Category: Brooklyn Nets Blog

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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.

Nets sign Nerlens Noel to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Nerlens Noel to a 10-day contract.

Noel (6’11”, 220) began the 2022-23 season with the Detroit Pistons, where he played in 14 games (three starts) and posted averages of 2.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game. The nine-year NBA veteran has made previous stops in Philadelphia, Dallas, Oklahoma City and New York. In 464 career games (222 starts), Noel holds career averages of 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per contest while shooting 54.7 percent from the field. The 28-year-old has also appeared in 17 playoff games (two starts) across three career postseason appearances, recording averages of 4.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game.

A Massachusetts native, Noel played one collegiate season (2012-13) at the University of Kentucky, where he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive. He was drafted sixth overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans and later traded to Philadelphia, where he earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 2015 as a member of the 76ers.

Nets and head coach Jacque Vaughn agree to contract extension

The Brooklyn Nets and Head Coach Jacque Vaughn have agreed to a multi-year contract extension.

“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level while displaying tremendous instincts for the game. As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque. His character is impeccable, and there is not a better representative for our team and our borough. We are thrilled to have Jacque lead the Nets for years to come.”

Vaughn took over as Brooklyn’s acting head coach on Nov. 1 and assumed the position on a full-time basis on Nov. 9. Since Nov. 1, Vaughn has guided the Nets to the fifth-best record in the league (32-19), trailing only Boston (38-15), Denver (37-15), Philadelphia (34-15) and Milwaukee (35-17), and the third-best road record in the league (16-11), behind only New York (17-9) and Boston (16-9).

Pacers acquire Serge Ibaka and George Hill in multi-team trade

The Indiana Pacers announced today the team acquired forward Jordan Nwora, guard George Hill, center Serge Ibaka and three future second-round picks from the Milwaukee Bucks – as well as cash considerations from the Brooklyn Nets – as part of a four-team trade that included Milwaukee, Brooklyn and the Phoenix Suns. As part of the trade, the Pacers sent the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet to Brooklyn.

In related moves, the team waived center Goga Bitadze, and forwards James Johnson and Terry Taylor.