Category: Brooklyn Nets Blog

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Nets sign rookie Jalen Wilson to two-way contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Jalen Wilson, the 51st overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, to a two-way contract.

Wilson (6’8″, 225) spent four years (2019-23) at the University of Kansas, appearing in 104 total games (89 starts) and recording averages of 14.2 points on 43.4 percent shooting from the field, 31.6 percent shooting from 3-point range and 73.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 30.7 minutes per game. Wilson became just the 10th Jayhawk all-time to register at least 1,400 career points (1,475) and 800 career rebounds (802). The 22-year-old was named a consensus All-America First Team selection and earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors following a redshirt junior season in which he averaged 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 35.4 minutes per contest across 36 games (all starts). As a redshirt sophomore, the Denton, Texas, native helped lead the Jayhawks to a national championship while also securing All-Big 12 Third Team honors.

Brooklyn Nets hire Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches, Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development

The Brooklyn Nets have named Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches and Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development. They join assistant coach/director of player development Adam Caporn and assistant coaches Trevor Hendry and Ryan Forehan-Kelly on Head Coach Jacque Vaughn’s staff.

Ollie joins Brooklyn’s staff from Overtime Elite, where he served as head of coaching and basketball development for two seasons (2021-23). Prior to his stint with Overtime Elite, Ollie spent six years (2012-18) as the head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Connecticut. After leading UConn to a 20-10 record in his first season at the helm in 2012-13 when the program was ineligible to participate in postseason competition, Ollie directed the Huskies to a 32-8 record in his second season in 2013-14. UConn earned a seven seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament and became the second-lowest seed to win a national championship when he directed the Huskies to their fourth of five titles in program history. Before he became the head coach at UConn, the Los Angeles native was an assistant coach with the Huskies for two years (2010-12), helping lead the team to a national championship in 2011.

Weaver rejoins the Nets organization after spending two seasons (2016-18) as special assistant to the head coach and one season (2018-19) as the head coach of Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Weaver led Long Island to a 33-17 regular season record, tied for the best record in the NBA G League, and guided the LI Nets to an Eastern Conference Championship before the team fell short against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League Finals. Weaver became the first head coach in franchise history to earn NBA G League Coach of the Year honors.

Hernandez joins the Nets after spending the past five seasons (2018-23) with the Charlotte Hornets as assistant coach/director of player development. In addition to his responsibilities with Charlotte, Hernandez led the Hornets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, in the NBA G League bubble in 2021. Hernandez landed in Charlotte after working four seasons (2014-18) as assistant coach/player development with the Orlando Magic.

Burrell joins Brooklyn’s staff after spending the 2022-23 season as head coach of the Nets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Burrell led Long Island to a 23-9 overall record in the regular season, tied for the second-best record in the NBA G League. The team finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and clinched its third playoff berth in franchise history, with Burrell joining Weaver as the only coaches in franchise history to earn NBA G League Coach of the Year honors. He had previously spent two seasons in the Nets organization, first as a player development and video assistant with Brooklyn in 2018-19 and then as an assistant coach with Long Island in 2019-20.

Vinson arrives in Brooklyn after working in the Phoenix Suns organization for three seasons (2020-23). He started with the Suns as assistant video coordinator with player development responsibilities before being promoted to player development coach/video coordinator. He spent his final season in Phoenix as a player development coach.

Nets sign RaiQuan Gray to two-way contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward RaiQuan Gray to a two-way contract.

Gray (6’7″, 260) was selected by Brooklyn with the 59th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and has spent his first two professional seasons with Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. In 44 games (22 starts), he holds career averages of 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.8 minutes per contest while shooting 52.1 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from 3-point range and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. This season, the 23-year-old appeared in 18 regular season games (all starts) with Long Island and averaged 15.4 points on 57.8 percent shooting from the floor and 38.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc to go with 7.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 30.6 minutes per game. Gray also played in 12 NBA G League Showcase Cup games (11 starts) and averaged 14.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals over 28.8 minutes per contest. He appeared in both of Long Island’s playoff games this season and posted a team-leading 25 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes against Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native played three collegiate seasons (2018-21) at Florida State University, where he appeared in 90 games (52 starts) and averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals in 18.7 minutes per contest. Gray earned Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention and All-ACC Third Team honors as a junior and helped lead the Seminoles to their first ever regular season ACC Championship in 2020 as a sophomore.

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at 17 players.

Nets convert David Duke Jr.’s contract from two-way to standard

The Brooklyn Nets have exercised the standard NBA contract conversion option for two-way guard David Duke Jr.

Duke Jr. (6’4″, 207) originally signed as a free agent with the Nets on Aug. 8, 2021, and had his contract converted to a two-way deal on Oct. 16, 2021. He then re-signed a two-way contract with Brooklyn on Sept. 16, 2022. In 43 games (seven starts) over two NBA seasons, Duke Jr. holds career averages of 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. The Providence, R.I., native has appeared in 21 games off the bench for Brooklyn this season and is averaging 3.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per contest.

The 23-year-old has also played in 35 career regular season games (all starts) for Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, posting averages of 20.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.5 minutes per game. In 22 games with Long Island this season, Duke Jr. notched a team-leading 22.9 points (fifth in the NBA G League) on 47.8 percent shooting from the field, 32.1 percent shooting from 3-point range and 80.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line, to go with 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals (10th in the NBA G League) in a team-high 34.2 minutes per game. He earned a selection to the 2023 NBA G League Next Up Game during NBA All-Star Weekend, which featured this season’s top NBA G League performers, and finished third in the 2022-23 Kia NBA G League Most Valuable Player award voting. Duke Jr. also appeared in seven NBA G League Showcase games and played in two postseason games for Long Island this season, averaging 21.6 and 16.0 points per game, respectively.

Prior to joining Brooklyn, Duke Jr. played three collegiate seasons (2018-21) in his hometown at Providence College, where he featured in 91 games (all starts) and was an All-Big East Second Team and Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection as a junior.

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at 16 players.

Nets unveil 2023-24 NBA City Edition Uniform

The Brooklyn Nets have unveiled their 2023-24 Nike NBA City Edition Uniform, created with renowned Brooklyn-based artist KAWS. The uniform was designed as part of a two-year partnership between the Nets and the artist, making this the first-time KAWS has collaborated with a professional sports team.

PER THE TEAM:

The Nets’ newest City Edition uniform mixes authentic details and some of the most notable elements of KAWS’ work, including:

Taking inspiration from KAWS’ 10-part artwork, “TENSION,” the overall uniform design is evocative of the artist’s signature eye-catching abstract paintings, accented by a bold color palette.

KAWS’ signature “XX” design motif is prominently featured on the waistband of the shorts.

The NETS lettering across the chest of the jersey is inspired by the artist’s graphic style with the remixed Nets logo on the shorts given the same treatment.

KAWS’ autograph is woven into the jersey directly above the jock tag.

Nets sign Moses Brown to second 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Moses Brown to a second 10-day contract.

Brown (7’2″, 245) signed his first 10-day contract with the Nets on March 17 and played four minutes in his lone appearance on March 26 at Orlando. Prior to joining Brooklyn, the fourth-year pro previously played for Portland, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Dallas and the Los Angeles Clippers. In 127 career games (39 starts), Brown holds averages of 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per contest on 57.1 percent shooting from the field. The 23-year-old has also played in 50 career games (19 starts) across four seasons in the NBA G League, including five total games (four starts) this season for the Ontario Clippers and Westchester Knicks. Brown holds career NBA G League averages of 15.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.0 minutes per game.

A Queens, N.Y., native, Brown attended Archbishop Molloy High School and became the first player from the school to be named a McDonald’s All-American since Kenny Anderson in 1989. He played one collegiate season (2018-19) at UCLA, where he was named a PAC-12 All-Defensive Team honorable mention and a semifinalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. Brown went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft and later signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Nets guard Ben Simmons likely won’t play again this season

Via the NY Post:

During a reevaluation on Friday, injured Nets point forward Ben Simmons was found to have a nerve impingement in his back.

Until the Nets decide on the most effective long-term course of treatment, Simmons will continue to be out.

Yet with only nine regular-season games remaining and the Nets having stumbled into the play-in, it seems almost probable that the 26-year-old Simmons won’t play again until next year.

Simmons said in November that it would take him an entire year and a half to fully heal from a nerve injury.

FULL ARTICLE

Nets sign Moses Brown to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Moses Brown to a 10-day contract.

Brown (7’2″, 245) began the 2022-23 season on a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he appeared in 34 games (one start) and averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game. The fourth-year pro has previously played for Portland, Oklahoma City, Cleveland and Dallas. In 126 career games (39 starts), Brown holds averages of 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per contest on 57.1 percent shooting from the field. The 23-year-old has also played in 50 career games (19 starts) across four seasons in the NBA G League, including five total games (four starts) this season for the Ontario Clippers and Westchester Knicks. Brown holds career NBA G League averages of 15.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.0 minutes per game.

A Queens, N.Y., native, Brown attended Archbishop Molloy High School and became the first player from the school to be named a McDonald’s All-American since Kenny Anderson in 1989. He played one collegiate season (2018-19) at UCLA, where he was named a PAC-12 All-Defensive Team honorable mention and a semifinalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. Brown went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft and later signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.

It remains unclear when Nets guard Ben Simmons will resume play

Don’t hold your breath waiting for Ben Simmons to resume play for the Nets. If it happens, it happens. Via the NY Post:

Jacque Vaughn has repeatedly insisted the Nets haven’t discussed shutting injured Ben Simmons down.

But asked Sunday if Simmons is coming back this season, Vaughn was conspicuously noncommittal.

“Yeah, I think first of all I’ll just be pretty simple. He’s still managing his back and knee soreness,” Vaughn said cryptically. “He’s back home in Brooklyn. We’ll get a chance to kind of see where he’s at when we get back home after this trip.”

Simmons missed his 10th consecutive game Sunday in the Nets’ 122-120 win over the Nuggets, and his 26th of the season.

The Nets are 39-29 this season, which is the 5th best record in the Eastern conference.

Simmons is averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 26.3 minutes per game.

Nets put up good effort in loss to Bucks

Despite sitting most of their starters, the Nets came close to swiping a win against the mighty Bucks.

Almost.

Via the NY Post:

They nearly overcame their worst shooting drought in a decade, rallying from a huge hole before losing 118-113 to the league-leading Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

After they had won their last three games by double digits, the Nets played without starters Nic Claxton, Spencer Dinwiddie and Cam Johnson, as well as minutes leader Royce O’Neale.

The threadbare lineup went nearly 5 ½ minutes without a basket in the first quarter, essentially giving the game away there and never catching the Bucks (48-18).

The Nets (37-29) missed 15 straight shots — with a shot-clock violation thrown in for good measure — to turn an early eight-point lead into an 11-point first-quarter deficit.