Category: Brooklyn Nets Blog

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Nets re-sign David Duke Jr. to two-way contract

The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed guard David Duke Jr. to a two-way contract.

Duke Jr. originally signed with Brooklyn on Aug. 8, 2021, and had his deal converted to a two-way contract on Oct. 16, 2021. In 22 games (seven starts) for Brooklyn during the 2021-22 season, he averaged 4.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game. The 22-year-old also appeared in and started 13 regular season games for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, during the 2021-22 campaign, recording averages of 16.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.5 minutes per contest. Duke Jr. most recently competed for Brooklyn’s summer league team in Las Vegas, registering averages of 19.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.6 minutes per game across five games.

Prior to joining the Nets, the Providence, R.I., native went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft after a three-year collegiate career (2018-21) at Providence College. Starting all 91 career games, he averaged 11.5 points on 39.4 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 percent shooting from distance, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 30.8 minutes per game. In his final season as a junior in 2020-21, Duke Jr. averaged career highs with 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 37.1 minutes per game on his way to being named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention selection. Duke Jr. also represented the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru, where he helped lead Team USA to a bronze medal.

G League: Long Island Nets name J.R. Holden as GM, Ronnie Burrell as head coach

The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have named J.R. Holden as general manager and Ronnie Burrell as head coach. The team has also named Matt MacDonald as assistant general manager.

“J.R., Ronnie and Matt bring extensive experience to Long Island, and we’re thrilled to have them lead the Long Island Nets,” said Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “They have all grown tremendously as individuals during their time in the Nets organization and have shown what it takes to identify and develop promising players throughout their careers. We look forward to seeing how they’ll shape the next generation of prospects that play on Long Island.”

Holden becomes the third general manager in team history after spending the past three seasons as director of pro personnel for the Brooklyn Nets. He originally joined the Nets after spending the 2018-19 season as a scout with the Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to his stint with the Sixers, Holden spent four years with the Detroit Pistons as an international and college scout (2014-16), and the franchise’s director of international scouting (2016-18). The Pittsburgh native played 13 professional seasons overseas (1998-2011), including nine years (2002-11) with CSKA Moscow, where he was part of nine straight Russian League championship teams. Holden also appeared in eight straight EuroLeague Final Fours, winning two titles, and was named to the EuroLeague’s 2001-10 All-Decade Team. The Bucknell University alumnus became a Russian citizen in 2003 and helped lead Russia to the FIBA EuroBasket 2007 championship.

Burrell becomes the sixth head coach in team history and rejoins the Nets organization after spending the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach with Long Island and the 2018-19 season as a player development and video assistant with Brooklyn. Most recently, Burrell spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach with the College Park Skyhawks in the NBA G League and the previous season as a player development coordinator with the Chicago Bulls. Prior to joining the Nets in 2018, Burrell worked as a graduate assistant with the men’s basketball team at Florida Atlantic University while earning his Master of Business Administration. The Montclair, N.J., native previously played 11 professional seasons (2005-2016) in France, Germany and Poland after a four-year collegiate playing career (2001-05) at UNC Greensboro.

MacDonald becomes the third assistant general manager in team history after spending the last two seasons as scouting operations coordinator for the Brooklyn Nets. He originally joined the Nets during the 2018-19 season as a basketball operations assistant. Prior to beginning his professional career, MacDonald played two collegiate seasons (2013-15) at Fairleigh Dickinson before transferring to University of Pennsylvania, where he was named team captain for his final two seasons (2016-18).

Nets reveal 2022-23 NBA Statement Edition uniform

The Brooklyn Nets have unveiled their 2022-23 NBA Statement Edition uniform.

Per the team: The bold black-on-black design was inspired by the classic uniform of New Yorkers and is a forward-looking take on the team’s core Icon uniform that was first unveiled 10 years ago when the Nets moved to Brooklyn. The uniform features the NETS wordmark across the chest outlined in platinum, with the team’s signature herringbone pattern running down the side of the jersey and shorts.

Nets sign Markieff Morris

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward Markieff Morris.

Morris (6’9”, 245) has appeared in 715 games (376 starts) across 11 seasons with Miami (2021-22), L.A. Lakers (2020-21), Detroit (2019-20), Oklahoma City (2019), Washington (2016-19) and Phoenix (2011-16), recording averages of 10.9 points on 44.6 percent shooting from the field, 34.1 percent shooting from 3-point range and 77.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.8 minutes per contest.

Per the New York Post, “the Nets now have four of their maximum 20 training camp spots left open: All three Exhibit 10 deals, as well as one of their two-way contracts (undrafted rookie Alondes Williams got the other). Restricted free agent David Duke Jr. had initially rejected their two-way offer in hopes of landing a standard deal, but the signing of Morris to the final standard spot ended that possibility.”

Morris, who is 33 years old, was limited to just 17 games played last season with the Heat due to injury, posting averages of 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.6 minutes per game. Prior to his injury-shortened campaign in 2021-22, Morris was 10th in the league in games played (698) from his rookie season in 2011-12 through the 2020-21 season.

Morris has made six playoff appearances in his career, including helping to lead the Lakers to the 2020 NBA Championship.

The Philadelphia native has seen action in 51 playoff games (22 starts), registering averages of 7.2 points on 42.1 percent shooting from the field, 36.9 percent shooting from distance and 80.0 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.

Morris was selected with the 13th pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Suns after spending three years (2008-11) at the University of Kansas, where he was named All-Big 12 Second Team as a junior.

Nets sign Yuta Watanabe

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward Yuta Watanabe.

Watanabe (6’8”, 214) has appeared in 121 games (eight starts) across four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies (2018-20) and Toronto Raptors (2020-22), recording averages of 3.8 points on 40.9 percent shooting from the field, 35.2 percent shooting from 3-point range and 66.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line and 2.5 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game. Most recently, the 27-year-old saw action in 38 games (four starts) with the Raptors during the 2021-22 season, posting averages of 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per contest. In addition to his NBA experience, Watanabe has also played in 56 NBA G League games (55 starts) split between the Memphis Hustle and Raptors 905, averaging 15.5 points on 47.8 percent shooting from the field, 34.8 percent shooting from distance and 82.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game. The native of Kagawa, Japan, has competed on the international stage for his home country, including in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he led Japan in scoring.

Watanabe went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft and then played in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League with the Nets. Prior to beginning his professional career, Watanabe spent four years (2014-18) at George Washington University, becoming the first Japanese-born student athlete to earn a NCAA Division I basketball scholarship. As a senior, Watanabe garnered Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Third Team.

2022-23 Brooklyn Nets preseason game schedule

The Brooklyn Nets will open the 2022-23 season with a four-game preseason schedule, highlighted by two home contests versus Eastern Conference opponents on Monday, Oct. 3, versus the Philadelphia 76ers and Thursday, Oct. 6, against the Miami Heat.

The Nets will then travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday, Oct. 12, to take on the Bucks at Fiserv Forum before concluding their preseason slate on Friday, Oct. 14, at the Minnesota Timberwolves inside Target Center.

Brooklyn Nets season ticket memberships and mini plans are on sale now. To learn more and view options, visit brooklynnets.com. Single game tickets for home games at Barclays Center will go on sale at a later date.

YES Network will have preseason coverage as it begins its 21st season as the home for Nets basketball.

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (ET)

Monday, Oct. 3: Philadelphia 76ers, Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6: Miami Heat, Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 12: @Milwaukee Bucks, Fiserv Forum, 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 14: @Minnesota Timberwolves, Target Center, 8 p.m.

Nets re-sign Patty Mills

The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed guard Patty Mills to a multi-year contract.

“Patty is an integral part of what we do both on and off the court, and an important veteran presence in our locker room,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “Coming off one of his best seasons as a pro, we’re thrilled for Patty to return to the Nets.”

Mills originally signed with the Nets as a free agent on Aug. 10, 2021, and appeared in 81 games (career-high 48 starts), registering averages of 11.4 points (second-highest in a season in his career) on 40.8 percent shooting from the field, 40.0 percent shooting from 3-point range (his highest 3-point percentage since shooting 41.4 percent in the 2016-17 season) and 81.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 1.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in a career-high 29.0 minutes per game. The 13-year veteran led the Nets in 3-pointers made (career-high 227), minutes played (career-high 2,346) and games played, while ranking 11th in the league in 3-pointers made. His 227 threes made were the second-most in a season in franchise history, trailing only the 234 3-pointers made by D’Angelo Russell in the 2018-19 campaign, and were 66 more than he had made in any other season in his career (previous high: 161 threes made in the 2020-21 season with the San Antonio Spurs). Propelled by a stellar first half of the season, Mills became the fifth player in franchise history and the first Australian native to participate in the 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star weekend in Cleveland in February. The 33-year-old scored 20 or more points 16 times, surpassing his previous single season high of nine in the 2019-20 season, and tallied 30 or more points twice, including a career-high-tying 34 points in a Christmas Day road victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, after recording 30 or more points three times in his first 12 seasons combined. Mills has been one of the most durable players in the league, with his six seasons of 80 or more games played since the 2009-10 season (his rookie season) tied for the most in the league in that timeframe. Across the last 10 seasons (2012-22), Mills’ 730 games played are sixth-most in the league.

Mills has seen action in 820 career games (105 starts) in 13 seasons with Brooklyn, San Antonio (2011-21) and Portland (2009-11), registering averages of 9.2 points on 42.6 percent shooting from the field, 38.9 percent shooting from distance and 85.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.7 minutes per contest. He’s made 1,173 3-pointers off the bench in his career, ranking fourth in NBA history in the category, trailing Kyle Korver (1,385), Jamal Crawford (1,259) and Lou Williams (1,235). Mills also ranks 47th in NBA history in total 3-pointers made (1,447). The 2014 NBA champion with San Antonio has appeared in 94 playoff games (11 starts) across 11 postseason appearances, averaging 6.7 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 16.1 minutes per game, while shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from 3-point range and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.

A native of Canberra, Australia, Mills has been a member of the Australian National Team since 2007. At the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021, Mills totaled 42 points and nine assists in Australia’s final game versus Slovenia, leading his country to a bronze medal, which represented the first medal in Australia’s Olympic men’s basketball history. Mills averaged 23.3 points per game, leading all scorers at the 2020 Olympics. He first played for the Boomers in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, becoming the youngest player in the history of Australia to compete in the Olympic Games in basketball.

Mills played two collegiate seasons (2007-09) for Saint Mary’s College of California, appearing in 58 total games (56 starts) and averaging 16.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 32.7 minutes per contest. He was named the WCC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman and earned All-WCC First Team honors in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns. After choosing to forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility, Mills was drafted by Portland in the second round with the 55th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Brooklyn Nets re-sign Nic Claxton

The Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, July 7 re-signed center Nic Claxton to a multi-year contract.

“Nic is an ascending player who has only begun to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of on both ends of the court,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “With his defensive versatility and developing offensive skillset, we believe Nic has a bright future ahead of him and we’re looking forward to his continued growth in Brooklyn.”

Claxton has spent his entire three-year NBA career with the Nets after being selected with the 31st overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft by Brooklyn. In 94 games (20 starts), Claxton holds career averages of 7.3 points on 64.6 percent shooting from the field, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest. The 23-year-old South Carolina native has increased his games played, starts, points per game, field goal percentage and rebounds per game in each of his three seasons. In the 2021-22 campaign, Claxton saw action in 47 games (19 starts), registering averages of 8.7 points on 67.4 percent shooting from the field, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 20.7 minutes per game. After the All-Star break, Claxton posted a team-best defensive rating of 106.1 and ranked third on the team in net rating (7.4), trailing only Kevin Durant (10.0) and Kyrie Irving (9.6). Claxton has also appeared in 16 playoff games across the last two seasons, averaging 4.5 points on 62.3 percent shooting from the field, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 14.2 minutes per contest. In four games in Brooklyn’s first round series versus Boston in 2022, Claxton recorded averages of 10.5 points on 79.2 percent shooting from the field, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game.

Prior to beginning his NBA career, Claxton spent two collegiate seasons (2017-19) at the University of Georgia. As a sophomore, he averaged a team-high 13.0 points, 8.6 rebounds (third in the SEC), 1.1 steals and 2.5 blocks (10th in the nation) while adding 1.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game on his way to being named to the All-SEC Second Team. Overall, Claxton appeared in 65 games for the Bulldogs, averaging 8.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.9 blocks in 23.0 minutes per contest.

Nets sign T.J. Warren

The Brooklyn Nets yesterday signed free agent forward T.J. Warren to a contract.

“T.J. is a proven three-level scorer with the size and versatility to make an impact for us,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “We think T.J. is a great fit on the wing, and we’re excited to welcome him and his family to Brooklyn.”

Warren (6’8”, 215) has appeared in 332 games (236 starts) across seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers (2019-21) and Phoenix Suns (2014-19), registering averages of 15.5 points on 50.7 percent shooting from the field, 35.7 percent shooting from 3-point range and 78.0 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 28.8 minutes per game. The 28-year-old played in just four games in the last two seasons due to injury, but in his last full season in 2019-20 with the Pacers, he appeared in and started a career-high 67 games, while averaging a career-high 19.8 points per game on a career-high 53.6 percent shooting from the field, 40.3 percent shooting from 3-point range and a career-high 81.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.9 minutes per contest. In six seeding games in the Orlando Bubble in the summer of 2020, Warren put together the best stretch of his career, averaging 31.0 points on 57.8 percent shooting from the field, 52.4 percent shooting from 3-point range and 88.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 36.4 minutes per game, trailing only Damian Lillard (38.9 points per game), James Harden (31.7 points per game) and Devin Booker (31.0 points per game) in seeding game Orlando Bubble points per game. The Durham, N.C., native also saw the first playoff action of his career in Orlando in 2020, posting averages of 20.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals in four games in a first round series against the Miami Heat.

Warren was originally selected with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft by Phoenix after spending two years (2012-14) at North Carolina State University. At NC State, Warren was named to the ACC All-Freshmen Team in his first season and then earned All-ACC First Team, ACC Player of the Year and consensus second-team All-American honors in his second and final collegiate season.

Brooklyn Nets sign Edmond Sumner

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent guard Edmond Sumner.

Sumner (6’4”, 196) has appeared in 108 games (29 starts) across four seasons (2017-21) with the Indiana Pacers, recording averages of 5.7 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 14.1 minutes per game. The 26-year-old was most recently acquired via trade by the Nets on Oct. 6, 2021, before being waived on Oct. 10, and did not participate in the 2021-22 NBA season due to a torn left Achilles tendon. In his last full season in 2020-21 with the Pacers, he appeared in 53 games (24 starts) and averaged a career-high 7.5 points on 52.5 percent shooting from the field (career high), 39.8 percent shooting from 3-point range (career high) and 81.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line (career high) and 1.8 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. During his time in Indiana, Sumner saw action in four career playoff games and recorded averages of 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.5 minutes per contest. Sumner was originally selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 52nd overall pick in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft before being dealt to Indiana in a draft-night trade.

The Michigan native spent three collegiate seasons (2014-17) at Xavier University, appearing in 58 games (all starts) and averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.6 minutes per game. As a junior in 2015-16, Sumner was named Second Team All-Big East.