Category: Brooklyn Nets Blog

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Nets lineup still being decided

One would think that new highly-paid Net Allen Crabbe would be in the starting lineup come regular season, right? We’ll see. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

The Nets used the exact same starting lineup throughout the preseason, but coach Kenny Atkinson insists that’s no guarantee it will remain the same when they open the regular season Wednesday in Indiana.

Jeremy Lin and D’Angelo Russell are the first-choice backcourt, and Timofey Mozgov is the presumptive starter at center. But who will get the nod at the forward spots?

And will pricey small forward Allen Crabbe — whose $19.3 million salary this season is tops on the roster and fifth highest in team history — really be on the bench?

“It’s still to be determined,” Atkinson said. “Still have to look at everything, and he’s a part of that. [We’ll] look at his progression. That being said, I do like how that group played together, that starting five. But nothing is set in stone yet.”

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Nets exercise contract options on D’Angelo Russell, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Caris LeVert

The Brooklyn Nets have exercised the team’s 2018-19 contract options on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert.

Hollis-Jefferson, selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by Portland and acquired by the Nets via trade on draft night, has appeared in 107 career games (67 starts) in two seasons, registering averages of 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 22.2 minutes per game. During the 2016-17 season, the 22-year-old saw action in a team-high 78 contests (50 starts) and averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 22.6 minutes per contest.

Russell spent the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers before being acquired by the Nets via trade on June 22, 2017. He was selected with the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 28.2 minutes per game in 80 games (48 starts) in his inaugural season en route to All-Rookie Second Team honors. In the 2016-17 season, the 21-year-old appeared in 63 games (60 starts) and increased his production across the board, averaging 15.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.7 minutes per game.

LeVert saw action in 57 games (26 starts) in his rookie season, recording averages of 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.7 minutes per game. The 23-year-old was originally selected with the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers before being acquired in a trade by Brooklyn on July 7, 2016.

Nets sign Tahjere McCall and Kamari Murphy

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Tahjere McCall and forward Kamari Murphy.

McCall (6’5”, 195) finished his collegiate career at Tennessee State (2015-17) after spending two years at Niagara University (2012-14). While at Tennessee State, McCall earned All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team honors twice and was the conference’s defensive player of the year in both seasons. The Philadelphia native saw action in 117 career collegiate games (93 starts), recording averages of 10.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals in 26.0 minutes per game.

Murphy (6’9”, 218) played the last two seasons (2015-17) at the University of Miami after beginning his collegiate career at Oklahoma State University (2012-14). He started all 33 games with the Hurricanes during his senior campaign, averaging 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game. The Brooklyn native appeared in 131 games (97 starts) over the course of his four-year collegiate career, averaging 5.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 24.6 minutes per contest.

Both McCall and Murphy were members of the Nets’ 2017 Las Vegas Summer League team.

Preseason: Nets beat Knicks by 34

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.

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Allen Crabbe preseason Nets debut a good one

Here’s the New York Post reporting on one of the key new additions to the Nets, Allen Crabbe:

Allen Crabbe preseason debut a good one for Nets

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.”

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Nets sign Akil Mitchell

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).

Nets hire Olivier Sedra as public address announcer

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.”

Nets sign Tyler Zeller

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.