NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog
NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
Nets blog – Brooklyn Nets blog. A great Nets news blog
The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on guards Milton Doyle and Jeremy Senglin and forward Akil Mitchell.
Doyle and Senglin originally signed as free agents with the Nets on Aug. 4, while Mitchell inked a free agent deal with Brooklyn on Sept. 24.
Brooklyn’s roster now stands at 17 players.
Preseason is just a warmup, but there’s also less of it this year. And the regular season is around one week away. And even in preseason, it’s fun for NYC-area fans to see what happens when the Knicks and Nets play each other. Here’s the New York Post reporting:
With Floyd Mayweather seated in the front row, the Nets put a beating on the Knicks that the boxing champion would have been proud of.
Yes, it was just preseason. No, it won’t count in the standings. But after rolling 117-83 on Sunday — and hammering their cross-river rivals twice in the span of three days — early returns say the Nets are the best basketball team in the city.
The Nets’ long-armed, versatile switching defense held the Knicks to 38.7 percent shooting, and 4-of-15 from beyond the 3-point arc. They had 13 steals and turned 25 turnovers into 35 points. And they turned that defense to offense, swing and moving the ball for 29 assists…
D’Angelo Russell had 16 points, seven assists and three steals, all team-highs.
Here’s the New York Post reporting on one of the key new additions to the Nets, Allen Crabbe:
 |
Over 15 months after the Nets inked Allen Crabbe to a huge offer sheet, they finally got to see the small forward suit up for them.
He couldn’t have made a better first impression.
In his first action of the preseason after recovering from a sprained ankle, Crabbe had 14 points in just 10 minutes 46 seconds in the Nets’ 117-83 win over the Knicks on Sunday at Barclays Center. He shot 5-of-7 from the floor, 3-of-4 from behind the arc and was even active on defense, finishing a plus-16.
“Just watching the first two preseason games and all the shots and how the offense flows, it’s the perfect system for me. I just came in with confidence,” Crabbe said. “It’s a different feel here, when coach [Kenny Atkinson] is telling you to do more, to shoot more. It’s like the ultimate green light, so I’m out there just playing basketball freely, not thinking about anything, just letting the game come to me.”
The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Akil Mitchell.
Mitchell (6’9”, 250) appeared in four games for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, during the 2016-17 season, averaging 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 28.6 minutes per contest. He joined the team in late February after his rights were originally acquired by Long Island in the fourth round of the 2016 NBA G League Expansion Draft.
Prior to his time with the LI Nets, Mitchell appeared in 25 games for the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s National Basketball League last season, averaging 9.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 22.7 minutes per game while shooting .556 from the field (105-of-189). Mitchell has also played professionally for Antibes in France’s LNB Pro A (2015-16) and for the NBA G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2014-15) after four years (2010-14) at the University of Virginia. The Charlotte, N.C., native was named to the 2013-14 All-ACC Defensive Team as a senior (2013-14) and the All-ACC third team as a junior (2012-13). He finished his career at Virginia ranking third all-time in games played (133) and seventh in rebounds (798).
The Brooklyn Nets will have a new arena voice this season. Olivier Sedra has been hired as the public address announcer for Nets games at Barclays Center and will represent the team at community clinics and special events.
Sedra joins the Nets’ game presentation team after serving as PA announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers for 11 NBA seasons. Sedra, a Canadian from Montreal who is fluent in French and English, also represented the Cavs internationally at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and the 2015 NBA Africa game in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as the 2016 and 2017 NBA All-Star events.
“I’m really excited to get started with the Nets and Barclays Center,” said Sedra. “Brooklyn is building something special and I’m honored to be a part of it. With Barclays Center’s expansive programming, there is also tremendous opportunity to get involved in other events.”
“Olivier’s booming voice, impeccable timing, and high basketball IQ will be a great addition to the game experience at Barclays Center,” said Brett Yormark, Chief Executive Officer of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “His knowledge and passion will also help us elevate our other programming, including college basketball, boxing, and special events.”
The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent center Tyler Zeller to a multi-year contract.
Zeller has appeared in 340 career games (131 starts) in five NBA seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2012-14) and Boston Celtics (2014-17), recording averages of 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game. The Washington, Ind., native averaged a career-high 10.2 points to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.1 minutes per game during the 2014-15 season with Boston. This past season, Zeller saw action in 51 games (five starts), registering averages of 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per contest.
The 27-year-old Zeller was originally selected with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to Cleveland on draft night. He then earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors with averages of 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26.4 minutes per game in his inaugural campaign with the Cavaliers. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Zeller spent four years (2008-12) at the University of North Carolina, where was a member of the 2009 national champion Tar Heels. He also garnered ACC Player of the Year and second-team All-America honors by the Associated Press as a senior.
Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Brooklyn Nets, who may find themselves with a new owner — though the entire process may span a few years:
|
Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is ready for a long goodbye.
The Russian billionaire, unable to sell a minority stake in the money-losing NBA franchise, now plans to off-load a controlling stake in the team, two sources close to the situation told The Post.
However, Prokhorov is hoping to sell the Nets in a two-part process, the sources said. First, the 52-year-old will look to sell a minority piece of the team — but give the buyer the right to buy the entire team in a short period of time — say three years, the sources said.
The Boston Celtics announced today that they have acquired four-time All-Star and 2016 NBA Champion Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first round pick.
“Kyrie is one of the best scorers in the NBA. He has proven that on the biggest stage, the NBA Finals, the last three years,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “He’s been an NBA Champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and a four-time All-Star. For all he’s accomplished, we think his best years are ahead of him.”
“Isaiah and Jae have been a huge part of our success,” said Celtics Co-Owner and Governing Partner Wyc Grousbeck. “Isaiah’s playoff performance under very difficult circumstances will live on in history, and we wish them all the best.”
Selected by Cleveland with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Irving, 25, has posted career averages of 21.6 points (45.7% FG, 38.3% 3-PT, 87.3% FT), 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.32 steals and 34.2 minutes in 381 games (all starts) throughout six seasons with the Cavaliers. The 6-3 guard has registered a scoring average north of 20.0 points in four of his six NBA seasons, including a career-high 25.2 points in 2016-17.
Irving played a vital role in helping Cleveland capture its first NBA title in 2016, averaging 25.2 points on 47.5% shooting (44.0% 3-PT), and 4.7 assists during the Cavaliers 21-game playoff run to history. He scored a postseason-high 41 points on 17-of-24 shooting (5-7 3-PT) in a win against the Warriors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals that season, one of 18 games in which the Duke product logged at least 20 points. In three career postseason appearances, all of which resulted in trips to the NBA Finals, Irving has averaged 23.9 points (46.5% FG, 41.5% 3-PT, 87.6% FT), 3.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.46 steals and 36.4 minutes in 52 games.
In parts of three seasons with the Celtics, Thomas averaged 24.7 points (44.3% FG, 36.8% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 2.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Crowder produced 12.8 points (44.4% FG, 35.3% 3-PT, 80.4% FT), 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in parts of three seasons in Boston.
“Isaiah embodied what it meant to be a Celtic. He captured fans’ hearts not only with his spirit, but his personality,” said Ainge. “Jae’s toughness was contagious for our team. He improved his skills each year, but it’s his energy and fight that will be remembered. We wish them and their families the very best.”
|
|
The Brooklyn Nets signed forward Jacob Wiley to a two-way contract today.
Wiley (6’8”, 213) appeared in 34 games for Eastern Washington University last season (2016-17), recording averages of 20.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 34.3 minutes per contest while shooting 64.3 percent (265-of-412) from the field. He was named the Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player and earned first team honors after finishing the season ranked first in the conference in field goal percentage, rebounding and blocked shots per game and sixth in scoring. The Newport, Wash., native was also named an honorable mention All-America selection by the Associated Press while ranking sixth in NCAA Division I basketball in field goal percentage and eighth in blocked shots per game.
Prior to suiting up for Eastern Washington, Wiley played two seasons (2014-16) for Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho and one season (2012-13) for the University of Montana. He most recently was a member of Brooklyn’s 2017 NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Per NBA rules, teams are permitted sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man regular season roster. A two-way player for the Nets will provide services primarily to the team’s NBA G League affiliate – the Long Island Nets – but can spend up to 45 days with Brooklyn, not including any time prior to the start of Long Island’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.
|
|
The Brooklyn Nets have signed guards Milton Doyle and Jeremy Senglin.
Doyle and Senglin were both members of Brooklyn’s 2017 NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Doyle (6’4”, 180) joins the Nets after a four-year career (2013-17) at Loyola University Chicago. In 121 career games (98 starts), Doyle recorded averages of 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30.4 minutes per contest. He became the first player in program history to earn All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team honors after averaging 15.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 32.6 minutes per game during his senior season, while scoring in double figures in all but one of his 32 games. The Chicago native also earned Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer and Freshman of the Year awards during his collegiate career and ended his tenure ranked eighth in school history in points (1,606) and fifth in assists (459).
Senglin (6’2”, 190), a native of Arlington, Texas, played four collegiate seasons (2013-17) for Weber State. In 124 career games (123 starts), he averaged 16.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 33.7 minutes per contest. He concluded his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer (2,078 points), as well as finishing second in career field goals made (665), third in assists (343), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.422) and eighth in steals (110). Senglin, who twice earned Big Sky All-Conference honors, scored in double figures in 104 of his 124 career games.