Brooklyn Nets Blog – Page 40 – NBA Blog

Will Nets bring Joe Johnson off bench?

Here’s ESPN NY reporting on a mere possibility for the Brooklyn Nets. For now, it’s assumed Joe Johnson will continue to start. But as his age advances, perhaps the team will manage his minutes a bit more closely. For now, we’ll assume he’ll keep starting. But, read:

Will the Brooklyn Nets bring veteran Joe Johnson off the bench next season?

Play-by-play man Ian Eagle, who is as plugged in on the Nets as anyone given that he’s been around the organization for several years, mentioned the possibility during his appearance on a YES Network podcast.

“I wouldn’t be shocked if he came off the bench this year,” Eagle said. “That would not shock me in the least bit.”

In that role, Johnson, 34, could anchor the second unit — coming in fresh against the opponent’s reserves — while still closing out games as the team’s go-to guy late in the fourth quarter.

Nets trade Steve Blake to Pistons

In return, Pistons send Quincy Miller to Nets

The Detroit Pistons have acquired guard Steve Blake from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forward Quincy Miller.

Blake, 35, has appeared in 812 career games (345 starts) in 12 seasons with Washington, Portland, Milwaukee, Denver, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State and holds career averages of 6.7 points and 4.0 assists in 24.4 minutes per game. He was originally selected with the 38th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by Washington Wizards and was acquired by Brooklyn from the Portland Trail Blazers on June 25.

Miller, 22, appeared in 10 games with Sacramento and Detroit last season and averaged 2.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 12.0 minutes per game. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward signed the first of two 10-day contracts on February 21 and was signed for the remainder of the season on March 13. Miller recorded season highs in points (13), rebounds (6), blocks (2) and minutes (34) at Golden State (1/23) and tied a career-high three assists vs. Charlotte (4/12). In three games with the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ NBA D-League affiliate, he averaged 16.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Nets waive Cory Jefferson

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on forward Cory Jefferson, General Manager Billy King announced today.

Jefferson (6’9”, 220) was originally selected with the 60th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs and was traded to the Nets (via Philadelphia) on draft night in exchange for cash considerations. In 50 games (one start) in his rookie season, Jefferson averaged 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game.

Nets waive Deron Williams in buyout agreement

Thanks to a buyout agreement, Deron Williams’ time as a Net has come to an end.

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on Williams, General Manager Billy King announced today.

“I would like to thank Deron for everything he gave the organization over the past 4 ½ years,” said King. “I would like to wish Deron and his family good luck in the future.”

What Williams gave the Nets was above-average play, while being paid like a superstar. Williams was generally less effective as his time on the team progressed.

Williams (6’3”, 200) appeared in 277 games (258 starts) with the Nets after joining the team via trade from Utah on February 23, 2011. He registered averages of 16.6 points and 7.5 assists in 34.2 minutes per game and was named an All-Star in 2012, his first full season with the Nets. In 2014-15, Williams appeared in 68 games (55 starts), recording averages of 13.0 points and 6.6 assists in 31.1 minutes per game. Williams also saw action in 25 playoff games with Brooklyn, averaging 15.6 points and 6.5 assists in 36.5 minutes per game.

In 716 career games (664 starts) split between the Nets and Jazz, the 31-year-old Williams has averaged 17.0 points and 8.5 assists in 35.1 minutes per game.

Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Williams and the Nets reached a sudden and stunning conclusion to their four-plus seasons together by agreeing to a buyout of the final two years and $43 million remaining on the five-year, $99 million contract Williams signed in July 2012, a deal that made him the face of the team’s move to Brooklyn.

The agreement, sources said, will give Williams $27.5 million of the $43 million he was set to receive on his contract. Once he presumably clears waivers, he will return to his hometown of Dallas to sign a two-year deal with the Mavericks to make up most of the difference.

Nets sign Wayne Ellington

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Wayne Ellington, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“Wayne is a proven shooter who will give us added depth on the wing,” said King.

Ellington (6’4”, 200) has appeared in 377 career games (71 starts) with Minnesota (2009-12), Memphis (2012-13), Cleveland (2013), Dallas (2013-14) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-15), posting averages of 7.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per game while shooting .416 from the field and .382 from three-point range. In 2014-15 with the Lakers, Ellington appeared in 65 games, averaging 10.0 points per game and recording single-season career-highs for starts (36), rebounds per game (3.2) and assists per game (1.6) in 25.8 minutes per game. He has also seen action in two career postseason games, both with Dallas during the 2013-14 season.

A native of Wynnewood, PA, the 27-year-old Ellington was originally selected with the 28th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft by Minnesota after spending three years at North Carolina. At UNC, Ellington registered career averages of 14.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 115 games. In his third and final season, Ellington averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and helped the Tar Heels capture the 2009 National Championship. He was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Nets sign Willie Reed

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward/center Willie Reed, Nets General Manager Billy King announced yesterday. He’ll add depth to the frontcourt as a reserve.

Reed (6’10”, 235) joins the Nets after spending the 2014-15 season in the NBA Development League with the Grand Rapids Drive and Iowa Energy. He posted averages of 16.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 33.7 minutes per game, earning All-NBA D-League First Team honors and All-Defensive First Team honors. The 25-year-old Reed, who has also spent time with the D-League’s Reno Bighorns and Springfield Armor, has appeared in 144 career D-League games (101 starts) in three seasons, recording averages of 15.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 31.4 minutes per game. Reed has also earned call-ups to the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, but has yet to appear in an NBA game.

A native of Kansas City, MO, Reed spent two seasons at Saint Louis University, appearing in 67 games with career averages of 10.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. In his second and final season, Reed averaged 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

Nets re-sign Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young

The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed center Brook Lopez and forward Thaddeus Young to multi-year contracts, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“We are very pleased to welcome Brook and Thaddeus back the Brooklyn Nets,” said King. “Brook is one of the premier big men in this league, while Thad proved to be a perfect complement to Brook last year after he was acquired from Minnesota. Being able to re-sign both of our free agent targets allows us to provide the continuity in our frontcourt that we were looking for going into the upcoming season.”

According to the Bergen Record, “Lopez, 27, could have signed a deal as long as five years, but he committed to stay in Brooklyn for three years and $60 million.”

Also from the Bergen Record: “Young, 27, signed four-year deal worth $50 million, with a player option in the final season.”

Lopez, 27, is the longest tenured Net, having spent his entire seven-year career with the franchise after being selected with the 10th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. In 414 career games (379 starts), Lopez has registered averages of 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game. He currently ranks 4th on the Nets’ all-time scoring list (7,404 points), 6th in rebounds (3,029), 4th in field goals made (2,898), 2nd in blocked shots (724) and 8th in minutes played (13,439). An All-Star in 2013, the Panorama City, Calif. native played some of the best basketball of his career after the All-Star break this past season, posting averages of 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game. Lopez’s season peaked during a two-week stretch in late March and early April when he captured back-to-back Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors, becoming the first Net in more than a decade to accomplish the feat. Lopez has also elevated his game in the postseason, recording averages of 21.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 38.2 minutes per game in 13 career playoff contests.

Young, 27, returns to the Nets after joining the team by way of a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 19, 2015. In 28 games (20 starts) with the Nets, Young finished second on the team in points per game (13.8) and rebounds (5.9) and first in steals (1.4) in 29.6 minutes per game. He shot .495 from the field and .380 from three-point range while forming a strong frontcourt duo with Brook Lopez. In the 28 games Young appeared in, the Nets averaged 102.1 points per game, shooting .457 from the field and .353 from three-point range. In the 54 games he didn’t appear in, the Nets averaged 95.9 points per game, shooting .448 from the field and .321 from behind the arc. Young was originally selected with the 12th pick of the 2007 NBA Draft by Nets GM King when he was the President and GM of the Philadelphia 76ers. In 592 career games (362 starts) with the 76ers (2007-14), Timberwolves (2014-15) and Nets (2015), Young holds NBA averages of 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes per game. In 36 career postseason contests, Young has averaged 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 27.3 minutes per game.

Nets sign Shane Larkin and Thomas Robinson

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Shane Larkin and forward Thomas Robinson to multi-year contracts, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“We are excited to add both Thomas and Shane to our roster,” said King. “Thomas is an aggressive rebounder who will add a physical presence to our frontcourt, while Shane provides athleticism at the point. Both are good young players who reaffirm our commitment to add youth to our roster for the 2015-16 campaign.”

Larkin (5’11”, 176) joins the Nets after spending the 2014-15 season with the New York Knicks. In 76 games (22 starts) with New York, Larkin recorded averages of 6.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 24.5 minutes per game. The 22-year-old was previously acquired by the Knicks after playing for the Dallas Mavericks during his rookie season. Larkin saw action in 48 games in his lone season in Dallas, averaging 2.8 points and 1.5 assists in 10.2 minutes per game. Originally selected with the 18th pick of the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, Larkin was traded on draft night to the Mavericks. Larkin spent two years at the University of Miami prior to entering the NBA. He was selected to the All-ACC Rookie team as a freshman and earned All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Defensive Team honors as a sophomore, helping to lead the Hurricanes to their first-ever regular season ACC championship and their first berth in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in 13 years.

Robinson (6’10”, 237) has posted averages of 5.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game in 194 career games split between Sacramento, Houston, Portland and Philadelphia. During the 2014-15 season, Robinson appeared in 54 games with the Trail Blazers and 76ers, averaging 5.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game. In his final 22 games of the season with Philadelphia, the 24-year-old Robinson increased his averages to 8.8 points and 7.7 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game, registering seven double digit rebound games and three double-doubles. Robinson was originally selected with the fifth pick of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Kings after spending three years at Kansas. In his final season with the Jayhawks in 2011-12, the Washington D.C. native earned Associated Press First Team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year honors.

Nets agree to deals with Thomas Robinson and Shane Larkin

The Brooklyn Nets are upgrading their bench with a couple of nice supporting-cast players. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

The Nets continued to act on their mission to get younger and more athletic, agreeing to two-year free-agent deals Thursday with Thomas Robinson and Shane Larkin, according to league sources.

Both deals come with player options for the second year, as the Nets continue to reshape their roster following their most important moves of the summer — re-signing Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young.

Robinson will earn the veteran’s minimum next season, while Larkin – who spent last season with the Knicks – will make roughly $1.4 million.

Nets waive Darius Morris

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on guard Darius Morris, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Morris, who was originally signed as a free agent by the Nets on December 11, 2014, appeared in 38 games with Brooklyn during the 2014-15 season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.3 assists in 7.9 minutes per game. The 41st overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Morris has appeared in 132 career games (17 starts) with Brooklyn, Memphis, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia and the Lakers, posting averages of 3.3 points and 1.4 assists in 11.1 minutes per game.