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Nets loss to lowly Blazers signals selling season is upon us
The Brooklyn Nets lost yet another game to an NBA bottom feeder in the Portland Trailblazers on Friday night.
Mikal Bridges came up clutch with a game tying basket with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter but Malcolm Brogdon drained a pair of threes that put Portland ahead for good in overtime.
Bridges went for 42-points but the Nets could not best a young Blazers squad led by Afernee Simons who dropped 38.
Cam Thomas played only 18 minutes and was not relied upon down the stretch as Jacque Vaughn went with a defensive-oriented lineup by becoming Thomas and Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Nets now sit at a measly record of 16-21 and are sinking in a crowded Eastern Conference.
With a murderous schedule ahead, it begs the question, will the Nets be sellers ahead of the deadline?
It's pretty clear with how things have transpired over the last month in Brooklyn that the Nets and Sean Marks will be in selling mode.
Look for pieces like Royce, O'Neale, Dinwiddie, Dorian Finnie-Smith and possibly Nic Claxton to be on the move.
The Nets will be in Paris on an international stage to match up with the Cleveland Cavaliers starting on Thursday.
The Nets face a daunting schedule over the next 17 games before the All-Star break and it might be time to start floating out rotation players to be on the move in order for Marks to recoup some draft picks for the future.
Nets lose by season-high 37 to Pelicans
There's no sleep in Brooklyn for Jacque Vaughn as his seat is getting hotter with each passing day and as the losses pile up.
The Nets are now 3-10 over their last 13 games and another heartless effort on Tuesday created more turmoil in Nets World.
Brooklyn had an off shooting night at 25.6 percent from 3-point range and 35.7 percent from the field.
Cam Thomas was scoreless twenty minutes, which is astonishing for such a good bucket getter. Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Day'Ron Sharpe were the only players in double figures.
The Nets play Houston on Wednesday night and look to right a sinking ship.
Nets late game blunder dooms upset bid of defending champ Nuggets
Durant's boneheaded foul seals Nets win in Suns Big 3 debut
The Brooklyn Nets got the revenge that many fans are hoping for on Wednesday night against Kevin Durant and his new team the Phoenix Suns.
Much Durant's ime in Brooklyn, Phoenix has been unable to stay healthy with Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal finally all seeing the court together.
Spencer Dinwiddie was clutched down the stretch as he scored eight fourth quarter points and Cam. Thomas connected on two free throws to seal a 4-point win at Footprint Center.
Thomas led the way for Brooklyn with 24, while Mikal Bridges chipped in 21 and Dinwiddie 16.
Booker dropped in 34 points and Durant 27, but Durant committed a bone-headed foul on Cam Johnson with just 3 seconds remaining on the shot clock where a stop would have given the Suns the ball down only two points with less than 10 seconds remaining.
Durant was adamant about asking out of Brooklyn at last year's trade deadline and with the Nets on the rise he can't ask his way back in now.
Nets electric scorer mired in shooting slump since return from injury
Cam Thomas is a walking bucket. So when the Nets second year guard is struggling finding his stroke, it begs the question: what's wrong?
In his four games since returning from an ankle sprain, Thomas has shot 7 of 23 for 20 points, 3 of 10 for 7 points, 7 of 19 for 17 points and 7 of 20 for 19 points.
That's a combined 24 of 72 from the field and 15.8 points per game. The struggle is real for Thomas.
It's likely a simple case of catching his rhythm, but certainly something to keep an eye on as the Nets travel to the Valley of the Sun on Wednesday night to take on Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
Nets commit unforgivable coaching gaffe in lackluster loss to Hornets
Cam Thomas returned to the Nets on Thursday night after missing the last nine games with an ankle sprain.
The Brooklyn Nets indicated that Thomas would be on a minutes restriction, but with Brooklyn stuck in a tight contest with Charlotte down the stretch, Thomas was not on the court for the most important minutes.
Thomas poured in 26 points in 25 minutes, but the Nets lost 129-128 as Cam Johnson missed an open 3-pointer just before the buzzer sounded.
It's incomprehensible how the coaching staff prevented its best player from being on the floor in clutch minutes and with the game on the line.
Even if Thomas was limited to 25 minutes, the coaching staff should have budgeted the minutes to allow him to be on the court for the final five minutes.
The Nets paid the ultimate price as they were handed a loss and denied their fourth win in a row.
Nets have a buying or selling conundrum ahead of the deadline
The Brooklyn Nets currently sit at a record of 9-8 and in tenth place in a crowded Eastern Conference. The team is exceeding expectations and will be getting leading scorer Cam Thomas back in the lineup on Thursday night after he missed the last nine games because he suffered an ankle injury.
The Nets are not quite ready to compete with the heavyweights in Boston, Milwaukee or Philadelphia, but find themselves in a mix with about a half dozen other teams looking to make the next jump in the conference.
So as Sean Marks looks to maintain roster flexibility with one eye on building a contender and the other on stockpiling young assets, he's faced with a bit of a crossroads for this Brooklyn squad.
The Nets have four key players who will become free agents after this season including: Nic Claxton, Royce O'Neale, Lonnie Walker IV, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dennis Smith Jr. and Harry Giles. Marks has bird rights for Dinwiddie, Claxton and O'Neale and each can play a critical role for a true contender this year. The return for any of those respective players would also be significant with first round picks not being out of the question.
Even Dorian Finney-Smith, with years remaining on his contract has been rumored to be a player multiple teams are interested in for a first round pick.
Marks will need to evaluate which of those names are candidates to remain with the core of the team as they develop the young player and build a contender for the future. Since Marks doesn't want players to walk after the year without receiving anything in return, he'll need to walk the GM tightrope.
Could the Nets get a top 5 seed in the East and pull an upset against Cleveland, New York, Indiana, Orlando or even Miami?
It's absolutely possible, but how much would the prospect of a potential first round playoff upset and likely second round exit change the calculus for Marks to hold on to multiple pending unrestricted free agents?
On the flipside, should the Nets go big game hunting at the deadline or in the offseason?
Brooklyn is only 17 games into the season, but as it draws near the midway point of the year, fans and the front office will have a better indication of where this team is headed, what pieces to keep, what pieces to send out and what additional talent they can bring on the roster to get the Nets back into contending status.
Key player on Nets injury report won't be back anytime soon
A look up and down the Nets injury report and you'd strain your neck and eyes trying to read all the names.
From Cam Thomas' sprained ankle to Ben Simmons's nerve impingement in his lower back, Brooklyn has been banged up this early season. t
While it looks like the teams leading scorer will be back sooner than later, the team's leading assist man won't be back as fast.
Thomas has resumed basketball activities and isn't scheduled for any further MRIs or imaging on his injured ankle.
Simmons, however, will still need to rehab his injured back, and is not cleared to practice.
Given Simmons injury history and specifically his surgically repaired back, the Nets could be without their starting point guard for the foreseeable future.
Nets star has jersey retired at storied college basketball program
Mikal Bridges may be Brooklyn's very own, but his heart will always be in Philly. The former Villanova Wildcat and Philadelphia native had his jersey retired at the Pavilion on Friday night.
"I couldn't even dream of this day"@mikal_bridges cemented as a @novambb legend. pic.twitter.com/msrQKalESl
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 18, 2023
Bridges is approaching the prime years of his NBA career, but he was honored as one of the all-time greats under a legendary coach in Jay Wright.
Bridges won the National Championship as a freshman in 2016 (program's first since 1985) and again as a junior in 2018.
Coincidentally, Brooklyn will take on Philadelphia on Sunday night at Barclays Center.
Come Sunday, Bridges will surely cast aside his Philadelphia loyalty and try to deal the Nets Atlantic Division foe only it's fourth loss of the season after a scorching hot 9-3 start.
Nets can't hold their breath hoping Ben Simmons returns healthy
When healthy, Ben Simmons is a difference-maker. A 6-foot-10 point guard who can race out on fastbreaks and find teammates for open shots. He's a lockdown defender and while his offensive game leaves a lot to be desired, he's an impactful starter when he can stay on the court.
The only problem is, when the Nets traded James Harden to Philadelphia for a package revolving around Simmons, they didn't get the All-Star level point guard, but a physically compromised and mentally taxed version of him.
Simmons never saw meaningful minutes when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were on the team and Sean Mark's vision of forming a new big three after the departure of Harden went by the wayside.
Simmons underwent back surgery in the 2022 offseason and returned for the 2022-23 season, still looking sluggish and not fully healthy. The Nets shut him down 42 games into the last campaign and were hopeful that the 2023-24 campaign would mark a breakout season for the former All-Star.
Things looked promising early, but once again an injury has Simmons sidelined and set to be revaluated in two weeks after a nerve issue cropped up in his back.
Nets fans have been on this rollercoaster journey with Simmons and the Nets medical staff before. For Brooklyn, anything Simmons adds this year will be a bonus, but the organization cannot put its trust and faith fully in the idea of him returning to full health this season, if not ever.
Marks needs to look to the free agent market to look for backup point guards and utlize the veteran savvy of floor general Spencer Dinwiddie to lead the way. Led by emerging star Cam Thomas, borderline All-Star Mikal Bridges and a team that runs nine deep including a supporting cast of Lonnie Walker, Dennis Smith Jr,, Dorrian Finney-Smith and others, Brooklyn is in a good position.
If Simmons is able to get back on to the court and make the impact he did early this season pushing the pace in the open floor, then great, but Nets fans shouldn't be holding their breath.
Philly traded Brooklyn damaged goods in Ben Simmons
When people debate who won the trade between Philadelphia and Brooklyn centered on Ben Simmons and James Harden, the answer is quite simple: they both lost.
Harden failed to deliver a championship to the City of Brotherly Love and is 0-5 with his new team, the Clippers, while Simmons can't manage to stay healthy with the Nets.
Simmons has underwent multiple back procedures and now will be sidelined at least another week with a nerve issue.
Harden battled nagging hamstring injuries with the Nets and Sixers, but his lack of work ethic and penchant for growing disgruntled if he doesn't get his way is a tired act.
The Nets are now stuck with Simmons for two more seasons. Until he gets on the court again, he has virtually no trade value and his market is as narrower than a runway model, as he's due nearly $38M this year and over $40M next year.
Brooklyn is stuck between a rock and a hard place and seem to be in a holding pattern season after season waiting for Simmons to get healthy.
It's the same old story that is all also a tired act and a gift from Daryl Morey that keeps on giving the front office, coaches and fans headaches time and time again.
Ben Simmons injury might be worse than are Nets letting on
Ben Simmons has spent more time on the injury report than 90 percent of NBA players the last few seasons.
Returning from back surgery last season, Simmons played in 42 games before Brooklyn shut him down for the season with a nerve issue.
Simmons returned this year after a another procedure, supposedly healthy, and with offseason workout videos being met with elation and optimism from Nets fans.
Just six games into the 2023+24 campaign, Simmons looked improved physically but still not his former All-Star self. Now, the Nets have shut him down and he will miss his fourth consecutive game.
Ben Simmons is out again tomorrow with a hip injury. It’ll be his 4th straight game out.
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) November 13, 2023
Same thing last year: Played 6 games then he was in & out until they shut him down in Feb.
Nets can’t afford to go through that again. Adjusting to different styles of ball all season.
The Nets are notoriously guarded with injury news and are classifying Simmons' most recent ailment as a hip contusion. Nets World holds its collective breath as the prospect of him missing significant time is not off the table.
Nets latest playoff odds revealed
The Brooklyn Nets currently sit at a record of 5-5 after navigating an extremely challenging early season schedule featuring the likes of Boston, Milwaukee, Miami and Dallas.
According to, Basketball-Reference.com, the Nets have a 63.6 % chance of making the playoffs this season.
Before the season started, most Nets fans wanted to see the emergence of Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and continued ascension of Mikal Bridges into stardom along with a top 6 spot in a crowded East.
That could be exactly where things are headed as the Nets survived a woeful shooting performance against the lowly Wizards on Sunday.
Brooklyn takes on a resurgent Magic team at Barclays Center on Tuesday in NBA's farce of a In-Season Tournament.
Nets could add two-time Finals MVP if his super team flops
Mikal Bridges hits career low in this statistical category
Player Nets need to trade before deadline isn't the one you think
The Brooklyn Nets are one of the surprise stories in the NBA this season, sitting at a very respectable 4-4 record heading into Friday night's matchup against the Boston Celtics.
Led by a sensational 22-year old in Cam Thomas, who will be sidelined at least two weeks with an ankle sprain, and supported by veterans Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie and Ben Simmons.
A limited number of autographed author copies of new #Nets history book are still available! Order direct today for $30 by sending us a message @NetsHistory! @dbearak #netsworld #Durant #Irving #nba pic.twitter.com/hbBdREm4XQ
— Nets Insider (@NetsHistory) July 6, 2022
So, as Sean Marks looks to maintain cap flexibility, he'll have big decisions about the future free agent status of Nic Claxton heading into this upcoming summer and Simmons the summer to follow.
While most are rumoring that Simmons will be on the move ahead of February's trade deadline, it's actually Claxton who makes the most sense to ship out.
The Nets center has missed more games than he's played in during his young career and it's problematic from a spacing and free throw efficiency standpoint for him to play alongside Simmons for extended minutes, particularly in clutch time.
Claxton could be a huge add for a center-needy contending team and could bring in a combination of significant draft capital and perhaps a quality big man in return.
Brooklyn has an embarrassment of riches at the wing position and Marks could get very creative pairing Claxton with Royce O'Neale to bring in valuable draft and front court pieces
Cam Thomas injury latest example Nets can't have nice things
Cam Thomas hasn't just been good for the Brooklyn Nets this season, he's been historically good.
So, with the Nets in cloud nine watching a budding 22-year old superstar blooming before their very eyes, the franchise standout fell on tough luck on Wednesday night against the Clippers.Most PPG on fewer than 2 TOV per game in a season since 2000:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 8, 2023
28.7 — Cam Thomas (this season)
26.6 — Dirk Nowitzki (2005-06)
25.9 — Dirk Nowitzki (2008-09)
Dirk was All-NBA in both of those seasons. pic.twitter.com/BjP1lV3H6G
Simmons' late game blunder nearly costs Nets a win in Chicago
The Brooklyn Nets have won three in a row after a thrilling 109-107 victory in Chicago.
Dorian Finney-Smith dropped 21, Mikal Bridges 20 and Cam Thomas 17 as Brooklyn withstood a late charge by the Bulls and climbed aver the .500 mark on the season at 3-2.
Meanwhile, Ben Simmons had 8 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, while going 4 for 8 from the field.
The highly scrutinized point center has been contributing in the intangible department and looks healthier than he ever has been in a Nets uniform. However, the Nets 6-foot-10 playmaker is not attacking the paint and rim with regularity.
A limited number of autographed author copies of new #Nets history book are still available! Order direct today for $30 by sending us a message @NetsHistory! @dbearak #netsworld #Durant #Irving #nba pic.twitter.com/hbBdREm4XQ
— Nets Insider (@NetsHistory) July 6, 2022
Simmons made a baffling move in the closing seconds of the game on Friday night, not on offense, but on the defensive side of the ball.
As Zach Levine his second free three attempt, Simmons inexplicably batted the ball out beyond the 3-point line instead of grabbing the board and gave Levine an open look for a potential game winner.
Luckily for Simmons and the Nets, Levine's shot clanked off the iron and out, but it was too close for comfort.
Simmons has been a bit of a liability in late game situations due to his poor free throw shooting, questionable decision making and costly turnovers. Brooklyn is hoping Simmons continues to gain confidence as the Nets are one of the surprise stories in the NBA so far this season.
Nets Halloween costume idea honors Cam Thomas
The Brooklyn Nets have officially unleashed Cam Thomas and the results have been nothing short of spectacular. In fact, Thomas' scoring output has been downright historic.
Youngest players in NBA history to score 30+ points in each of first 3 games of a season:
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) October 31, 2023
Shaquille O'Neal: 21 years, 248 days
Cam Thomas: 22 years, 17 days
So when the Brooklyn Nets tweeted about their young shooting guard's performance around spooky season, it definitely drew a few laughs!
Scary accurate pic.twitter.com/VWhSb5kRpz
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 31, 2023
Thomas is one of the league's most exciting young players and if he keeps anything close to this pace up, it will be hard to deny him an All-Star bid come February.