutes per game, and the first time he averaged fewer than 11 points per game. Boston will use Griffin for his veteran leadership and playmaking ability at the four-spot, not only as a bouncy scorer but as an underrated passer out of the low and mid-post.

The post REPORT: Blake Griffin Joining Boston Celtics On One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

“I love playing the 5,” said Simmons. “I don’t mind.”

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Simmons has been one of the more controversial players in the League over the past year. In his six years with the Philadelphia 76ers, The three-time All-Star showed promise to be an elite two-way player. Defensively he had shown his capabilities, like in 2020 when he led the League in steals with 2.1 a game and a career defensive rating average of 105.3, better than LeBron James (103.8) and multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert (103.5).

The struggle for Simmons has been at the offensive end, especially in big moments. The Sixers formed the duo of Simmons and Joel Embiid in hopes of achieving multiple championships with their all-around talent. While Embiid has seemed to improve in every facet, Simmons was scrutinized for not taking jump shots and a lack of aggression at times.

With misses at the line and outside of 15 feet from the basket, teams like the 2019 Toronto Raptors and the 2021 Atlanta Hawks would figure out a way to take Simmons out of the equation. Though the series went to seven games in each series, Simmons looked out of sync offensively that he’d pass up open layups.

Fast forward to the 2022 trade deadline, Simmons was traded to the Nets, with Brooklyn hoping the transaction would lead to the Nets winning a championship with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. A back injury season kept him sidelined for the rest of the year and resulted in an early playoff exit for the Nets.

Doubts raised through the roof, but Coach Steve Nash managed to keep his core together and has even made promises to improvise the offense around Simmons, letting it be known that he doesn’t care if Simmons “ever shoots a jump shot.”

Simmons may have the defensive prowess to play the five, but the team looks to implement an offense that makes him valuable, even if that means he takes more shots from the perimeter.

The post Ben Simmons Doesn’t Mind Playing New Position: ‘I Love Playing the 5’ appeared first on SLAM.

When Markieff Morris joined the team this summer, the Philly-bred forward seemed determMorris’ instill some grit and grind into Brooklyn’s DNA. Last season, Morris averaged 10.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the field and 34.1 percent from beyond the arc. Morris is healthy and ready to go after suffering a season-ending neck injury against the Nuggets 17 games into the season.

Morris has already developed a reputation as an enforcer in the League. He will look to reprise the role on the veteran-laden Nets led by Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons. They all have something to prove after a mediocre season that saw the team fall short of its championship aspirations and a dramatic offseason full of trade demands and ultimatums.

“Yeah, I agree with what [Kevin Durant] said,” Morris said Tuesday at Nets training camp. “They were soft, just point-blank period. When we played up against them, they were soft. Just go right in their chest. That’s what we did.”

"Just go out there and play hard, knock somebody on the ground. Kick them in their ass, see if they’ll get up. Then you’ll know.”@Keefmorris on the @BrooklynNets https://t.co/gRAXqkVTFH

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) September 27, 2022

Morris believes that the solution resides in the Nets playing hard and physically.

“Just go out there and play hard, knock somebody on the ground. Kick them in their ass, see if they’ll get up. Then you’ll know.”

Morris and the Nets will have a chance to test Morris’ theory out once the Nets start their season on Oct. 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The post Markieff Morris Believes the Nets Need to ‘Knock Somebody on the Ground’ appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons continued to say that he has been playing pickup with teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving all week and that those two look “incredible”. This new trio of Irving, Simmons, and Durant will be a Big Three that will be on everyone’s radar to watch this season, whether you are a fan or an opponent. All three players contribute unique skills and abilities that are just spiritual performances waiting to be witnessed.

Simmons is not the only Net eager to start the new season; Kyrie Irving also shared his thoughts on Simmons as well as a personal goal of his.

“It’s not too often that you get to see a 6’10” guy do the things he does,” Irving said about Simmons per Nets beat reporter, Erik Slater. “What I’ve been able to observe is just his resolve and his resiliency. He wants it.”

Irving’s encouraging words should give a considerable boost to Simmons after what was a very chippy ending to his time with the Philadephia 76ers and a rough start dealing with injuries when joining the Nets last season.

This just shows that Irving is also making good on his goal to want to help provide a sound support system that everyone on the team can thrive within. This Nets team has the talent to make a deep playoff run and has a chance to win the 2023 NBA championship, but it remains to be seen if this Big 3 can mesh together as a unit that can lead the Nets on and off the court.

With opening night just around the corner, the suspense and anticipation are growing on what will be a very exciting season for Brooklyn.

The post Ben Simmons ‘Ready to Go’ After Getting Cleared to Play appeared first on SLAM.

"Hearing Kev's trade request, I opt in…it's awkward. It's very awkward."

Kyrie Irving says his decision to come back to the Nets was "the best one for me" pic.twitter.com/LJHjIHIQBP

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) September 26, 2022

During this year’s Media Day sessions leading up to the 2022-23 season, Irving outright called the offseason a “clusterf***k” and that “it was just a lot” to decide to opt-in to the final year of his contract while his close friend and teammate Kevin Durant reportedly demanded to be traded from the Nets before ultimately coming to an agreement with Joe Tsai and Sean Marks that he would stay in Brooklyn.

Kyrie: “It was just a lot: I opt in. Then hearing Kevin want to be traded. It’s awkward. Im sitting at home, I dont know what to think of it. But… I just ultimately want to see him do well & be happy. If that wasn’t w/ in our organization I was gonna have to accept that.” #Nets

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) September 26, 2022

The former Duke Blue Devil said that he didn’t appreciate the “stigma” surrounding him due to his vaccine status and that he and the Nets were supposed to figure out how his being unvaccinated would impact his contract extension before last season. Since they didn’t, Irving missed out on a four-year contract worth $160 million due to his decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.

“I felt like I was forced with an ultimatum whether or not I had a contract or whether or not I could be on a team or be around the team (depended) on whether or not I was vaccinated. So tough conversations, and we both left out of there with respect.”

Kyrie: “There was a level of uncertainty of what this was going to look like of me coming back and I had questions. They were answered truthfully and that’s all I needed….I gave up four years $160 million deciding to be unvaccinated and that was the decision.”

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) September 26, 2022

When asked about leaving Brooklyn, Irving confirmed that he had options but “not many” due to his vaccine status. Heading into a contract year and at the young age of 30, Irving will have to prove heading into the season as he looks to negate any narratives questioning his injury history, desire to play, etc. Brooklyn opens up the preseason against Miami on Oct. 3 and the regular-season against the Pelicans on Oct. 19.

The post Kyrie Irving On His ‘Clusterf**k Offseason: ‘It Was Just A Lot’ appeared first on SLAM.

Dwight Howard's name is still buzzing amongst Brooklyn Nets brass, I'm told.

Howard's an NBA Champ & an eight time All-Star. pic.twitter.com/JKywMZ2x9C

— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 22, 2022

The Nets are reportedly looking to add veterans with their final roster spots, and Howard fits that mold as a defensive menace in the paint. Brooklyn was interested in acquiring Carmelo Anthony; however, Robinson reported that they decided against bringing Melo in favor of bringing in a “vocal leader in the locker room.”

Carmelo Anthony's name has not been talked about more recently in Nets land, I'm told.

It was phrased to me that: "Nets are looking for a vocal leader in the locker room." pic.twitter.com/2jFa6GSAFW

— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 22, 2022

Training camp around the League begins next week, starting with Media Day.

The post REPORT: Nets Interested in Signing Dwight Howard Off Free Agent Market appeared first on SLAM.

The former No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft had not played in an NBA game since June 20, 2021, when the Philadelphia 76ers lost Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks, 103-96. Following the tough loss, Simmons agreed that he should’ve “punched” the dunk opportunity he had while being guarded by Trae Young.

He also believes that he was thrown under the bus by Coach Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid and spoke about his former teammates’ desire to see him over the offseason in Los Angeles, explicitly saying that they had a chance to see him all summer but no one took advantage of the opportunity.

“It came to a point when after that series getting — the people you’re supposed to getting support from, comfort from, and I wasn’t getting that either. So, It was taking a toll on me, it killed me, like fuck, no energy from anything, I was in a dark place,” Simmons said to JJ Redick, his former teammate and host of the Old Man and the Three Podcast.

“First thing for me, I got to identify — I got to get right. It’s not a physical thing. It’s mentally. And I think that to acknowledge that was a big step for me. Okay, I need to address this. I need help in these areas. Being able to do that has gotten me to where I am now. I’m in a great place, and I feel comfortable talking about it now. Those were some dark days for me. And especially because it was all public which is crazy.”

The tension between Simmons and Philly ultimately broke down to a months-long separation and suspension that led to Philly eventually trading Simmons to Brooklyn at the trade deadline. Although Simmons found a new home in Brooklyn, he still loves the City of Brotherly Love. 

“Philly is obviously a sports city. My experience playing there was incredible.” Simmons said on an appearance on his former teammate, JJ Redick’s, podcast. “For the most part, it was incredible. I had a great time. The fans were unbelievable. I still have an apartment there, so I do own some real estate in Philadelphia still. So I feel like I’m part of Philly still.”

Simmons averaged 15.9 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, 7.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game during his time in Philly. He also made four All-Star teams, earned an All-NBA and two All-Defensive team nods, and led the NBA in steals in 2020. The two-way dynamo also took some time to speak with JJ Redick about his transition to Brooklyn.

“Being in Brooklyn now, it’s completely different,” Simmons said. It’s a different experience for me. I value that time I spent in Philly. I was able to learn and grow in that city. And I got friends for life there. My brother lives there. I got family there. Philly’s great. I think people have a thought that I hate it.” 

Simmons also spoke out about the continuous narrative around his jump shot. The former LSU Tiger chooses to focus on the fact that he’s guarding the opponent’s best play instead of the fact that his jumper isn’t as big of a tool in his bag as others want it to be.

“After a while, It’s just so repetitive,” Simmons said. You’re hearing it all the time from everybody. F***ing hell. Get off my case. I do other stuff, too, like I’m guarding the best player! I don’t think people respect that enough. what I am bringing to the court because there’s a lot of shit I’m bringing to the court! And for me, I just want to win.”

Simmons has the chance to open a new chapter in his career as he starts to gear up to play alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of his Brooklyn Nets teammates.

The post Ben Simmons Speaks On His ‘Incredible’ Time Playing With the 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

Anthony, who played last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaged 13.3 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting from the field. The ten-time NBA All-Star has been linked to multiple teams in the past few weeks, like the Brooklyn Nets and the Denver Nuggets. Melo was recently linked to the Boston Celtics after Danilo Gallinari suffered a Torn ACL. 

One of Melo's filthier go-to moves back when he was in Denver SHEESH #STAYME7O pic.twitter.com/PlO0XQldf5

— CTRL the Narrative (@ctrlnarrative) September 12, 2022

According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the possibility of the Celtics signing the veteran is gaining “traction.” The Brooklyn Nets have also been a potential suitor. In fact, Kevin Durant has wanted Anthony to be a Net for quite some time now. As hinted by Brian Lewis of the New York Post, “If they (Nets) wanted to appease Durant, they could bring in Carmelo Anthony, a move he’s wanted them to make.”

Howard is another player who has made a name for himself in the NBA that remains a free agent. Howard, similar to Anthony, played for the Lakers last season. He averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on a stellar 61.2 percent shooting from the field. The veteran is still a great addition to have for teams around the association, particularly ones that are looking for a rim protector. 

The former Defensive Player of the Year told Bally Sports’ Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson that he would be interested in joining the Brooklyn Nets, a team in need of more size at the center position.

Dwight Howard’s name has been mentioned in blogs recently as a potential Brooklyn Nets off-season signee.

I asked him if he had any interest in the Nets. His response to @BallySports was: “Yes I am.”

“Would love that.”

Howard’s an NBA Champ & an eight time All-Star. pic.twitter.com/OV0VelA5Nq

— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) July 27, 2022

Griffin, a six-time NBA All-Star, also finds himself without a team with a new NBA season a month away. The 33-year-old played for the Brooklyn Nets last year and averaged a career-low of 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on 42.5 percent shooting. Griffin also played a career low of 17.1 minutes per game.

The chances of the former Oklahoma Sooner returning to the Nets is unlikely, but being a solid piece off the bench for another squad is something that can be seen in Griffin’s future.

Training camp is set to begin on Sept 24.

The post Carmelo Anthony Amongst Three All-Stars Still On the Free Agent Market appeared first on SLAM.

On Sunday, Rolling Stone revealed that the reports of a potential Warriors-KD reunion were being seriously discussed within Golden State, according to reigning Finals MVP and four-time champ Stephen Curry. Curry told Rolling Stone that he and the Warriors’ front office had a “conversation” about his thoughts on acquiring Durant.

“There was a conversation internally amongst us about ‘If he was available, would you?'” Curry said three days after Durant made his trade request. “Every team has those conversations, and obviously, in our situation, they’re gonna call me and ask me, ”How do you feel about it?”

However, Durant and the Nets made up last month despite Durant reiterating his trade request and giving team owner Joe Tsai the ultimatum of choosing him or Coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks. Curry sees the narrative around his future Hall-of-Famer teammate and says that Durant is “misunderstood” and that he would have welcomed Durant into Golden State with open arms.

When Curry sat down with Rolling Stone on Aug. 9, he told the magazine that he was “never hesitant” about playing with KD again and that he had “so much fun playing with him those three years.”

“I was never hesitant. The idea of playing with KD and knowing who he is as a person, from our history in those three years, I think KD’s a really good dude. I think he is misunderstood. I think he has had certain things happen in his life that hurt his ability to trust people around him, in a sense of making him feel safe at all times. So all of those things, I understand, having played with him and gotten to know him. I love that dude.”

Curry also gave the Warriors a resounding yes to acquiring Durant but understood it would take a lot of finesse to trade for KD.

“And if you said, ”Oh, KD’s’ coming back, and we’re gonna play with him,” I had so much fun playing with him those three years, I’d’ be like, ”Hell, yeah!” Then you have to think: What does that actually mean? What does it look like? You tell me I’m’ playing with [current Warriors teammates Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Draymond Green], I’m’ like, ”Hell, yeah!” There’s all types of emotion and things that happen to the league. And if anybody’s saying that you wouldn’t entertain that conversation—no disrespect to anybody on our team—but you don’t know how things work. But you also understand, like, if we run this thing back, I’ve’ got complete confidence in my team that we can win it again, as constructed.

“So, all those things were true. And it started with me wanting to play with KD at the beginning. Yeah, it’s about winning, it’s about having fun, playing the game of basketball. And that was part of the reaction of, like, ‘Yeah; it’d be amazing.”’

Curry also talked with his younger brother Seth, Durant’s teammate in Brooklyn, about a potential Durant deal that could put both the Currys on the same roster for the first time in their careers. When the prospect of Durant going to Phoenix or Boston came up, Curry suggested that it would be unrealistic for Durant to think any team he went to outside of Brooklyn could retain a championship roster around him.

He specifically stated that it would be a mind-blowing transaction if Boston did indeed swap Jaylen Brown for Durant. Curry does believe that Durant made the right move in staying in Brooklyn.

The Warriors begin their title defense on Oct. 14 against the Lakers after being presented with their championship rings.

The post Stephen Curry Reveals Warriors ‘Internally’ Discussed Trade for Kevin Durant appeared first on SLAM.

That news came just a day before the Nets announced that Kevin Durant had decided to rescind his trade request and that he and the franchise “have agreed to move forward with our partnership.” The Nets are likely confident KD and Kai, combined with the healthy returns of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris, the free agent acquisitions of Royce O’Neal and T.J. Warren, and re-signing Patty Mills and Nic Claxton, will help the team make a return to title contention.

However, there is one team that lost out on some superstar talent after Brooklyn decided to keep Irving on the roster, the Lakers. The Lakers were reportedly keen on acquiring Irving through trade this offseason and set up negotiations with third teams like the Pacers and Spurs to make it happen. Trade talks never materialized, though, and now the purple-and-gold will have to search the market a little longer to find more talent.

“We told you a month ago it was not gonna happen,” Charania said about an Irving-Lakers trade during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “As of right now, the Lakers are open to anything that will make their team better. So if there’s a deal out there and they can go get multiple different players, that makes the team better.

"We told you a month ago that Kyrie to the Lakers wasn't gonna happen.. the Lakers are open to anything that will make their team better" ~@ShamsCharania#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Swjio4siWD

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 23, 2022

Charania added that the Lakers would be looking to add rotation players that they can plug into their lineup. The insider believes players like Patrick Beverly and Bojan Bogdanovic will be targeted in trades during the season.

“Those are the type of moves you’re gonna see the Lakers try to make. I don’t think that they’re done necessarily. I think they’re still gonna try to get this team better. Yes, Kyrie Irving to the Lakers, for now, is not a thing.”

The Lakers will look to improve after adding rookie head coach Darvin Ham, who they hope can turn around Russell Westbrook’s Lakers tenure and help Anthony Davis get back to his top-five player status after a rash of injuries doomed his season and the Lakers’ title hopes over the last two seasons.

The post REPORT: Lakers Will Stay On the Market After Kyrie Irving Trade Talks Stalled appeared first on SLAM.

pic.twitter.com/wQfhrKqUeM

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 23, 2022

Durant reportedly requested a trade out of Brooklyn after the front office couldn’t negotiate a long-term extension with long-time friend Kyrie Irving.

Although Irving ended up signing his player option to fulfill his promise to play with KD for at least four seasons, Durant was still adamant about Brooklyn moving him to another title contender like the Celtics, Suns, or the Heat, while the Grizzlies and 76ers recently joined the sweepstakes according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

In the end, Kevin Durant and the Nets played out in a similar way to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2007: A tumultuous summer after a trade request, talks with teams, no deal and ultimately a decision to return to the franchise.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 23, 2022

Durant has played 90 games in a Brooklyn uniform and has averaged 28.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game on 52.5 percent shooting from the field and 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Durant is under contract for the next four seasons.

The Nets were a top 2 team in the Eastern Conference before Durant suffered a knee injury that kept him out of 21 games. When Durant went down on Jan. 15, the Nets were 27-15 and second in the East. When he returned, the Nets were 32-31 and in eighth place. The Nets finished the season at 44-38, good for seventh place, forcing them to beat the Cavs in a play-in game before the Celtics swept them in the first-round of the playoffs.

The post Kevin Durant and Brooklyn ‘Have Agreed to Move Forward With Our Partnership’ appeared first on SLAM.

Although the Nets have yet to gain traction on a trade, new suitors have emerged in the KD sweepstakes. The Celtics, Raptors, and Heat are the biggest threat to land the 12-time All-Star, but Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Nets, and those three front-runners, haven’t been having any conversations lately.

Charania reported that the 76ers expressed their interest in acquiring Durant while the Bucks and Nuggets reached out in June and inquired again in July to determine Brooklyn’s asking price. That asking price is still an All-Star, other high-level players, and draft picks to this day. When the Pelicans inquired with the Nets in June, they reportedly told Brooklyn that Brandon Ingram was untouchable, per Charania. Atlanta reportedly offered John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, and a draft pick.

Because of that high price tag, suitors like Toronto possibly pulled out after refusing to make Scottie Barnes available. Boston made Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a first-round pick available, but Brooklyn didn’t bite. According to Charania, Miami hasn’t offered a package built around Bam Adebayo.

The Memphis Grizzlies have reportedly become the newest trade suitor. Memphis could put together an attractive package surrounding their five first-round draft picks, four unprotected and one protected 2024 pick via Golden State, and young players like Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Zaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Kennedy Chandler, and David Roddy.

Despite all the new traction in trade partners, Boston is still the premier front runner to acquire Durant. When Boston offered Brown, White, and a draft pick, Brooklyn countered by requesting Smart, more draft picks, and one more rotation player per Charania. While Boston has the assets to make something happen, there appears to be a reported gap in what the Celtics are willing to let go.

Brooklyn believes they have improved their roster after trading for Royce O’Neal, signing T.J. Warren, and re-signing Patty Mills and Nic Claxton while expecting the healthy returns of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris. Kyrie Irving is set to return as well after signing his player option. According to Charania, Irving has been working out with teammates and held a constructive dialogue with the Nets this offseason.

With four years remaining on Durant’s current deal, Brooklyn has no incentive to move the four-time scoring champ. Entering his age 34 season, Durant is less likely to sit out a season and has already dismissed rumors that he would rather retire than play for Brooklyn again.

The post REPORT: New Suitors Emerge in the Kevin Durant Sweepstakes appeared first on SLAM.

It’s not just an opinion your favorite hooper or an NBA fan has. Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy had some major praise for the Brooklyn Nets star.

“I will go on record and say this,” Handy said. “He is probably the most skilled player to ever play. Offensively, probably the most skilled player to ever put on basketball shoes.”

“He’s the most skilled player to ever put on basketball shoes”

– Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy on Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/7kYivjBGjP

— ⁶ (@JP3Visualz) August 17, 2022

Irving is known as perhaps the best “iso” scorer of his generation. Irving’s has the kind of skill level and talent that your favorite hooper would want to have. The handle, the shot-making ability, and the swag come straight out of NBA 2k. Over his 11-year career, Irving has become a seven-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA selection, the 2012 Rookie of the Year, and a 2014 All-Star game MVP, and reached the pinnacle of playoff success after hitting a clutch stepback jumper over Stephen Curry to help the Cavaliers win their first title in 2016.

Irving has become a lightning rod for controversy since demanding a trade out of Cleveland. Fans have frequently given him a hard time for some of his takes about NBA media or joking about the Earth being flat. But there’s no denying his talent. Irving averaged 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 41.9 percent from beyond the arc.

The 2022-23 season might end up being the most consequential of Irving’s career. The former No. 1 overall pick opted into the final season of his contract after his reps and Brooklyn couldn’t agree to an extension. The offseason debacle began after Irving decided to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. The Nets were prepared to force Irving to sit for the season because of that decision.

The front office reversed course in December as the NBA dealt with a League-wide virus outbreak. Irving was only able to play road games until New York City lifted its vaccine mandate. The lack of a deal seemingly lead to close friend and teammate Kevin Durant requesting a trade. Irving reportedly wants to play in Brooklyn regardless of Durant’s presence on the team.

Some fans may not agree with Handy’s take, but Irving has arguably the best handles in the NBA and is an elite shooter from all areas on the floor. He would be a terrific addition for the Lakers if they were to work out a deal for him this offseason.

The post Lakers Assistant Coach Phil Handy Calls Kyrie Irving ‘the Most Skilled Player to Ever Play’ appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers have reached a settlement agreement on the grievance the All-Star guard filed to recoup a portion of the nearly $20 million withheld him as a result of his failure to play games in the 2021-2022 season. Story soon.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 15, 2022

Simmons and Philly agreed to a confidentiality agreement on the exact financial settlement, according to Woj. The 76ers made their case based on their belief that Simmons breached his contract by not showing up to training camp and not playing for the franchise during the 2022-23 season. Simmons’ argument was that his mental health was compromised, and that was the reason he couldn’t play.

Simmons’ struggles with mental health after he was heavily criticized after the 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the playoffs. Coach Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid were critical of Simmons’ lack of aggressiveness, but Embiid later came out and said that he had Simmons’ back and wanted to play with him before the former All-Star was shipped to Brooklyn.

Both sides agreed to a confidentiality agreement on the exact financial settlement, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 15, 2022

After Simmons was traded for James Harden at the trade deadline, a back injury he suffered sometime during the season prevented him from playing with the Nets at all. Simmons went under the knife to solve the issue in May.

The post REPORT: Ben Simmons and the 76ers Reach Settlement on Grievance appeared first on SLAM.

I know most people will believe unnamed sources over me but if it’s anyone out there that’ll listen, I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon. Shit is comical at this point.

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) August 15, 2022

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, an anonymous NBA executive believes Kevin Durant is more likely to retire than play for the Brooklyn Nets again.

The Nets and Durant’s future is in doubt after Durant made a trade request and reportedly wants to head to a championship contender like the 76ers or the Heat. Multiple reports came out last week that Durant let the Nets know he was adamant about leaving and gave team owner Joe Tsai an ultimatum, either keep him or keep GM Sean Marks and Coach Steve Nash.

Durant has played sparingly with the Nets since he arrived while recovering from his torn Achilles injury. The team has cycled through players around Durant and Kyrie Irving but has not found any significant playoff success given the high expectations. According to Stein, there is a “growing expectation” that Durant might cause a stir to get out of Brooklyn.

Additionally, Stein said he was given this information by a “well-connected” executive and reported this information about Durant “based on what he was hearing” while covering the 2022 Summer League.

James Harden forced his way out of the team halfway through last season, Irving’s status is also up in the air, but the Nets have not ruled out moving him either. Nets majority owner Joe Tsai has come out onto Twitter and stated which side of the aisle he stands on with this situation.

With training camp six weeks away, the Nets and their makeup for the 2022-2023 season hang in the balance.

The post REPORT: Anonymous Executive Believes Kevin Durant Could Retire Before Playing For Nets Again appeared first on SLAM.

pic.twitter.com/fT4gHtsHlS

— A11Even (@KyrieIrving) August 11, 2022

According to Rich Bucher of Fox Sports, Kyrie Irving reportedly had some unique demands he wanted his reps to include in the new deal he signed with the Nets this summer.

The Irving free agency saga ended with him signing his player-option to fulfill his promise to play at least four years with close friend Kevin Durant. The main demands Irving wanted in his deal included Irving wanting a guarantee he wouldn’t have to play more than 60 games and that he could sit out back-to-back games.

“[Nets governor] Joe Tsai has already shown he’s willing to play hardball with Kyrie by taking a max extension off the table almost immediately,” Bucher said on his podcast. “Now, part of that may be Kyrie’s doing. I’m told he wanted his new contract to guarantee he wouldn’t have to play more than 60 games in a season and would not have to play any back-to-backs, which he apparently referred to as inhumane.”

Irving averaged 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc in the 29 games he played this year. Irving’s decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 led to him missing a large chunk of the season due to Brooklyn’s decision not to allow him to play until he was vaccinated.

The Nets’ position changed in December as the NBA dealt with a League-wide virus outbreak. Brooklyn decided to allow Irving to play away games at first, and when New York City reversed course on their vaccine mandates, Irving was also eligible to play home games.

Brooklyn’s immediate future seems to be in disarray as the front office looks to address Durant’s trade request. It also appears as though the Nets are willing to let Irving walk in free agency after GM Sean Marks’ non-committal remarks about keeping the 2016 champion around. Irving has played 103 games over the last three seasons and didn’t play at least 30 games in a season twice.

The post REPORT: Kyrie Irving Demanded 60 Game and No Back-to-Backs Guarantee in New Deal appeared first on SLAM.

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the disgruntled Brooklyn Nets star sees both the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers as desired trade destinations. Begley went on to report that Durant would also want to play with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart if he were to land in Boston.

Despite Begley’s report, there is said to be no progress between Brooklyn and Boston on any sort of trade centered around Durant. Last week, Begley reported that there had been “pessimism” about a Durant trade being completed in the near future. As for Philly, no major reports have dropped, though Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Matisse Thybulle are all logical trade pieces in a Durant trade.

As the Durant saga—particularly with Boston—continues to run its course through the NBA offseason, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reported that the Nets initially asked for Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Durant trade talks, but the Celtics quickly shot the proposition down.

And while there are no tangible signs of progress involving a Durant trade to any team, the four-time scoring champ reportedly informed Nets owner Joe Tsai that Brooklyn would have to choose between Durant or keeping general manager Sean Marks and Coach Steve Nash. Tsai responded to the report with a tweet throwing his support behind the Nets’ front office and coaching staff.

Durant sent shockwaves around the League when he requested a trade on June 30, but it’s been over a month, and the 12-time All-Star still has yet to be dealt. Initial rumors indicated the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns were among Durant’s desired landing spots, and that list has reportedly since grown to include the Celtics and 76ers, according to Begley.

On paper, a fit with Boston makes sense, as Celtics coach Ime Udoka was an assistant under Steve Nash in Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season. Durant also played with Tatum on Team USA during the 2021 Olympics. Add in Durant’s desire to play with Smart, and KD seemingly has some chemistry building in Boston. But for now, it’s a matter of the Celtics offering enough to Brooklyn so a trade can go down.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post REPORT: Kevin Durant Views Celtics and 76ers as Desired Landing Spots appeared first on SLAM.

When Simmons was first traded for James Harden, fans were excited to see the three-time All-Star contribute as a two-way playmaker they’ve seen him grow into since he entered the public eye at Montverde. Word from the Nets camp also played into Simmons suiting up and was hopeful that he could play at some point during the regular-season and the playoffs.

Simmon’s playing reached its highest point when the Nets announced he was cleared for contact. However, that was the closest Simmons would get to playing despite reports of him looking to return during the playoffs.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Simmons’ back injury was debilitating enough that he elected not to play at all despite Woj reporting in that same story that Simmons was given the green-light to play in Games 4 against the Boston Celtics. According to Ric Bucher of FS1, Simmons reportedly took exception to his teammates asking him if he could play during the Nets’ eventual first-round loss to Boston.

“They’re having a team chat before Game 4, thinking he’s going to play against the Celtics, and from what I’m told, Ben just left the chat,” Ric Bucher told Colin Cowherd on FS1’s The Herd. “They asked him, ‘Are you going to play?’ Ben left the chat. Like he didn’t even answer the question. Just left the chat.

Simmons ultimately had a microdiscectomy surgery to “address pain located in a herniated disk in his lower back,” per Woj. The timetable for Simmons’ return is expected to be three to fourth months while he rehabilitates his ailing back. When Simmons comes back, the Nets hope the All-NBA version of Simmons will be able to add some versatility and elite athleticism to a lineup that needed some defensive acumen and fast-paced offense.

In response to the report from Bucher, Simmons tweeted that the news cycle must be slow for the story Bucher made to come out.

slow news day

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) August 9, 2022

The post REPORT: Ben Simmons Left Nets Group Chat After Being Asked if He Would Play in Playoffs appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: Kevin Durant informed Joe Tsai that he does not have faith in the Nets‘ direction. The meeting was described as transparent and professional, with a clear message: Keep me — or the GM and coach. https://t.co/W1voNf9MDC https://t.co/0lbBay2OxF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2022

KD and Nets owner Joe Tsai reportedly had a meeting over the weekend in Londo, where the two-time Finals MVP reiterated his trade request and gave Tsai an ultimatum. According to Charania, Tsai will have to choose between Durant or keeping GM Sean Marks and Coach Steve Nash in the fold.

Durant also told Tsai that he doesn’t have faith in Brooklyn’s direction, according to Charania. Additionally, Charania reported that the Nets have direct knowledge of the reasons behind Durant’s trade request that came out a month ago. Brooklyn also understands that Durant is resolute in his trade request and wants a scenery change.

The Nets are coming off a tumultuous offseason after the Boston Celtics swept them in the first round of the conference playoffs. It began with the uncertainty around Kyrie Irving’s extension status that reached the point of Irving preparing a list of trade destinations he’d like to play for.

Despite Irving deciding to sign his player option for next year, Durant has been adamant about wanting to leave Brooklyn. The two reportedly want to play together, but Irving is prepared to play in a Nets uniform regardless of whether or not KD is on the team.

The Nets are hopeful about Ben Simmons’s and Joe Harris’s healthy return. They also added Royce O’Neale and T.J. Warren and brought Patty Mills and Nic Claxton back.

The Celtics, Raptors, and Heat are his most significant suitors this offseason after Phoenix re-signed Deandre Ayton to a record-restricted free agent offer sheet. Durant reportedly grew close to Coach Ime Udoka, the second-year head coach of Boston, while Udoka was on Brooklyn’s coaching staff and Team USA during the 2020 Olympics.

The post REPORT: Kevin Durant Gave Brooklyn Ultimatum During Weekend Meeting appeared first on SLAM.

TSA reportedly stopped Shumpert at a checkpoint around 2:40 p.m., and authorities were then asked to investigate a potential drug violation. After police had searched his belongings, they found a ‘green leafy substance’ which was later confirmed to be marijuana after tests, and Shumpert himself admitted it was marijuana.

Shumpert surrendered to authorities without incident. Shumpert was allegedly carrying 6.12 ounces of marijuana. The former Dancing With the Stars winner faces up to two years in jail and $10,000 in fines if he is found on “state jail felony” charges.

Shumpert, a 2016 NBA Champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers, also had stints with the Knicks, Nets, Kings, and Rockets. Shumpert made the all-rookie team in 2012 with the Knicks, holding career averages of 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 10 NBA seasons.

The post REPORT: Iman Shumpert Arrested on Charges of Possession of Cannabis appeared first on SLAM.

“Kyrie Irving opted in with the full intent of playing out next season as a Brooklyn Net. In his mind, he’s playing next year in Brooklyn with or without Kevin Durant.”

Durant’s status is still up in the air with his potentially new landing spot, the Boston Celtics, emerging as a new horse in the race with their trade proposal that was reportedly centered around Jaylen Brown.

The Nets picked up Irving’s $36.5 million player option and did look to move on from him, but Irving has since changed course, according to Shams.

The Nets front office is still looking for ways to retool following a first-round sweep at the hands of the Celtics in these past playoffs.

The post REPORT: Kyrie Irving Playing in Brooklyn ‘With or Without Kevin Durant’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Celtics reportedly included Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece of a trade to acquire Durant. The Celtics have joined the Heat, Suns, and Raptors as the most well-known teams to have some interest in trading for KD, per Woj.

Multiple reports have stated that Brooklyn wants the farm in exchange for Durant, wanting several assets that include multiple unprotected first-round picks and All-Star quality players. Per Woj, there still hasn’t been any traction in trade talks for KD, and no team has met the significant price tag that Brooklyn has set for the 2014 MVP.

Although the Celtics consider Jayson Tatum off limits in any trade talks, Boston has built trades for the Durant that reportedly include Brown and up to three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps. Brown has two years left on the four-year extension he signed in 2019.

UPDATE: The Celtics’ offer was reportedly “rejected” as the Nets had asked Boston to include Brown, Marcus Smart, draft picks and possibly one more rotation player, per The Athletic.  

ESPN Sources: As Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant’s trade request approaches its fourth week, the Boston Celtics have emerged among teams engaged in talks on a possible deal. Story: https://t.co/eXpn6fRoYl

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 25, 2022

According to insider Shams Charania, after Phoenix matched restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton’s offer sheet from Indiana, the Suns are all but eliminated from acquiring Durant.

Sources: The Boston Celtics have offered a Jaylen Brown package to the Nets for Kevin Durant, which Brooklyn turned down and countered.

Full details on a potential Celtics-Nets mega-deal to be had, latest on Donovan Mitchell and more at the Inside Pass: https://t.co/Gkyfkhg5A1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 25, 2022

The Celtics also offered a package around Brown, Derrick White, and a draft for Durant, according to Charania. Brooklyn reportedly rejected the deal and requested that any Durant proposal include not only Brown and draft picks but reigning DPOY Marcus Smart and another rotational player. Boston is reportedly less enthusiastic about including Smart with other players and draft capital.

Durant averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from long distance.

The post REPORT: Boston Celtics Enter Kevin Durant Sweepstakes appeared first on SLAM.

The 6-foot-8 swingman has been named the MVP of the 2022 NBA Summer League after averaging 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, two assists, and 1.3 steals per game in four games at the Las Vegas Summer League.

Murray was also an efficient shooter, making 50 percent of his field goal attempts and shooting 40 percent on 8.8 three-point attempts a game.

Last season at Iowa, Murray ranked fourth in the nation with 23.6 points per game, the highest among high-major players. The Iowa native also averaged 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from three-point range in his final season with the Hawkeyes.

Murray was selected to the All-Summer League First Team along with Quentin Grimes of the New York Knicks, Cam Thomas of the Brooklyn Nets, Tari Eason of the Houston Rockets, and Sandro ​​Mamukelashvili of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 2022 Consensus All-American will now focus on contributing to a Kings squad led by De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis after an impressive showing in Las Vegas. Murray, who has proved himself to be a versatile scorer and defender, will look to end Sacramento’s 16-year playoff drought this season.

The post Keegan Murray Named 2022 Summer League MVP appeared first on SLAM.

“As for Kevin Durant, here’s what there is: nothing. There is no movement here. The executives are leaving Summer League. The executives are going on vacation. At this point, the Nets’ preferred situation is for Kevin Durant to stay with them. There is no trade they’ve got that they like.

“A huge question and what the league is in some ways waiting for is what does Durant feel? He’s the one who asked for the trade. Have his feelings changed with some of the avenues for trades dimming?”

Durant made his trade request public a few weeks ago through his business manager Rich Kleiman after the front office Kyrie Irving couldn’t come to terms with a long-term deal. Durant’s preferred trade requests are reportedly Miami and Phoenix.

However, the Nets are looking to receive the house in exchange for Durant’s services. Several teams have extended substantial offers that include multiple draft picks, but most of them weren’t enticing enough for Brooklyn to bite on.

Brooklyn appears to have the leverage since Durant has four years remaining on his contract. It’s doubtful that Durant would waste a season of his prime and sit out before he gets traded. It seems to be a standoff between the two parties as the offseason goes by. Going to Phoenix appears out of the question after they retained restricted free agent Deandre Ayton.

Durant’s best remaining option would be Miami, but Pat Riely would likely have to give up a talent like Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro to make it happen, along with several draft picks.

The post REPORT: Brooklyn Prefers to Keep Kevin Durant appeared first on SLAM.

However, Dragic declined to sign the offer because Dallas offered him a limited role. Per Dragic, the Mavs couldn’t provide him sufficient playing time, and he still believes he can be helpful to a team on and off the floor.

“We were in talks with Dallas. They made an offer, but I decided not to take it. They wanted me to play one game and then sit for the next five. I know I can still easily play 20 minutes per game. I’m not ready to retire and just sit on the bench in a cheerleading role.” Dragic said, according to a Slovenian translation.”

“At the end of the day, they could not guarantee that I will play. They told me that I would rather be on the bench; however that does not interest me,” Dragic added. “That’s why my signing there was not an option.”

When Dragic was asked about his time in Brooklyn, particularly about playing with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant this past season, he was pretty blunt about his thoughts.

The Nets went 44-38, but the regular-season was filled with injuries (Durant’s foot injury) and drama surrounding Irving’s vaccination status that led to James Harden demanding a trade that led to him getting traded to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons.

“It was quite hard because it wasn’t about the team, but more about individual performances.”

Goran Dragic on playing with KD and Kyrie:

“It was quite hard, because it wasn’t about the team, but more about individual performances.”

(via @SiolSPORTAL) pic.twitter.com/a0kfbPxIXn

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 13, 2022

Dragic averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on 37.7 percent shooting from the field in 21 total appearances between the Raptors and Nets.

The post Goran Dragic Doesn’t Want ‘Cheerleading Role’ That Dallas Offered appeared first on SLAM.

Former Cleveland teammate Jordan McRae recalled the story of when he, Irving, and Iman Shumpert would play 1s after every practice and even sometimes before games.

At one point, they were playing ones four hours before games and every day after practices. In response to these long-winded battles, McRae said that the Cleveland front office had to tell them to stop playing.

“Me, (Kyrie), and Shump played 1s after practice every single day. People in the front office came to us like, ‘Y’all just stay away from Ky. You know if Ky see y’all, he gon’ play.”

The constant games of individual battles testify to their love of basketball and are a creative way of entertainment and fun amongst teammates. We can only imagine how many wins Irving took during those epic battles. But it was a way of forming a bond with his teammates and a fun way for iron to sharpen iron.

The post Jordan McRae Recalls Playing ‘1s After Every Practice’ With Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

Irving has been linked to a Lakers move involving Russell Westbrook, but it seems unlikely that the Nets would want to take on Westbrook in a direct swap with Irving. Leading to the Lakers wanting to include the Spurs in any trade they negotiate with the Nets.

San Antonio traded away All-Star guard Dejounte Murray in exchange for multiple future picks; they also dealt away Derrick White to the Celtics in exchange for Josh Richardson. Jakob Poetl and Doug McDermott are also reportedly available for a trade as the Spurs look to move in a younger direction.

They also possess a plethora of draft picks, assets that the Nets would want in a deal like this.

Per Pincus, “League sources stressed that Brooklyn views resolving Kevin Durant’s trade request as a significantly higher priority than clearing Irving’s final $36.9 million of the Nets’ books.”

After trading Murray away to the Hawks, the Spurs seem to be headed towards a rebuild and are reportedly looking to offload some of their veterans to focus on developing their young players. Furthermore, the Spurs are likely eying 2023 NBA Draft prospect and potential No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.

The team also recently signed former Thunder forward Isaiah Roby.

The Nets are looking to resolve the Durant situation before moving Irving, and the Lakers are looking to do the same for Westbrook, but neither team will swap straight up. San Antonio holds the key to all of this.

The post REPORT: Lakers Trying to Involve Spurs in Three-Team Deal for Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

.@wojespn with the latest on Kevin Durant's trade request:

"[The Nets] think this should look like one of the biggest trade returns in league history." pic.twitter.com/9H69Jk8FMM

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 6, 2022

Woj said that Brooklyn has continued negotiating with teams around the League, explicitly looking for an “immense” return via multiple teams that’ll get the Nets some players they want in exchange for KD. The Nets reportedly want future first-round picks and high-level, All-Star quality players.

Furthermore, with team owners and general managers meeting in Vegas next week, Woj believes that Nets GM Sean Marks will have a better chance at negotiating the type of deal the front office is seeking.

"Maybe at some point the Nets come to Kevin Durant with a trade. … And he looks at it and says 'maybe i'd … rather stay here.'”

—@wojespn pic.twitter.com/rUR1jX9yS5

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 6, 2022

There is also a chance KD stays in Brooklyn if a deal doesn’t materialize into August. Many around the League believe the Nets have leverage over the two-time Finals MVP, who is locked into a four-year contract that expires when he turns 38-years-old.

Multiple reports say that The 2014 MVP prefers being traded to the Suns or the Heat. The Warriors have also become a possibility after Marc J. Spears and Marcus Thompson II reported that the defending champs have mulled making a trade to bring back Durant into the fold for the first time since 2019.

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Charania appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday to discuss NBA news and the Nets’ offseason storylines in light of Kevin Durant’s blockbuster trade request. His report comes three days after Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Lakers and Nets are “actively engaged” in an Irving-Russell Westbrook trade package.

“There’s no traction on any type of a Lakers deal for Kyrie Irving,” Charania said. “There’s nothing new on that, and I’m not quite sure we’re gonna see that take place.”

It seemed as if Irving was committed to the Nets for the 2022-23 season after opting into his one-year player option last week, but the tables turned following Durant’s trade request.

Charania went on to say that Durant’s stance on a trade request has not changed, and there has been “no signal” that Durant will rescind his request. Charania noted, “if anything, that stance is expected to continue throughout this offseason.” 

The NBA insider claimed the Nets are operating as if Durant and Irving will remain with the team next season. The Nets signed T.J. Warren and Edmond Sumner on Tuesday and re-signed Patty Mills and Nic Claxton during Thursday’s first day of free agency.

Brooklyn is “open” to dialogue with other teams but will not trade Durant until the price threshold of “All-Star-type players [and] a boat load of draft picks” is met, according to Charania.

Charania’s statements match the reporting of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who appeared on SportsCenter Sunday to claim no traction between the Nets and Lakers on a deal surrounding Irving.

Wojnarowski insinuated that the Nets might remain patient in the cases of both Irving and Durant with the hope of receiving a better deal. While the Lakers and Nets seem to be on opposite sides, for the time being, a trade centered around Irving is certainly a possibility.

The post REPORT: ‘No Traction’ On Possible Kyrie Irving Lakers Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Nets general manager Sean Marks made the moves as Booklyn’s future is uncertain in light of Kyrie Irving’s decision to opt into his player option, only to have Kevin Durant make a trade request three days later. 

Warren, who missed most of the past two seasons with a stress fracture in his left foot, averaged 19.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 53.6 percent shooting during the 2019-20 season. A standout in the 2020 NBA Bubble, Warren notably scored a career-high 53 points on 20-for-29 shooting in a win over the 76ers. He averaged 31 points in six games in the Orlando bubble and is a career 15.5-point per game scorer.

The 28-year-old is entering his eighth NBA season after stints in Indiana and Phoenix and will play for Brooklyn on a one-year deal.

The Nets reportedly signed another ex-Pacer in Sumner. The 26-year-old missed all last season with a torn left Achilles tendon but has since fully recovered and is expected to be a part of the Nets’ backcourt rotation. Sumner averaged career-highs in points per game (7.5), assists per game (1.8), and three-point percentage (39.8) in 53 games during the 2020-21 season.

Warren could be a replacement if Durant were to be traded to another team, while Sumner provides the Nets with backcourt depth in the scenario Irving also leaves Brooklyn.

The post REPORT: Nets Sign TJ Warren and Edmond Sumner appeared first on SLAM.

Durant requested a trade with the team today, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/BkNEHwkrc0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The trade request comes on the eve of free agency starting on Thursday. Durant was reportedly mulling his future with the Nets last week as Brooklyn’s front office was negotiating an extension with Durant’s long-time friend, Kyrie Irving. Irving ended up signing his player option to remain with the Nets for at least one more season and to fulfill his four-year commitment to Durant and the Nets.

Woj said that Durant and Irving haven’t been in contact with the Nets since Irving opted into his player option on Monday. Due to the lack of communication, the Nets believed that KD would request a trade.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had no contact with the franchise after Irving opted into his deal on Monday, and a sense of inevitability existed that Durant would eventually ask for a trade, sources tell ESPN. It happened today.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Durant has reportedly marked Miami and Phoenix as a part of his wish list of trade destinations according to Woj. However, the Nets plan on moving Durant to where they receive the best return. Durant has four years remaining on his current deal and will be a free agent at 38-year-old.

Phoenix and Miami are among two of the teams that Kevin Durant has on his wish list, sources tell ESPN, but the Nets plan to move Durant where they can get the best possible deal. With four years on his contract, there’s no shortage of teams willing to unload assets for Durant.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Durant averaged 29.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the field.

The post REPORT: Kevin Durant Requests a Trade From the Nets appeared first on SLAM.

After a practice ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Croatia on Thursday, reporters at a media call asked Doncic and Dragic if they were interested in playing together. Doncic and Dragic both declined to go into specific and gave reporters a politically correct answer to avoid a tampering fine.

“I would like to answer that,” Doncic said. “But I think it’s a $100,000 penalty if I did. You should ask the GM about that.”

“We can’t talk about it till July 1.” Dragic followed up.

Luka and Goran were asked about the possibility of them playing together in Dallas next season.

Luka: “I would like to answer that, but I think it’s a 100.000 penalty if I did. You should ask the GM about that.”

Goran: “We can’t talk about it till july 1st.” pic.twitter.com/8phIKfHvsy

— Matej Sportinfo (@MatejSportinfo) June 28, 2022

The last time a Doncic-Dragic union made the rumor mill was the previous offseason. Dragic was heavily tied to the Mavericks last summer before the Raptors bought his contract out following his trade from the Heat. The plan to add Dragic fell through after the Mavs traded for Spencer Dinwiddie shortly before the trade deadline. According to Marc Stein, Dallas is once again expected to make a run at Dragic once free agency begins on Thursday.

As the leaguewide focus rapidly shifts to next week’s draft and the June 30 start of free agency, sources say Dallas — while prioritizing its need for more wing help — does intend to explore the possibility of signing Goran Dragic this summer.

More NBA: https://t.co/LGN9cVpeGP

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 17, 2022

Free Agency begins on Thursday, and the Mavericks’ front office will have a big decision to make in re-signing Jalen Brunson to an extension. The New York Knicks are hot on their trails for Brunson’s services.

The post Goran Dragic On Teaming Up With Luka Doncic: ‘We Can’t Talk About it Until July 1’ appeared first on SLAM.

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is opting into his $37 million player option for the 2022-23 season, @TheAthletic @Stadium has learned. Irving is bypassing on multiple opt-in and trade scenarios to fulfill his four-year commitment to the Nets and Kevin Durant.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2022

Irving and longtime friend Kevin Durant will get to play one more year together and fulfill their four-year commitment to the Nets and each other as players and friends. The duo has played 44 games together since the duo signed in Brooklyn in 2019.

Irving’s decision comes days into stalled negotiations between Irving and Brooklyn’s front office. Irving made it clear he wanted to stay in Brooklyn and be a part of the franchise long-term after Boston swept the Nets in the first round of the playoffs. GM Sean Marks was mum on the possibility of re-signing Irving, and days later, it was revealed that the two parties had “ground to cover” in contract talks.

pic.twitter.com/IWRwpN4jQW

— A11Even (@KyrieIrving) June 27, 2022

The stalled talks led to Irving reportedly requesting and receiving permission to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal with the six teams he preferred to be moved to, including the Lakers and Clippers. After those negotiations weren’t fruitful, Irving decided to stay in Brooklyn and play out the remainder of his contract despite some interest from the Lakers.

Irving finished the season averaging 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc.

The post REPORT: Kyrie Irving Staying in Brooklyn After Opting-in to Final Year appeared first on SLAM.

Contract talks are trending in the opposite direction, with Irving’s camp reportedly requesting and receiving permission to pursue sign-and-trade packages with other teams, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

Winfield also reported that Nets star Kevin Durant and GM Sean Marks have not spoken this offseason, according to “multiple sources familiar with the situation.” According to Winfield, players and coaches around the League now believe that Irving will not play for the Nets next season.

Irving, who played in 103 regular-season games in three seasons with the Nets, listed the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, 76ers, Heat, and Mavericks as teams he would be interested in playing for if he couldn’t agree to a deal with Brooklyn, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

ESPN Sources: If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with Brooklyn, he has a list of teams he’d like them to consider on sign-and-trades, including Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs and 76ers. None of those teams have cap space to sign him without Nets’ help.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022

However, Wojnarowski has since reported that the Lakers are the only team actively looking to pursue Irving and that Brooklyn is not interested in any Laker’s trade packages. Irving would be eligible to sign with the Lakers for a $6 million exception if he were to turn down his $36.5 million player option with Brooklyn.

Irving’s three-year tenure with the Nets has been anything but smooth, as the seven-time All-Star was deterred by a shoulder injury in his first year with Brooklyn, missed games due to personal reasons in year two, and only played in 29 regular-season games last season after refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Irving being granted permission to seek sign-and-trade packages comes four days after Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Durant is contemplating his future with the Nets as uncertainty around Irving continues to develop. Durant currently has four years remaining on his $194 million contract and would have to request a trade if he were to want out of Brooklyn.

The post REPORT: Kyrie Irving Receives Permission to Seek Sign-and-Trade Opportunities appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options with his future.

This now opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed on finding a new home via opt-in and trade.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2022

After Brooklyn’s unceremonious exit from the playoffs against Boston was completed, Irving made it clear he wanted to return to the Nets and be involved in the front office making moves this summer. However, GM Sean Marks was singing a different tune, revealing that the franchise hadn’t committed to re-signing the multi-time All-Star.

Last Sunday, Charania reported that the franchise and Irving were at an “impasse” in their contract talks. A day later, Jake Fischer said that the two parties had “ground to cover” in their negotiations.

According to Woj, the situations have gotten to a point where Irving has prepared a list of teams he’d like the Nets to trade him to via sign-and-trade if extension talks continue to stall. There are six teams Irving would like to be moved to, the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs, and 76ers. None of the teams have the cap space to sign outright, making sign-and-trade is needed to make a move happen.

If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with the Nets, he has a list of teams he’d like them to consider on sign-and-trades, including Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs and 76ers, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/g8Wb50w4MX

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 23, 2022

The post REPORT: Kevin Durant Contemplating Future with Nets Amidst Uncertainty Around Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

During a Thursday morning appearance on ESPN, Brian Windhorst had this to say about the developing situation between Irving and Brooklyn’s front office.

“Most of the League is reading this as a leverage play. Kyrie is trying to leverage the Nets into giving him something that he wants on a new contract,” Windhorst said on ESPN.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the same developments Thursday morning.

In 2019, Irving joined the Nets as part of a package deal with Kevin Durant. If Irving signs his player option for the 2022-23 season, he will be owed $36.5 million with the chance to enter unrestricted free agency next summer. If he is to opt-out, he will still be eligible for a max contract, and the Nets could set up a sign and trade to move him out of Brooklyn.

If Irving is to leave, there is a chance Durant may request a trade away from the Nets, according to SB Nation.

The Knicks, Lakers, and Clippers are seen as the teams that could pry Irving away from Brooklyn if he chooses to depart despite NBA insiders suggesting otherwise.

The post REPORT: Kyrie Irving ‘Expected’ to Remain in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

According to Fischer, the Nets prefer a shorter deal with incentives that include “benchmarks, such as games played.” Irving has indicated he’d like a long-term contract despite missing significant time due to injuries and COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Currently, both sides are open to engaging in contract negotiations regarding Irving’s future in Brooklyn. According to Fischer, Nets officials expect Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons to play in Brooklyn next season, an assumption the team has held since falling to Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

While Irving and the Nets are open to negotiations, it seems there is a slight divide between the two sides. Rumblings of Irving being interested in joining the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks have heated up, but there is no tangible assurance to either of those claims. If he were to join the Lakers or Knicks, Irving would have to either decline his $36.5 million extension with Brooklyn and become an unrestricted free agent or opt-in with the Nets and demand a trade.

A seven-time All-Star, Irving has not played more than 54 games in three of the last four seasons. The 30-year-old averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game in 20 regular-season games last year.

In April, he averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game in Brooklyn’s first-round playoff defeat against Boston.

The post REPORT: Nets and Kyrie Irving Have ‘Ground to Cover’ in Contract Talks appeared first on SLAM.

Heading into the regular season, Irving was among a minority of players unwilling to comply with vaccine mandates before the season. The unpopular decision led Marks and owner Joe Tsai to eventually decide that Irving would be barred from playing or practicing with the Nets until he was “eligible to be a full participant.”

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving’s decision also led the Nets’ front office to decide they didn’t want to sign Irving to an extension if Irving opted out of his current deal. A sudden reversal from his past comments that he wanted to re-sign Irving and James Harden long-term heading into the 2021-22 regular season.

“That’s something that we’ve been discussing, and we’ll continue to debrief on and discuss throughout this offseason … we haven’t had any of those discussions yet,” Marks said. “We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, play selfless, play team basketball, and be available. That goes not only for Kyrie but everybody here.”

Via the @BKGlueGuys, @ShamsCharania confirms Kyrie will not be offered an extension:

“He was willing to sacrifice, at the end of the day, 16 million dollars in salary this upcoming year and 186 million dollars, as far as an extension, that he will not be offered now.”

— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) October 13, 2021

Marks and Tsai were adamant about the issue until the NBA experienced an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. With the Nets besieged by the virus, Marks and Tsai relented and controversially decided that Irving would be allowed to play as a part-time player, making his season debut in January against the Pacers.

It wasn’t until February that Irving’s stance was vindicated when New York City mayor Eric Adams lifted city vaccine mandates, allowing unvaccinated employees of private companies to work within indoor settings.

The Nets ultimately dealt Harden to the 76ers for Ben Simmons at the deadline and ended the regular season as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Nets won their play-in tournament game against the Cavaliers and earned the seventh seed, but as aforementioned, lost to the Celtics in four games.

The disappointing end to the season didn’t stop Irving from expressing his wishes to remain in Brooklyn beyond 2023. During his exit interviews, Irving told reporters he didn’t plan on going anywhere and that he wanted to be involved long-term in building the team with Marks, Tsai, and longtime friend Kevin Durant.

"I don't really plan on going anywhere…. when I say I'm here with Kev [Durant] I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks]… we're cornerstones here but we have Ben, we have a few other guys…"

-Kyrie Irving on FA pic.twitter.com/ulk86MzHTK

— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) April 26, 2022

Since those remarks, it has been widely reported that Marks hasn’t decided on re-signing Irving to an extension should Irving opt out of the final year of his contract. On Wednesday, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News reported that Marks and Irving haven’t met since the Nets lost Game 4 to the Nets. Marks’ reluctance is based on Irving’s vaccination status and injury history.

“I look forward to [it],” Marks told YES Network last week via the New York Post’s Brian Lewis. “We have not had a conversation yet. So I look forward to getting in a room with him and Joe and his team, and we will. We’ll see what it looks like for Kyrie moving forward here and what he needs from us and so forth.”

“So, again, it wouldn’t be right for me to comment on what hypothetical could happen because we don’t know. We haven’t had those conversations with Kyrie yet. But when they do, we’ll see if it’s the right fit for both sides.”

Winfield also reported that Marks hasn’t spoken with Durant either.

Irving has until June 29 to decide on his player option worth $36.5 million. He is eligible for up to a five-year, $248 million extension.

The post Nets and Kyrie Irving ‘Have Not Had a Conversation Yet’ On Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

2021-22 All-NBA teams:

First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

Second: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan

Third: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2022

Although Jokic is the reigning MVP, he wasn’t the leading vote-getter for All-NBA First Team, Antetokounmpo was. The Greek Freak received all 100 votes for one of the forward spots on the First-Team. Jokic and Joel Embiid, who finished as runner-up for the ’21 and ’22 MVP, split votes as the First-Team center. Embiid ended up being named as the center for the Second-Team.

Antekounmpo was not only the lone unanimous All-NBA selection this season, but he also became the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Time in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.

Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to earn his third First-Team selection before turning 24-years-old, joining Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zazlofsky. Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic were joined by Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker. According to the NBA, this is the first time since 1954-55 that the First-Team comprises players at least 27-years-old or younger.

Booker and Tatum earned the First-Team nod for the first time in their career. This is the first overall All-NBA selection for Booker and Tatum’s second nod. Tatum is the first Celtic to make All-NBA First-Team since Kevin Garnett did it in 2008. He’s also the youngest Celtic to earn an All-NBA First-Team selection since Larry Bird in 1980.

The Second-Team is rounded out by Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and Durant. Chris Paul, Trae Young, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns filled out the Third-Team. James picked up his record 18th All-NBA nod, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan for most All-NBA picks, and became the first player in League history to make the All-NBA in his 19th+ season.

Paul is the first guard since Bryant to make an All-NBA team in his 17th+ season.

The post Nikola Jokic Headlines 2021-2022 All-NBA Teams appeared first on SLAM.

The Celtics announced Marcus Smart and Al Horford are both out tonight. Horford is in the health and safety protocols, and Smart suffered a foot sprain in Game 7.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 17, 2022

Smart (right mid-foot sprain) suffered a foot sprain in Game 7, while Horford is out due to Healthy and Safety protocols.

Smart has averaged 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 35.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Horford has averaged 13.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 52.4 percent shooting from the field and 45.1 percent from deep. Horford was the star of Boston’s Game 4 win over Milwaukee after scoring 30 points, including a poster over two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Celtics are prepared for the likely scenario that Horford will remain in the League’s virus protocol through Game 2 of the ECF.

Boston is prepared for the likely scenario of Al Horford remaining in the league’s Health and Safety Protocols through Game 2 on Thursday, sources said. https://t.co/QsWWjKDRcq

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 17, 2022

The post Celtics Announce Marcus Smart and Al Horford Are Out For Game 1 appeared first on SLAM.

However, GM Sean Marks said that the Nets hadn’t decided on extending Irving’s contract should he opt out of his player option for the 2022-23 season and look to negotiate a long-term extension. Marks reiterated that he made a mistake predicting they could successfully negotiate a long-term deal with Irving and James Harden.

“That’s something that we’ve been discussing, and we’ll continue to debrief on and discuss throughout this offseason … we haven’t had any of those discussions yet,” Marks said. “We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, play selfless, play team basketball, and be available. That goes not only for Kyrie but everybody here.”

The writing already seemed to be on the wall after Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Nets had already made a decision they didn’t want to sign Irving to a long-term extension due to Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when New York first declared New Yorkers couldn’t work or be in private indoor venues without being vaccinated.

The refusal led to Marks saying the Nets wouldn’t be allowed to be around the team until he is “eligible to be a full participant.” A stance they turned back on in December as the Nets, and the NBA faced a month-long COVID-19 outbreak across the League.

“We’re not looking for partners that are going to be half-time,” Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters in October.

Via the @BKGlueGuys, @ShamsCharania confirms Kyrie will not be offered an extension:

“He was willing to sacrifice, at the end of the day, 16 million dollars in salary this upcoming year and 186 million dollars, as far as an extension, that he will not be offered now.”

— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) October 13, 2021

Without Irving in the lineup for much of the season, Marks said “it’s obvious” that Irving’s absence played a significant factor in Brooklyn finishing the season at 44-38, good for seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Nets won their play-tin tournament game with Cavaliers but were swept by the Celtics in the first round.

Irving averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in 29 games this season.

The post Nets GM Sean Marks Won’t Commit to Re-Signing Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

During the podcast, Irving and podcast host Eddie Gonzalez spoke on a plethora of subjects ranging from the drama of whether or not he would get to play this year due to New York’s vaccine mandates to his place in League history as one of the most skilled players ever. During the podcast, Irving and Gonzales also notably spoke on the Duke products NBA 75 snub.

Irving’s main case that he belongs on the top-75 list of all time was that he’s one of those few players that have most displayed “the mastery of basketball” in a similar fashion as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or Durant did.

“I really admire a lot of the talent that has come through our league that has really set cornerstones and foundational shots, pathways for people to follow right or to achieve better, to want to achieve better,” Irving said. “So I can’t sit here and debate. You know whether or not I was or I wasn’t. I can only tell you how I feel, and absolutely I feel like I deserve to be on that top 75 list.”

Going further into the conversation, Gonzales noted that if fans and other hoopers could hoop like anyone, they would want to play like Irving. This statement further cements Irving’s belief that he’s played a big part in revolutionizing basketball with his creative crossovers and electric shot-making ability.

“Simply because I’m part of the revolution of this game, and that’s what drives me – as well as to continue to spark the next brain that’s going to be part of this 0.03% of billions of people,” Irving explained. “So, it’s not going to be for everybody.”

After 11-years in the League, Irving has more time behind him than in front of him to make his case for the NBA top-100 list. So far, Irving’s accolades list as follows, he’s a seven-time All-Star with one All-Star MVP, has been named All-NBA three times, and has a 50/40/90 season under his belt. Irving won Rookie of the Year in 2012 and has won one NBA championship, hitting one of the most iconic clutch buckets of all-time in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

As great as Irving has been throughout his career, the things being held against him have been his lack of availability, playing just 611 regular games due to injury, load-managing, and age. However, Irving has posted a career average of 23.1 points per game, averaging a career-best 27.4 points per game during the 2020-21 campaign.

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Nets announce that Ben Simmons will undergo a “microdiscectomy procedure” on Thursday to “alleviate pain caused by the herniated disc” in his back.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 4, 2022

According to Nick Friedell of ESPN, the surgery is a “microdiscectomy procedure” that will “alleviate pain caused by the herniated disc” in his back. Simmons will reportedly take 3-4 months to recover fully, per NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons is expected to need 3-to-4 months to make a full recovery on back surgery, sources tell ESPN. The expectation is that he’ll be ready to return well ahead of training camp.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 4, 2022

Simmons’ back injury was first reported shortly after the 76ers traded him to the Nets for James Harden at the trade deadline. Simmons sat out the entire 2021-22 season and playoffs due to a season-long battle with mental health and the aforementioned lower back injury that prevented him from a possible Game 4 return in the Nets’ first-round series against the Celtics.

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“In terms of my extension, I don’t really plan on going anywhere. This is added motivation for our franchise to be at the top of the League for the next few years. I’m just looking forward to the summer and just building with our guys here.”

Irving also added he wants to ‘manage’ the Nets franchise alongside Kevin Durant, Joe Tsai, and Sean Marks.

“When I say I’m here with Kev[Durant], I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks] and just our group of family members that we have in our organization. So it’s not just about me and Kev; I don’t want to make it just about that. We are cornerstones here, but we have Ben; we have a few other guys under contract. I think we just got to make some moves and really talk about it.”

Irving has until June 29 to decide on his player option worth $36.5 million. He is eligible for up to a five-year, $248 million extension.

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The return of the injury came after positive reports of Simmons surfaced all week. Charania reported a meeting took place between Simmons’ camp and the Nets on Monday.

“Sunday’s events triggered frustration and disheartenment throughout the organization, multiple sources said. The fallout of Simmons being ruled out Sunday led to a meeting among franchise officials, Simmons, and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, on Monday in Brooklyn.”

Charania also reported that Simmons explained his reoccurring back issue to his teammates and team executives:

“According to sources, Simmons told those in the room that a mental block exists for him, dating in part to last summer’s postseason, which is creating stress that could serve as a trigger point for his back issues. He added that he does want to play basketball and play for the Nets as he works on solutions in regard to his well-being.”

Charania reported that it was not only the front office but also the players and coaches frustrated with the situation:

“On Sunday, Simmons informed the team his back was sore. For Nets players, the confusion was not centered around Simmons’ ailment but with the perceived lack of attempt to play, effort to be in uniform and push his body in these high-stakes playoffs, sources said. Nets players and coaches wanted to see Simmons show resolve and enter this series to start his on-court Brooklyn tenure, even if it was for limited minutes on Monday or none at all, while still dressing for the game.”

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Boston star Jaylen Brown included the need to continue to get better on the Celtics’ to-do list following this series.

“A lot [on how much confidence this win gives the Celtics]. As you maneuver through the playoffs, that’s a part of it — teams gain more and more confidence, so we’re looking forward to our group continuing to get better.”

Brown averaged 22.5, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game during the first round of the playoffs.

Brown’s Celtics were the only team in the League to sweep their opponent in the first round, giving them an extra few days of valuable rest. Boston will face the winner of the Bucks versus Bulls series, which is currently 3-1 in Milwaukee’s favor.

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“If Kevin doesn’t score a bucket tonight, I think it would be perilous to say Kevin Durant’s apex is behind him. He’s been unbelievable this year. Unbelievable,” Nash said.

Nash continued, offering up ‘perspective on part of the ingredients’ of why Durant has been struggling against the Celtics in the first round.

“He’s carried a huge burden for us, particularly coming off a seven-week absence. Think about that. That’s not easy. To come back from a knee situation he missed seven weeks, he fought to come back. He comes back; then he has to play 40 plus minutes a night, defend, protect the rim, score prolifically, lead his team. That’s — a lot of burden. So if it cumulates in a patch of play that’s unlike Kevin, you have to have perspective on part of the ingredients that are there and why.”

Durant is averaging 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in 37.2 minutes of play per game on the season. Since returning from a knee injury on March 3rd, Durant has averaged 31.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 38.6 minutes of play per game.

As for the rough ‘patch of play’ against the Celtics that Nash alluded to not looking like the Durant we know, Durant has averaged 22 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 43.1 minutes per game while shooting 36.5 percent from the field — a number far below his season average of 51.8 percent.

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“I’m the guy that will never count something being done until it’s done. Ray Allen hit a shot to take away a championship ring my first year as a coach [as an assistant with the Spurs in 2012-13], and so that’s always in my mind… one thing can happen to flip a series, and you don’t want to be on the wrong end of that.”

Udoka also shared the slow-churning ‘one game at a time’ mentality that he instills into the minds of his players.

“Our message is ‘enjoy what you’re doing, but do it better.’ When it’s all done, we’ll enjoy it for a second and move on to the next one. That’s our mentality. One game at a time. One quarter at a time. One play at a time. Don’t look at the big picture.”

Udoka and the Celtics will get a chance to move forward in the bigger picture tonight, as they’ll head to Brooklyn with hopes of completing the series sweep over the Nets.

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“Of course we’re all disappointed, we’d love to see Ben on the floor with our team,” head coach Steve Nash says. “But I don’t want to be taken that I’m disappointed in Ben. His back is his back.”

This flareup in Simmons’ back injury occurred after Wojnarowski reported on Friday that Simmons was likely to play on Monday, but as Wojnarowski alluded, a setback did occur.

However, if the Nets win, Nash did not rule Simmons out stating, “I don’t know. I think It’s the same as I would’ve told you yesterday. We’ll see how he progresses, and see if there’s an opportunity for him to play at some point in the series if we go on.”

With Simmons sidelined, the Nets will look the keep the series alive as they’re currently down 3-0 against the Celtics. Game 4 will take place in Barclays Center with a 7:00 PM EST tip-off.

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Brooklyn Nets three-time All-Star Ben Simmons plans to make his season debut in Game 4 vs. Boston on Monday as long as rehab remains on course, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Simmons is set to play his first game since June 2021.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 21, 2022

Simmons hadn’t played since June 2021, when the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The LSU product hasn’t played due to a holdout with Sixers management, a battle with mental health, and a lower back injury he’s been dealing with since being traded from Philly at the trade deadline.

The good news follows reports that Simmons was cleared for contact after playing some 4-on-4 drills on Monday, which led to further reports that he was targeting Games 3 or 4 for his return to the Nets’ lineup.

When Simmons last played, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game during the 2020-21 campaign.

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Based on Ben Simmons’ progress in practices this week – and the anticipation of him further accelerating in the coming days – Game 4 vs. Boston on Monday is looming as a realistic target for his Brooklyn debut, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 20, 2022

If Simmons does indeed play next Monday, it will also be Simmons’ Nets debut and first game since the Philadephia 76ers Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in last year’s semifinals.

Simmons hasn’t played due to a holdout he had with Sixers management, a battle with mental health, and a lower back injury he’s been dealing with since being traded from Philly at the trade deadline. The announcement of Simmon’s impending return follows the news that he was cleared for contact after playing some 4-on-4 drills on Monday

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Steve Nash says Ben Simmons has been cleared for contact. He got some 4-on-4 work in yesterday. Nash said he came through it well.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) April 19, 2022

Simmons and the Nets hope for his return to the lineup by Game 4-6 in their first-round series against the Boston Celtics. Simmons hasn’t played at all this season due to a conflict with the 76ers, a mental health battle, and a lower back injury that has bothered him since midway through March.

Nash also revealed that Simmons played in some 4-on-4 drills and that he “came through it well” afterward.

Game 2 of the Celtics-Nets series takes place tomorrow in TD Garden.

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“You can look at it a number of ways. There’s obviously areas of the game where you wanna improve, so take your pick. I’m proud of the guys. That was our first real intense playoff experience together. They had a poor start to the second half, which cost us, obviously. But other than that, I thought there was a lot of growth from our group.”

To Nash’s point, the Nets entered the locker room at halftime tied with Boston at 61 apiece. Cut to the halfway mark of the third quarter, and Boston is up 15 points on Brooklyn with a score of 84-69 showing on the jumbotron. Although Brooklyn would battle back to take the lead late in the game, the Celtics had one last trick to pull out of their sleeve.

Nash and the Nets have one more dance with the Celtics in TD Garden on Wednesday before heading back home to the Barclays Center on Saturday at 7:30 PM EST for Game 3.

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Simmons has remained sidelined throughout the season since being traded from Philadelphia to Brooklyn while mending a back injury. Windhorst reported that while Simmons hasn’t begun five-on-five scrimmages, the hope is that he would be able to progress to that stage by the end of the week.

While this is the most solidified timeline Brooklyn has had on Simmons’ return to the court, both Durant and Nash expressed their plans to prepare for Boston regardless of Simmons’s timeline after practice on Thursday.

“I’m not expecting him to play,” Durant said. “That’s easier for me. I’m not putting any pressure on Ben to come out there and hoop. So I’m not expecting him to do anything but just to get his body right and get healthy as fast as he can. So in my mind, I’m preparing as if we’re playing with the team we have.”

Even though the three-time All-Star hasn’t played in almost a year, the defensive prowess and knack to find the open guy would be increasingly influential for Brooklyn in the postseason.

“There’s a chance Ben comes back; there’s a chance he doesn’t come back. So I think for us, we got to focus on the group; support Ben and his journey to get back on the floor, but at the same time we don’t have time to lose focus on the group that’s playing,” Nash said after practice.

The focus is on the here and now for the Nets as they prepare for Game 1 of the first round against the Boston Celtics Sunday night in TD Garden.

The post Ben Simmons Reportedly Eyeing Late First Round Return for Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

While addressing reporters after practice on Wednesday, Tatum said Irving had expressed how he would have gone about the situation differently.

Jayson Tatum on his time with Kyrie Irving in Boston: “Obviously we’ve talked and there’s some things that he probably told me he wish he could do (or) would’ve done differently.”

— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) April 13, 2022

“Obviously, we’ve talked, and there’s some things that he probably told me he wish he could do (or) would’ve done differently,” Tatum said on Wednesday.

The three-time All-Star and former third overall pick in 2017 discussed how Irving’s approach to the game rubbed off on him as a second-year player.

“Just kind of watching a superstar. I got to see him every day, see how he worked, worked on his body, and prepared for games and things like that,” Tatum said. “He’ll be the first to tell me that I can just learn from the encounters that we had.”

Tatum and the No. 2 seeded Celtics’ will face off against the No. 7 seeded Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of the first-round on Sunday.

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After the game, Irving was asked about fasting for Ramadan and playing at the highest level possible. During the entire month of April, Irving and millions of Muslims worldwide do not eat and drink from dawn to sunset.

“Well, it’s a journey with God. I’m not alone in this. I have brothers and sisters all around the world that are fasting with me,” Irving said. “We hold our prayers and meditation very sacred, and when you come out here, God is inside me, and he’s inside of all of us. I’m walking with faith, and that’s all that matters; when I get to showcase my talents granted to me strictly from God in this arena, I’m humbled.”

In a rematch of last year’s first-round playoff matchup, the Nets will go up against the second-seed Boston Celtics to start the post-season on April 17. Brooklyn bested the Celtics in five games last year when they met in the playoffs.

The Celtics won the regular-season series against the Nets 3-1. However, neither Kevin Durant nor Irving played two out of the four matchups. With both superstars in the lineup, this Eastern Conference matchup will be one to watch this year.

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As the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Eastern Conference playoffs, the Miami Heat will possibly play against the Brooklyn Nets if the Nets win their Play-In tournament matchups. The Nets are headlined by perhaps the greatest scorer of his generation, Kevin Durant. Durant is also the same player Adebayo says is the toughest to match up with on defense.

“Hardest dude to guard? I would say Kevin Durant,” Adebayo said. “I mean, 7-foot and can do the things that he do, like that’s not an easy matchup for anybody at any moment on the court.”

Durant is again one of the most gifted and smooth scorers in the history of the Association. The Slim Reaper has posted 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game this season and has finished games with 50+ three times, including dropping a career-high 55 points against the Hawks last weekend. KD has also scored at least 30 points 24 times this season.

The Heat (52-28) will host the Hawks (42-38) on Friday, and the Nets (42-38) take on the Cavs (43-37) in Barclays Center to end their final back-to-back series of the season on Thursday.

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Following Monday morning practice, Durant reflected on the Nets’ regular season as they prepare to fight for a spot in the postseason play-in tournament:

“To be honest, I feel like our season was derailed by my injury. I’m not looking at it as like a ‘we’re just not a good basketball team.’ There wasn’t a lot of continuity with me and Kyrie out of the lineup. That’s just what it is. When we’re all on the floor together, I like what we got.”

Durant has been stellar since he returned, averaging 32.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three. KD put up a career-high 55 points in a close loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

The Nets have the same record as the ninth-seeded Charlotte Hornets but don’t have the tiebreaker and are one game behind the Hawks for eighth place. Brooklyn faces Houston tomorrow, the Knicks on Wednesday, Cleveland on Friday, and the Pacers on Sunday.

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While he participated in light shooting at practice today, Steve Nash said the three-time All-Star would remain sidelined for the rest of the regular season and the play-in tournament. While Nash remains hopeful for a Simmons return down the line in the playoffs, he would be “shocked” if he returned for the play-in.

“He’s doing some increased strengthening, some increased mobility stuff, a little bit of shooting, and that’s it,” Nash told reporters.

With only four more games left in the regular season, Simmons hasn’t arrived at the point in his rehab process where he’s participating in 1-on-1 or 3-on-3 workouts, indicating a return during the final stretch of the regular season seemed improbable. The 2017-18 Rookie of the Year has been f in street clothes since the organization announced in March that he had suffered a herniated disk in his back.

On Simmons, Steve Nash also said he doesn’t see the Nets skipping some high-intensity workouts to get him in a game given the long layoff he’s had. If he had played for most of the season it’s a different story.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) April 4, 2022

“I think in this situation, we got to put his health and safety first and make sure that we’re certain he’s ready to play and contribute,” Nash added. “And the other part is he hasn’t played basketball, so you don’t know what kind of Ben you get. And he hasn’t been in an NBA game for, you know, nine to 10 months.”

Currently sitting at 10th in the East, the Nets (40-38) would likely matchup against the Charlotte Hornets (40-38) in the play-in unless they secure two wins to capture the eighth seed, currently occupied by Atlanta (41-37). The Nets, at this point, can finish no higher than eighth in the East.

The post Ben Simmons Sidelined For Remainder of Regular Season and Play-In Tournament, Steve Nash Says appeared first on SLAM.

While the Nets still have the talent to make a splash in the playoffs, they’re just 39-35 on the season. However, Irving hinted at signing a new deal to stay in Brooklyn longer and continue a pursuit of an NBA championship. 

“For me, it has always been about being comfortable and loving where I’m at. I love it here,” Irving told reporters recently. “Once that summertime hits, I know we’ll have some conversations but there’s no way I could leave my man 7 [Kevin Durant] anywhere.”

At 30 years old, Irving is eligible for a five-year $246 million contract if he declines his player option this summer. That scenario unfolding would keep him under contract through 2026-27, a year past the end of Durant’s current deal. 

As of now, it appears the duo of Irving and Durant could be the face of Brooklyn for the foreseeable future. 

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