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The Brooklyn Nets have waived guards Amari Bailey and Killian Hayes.
Bailey signed with Brooklyn on Sept. 21 and appeared in two games as a reserve during the preseason, averaging 2.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 7.1 minutes per contest.
Hayes joined the Nets on Sept. 20 and did not appear in any games with Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Nets have exercised the right to convert Tyrese Martin’s contract to a two-way contract.
Martin (6’6″, 215) has appeared in four games as a reserve for Brooklyn during the preseason, averaging 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 12.0 minutes per game. The 25-year-old spent last season with the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he averaged 17.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals over 35.1 minutes per game across 33 regular season contests (28 starts). Martin also saw action in 16 games as a reserve with the Atlanta Hawks during the 2022-23 campaign. The Allentown, Pa., native was selected 51st overall in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors before his draft rights were traded to Atlanta. Martin spent two seasons (2018-20) at the University of Rhode Island and concluded his collegiate career with two years (2020-22) at the University of Connecticut, where he earned 2022 All-Big East Tournament Team honors.
The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have named Tevin Baskin, Fortune Solomon and Jorge Gutiérrez as assistant coaches on Head Coach Mfon Udofia’s staff. They join Associate Head Coach Shawn Swords on Long Island’s bench.
Swords returns to Long Island for his second season as associate head coach after joining the organization ahead of the 2022-23 season as an assistant coach. Swords previously spent 15 seasons (2007-2022) as head coach at Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada, where he also played five collegiate seasons (1992-97) and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. Prior to beginning his coaching career, the Ottawa native played professionally overseas for a decade (1997-2007) in France and Italy and on Team Canada at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Baskin enters his third season with Long Island and his first as an assistant coach. He originally joined the Nets staff ahead of the 2022-23 NBA G League season as an assistant video coordinator/player development and was elevated to head video coordinator/player development the following season. Prior to joining the Nets, the Stamford, Conn., native spent one season (2021-22) at Mississippi State as the director of recruiting and analytics, where he also served as a graduate assistant for two seasons (2018-20). Baskin played two collegiate seasons (2012-14) at Appalachian State and later earned a master’s degree in workforce education leadership from Mississippi State.
Solomon joins Long Island as an assistant coach after spending the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach with the NBA G League’s Raptors 905. Prior to his stint with the 905, he spent two seasons (2021-23) as an assistant coach with the South Bay Lakers and four seasons (2017-21) with the Oklahoma City Thunder as a player development analyst. The Hayward, Calif., native also brings international coaching experience to Long Island, serving as an assistant coach for the South Sudan Men’s National Team since 2021, including the team’s recent performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Prior to beginning his professional coaching career, Solomon spent one season (2012-13) at the University of California, Bakersfield as head video coordinator before joining the University of San Francisco basketball program as a graduate assistant during the 2013-14 season, where he also earned a master’s degree in sports management.
Gutiérrez enters his first season with Long Island and his first as an assistant coach. He joins the coaching ranks after an 11-year professional career (2012-23) including three seasons (2013-16) in the NBA with Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Charlotte. Gutiérrez also played four seasons in the NBA G League with the Cleveland Charge (2012-16) and was selected by the Charge with the 26th overall pick in the 2012 NBA G League Draft. Prior to beginning his professional career, Gutiérrez played four collegiate seasons (2008-12) at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. The Chihuahua, Mexico native received Pac-12 Player of the Year and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors during his senior season with the Golden Bears.
Additionally, Steven Kaner has been elevated to head video coordinator/player development. He enters his fourth season with Long Island after joining the organization as a team attendant ahead of the 2021-22 season.
The Brooklyn Nets tip off the 2024-25 season with a four-game preseason schedule, which includes a pair of home games at Barclays Center.
At home, Brooklyn will host the Washington Wizards on Monday, Oct. 14, and the Toronto Raptors on Friday, Oct. 18.
On the road, Brooklyn will open their preseason slate versus the Los Angeles Clippers at Frontwave Arena in San Diego on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and will travel to Philadelphia for a matchup with the 76ers on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
The Brooklyn Nets recently signed guard Keon Johnson to a multi-year contract.
Johnson (6’4″, 185) originally signed a two-way contract with Brooklyn on Nov. 1, 2023, and recorded averages of 6.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game in five games with the Nets in the 2023-24 season. He also saw action in 26 regular season games (one start) last season with Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, posting averages of 18.2 points on 47.8 percent shooting from the field, 37.9 percent shooting from 3-point range and 80.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 6.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.7 minutes per contest. In three postseason games (all starts) with Long Island, the 22-year-old recorded averages of 19.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 steals over 36.5 minutes per game. Most recently, Johnson has suited up in four games (all starts) for Brooklyn’s NBA 2K25 Summer League team in Las Vegas, averaging 16.3 points on 45.1 percent shooting from the floor, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals across 30.7 minutes per contest.
The Brooklyn Nets have acquired their 2025 first round draft pick, negating a previously agreed to swap, and their first round pick in 2026, from the Houston Rockets in exchange for a 2025 first round pick swap (Houston/Oklahoma City for Phoenix), the Phoenix Suns’ 2027 first round pick and a the rights to the two most favorable of the Dallas, Phoenix and Houston first round picks in 2029. Brooklyn retains the least favorable of Dallas, Houston and Phoenix’s first round draft picks in 2029.
The Rockets receive:
– In 2025, the rights to swap either their own first round pick or Oklahoma City’s first round pick in exchange for Phoenix’s first round pick.
– Phoenix’s first round pick in 2027.
– In 2029, the rights to the more favorable of either Dallas’ or Phoenix’s first round pick in addition to the right to swap their own first round pick for the less favorable of either Dallas’ or Phoenix’s first round pick.
The Rockets relinquish:
– In 2025, the right to swap either their first round pick or Oklahoma City’s first round pick in exchange for Brooklyn’s first round pick.
– Brooklyn’s first round pick in 2026.
The Brooklyn Nets yesterday named Steve Hetzel, Juwan Howard, Deividas Dulkys, Connor Griffin and Travis Bader as assistant coaches on Head Coach Jordi Fernández’s staff.
They join Jay Hernandez, Adam Caporn, Ryan Forehan-Kelly and Corey Vinson on Brooklyn’s bench.
Hetzel comes to Brooklyn from Portland, where he was an assistant coach on the Trail Blazers’ staff for the past three seasons (2021-24). He previously served as an assistant coach for three seasons (2018-21) with the Orlando Magic following a four-year stint (2014-18) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets. Hetzel was also the head coach of the Canton Charge in the NBA G League for one season (2013-14) while Fernández served as his lead assistant coach. The pair helped guide the Cavaliers’ affiliate to a 28-22 record and second-place finish in the East division while allowing the fewest points per game (101.5) of any team in the league. Before his time with the Charge, Hetzel served as a player development coach for four seasons (2009-13) in Detroit. He began his NBA career in the video room, first as an assistant video coordinator with San Antonio for the 2005-06 season and then spending three seasons (2006-09) as a video coordinator in Cleveland. The Allen Park, Mich., native is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he served as a student manager for the men’s basketball team.
Howard joins the Nets’ staff after serving as the head coach of his alma mater, the University of Michigan, for the past five seasons (2019-24). While at the helm in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines compiled an 87-72 record, which included trips to the Sweet 16 (2022) and Elite Eight (2021) in the NCAA Tournament and a regular season Big Ten Conference championship. At the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, Howard earned National Coach of the Year honors. Before his stint leading Michigan, Howard spent six seasons (2013-19) as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat. During his tenure, Miami made three postseason appearances, including securing an Eastern Conference championship in 2014. He joined the coaching ranks after a 19-year (1994-2013) NBA career, where he was a two-time champion (2012 and 2013) as a player for the Heat. In 1,208 career games with Washington, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, Houston, Charlotte, Portland and Miami, Howard recorded averages of 13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 30.3 minutes per game. Selected fifth overall in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft by Washington, Howard earned an NBA All-Rookie Second Team nomination in 1995 and achieved an All-Star appearance and All-NBA Third Team honors in 1996 as a member of the Bullets. The Chicago native played three seasons (1991-94) at the University of Michigan, where he was a member of the famed “Fab Five” and helped lead the school to back-to-back Final Four and national championship game appearances (1992, 1993). As a junior, he was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team recipient and an All-America Third Team awardee.
Dulkys joins Brooklyn’s bench after spending the last two seasons (2022-24) as an assistant and player development coach for the Sacramento Kings. The Šilutė, Lithuania, native also spent one season (2021-22) as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. Before becoming a coach, Dulkys played professionally overseas, competing with teams in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, Italy and Spain over the course of his nine-year playing career (2012-2021). He spent four seasons (2008-12) at Florida State University, where he helped lead the program to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons, including a run to the Sweet 16 as a junior. He ranks third all-time in Seminoles’ history with 203 career 3-pointers made.
Griffin arrives in Brooklyn after three seasons (2021-24) with the Denver Nuggets. He spent the last two seasons (2022-24) as head video coordinator/player development while assisting a postseason run in 2023 that resulted in the Nuggets’ first NBA championship. Griffin originally joined Denver ahead of the 2021-22 season as an assistant video coordinator. The Lake Oswego, Ore., native began his coaching career at Pepperdine University, where he started as a graduate manager for the men’s basketball team for two seasons (2018-20) before transitioning to video coordinator for the men’s and women’s basketball programs (2020-21). Griffin was a walk-on player at Gonzaga University, where he played in 29 games over two seasons (2013-15) and helped the Bulldogs to a pair of West Coast Conference championships. He then transferred to the University of Washington, where he joined the football program as a tight end and wide receiver for two seasons (2015-16), during which the Huskies won the 2016 Pac-12 championship game and earned a berth to the College Football Playoff. Griffin concluded his collegiate career in the NAIA at Vanguard University and played on the Lions’ basketball team in 2017-18.
Bader begins his fifth season as part of the Nets organization and his first as an assistant coach. He spent the last two seasons (2022-24) as the team’s head video coordinator following a two-year stint (2020-22) as a video seasonal assistant. Bader played basketball professionally in the NBA G League for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2015) and Austin Spurs (2019) and internationally in France, Lithuania, Italy, Greece and Spain. He also competed in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), an annual winner-take-all single elimination tournament, with Overseas Elite, helping lead the squad to three-straight tournament championships (2015-17). The Okemos, Mich., native spent five years (2009-14) at Oakland University, where he set the then all-time NCAA career record for 3-pointers made (504). His marks currently rank fifth all-time, and he is still just one of five players in NCAA history to make 500 or more 3-pointers in a career.
Hernandez (second season), Caporn (fourth season with the organization and third as an assistant coach), Forehan-Kelly (ninth season with the organization and fifth as an assistant coach) and Vinson (second season) return to Brooklyn’s bench and will join Fernández and the newly appointed assistants to round out Brooklyn’s coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 season.
The Brooklyn Nets recently named Jordi Fernández as the 24th head coach in the franchise’s NBA history.
“We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernández as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” said General Manager Sean Marks. “As we progressed through an extensive search over the past six weeks, it became increasingly clear that Jordi is the best coach to lead our team forward. Jordi brings a diverse set of experiences and basketball knowledge gained over the course of a coaching career that has taken him around the world. Each step of the way, Jordi has consistently demonstrated the ability to implement strong processes and creative systems designed to optimize each team’s specific roster. He’s proven the ability to build genuine relationships and garner the respect of players of all levels, and we’re confident that our players will benefit greatly from his expertise. We look forward to Jordi, Kelsey and their children joining the Nets family and calling Brooklyn home.”
Fernández joins the Nets after spending the last two seasons (2022-24) as associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Last season, he helped lead the Kings to the 2023 Pacific Division title and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference in Sacramento’s first postseason appearance since the 2005-06 season.
The Badalona, Spain, native also currently serves as the head coach of Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, a position he has held since June 2023. Last summer, he led Canada to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, representing Canada’s first-ever medal in the event. Under Fernández’s direction, Canada registered an overall record of 6-2, including a win over Team USA for third place.
“We are excited to welcome Jordi Fernández and his family to the Nets big family. Jordi’s character as a leader and his emphasis on structure, process and habits will instill a Nets identity that our fans will want to root for,” said Nets Governor Joe Tsai. “We look forward to working with Jordi to build a sustainable winning culture in Brooklyn.”
Brookly Nets guard Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back. Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health.
Via the NY Post:
Simmons has missed 47 games this season and after he misses the next 20, he will have played in just an absurd 57 of 191 total games since the Nets acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline.
Over those three seasons, Simmons has made $103.3 million, meaning he has made an outrageous $1.82 million per game played.
With a $40 million expiring salary next season, the Nets could attempt to trade him this summer or possibly even buy him out.
Via NY Newsday:
It’s the third straight season in which Simmons’ availability and production has been extremely limited due to his back issues. It’s the second time this season he’s dealt with the injury.
The Brooklyn Nets this past Saturday signed guard Jacob Gilyard to a two-way contract.
Gilyard (5’9″, 160) has appeared in 37 games (14 starts) with Memphis this season, posting averages of 4.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 17.7 minutes per game. The 25-year-old Gilyard has also played in five games (all starts) for the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League, recording averages of 14.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.1 minutes per contest. The second-year pro appeared in one game for the Grizzlies last season after signing a two-way contract with the team on April 8, 2023. He spent the majority of the 2022-23 season with the Hustle, appearing in 31 regular season games (25 starts) and averaging 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.9 steals in 30.4 minutes per game. The Kansas City, Mo., native went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft after a five-year collegiate career (2017-22) at the University of Richmond, where he became the NCAA’s all-time Division I steals leader with 466 career swipes. In 154 games (all starts) for the Spiders, Gilyard recorded averages of 13.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.0 steals in 37.3 minutes per contest.
Brooklyn’s roster stands at 18 players, including three two-way players.