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[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets lose ugly - even by Vegas standards - Summer League opener to OKC Thunder, 90-81

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

It was not the rookies who stole the show, but Drew Timme and Tosan Evbuomwan.

Midway through the third quarter of the Brooklyn Nets’ Las Vegas Summer League opener, Erik Reynolds II picked up a jump ball, turned, and scored a wide open layup for the Nets.

Just one problem: He’s on the Oklahoma City Thunder...

lmfao Erik Reynolds scores on the wrong basket, with Jordi on the broadcast! Holy summer league

"We gotta say thanks" pic.twitter.com/2VA0KK3amE

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 10, 2025​

Welcome to Summer League, folks.

Though the Brooklyn Nets are coming off their most consequential NBA Draft in well over a decade, having made five first-round picks, it’s hard to draw any solid conclusions from a week or two in Vegas. Much less one game in which players are scoring the ball on the wrong basket and throwing it off their brand-new teammates’ faces...

alright this is a little on the nose pic.twitter.com/BF2R6jTANt

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 10, 2025​

That was one of the best plays Danny Wolf made all game, to be fair. Just a shame Timme wasn’t looking. Wolf did not make a field goal, scoring four points on free-throws and turning it over four times. It was rough.

As for Egor Dëmin, he largely did cardio in this one, scoring 8/4/0 in 23 minutes. But hey, his two field goals were two deep threes, as he shot 2-of-5 from range...

Egor Dëmin deep catch-and-shoot, schedule the parade pic.twitter.com/eBDhaQEIp0

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 10, 2025​

Ben Saraf played 16 minutes off the bench and had a nice and-1 take to the rim, finishing with 3/1/2. The other 15:50 he played was less than memorable, though much of that was the whistle-fest that depressed the energy of Thomas & Mack Center to a murmur.

With Drake Powell missing Summer League due to knee tendinopathy, the most promising rookie on Thursday afternoon was Nolan Traoré, Brooklyn’s #19 pick. Over 25 minutes, he put up 13/3/3, including one catch-and-shoot three and a bunch of blinding takes into the paint. He indeed blends ball-handling and speed at a level that seems NBA-caliber...

Nolan Traore with a smooth drive and finish for his first bucket as a Net. pic.twitter.com/hwbVxqj4XU

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 10, 2025​

But for Nets fans expecting Thursday’s contest to be the opening salvo to a fresh-faced era, they got a whole lot of Drew Timme, Tyson Etienne, and Tosan Evbuomwan instead.

All three appeared for both Long Island and Brooklyn last season, and their seniority status on this Summer League roster was evident. Evbuomwan went to work often in the first half, trying to take defenders off the dribble and in the post, though in a pass-first, offensively challenged lineup, he didn’t have a ton of choices.

By the end of the night, with the Nets consistently trailing by a few possessions, they resorted to Drew Timme, who’s playing on a non-guaranteed contract, in hopes of a win. The soon-to-be 25-year-old led the squad with 30 minutes, and he scored 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting, turning most late-game possessions into post-work. Hey, it really was Brooklyn’s best chance.

It wasn't enough, though. The Nets put together an 11-0 run in the third quarter, but outside of that, OKC controlled the game.

But you don’t care about the final score, and neither do I. TJ Bamba, Bronx native shot 0-of-7, but the other UDFA Brooklyn brought to Vegas, Grant Nelson, scored 5 points in 14 minutes, including a 3-pointer and this big dunk...

Grant Nelson drive and HEYYY pic.twitter.com/zGiZkjxdTn

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 10, 2025​

After the game, Demin and SL coach Steve Hetzel spoke to the media on hand. Most interestingly, Demin said he shouldn’t have called himself a point guard...

Egor Demin on his position in the NBA:

“I got a little too deep into calling myself a point guard. Now, I prefer to say I’m a playmaker... Nowadays... there are playmakers on the court who are not point guards, and that’s where I see myself. I want to be all over the court.” pic.twitter.com/XYVEDARR62

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 11, 2025​

And after ESPN2 pronounced his name the Russian way all game, Demin was (again) asked how we should all say his five-letter (with umlaut) moniker....

Egor Demin clears up the confusion about how to correctly pronounce his name:

YAY-GOR DYOH-MIN

“That’s actually my fault, because I trapped everybody into a mistake. Because when I just got to America, I thought it would be too hard to pronounce." pic.twitter.com/END4UjHfN7

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 11, 2025​

As for Hetzel, he was asked to explain how come so many point guards...

Steve Hetzel on whether the Nets' rookie ball-handlers can co-exist long-term:

“This is the way our roster is constructed. The league is now multiple ball-handlers, multiple attackers. If you look at the team that just won the championship, they’ve got Jalen Williams and Shai… pic.twitter.com/2FVti4H7JU

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 11, 2025​

In another post-game note, Traore told media that he rolled his ankle in the first quarter but was able to play through it the rest of the way.

The Brooklyn Nets have much to work on for their next game, which will come after two days off. In order to get a win, or at least make the basketball more enjoyable, they’ll have to turn it over fewer than 21 times and commit fewer than 25 fouls.

In order to appease the fans, they’ll have to play the rookies more, or at least have them shoot more than the journeymen. I suspect this won’t be the last time I type that sentence.

Final Score: Oklahoma City Thunder 90, Brooklyn Nets 81

Next Up​

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Washington Wizards in game two of the Las Vegas Summer League experience. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on Sunday evening.

• Boxscore: Oklahoma City Thunder 90, Brooklyn Nets 81 - NBA
• Game Highlights: Oklahoma City Thunder 90, Brooklyn Nets 81 (Video) - NBA
• Four Nets first-round picks debut in summer league opener — here’s how they fared - Brian Lewis - New York Post

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/10...r-summer-league-90-81-egor-demin-nolan-traore

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets Reacts: Brooklyn’s best offseason move thus far? Michael Porter Jr.? Day’Ron Sharpe?

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

It’s a 1% difference here at NetsDaily! Thanks everyone who read and/or voted.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brooklyn Nets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

There’s still no news on Cam Thomas since we posted this poll on Wednesday. No news in general — It’s been all about the younger players at Summer League.

All said, Brooklyn’s made a few offseason moves, inevitably choosing the the route of asset acquisition while absorbing big contracts such as Michael Porter Jr. The reaction from national media hasn’t been reassuring, if not moot.

So, we asked you all which move is your favorite. It’s a close one!

Drum roll please...​

That’s a close race... 1% between MPJ and ultimately Drake Powell. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Check out FanDuel, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/11...move-thus-far-michael-porter-jr-dayron-sharpe

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Dariq Whitehead wanted to play in Las Vegas but Brooklyn Nets preferred he keep training

Dariq Whitehead was sitting courtside in street clothes the other night in Las Vegas, not on the court...

Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney were the second and fourth youngest players drafted in 2023, taken at No. 21 and 22. Now, they’re in their third season and won’t turn 21 till later this summer. In fact, Clowney’s 21st birthday is Monday.

How young are they? Of the 59 players taken in the Draft on June 26 and 27 this year, the Brooklyn Nets duo is still younger than 29 of those selected. Among those selected who are older: Walter Clayton Jr. taken by the Utah Jazz who’s 22.3 years old; Nique Clifford of the Sacramento Kings at 23.4; Yanic Konan Niederhauser of the Los Angeles Clippers at 22.3 and their new teammate, Danny Wolf. Second rounder Rasheer Fleming just turned 21 Thursday.

So why isn’t Whitehead in particular not on the court in Las Vegas with the rest of the Nets Summer League team. He has been on the sidelines with other Nets players cheering on Brooklyn’s entry in the Vegas tourney. Not to belabor the point but of the 16 players he watched, only four are younger than him. He didn’t play his rookie year and although he played last year, his numbers were dreadful was coming off surgery. And third year players don’t generally play in the Summer.

All that said, Whitehead told Brian Lewis that the decision was made for him after his agents at Excel Sports and Sean Marks spoke. In an effort to get him back to 100% and ready to go in October, the Nets decided to hold him out or more specifically keep him back in Brooklyn where the performance team continues to work with him.

The 6’6” wing split time last season between the Brooklyn and Long Island Nets, averaging 5.7 points on 41/45/60 shooting splits in 20 games with the big club. He said he was planning on playing but the Nets wanted to act cautiously.

“Absolutely, me coming to play, obviously at the end of last season I was getting ready to prepare for summer league,” Whitehead said. “And then with the way I finished last season, it was just something that I guess my agent talked to Sean about and they were [thinking] more so get my body ready and prepare for training camp and next season.”

Indeed at the end of last season, the Newark native noted that this will be the first summer since he left Montverde Academy for Duke that he won’t be recovering or rehabbing,

“I haven’t had a summer yet since high school where I can be able to work on my body, work on my game, and get stronger,” he told our Scott Mitchell at the end of the Long Island Nets season. So far, Whitehead’s explosiveness is not what it had been at Montverde when he was national player of the year in 2022 but he’s developed a strong 3-point game. It was the Nets’ belief that he could return to form that persuaded them to take him at No. 22. The consensus was that if he had not been injured, he would have been a top five selection.

For the record, Whitehead had two surgeries on his right foot in August 2022 just before he entered Duke and in June of 2023 just before the Draft. In January 2024, he had a third surgery again, this time on his left shin.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/12...-but-brooklyn-nets-preferred-he-keep-training

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Summer League: Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards, 8:00 PM ET

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Brooklyn looks for its first win in Las Vegas.

Brooklyn’s first game in Las Vegas wasn’t a pretty one, even by Summer League standards. Out of the rookies, Nolan Traore was the biggest standout with 13 points in 25 minutes, using his explosiveness to beat defenders on his first step. Otherwise there isn’t much.

On to the next!

***

WHO: Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards​

WHEN: 8:00 PM ET​

WATCH: ESPN 2 or YES Network​

***

Pre-game read: Egor the Playmaker... Not PG

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/13...rooklyn-nets-at-washington-wizards-8-00-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Offseason acquisitions thrilled to join Brooklyn Nets

Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, and Day’Ron Sharpe are saying exactly what you’d expect

The Brooklyn Nets’ Las Vegas Summer League squad had plenty of support from the sidelines for their second contest...

Bunch of Nets courtside, starting with Jordi and his wife, down to Dariq, Jalen, Tyrese, Mann, etc. pic.twitter.com/0yRYlCJApW

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 14, 2025​

In fact, every single member of the big league roster aside from Ziaire Williams and Cam Thomas, who remains unsigned, was sitting courtside on Sunday evening.

That includes both Terance Mann and Michael Porter Jr., the two newest Nets, acquired this summer in salary dumps. Each provided Brooklyn a first-round pick. While Mann and MPJ are considered negative assets based on where they fit in the dumps, they’re no less excited to be Nets. At least, that’s what they told media while the Summer League team was hooping.

“It’s been a whirlwind, you know, physicals and everything,” said Porter Jr. “But everybody’s been over the top taking care of me and just introducing me to how they work and everything. And it’s been great so far, you know, I already feel like I know these guys to an extent, and I’m excited to work with them.”

Taking the 2023 NBA champion at his word, it doesn’t seem like he’ll have a very stressful time fitting in with his new team: “I kind of flipped the script in my head pretty quick. Honestly, I’m not like a super anxious guy or anything like that. So on the plane when I found out, I was kind of just like, ‘well, I’m traded,’ and took a nap afterwards.”

Of course, as a Denver Nugget, Porter Jr. worked with assistant coach Jordi Fernández for the first four years of his career. Aside from expressing an easygoing attitude about his new address, he professed excitement to play for a coach he knows so well: “It’s been great. I’m excited to be back with Jordi. I know he has these guys playing hard, and he’s implemented a lot of similar things from Denver, so I don’t feel like it’s a huge shift from some of the things I’m familiar with. So I kind of saw that in practice today a little bit, and I think it’ll be an easy transition for me with the principles. And yeah, he’s a great guy and a great coach, so it’ll be a great fit.”

Porter Jr. may also be excited to have a more featured role in the Brooklyn Nets’ offense. He recognized that he joined a championship contender with perhaps the best player in basketball in Nikola Jokić, and felt he sacrificed some opportunities for the betterment of the Nuggets: “ I just think for me, you know, I averaged 21 one year. I think last year, I was around 18 as the third option. I just feel like, you know — I just feel like I have more in my tank still. I don’t feel like I’ve reached my peak, and I’m excited to grow my game, expand my game, explore my game, and see what I could do.”

Beyond his scoring, MPJ also grabbed 7.0 boards, handed out 2.1 assists and played in all but five games in the regular season and all 12 post-season games despite a separated shoulder that required pain-killers every other day.

Will Nets fans enjoy Porter Jr. isolating into tough jumpers in the 2025-26 season? Will he get the opportunity to, if that’s what he’s hinting at? These are questions for another day; Summer League is all about the brighter side of life...

Nets guys went nuts for that Timme dunk pic.twitter.com/e93yVowzce

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 14, 2025​

For example. Terance Mann is back in Brooklyn, the borough he lived in for the first 11 years of his life, while his mother was a basketball coach at LIU, just down the street from his new home arena. (The Blackbirds played at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater back then, now part of BSE Global.)

“it’s just crazy to think about, I grew up around there,” he said on Sunday. “I remember being little, my mom was a coach at LIU Brooklyn. I used to walk around the area before Barclays was even built. I used to be around there, walking around, always asking like, ‘what are they building here?’ My mom’s like, ‘I think Jay-Z is bringing the Nets from New Jersey.’ That was the talk in Brooklyn at the time.”

And Mann isn’t shying away from a potentially uncomfortable fact: At 28 years old, he’s the oldest player on the roster. According to the Brooklyn native, that comes with a certain responsibility: “I think just lead as best I can. You know, I think that’s really one of the main focuses I’m going to try and take on with this group. And then, you know, on the court stuff, whatever coach wants me to do, I’m going to do. And I’ve always been that type of player.”

Just maybe, the Brooklyn Nets will have the right environment for their five first-round picks to walk into in the fall. Day’Ron Sharpe, despite being just 23 years old, will have to create that environment for his newest teammates after agreeing to a two-year, $12 million deal to open free agency.

And while he was a restricted free agent, Brooklyn never presented him the qualifying offer, meaning he was, for a brief stretch, an unrestricted free agent. Sharpe could have gone anywhere in the league, or at least tried to. So, did he think about it?

He says no: “I just felt like it was best option for me, and I wanted to go with the best option. And that was the Brooklyn Nets.”

But come on Day’Ron, didn’t you at least think about it for that brief second in unrestricted free agency? “I don’t know, you know?”

Then he let out a sheepish laugh, and effectively ended the conversation: “I just decided what I decided.”

With the summer league team showing flashes, and the big-league squad tied — for the moment — for first-place in the 2025-26 regular season, the vibes are once again strong. Sharpe, Mann, and Porter Jr. are excited to be Brooklyn Nets, not an insignificant feat for a team that went 26-56 last season.

Will this energy lead to more wins, or to the development of the prized 2025 draft class? We won’t know until the leather hits the court, but Summer League optimism abounds.

• So much is changing — on and off the court — for Michael Porter Jr. after Nets trade - Brian Lewis - New York Post
• Day’Ron Sharpe gets Nets return he strongly wanted: ‘It’s always home’ - Brian Lewis - New York Post
• Nets’ Jordi Fernandez teases Michael Porter Jr.’s role ‘he’s never done before’ - Erik Slater - Clutch Points
• Michael Porter Jr. reveals hilarious reaction to Brooklyn trade - Yasmin Edañol - Clutch Points
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. discusses coming to Brooklyn as a veteran - Sharif Phillips-Keaton - USA Today

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/14...in-brooklyn-nets-michael-porter-dayron-sharpe

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets Reacts Survey: How much should the Nets pay Cam Thomas?

Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Vote here!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brooklyn Nets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

We’ve asked two poll questions in the past couple weeks:

• How do Nets fans feel about the five picks?
• Which move has been the best of the offseason?

The trade that brought Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first round pick is the verdict except for one thing: Cam Thomas is still a restricted free agency. In most years, a player of Thomas’ caliber would’ve received an offer by now and we’d know whether the Nets wanted to match.

We don’t know anything. Thomas hasn’t signed a deal which means he isn’t there to support the young guys in Las Vegas. He reportedly wants to be paid more than what the market has to offer, which isn’t much, particularly as GMs navigate the new CBA and find out just how much they can offer to a bucket-getter like Thomas.

Thomas averaged 22.5 points and 24.0 points per game over the past two seasons, respectively. There’s no doubt about his scoring ability. He’s said and done all the right things to block out any noise about immaturity. This is all more an indictment on the NBA’s free agent market than it is on the Nets themselves... but it would be foolish to NOT bring back your potential star guard who’s a proven bucket, at 23 years old, on a rebuilding Nets team.

Ain’t sh*t funny about that. ​

This article will be updated with results on Tuesday, July 15 or Wednesday, July 16.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/14...he-nets-pay-cam-thomas-nba-offseason-brooklyn

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets lose third straight to open Summer League, 97-93 against New York Knicks

Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Without Egor Dëmin and Danny Wolf in the lineup, the Drew Timme-led Brooklyn Nets suffered yet another loss.

The Brooklyn Nets were bitten by a funky Las Vegas Summer League schedule, playing one game over the first four days but concluding with a back-to-back.

That back-to-back began on Tuesday evening, a date with the New York Knicks. As a result, Egor Dëmin and Danny Wolf were resting — with Tosan Evbuomwan and Tyson Etienne out with minor ailments — giving fellow first-round picks Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf a chance to shine, as well as UDFAs Grant Nelson and TJ Bamba.

Saraf had a strong start, scoring seven quick points and giving Nets fans the same sell his most ardent believers did before the draft. He is 6’7” with a real handle, and though the outside jumper is a major question, he can eat up space anyway...

cross -> spin -> decel is a fitting Saraf sell: pic.twitter.com/WZJeIT9hYs

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 15, 2025​

He scored seven points in the first quarter, but finished with just ___. Mixed in with some impressive drives and a nice pass here and there...

cross -> spin -> decel is a fitting Saraf sell: pic.twitter.com/WZJeIT9hYs

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 15, 2025​

...were a ton of missed shots, as the #26 overall pick shot just 4-of-11 from the field, turning down some open ones as well. Ben Saraf, nor any rookie, can change the trajectory of their career in Summer League, but his strengths and weaknesses seem very clear after his third and possibly final appearance in Vegas.

While Saraf played 30 minutes, Traoré played just 19. It mostly went like this...

Nolan wicked reject, misses the layup pic.twitter.com/OfGFQXGDN2

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 15, 2025​

As in his first two Summer League games, Traoré is blindingly quick with a downhill handle, but where he’ll get his points from remains a mystery. He scored two points on 1-of-8 shooting, missing both of his 3-pointers and occasionally going too fast for his own good. It’ll be a while before the #19 overall pick has the strength and craft to consistently finish at the rim.

The guard who stood out on Tuesday was New York’s Tyler Kolek; the 2024 second-rounder hit five 3-pointers in the first half and controlled every positive possession for the Knicks, who also entered 0-2. Brooklyn’s offense could have kept up had they not shot 20% from deep, but alas, they lost steam early in the second half and never recovered.

Once again, they featured a whole hell of a lot of Drew Timme, who led the team with 24 points on 8-of-19 shooting...

Drew Timme powers his way inside for the And-1

BKN-NYK on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/Ng4St7MR3j

— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2025​

Some of his buckets were delectable, but at some point, watching the soon-to-be 25-year-old take over most every possession in the second half with Traoré sitting on the bench and Grant Nelson sitting in the corner got old.

Nelson, for his part, passed up too many 3-point opportunities and turned it over four times, but he shot 3-of-4 with three steals. In a word: fine. The most impressive Net was Caleb Daniels, the 26-year-old former Villanova guard who put up 16/9/2 in 27 minutes. At 26, he probably should be one of the best players on the floor in Summer League, but he was. Minor applause.

Alas, the Summer League Nets, missing four of their guys, dropped their third straight game to open play. They kinda just ran out of talent, not effort, with MarJon Beauchamp matching Kolek’s 25 points and the rest of the team making just enough 3-pointers.

Brooklyn has just one game left in Sin City before the true quiet of the offseason arrives. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Final Score: New York Knicks 97, Brooklyn Nets 93

Egor, you may now see the Shot Doctor ​

Perhaps the most entertaining part of Tuesday’s broadcast was an in-depth breakdown of Egor Dëmin’s oft-discussed outside shot. Former NCAA coach and certified basketball lover Tom Crean broke down Dëmin’s jumper, and why he expects the Russian teenager to blossom into a prolific shooter...

this was great from Tom "Lethal Shooter" Crean

He explains why thumb placement and release point stand out as swing factors on Dëmin's jumper: https://t.co/IkosoYKPup pic.twitter.com/7TZ8TL0C0Q

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 15, 2025​

Next Up​

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

With Egor Dëmin and Danny Wolf likely back in the fold, the Brooklyn Nets wrap up their Las Vegas Summer League experience against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/15/24468498/nets-vs-knicks-97-93-drew-timme-tyler-kolek

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Jonquel Jones to return shortly after All-Star break

Photo by Brian Babineau /NBAE via Getty Images

The wait for the Liberty is almost over as Jonquel Jones is close to returning to action.

Photo by Brian Babineau /NBAE via Getty Images

Jonquel Jones has been out since June 19 due to a reaggravated right ankle injury. Since then, the reigning WNBA champions have gone 4-5 as they try to survive without the Finals MVP. Fortunately for them, they won’t have to wait much longer.

At Liberty practice on July 15, Jones took part in 5-on-5 activities with her teammates. Since the injury, she’s been gradually ramping up and working to get back to where she needs to be. She told the assembled media that she will be back for the Liberty’s first game after the break ... which is against the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark on July 22 at Barclays. Made for TV.

“We’ve done a really good job keeping my conditioning levels really high,” she told us. “I’ve been lifting and conditioning almost every day. I played a lot of 5x5 yesterday and I feel really good. So, I’m really not worried about that part. I feel really good.”

Throughout her absence, Jones has been working hard in practice to get back up to speed and is with the team on the bench providing guidance and support to her teammates throughout the game.

Jonquel (looking cool as hell) tells Natasha Cloud, "When you coming down in transition, one-on-one, they can't guard your fucking ass, bro" pic.twitter.com/diJzGsWEkS

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 5, 2025​

She joked she’s doing more stuff in the gym out injured than if she was playing, and I asked her about the importance of taking time to herself in the Bahamas during the All-Star break considering how hard she’s working to get back.

“I went back and forth between “did I want to stay here during the break, did I want to go home?” But yeah, I just felt it would be good to get a change of scenery, a change of location, get a little bit of beach time, a little bit family time, all that stuff just to get my mind right coming back into the season.”

When Jones returns, the Liberty will be complete. JJ is a matchup nightmare on both sides of the ball as she can guard just about every position on the court, is a great initiator of offense, helps tremendously on the boards, etc. Jonquel does everything at a high level and will allow the champs the flexibility to experiment even more with various combinations and lineups.

As JJ continues to work her way back, three of her teammates will be heading to Indianapolis for some special festivities.

A busy All-Star Weekend​

Photo by Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images

All-Star weekend is a time for festivity and celebration in the W. It’s the official midpoint of the season and all of the game’s best players will be under one roof. This year, the party’s heading to Indianapolis, but before the games can begin, Breanna Stewart has a big meeting to attend.

Stewie is a Vice President in the WNBPA and has been an active participant in the negotiations between the league and Players Association. We asked her about the state of the talks earlier this month, and she mentioned that the league has been slow walking them throughout the talks and has been non-responsive to their proposals. The league and PA will be meeting on July 19, and Stewart will be there along with taking part in community events and playing in the game itself on Saturday July 19. It’s a lot to juggle for a player who wears as many hats as Stewart does

“Honestly,” Stewart told me, “this All-Star I've said no a lot. “I've said no to a lot of things just because I want to be able to, at some point, have some time to kind of relax, be with my family, and actually celebrate the moment of being an All-Star.

But the CBA meeting is an important one. I'm happy it's on Thursday, honestly, because then it's like Friday, Saturday is when the madness starts a little bit. So everybody can get in, get to town, get settled, and let's go meet, and then let's enjoy the rest of the weekend after that.”

Stewie will get to watch two of her teammates shine on All-Star Friday. Natasha Cloud will make her WNBA Skills Challenge debut as she will compete against Skylar Diggins, Erica Wheeler, Courtney Williams, and last year’s Skills Challenge winner, Allisha Gray. Cloud has done a great job running point for the Liberty this season and is third in the W in assists per game. This invitation is a nice acknowledgement of the work she’s put in this season and throughout her nine year career. Gray will once again pull double duty, and in the main event of the evening, it will be an especially star studded affair.

The last time Sabrina Ionescu participated in a three point contest, it was magical

Sab will make her Three Point Contest return as she faces the 2024 Three Point Contest winner Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum, Sonia Citron, and Caitlin Clark! The NBA offered Clark a chance to compete in their Three Point Contest during All-Star Weekend this past February, but she declined. She wanted her first three point contest to be with the WNBA, and it works out perfectly that she’ll be making her debut in front of the hometown audience in Indianapolis. Clark is one of the most magnetic players in all of professional sports, and this event promises to be a memorable one.

The party gets started at 8 00 pm Friday night on ESPN. Should be a good one!

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/15...loud-sabrina-ionescu-all-star-contest-weekend

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Could Jacky Cui re-join Long Island Nets?

When Cui Xongxi aka Jacky Cui, went down with a torn ACL last December, it looked like his career with the Nets was over. The then 21-year-old wing was on a two-way contract which Brooklyn hoped would lead to a standard deal, but everyone including Joe Tsai, a big advocate, knew the road from the CBA to the NBA would be long.

Now, nine months later, Cui is in L.A. working out in hopes of filling his NBA dream … and helping Team China’s fortunes. As Brian Lewis reported Tuesday…

Cui Yongxi – or Jacky Cui – is grinding on his comeback to the #NBA. He tore his ACL in December with the Long Island #Nets. He’d been working out in Brooklyn but has now moved on from HSS Training Center and is up to going 5-on-5 out in LA. Could be an option for a couple teams. pic.twitter.com/MY9mhmx1oF

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) August 26, 2025

In an interview on his progress posted on his personal Weibo site earlier this month, Cui said he estimated he’s only 50 to 60% recovered, he hoped to be doing 5-on-5 drills as early as next month. Would the Nets, specifically the Long Island Nets, be one of his options? That’s been a rumor in Chinese basketball circles, spurred no doubt by word from Fanbo Zeng that he’ll soon sign an Exhibit 10 contract which could lead to two-way for the 6’11” wing who like Cui is also 22. Two Chinese players in the same organization at the same time would be unprecedented in the NBA.

In April, Cui did an interview with the G League in which he spoke glowingly of his time with the Nets, both in Brooklyn and Long Island, a newfound love for New York, particularly a Flushing, Queens, pool hall, and his appreciation for what Tsai had done for him.

But the big takeaway was that Cui wants to continue on his NBA path rather than head back to the Chinese Basketball Association where he had starred before joining the Portland Trail Blazers in Summer League, then the Nets in preseason and regular season.

“In social media, a lot of people thought I’m done,” Cui told an unseen interviewer, referring to China’s active sports media space. “But a lot of people, like 70 to 80%, think I will get back to the NBA.”

The 6’8” wing who was on a two-way earlier this season said he’s focused on another number, the one given him by his HSS surgeon, that there’s a 99% success rate for the surgery.

It was the first major injury for the 21-year-old and he admits he was depressed early on in his recovery. Then, he hit on an inspiration: his idol, Kobe Bryant.

“Kobe torn his achilles. I tore my ACL. Every time I look bad, I say what would Kobe do,” he added. “Did he give up?”

“I can’t forget you,’ he said of Bryant. “I can still take your mentality to keep playing in the NBA.

So, could he and the Nets have a reunion? When Brooklyn waived him, they lost both his NBA rights and his G League rights. He’s now an unrestricted free agent, open to sign with anyone in either league. He didn’t mention that possibility in the interview but not long after he got hurt, Cui posted some reflections from his brief rookie season in the NBA, and had the following message (translated from Mandarin) for the Brooklyn Nets … and Tsai:

“I really thank the Brooklyn Nets for giving me the opportunity to let an ignorant teenager with the dream of NBA truly stand on the highest level of world basketball. After I was injured, they provided me with meticulous care and concern, so that I never felt lonely and helpless in the United States.

Tsai, he said, had visited him in the hospital.

“I also want to thank the Nets owner Mr. Joe Tsai. He took out precious time from his busy schedule to visit me in person. He gave me a lot of encouragement and advice, which made me more determined to overcome the injury and return to the court. Injury is unfortunate, but the warm care of Mr. Tsai made me feel real happiness.”

Any journey back from a torn ACL will be difficult and Cui was only averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds when he was declared out for the season, but Cui has already gotten this far. Should he sign with Long Island or another G League team, the parent club would hold no rights. His small salary as a G Leaguer would not count against the Brooklyn salary cap. What it would do, of course, is help the Nets standing in China which can in turn be helpful in marketing the team. It could even help with NBA free agents who increasingly understand that China has become enormously popular in promoting their own personal brands. Ask Steph Curry whose Warriors are the most popular team in China, according to various reports.

Being with one of the most popular basketball brands in China wouldn’t hurt. In fact, it can work both ways.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislandnets/98317/could-jacky-cui-re-join-long-island-nets

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets waive two-way Tosan Evbuoumwan

Watch this space…

Mid-afternoon on Friday, the Brooklyn Nets waived Tosan Evbuomwan, the 6’8” British-born Princeton forward who’d been on a two-way contract, his slot being one of three available. Tyson Etienne, also signed last season, remains on a two-way deal while the third remains open.

Mike Scotto of Hoopshype was first with the news.

Just In: The Brooklyn Nets are waiving forward Tosan Evbuomwan, league sources told @hoopshype. Evbuomwan averaged 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 23.8 minutes during 28 games played for the Nets last season. pic.twitter.com/ALrQI5ibZK

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) August 29, 2025

Evbuomwan had several good games after signing with Brooklyn out of the G League but two-way contract restrictions kept him in Long Island for most of the year. Ebvuomwan, 24, was on a non-guaranteed two-way as well this season.

There was immediate speculation that the Nets were about to re-jigger their roster. Teams can go into training camp which opens September 25, with 21 players — 18 players on some form of standard NBA deal and three others on two-way deals. Following the waiver and before any other moves Friday, the Nets roster consisted of:

—12 players on standard guaranteed NBA contracts;

—5 players on standard non- or partially guaranteed NBA contracts;

—3 players on restricted free agency, who of whom have reportedly agreed to standard deals, the other Cam Thomas;

—1 player on a two-way.

That’s a total of 21 players. In addition, Fanbo Zeng, according to a statement from his agents, will be joining the Nets on an Exhibit 10 training camp invite. The 6’11” 22-year-old Fanbo last played in the Chinese Basketball Association. Scotto previously reported that Grant Nelson who went undrafted then played for the Nets in the Summer League. What’s next? A possible reconfiguration of the two-way deals and maybe putting one or more of the non-guaranteed deals.

This story will almost certainly be updated.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislandnets/98450/brooklyn-nets-waive-two-way-tosan-evbuoumwan

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

NY Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury preview: A showdown in the desert

Keep finding a way. The New York Liberty were even more shorthanded than usual on Thursday night, but it didn’t matter in the end. With just eight players available, the Liberty put forth an inspired effort as they beat the Washington Mystics by 26 points. It didn’t solve everything for the group, but a home blowout win must’ve felt great.

The opponent tonight is battling with the Liberty for homecourt advantage in the playoffs. It’s been a darn good season for Nate Tibbets and the Phoenix Mercury in 2025. The Chicago Sky gave them all they could handle on Thursday night, but Phoenix did just enough to hang on and win 83-79. Phoenix is in the fourth seed while the Liberty are in the five spot. A half game separates the two teams.

Where to follow the game​

MY9 on TV. Liberty Live and FOX Local on streaming for the locals. NBATV for the out of towners. Late night affair so the party’s getting started after 10 PM.

Injuries​

Natasha Cloud missed the game on Thursday as she missed her second straight game due to a nose injury. She’s listed as questionable. Jonquel Jones was under the weather on Thursday so she missed that game. She’s questionable. Same for Sabrina Ionescu who is continuing to manage the after effects of the leg injury she suffered against the Chicago Sky. Nyara Sabally is out.

All clear for Phoenix.

The game​

Phoenix won games one and two while New York took game three. This is the last meeting between the two teams this regular season.

Phoenix is being sued again. Earlier this summer, the Mercury were sued by former interim head coach Nikki Blue for alleged racial and gender discrimination. This time, Mercury/Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia is being sued by minority owners of the team seeking access to internal records. Included in their complaint is an inquiry into how the Mercury’s new training facility was funded. There’s a lot going on there, and we’ll see if anything comes from these situations.

So I can’t quite call it with Satou Sabally. The talent jumps off the screen and she has some impressive accolades to her name. However, it feels like she should be doing more. More in terms of production, availability, just more. She certainly has the potential to be one of the game’s best players and someone that can serve as a franchise level player. A big game tonight and a deep playoff run should firmly establish her in the top, top tier of WNBA players.

Satou is also a key voice for WNBA players in CBA negotiations, and is pretty fed up with Cathy Engelbert…

Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally said the WNBA does not want its players to play overseas or in Unrivaled.

“I wasn’t aware that they already publicly announced that. I mean that’s wrong. I made more money at Unrivaled than any year in my entire WNBA career.”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/CMHgNHgUqa

— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) August 27, 2025

You need that kind of energy at the bargaining table.

Isabelle Harrison might be the one of the best free agent pickups of this past WNBA offseason. Izzy returned to action after being out with a concussion and had 16 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 19 minutes. New York is going to need Izzy to give them something similar, especially when she’s matched up with Natasha Mack. Mack does a great job of protecting the rim and is someone that will bring the physicality to Harrison, Emma Meesseman, and the rest of the Liberty frontcourt.

Kahleah Copper is one of the most electric players in basketball. She has the quickest first step in the game, is someone you can count on in the clutch, and can score at all three levels. Kah is a matchup nightmare and someone that has given the Liberty plenty of trouble over the years. Leonie Fiebich has taken on a lot of the big assignments for the Liberty, and she’ll get to do it again tonight. Rebekah Gardner played some tremendous minutes off the bench and has been a steady hand when her number is called. Even if Ionescu and Cloud are back, look for Bek to get some more chances to shine.

Three point shooting will determine this game. Phoenix and New York are second and fourth in three point attempts. NY is second in efficiency and PHX is seventh. An ill timed cold drought from either team could allow their opponent to go on an extended run.

Player to watch: Alyssa Thomas​

New city, same ole AT. Alyssa Thomas has made Phoenix her home and is making a case to be named Most Valuable Player. She’s a triple double threat every time she steps on the court and has kept the Mercury defense afloat even amidst the extended absences for Copper and Sabally. As Shane Young wrote in a sensational deep dive in Forbes:

“She’s a unicorn in her own right, serving as the Mercury’s point-forward and disrupting conventional playing styles.

“Through a broad lens, Thomas is producing more for her team as a playmaking hub than any player in the league. One glance at her volume in Assist Points Generated is enough to paint the picture – she’s in a class of her own.

Annihilating the competition. Lapping the field. Insert your favorite expression that applies to legends across every sport.“

The last time Thomas saw the Liberty in Phoenix, she had 17/9/15 in 31 minutes. The Liberty were without Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich that night. With some more size available to them, the Liberty hope they can slow The Engine down long enough to get the win.

Breanna Stewart is still working through a minutes restriction, but she’s trying to make the best of it. She only went 4-9 from the field in 23 minutes, but did boss work on the glass by grabbing a game high nine rebounds on Thursday night. The Liberty have been terrible on the boards all season long, and they’re going to need a lot more from everybody on that end to ensure they complete possessions and bring the requisite force and physicality needed to win big. On offense, she gives them the downhill juice they desperately need. As Lucas wrote over at Basketball Insiders:

“But none of her teammates, snipers as they are, can replicate her ability to put pressure on the rim in any situation. New York’s free-flowing, five-out offense means the ball gets from side-to-side and roles are quite fungible. One player may set a ball-screen and roll to the rim, flowing out to the opposite corner if they don’t get the pass. A few seconds later, and they’re careening around the arc, receiving a dribble handoff from the wing.”

We’ll see if her minutes total will increase tonight. The Liberty ask a lot of Stewart, but she’s always ready to meet the challenge.

From the Vault​

Sue Bird recently got a statue in front of Climate Pledge Arena, and her old pal Diana Taurasi joined the ceremony to honor her friend and rival. With that in mind, let’s revisit the famous Storm v. Mercury battles from the 2018 playoffs

More reading: Desert Wave Media, GO PHNX, AZ Central, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, SB Nation, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Local W, New York Daily News, No Cap Space, New York Post, Newsday, The Athletic, NY Liberty Fan TV, Yahoo Sports, Gotta Get Up, Sports Illustrated, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/all-women...nba-preview-alyssa-thomas-breanna-stewart-mvp

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

New York Liberty stonewalled by Phoenix Mercury 80-63

“This is obviously a learning opportunity, but we’re kind of running out of opportunities for growth at this point. We need to just actually be better,” said Breanna Stewart after the New York Liberty got knocked out by the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday night.

That was the tone of New York’s postgame presser. Not “no excuses BUT,” not “we have time,” even with Sabrina Ionescu missing her second straight game with a toe injury.

“This is not championship level basketball at this point, and everybody needs to recognize that, and understand that we need to get there and that starts with the mindset, and then putting it onto the court,” said Stewie.

It started decently enough. The Liberty led the Phoenix Mercury, their most likely first-round matchup, by two points after the first half. New York’s defense, despite a heater from Kahleah Copper, was locked in. Breanna Stewart, whose minutes-limit neared 30 in her third game back from injury, made it all work per usual…

now here's a Liberty defensive possession, with Stewie of course tying it together in help pic.twitter.com/iQWxrkagfo

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) August 31, 2025

Without Ionescu, the Liberty were facing an uphill battle against a surefire playoff team, a healthy one at that. Next to Leonie Fiebich and Natasha Cloud, masked up due to a slight nose fracture, New York started their three All-Star caliber bigs in Stewie, Jonquel Jones, and Emma Meesseman. The regular season is ending, the three had played just two minutes together entering Saturday. It was time.

But while Stewie hit two threes and Emma Meesseman ultimately led the team in scoring with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, it wasn’t enough to bury the Mercury. Jonquel Jones missed Thursday’s game with an illness, and it looked like it was still weighing her down on Saturday.

The Liberty did not have such a room for error. They scored a brutal 24 points in the seance half, each open look the result of a seemingly miraculous possession that Phoenix could not switch to death. The Liberty turned it over 19 times, and scored just one point in the final four-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter…

Libs post Emma off the switch pic.twitter.com/ZcoOuvyYf7

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) August 31, 2025

That stretch decided the game. On a team level, New York’s offense wasn’t going to lead a double-digit comeback — the floor was not there, nor the pace nor the counters to Phoenix’s ball-pressure, leading Brondello to take culpability in the postgame presser.

But the Liberty had many more problems than coaching; on an individual level, they got shoved in a locker. Many of the turnovers were sill lapses of focus; they were slower to 50/50 balls and couldn’t make shots at momentum-shifting inflection points. Though it wasn’t, it felt like a blowout.

Phoenix took the lead in the third quarter and never looked back. Rebekah Gardner and Marine Johannès both entered off the bench to try and provide as spark but neither could; Isabelle Harrison saw just four first-half minutes given all the other bigs, but checked in by the second half to get some cardio in.

After seizing the lead in the third quarter, the Mercury never looked back. Alyssa Thomas carried her non-Copper teammates, nearly triple-doubling again, and New York never quite figured out how to defend inverted pick-and-rolls. But this game wasn’t about tactics, really; the Liberty just didn’t have it, that same old song. They should have Ionescu for the playoffs, but best be sure no opponent will be afraid.

Nor should they be. After Saturday’s loss, it appear the Liberty are destined to fall backwards into the playoffs, praying for healthy and going for broke. But Saturday night proved yet again it doesn’t feel like their year. Slow, sloppy, soft against a team looking right at them in the standings.

“Obviously, today was huge for seeding implications and things like that. But, you know, aside from that, we want the game to feel better. You know, we want to play better, we want to be peaking and today wasn’t a good choice.” — Stewie

Phoenix built the lead to ten, then dawdled around before building it up to 20. In the meantime, they did not let Natasha Cloud hit the paint enough to break their defense, they allowed Leonie Fiebich just one made field goal, and Meesseman did her best to close out to shooters but still watched as they hit threes over her head. Sandy Brondello must explore the three-big lineup. but the mercury had no trouble on Saturday.

Said Sandy: “I think they were very physical, and we weren’t on our front foot and started turning the ball over. We weren’t quick to our next actions, and then defensively, you know, we weren’t very good there.”

Can the Liberty get it right? It’s unclear, and now the players are feeling the heat. This is not good enough. Not to win yet again, with Jonquel scoring six measly points and Ionescu out again. There is nothing else to do but wait and see, but man is it frustrating.

Final Score: Phoenix Mercury 80, New York Liberty 63

The Price is Wrong​

The New York Liberty — the franchise that has most exemplified the WNBA moment, the league establishing itself as a cultural mainstay as the Liberty establish themselves as a true New York institution, Barclays Center as the place to spend a summer night in the city — are again raising season-ticket prices. Surprised?

On Friday, the New York Post’s Madeline Kenney published a (paywalled) feature covering the newest round of price increases for Liberty loyalists. As we’ve covered, The New York Liberty are a business, and now that their product is in greater demand, they will charge more for it. But Kenney does capture how many fans view this as an inevitable pill to swallow.

“It’s a tough transition, but I just hope to see the women get the money out of it … If they do that, then I can live with watching on TV,” goes one quote.

Still, long-time fans have seen the team — and by extension, league — leap into the spotlight, only to bear the brunt of the consequences. Prices have steadily increased while in Brooklyn, and while New York has transformed themselves from lottery-dwellers to championship-winners stocked with star power in that time, many fans are at a financial breaking point…

I got my 2026 renewal rates for my NYL courtside seats. Before playoffs, I paid 19,174 for two seats. The increase will be $1575 a ticket for 22 regular season games. $34,650 a seat. $69,300 for two. All not including playoff prices yet. Your girl has officially been priced out. https://t.co/57dy491Vaz

— Queer Latifah (@TheAfrocentricI) August 22, 2025

Prices are going up. Water is wet. And though season-ticket price increases are tiered — long-time fans pay a bit less — many fans who were around before Liberty home games became the best environment in sports, will no longer get to partake in that environment.

Next Up​

The Liberty continue their three-game road trip on Tuesday night, with tip-off against the Golden Sate Valkyries on Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty/98476/liberty-vs-mercury-80-63-breanna-stewart-alyssa-thomas

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Fanbo Zeng headed to Brooklyn, reports trainer

Two days after Tosan Evbuomwan was waived by the Nets comes word that Chinese forward Fanbo Zeng is headed Brooklyn possibly to replace him on the team roster.

Fanbo, a 6’11” 22-year-old, has been training in Phoenix with Vaughn Compton who posted about his travel…

The third man in the photo is Duan Ran, Fanbo’s Chinese trainer since he returned from playing with G League Ignite in 2022. After Mike Scotto reported the agreement between team and player on August 3, his management team, Fanbo Zeng Studio, released a statement noting that he was rehabbing from a back injury suffered during the CBA playoffs. A China basketball observer told ND at the time that the injury was not major.

Specifically, his manager said this of his overall prospects:

“Zeng’s begun training and, hopefully, he will be in prime condition and ready for the training camp challenge. We expect to see him on court during the preseason China games,

“It will be a long and tough road, and it’s never easy to step out of the comfort zone, but he’s determined not to have any regrets. He will never hesitate to chase after his dreams.”

Although there’s been no specifics about Fanbo’s role with Brooklyn, it appears an Exhibit 10 and a two-way are both seen as possibilities.

Although Fanbo did not play for Team China in the recently concluded FIBA Asia Cup, he’s viewed as one of the country’s top young players. Zeng won the league’s Most-Improved Player award, was selected into the All-CBA First Team and has emerged a solid 3-and-D role player “with strength in perimeter defense, shot-blocking and 3-point shooting,” China Daily reported.

Here’s some highlights:

This will be Fanbo’s second attempt at the NBA. After playing high school ball in Florida — and making All-State — Fanbo accepted then turned down an offer from Gonzaga to play in the G-League.

Zeng played 22 games with the G-League Ignite during the 2021-22 season, where he averaged 5.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in a season hampered by injuries.After being tabbed as China’s top young prospect by ESPN, he went undrafted in 2022 but was signed to a Summer League contract by the Indiana Pacers, before signing with the Beijing Ducks to begin his pro career in the CBA.

As China Daily also noted earlier in August, signing another Chinese player will further the Nets fan base in that country.

The Nets, owned by Joe Tsai, chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, signed Zeng’s national teammate Cui Yongxi to a two-way contract before the 2024-25 season as part of the franchise’s effort to tap deeper into the Chinese market. Cui, however, was cut by the team in December after suffering a serious left knee injury that has kept him sidelined up to now.

By bringing another young Chinese prospect on board, the franchise is expected to draw wider attention when it plays against the Suns at the 14,000-seat Venetian Resort in Macao on Oct 10 and 12.

The Nets currently have 21 players under some sort of contract, the max permitted for training camp. So, before signing Fanbo, the Nets will have make another move.

.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-free...fanbo-zeng-headed-to-brooklyn-reports-trainer

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

NetsDaily Off-Season Report – No. 19

First the obligatory roster update which is finally starting to get interesting.

Media Day is September 23 and first day of practice two days later. That same day,will be be the grand opening of the Brooklyn Basketball Center across the street from Barclays Center in the old Modell’s, Norman Oder of Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park reports, In other words, the season is getting closer.

On Friday, the Nets made a minor move — waiving two-way player Tosan Evboumwan — but it signaled something more. On Sunday morning, Fanbo Zeng’s Phoenix-based personal trainer tweeted that Fanbo was headed to Brooklyn. His management had previously said he’d be training in Phoenix through the end of August then travel to New York for camp. Well, today is September 1!

Great having Fanbo Zeng in Phoenix before he heads to the Brooklyn Nets. Have not seen many 6’11” guys that can shoot the way he can. pic.twitter.com/7qtJHVy2Uv

— Vaughn Compton (@VCBasketball88) August 31, 2025

There was immediate speculation that the Nets were about to once again re-jigger their roster. Teams can go into training camp (which for Brooklyn opens September 25) with 21 players — 18 players on some form of standard NBA deal and three others on two-way deals. At the moment, the Nets have 21 players just a different configuration: 20 players on some sort of standard NBA deal and one two-way, Tyson Etienne. Fanbo will add one

Beyond that there’s been serious reporting that another player — 6,11” Alabama forward Grant Nelson — will get an Exhibit 10. So, we should soon see more roster moves in the next week to 10 days, including more serious discussion between the team and Cam Thomas. That’s not speculation. Although the two sides are far apart, according to league sources, Thomas not not get exercised his qualifying offer. The status quo continues on that.

There are other roster issues outstanding beyond the Thomas restricted free agency, particularly the status of the team’s two other RFA’s, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams. As we and others have reported, the two have agreed to two-year, $12 million deals with only the first year guaranteed. The issue is whether the deals will be carved out of cap space or the $8.8 million room MLE.

And as we and others have also reported, Sean Marks and co. want to work their way through their remaining cap space — at minimum of $16.5 million — before tackling the Thomas situation. With Evbuomwan now gone and September dawning, we expect one final push in that area. The Nets were reportedly part of trade discussions with the Mavericks on third-year player Olivier-Maxience Prosper, but Dallas decided rather than give up one of their two remaining second rounders in a trade they’d buyout and stretch the 23-year-old 6’7”, 230-pound power forward to get under the second apron. He’s now a free agent and there’s been some speculation by Clutch Point’s Brett Siegel that Brooklyn may still interested in him even without a second rounder attached.

There still have a few teams looking for similar cost-saving moves, but the number keeps shrinking as does the Nets cap space, another indication that the final nut-cutting is upon us. Moreover, and this is hardly discussed, having some of the cap space left over for the February trade deadline would be smart.

NO indication whatsoever that anything has changed with Thomas though. The 23-year-old shooting guard’s advocates — and there are many in the Nets worldwide fanbase — point to his 24-point scoring average last season. On the other hand, his critics note that he’s missed almost a whole season — 73 games — to hamstring issues over the past two years. Moreover they that the team is moving to more quick decision-making with the ball and less iso. Again, he could have exercised his QO but despite speculation, has not. He has a month, till October 1, to make a decision.

As one pundit noted this week, everything is part of one big picture that involves cap space, the room MLE, the five non-guaranteed players, the Exhibit 10s and how the training camp roster will be configured, let alone the final roster. Fans who wonder why free agency has taken so long — and it’s not just the Nets, the Warriors have six roster openings — it’s a combination of the CBA’s restrictions and one team having a monopoly on free agency. It’s taken teams time to figure things out. Do they do buyout and stretch players or give up precious draft assets? For the most part, it’s been the latter. Relatively cheap, four-year rookie deals are the bargains that balance the deals for stars and superstars.

The Mavs and the Heat went in different directions this week in getting out of CBA trouble. Dallas, as noted, bought and stretched Prosper rather than trade away one of their two remaining second rounders while the Heat sent the Nets one of their remaining two second rounders to dump Hayward Highsmith. Yes, the two teams had a total of two seconds over the next seven years. The Nets have 19.

So why all those seconds? Steve Lichtenstein wrote his substack, Steve’s Newsletter this week about the Nets hoarding of seconds. The second round pick, he argued, are the new coin of the realm in the NBA.

econd round picks are the NBA’s currency du jour, like cigarettes in a prison. Acquiring teams see them as healthier for trade flipping than for personal use. And boy do the Nets seem like they’re attempting to corner the market.

NetsDaily.com has the franchise’s future Draft pick count up to 32—13 firsts and 19 seconds—through 2032 following the Haywood Highsmith trade with Miami two weeks ago that netted them one more second rounder. Only six of the Nets’ 2s are their own.

In the good ole pre-apron days, overgenerous teams would be forced to part with 1s to rid themselves of onerous contracts. Other than the Nets with Deron Williams, we’ve never seen waivers of the magnitude of Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal before. In the current CBA climate, 1s are too valuable to throw away on sunk costs. Hence all the 2s that have exchanged hands in the last year or so.

It’s also about flexibility, the simple ability to move in any direction the CBA takes you. Can’t hurt.

The banality of Michael Porter Jr. … and friends

Once you get over the outrage of the latest commentary by MPJ on either “Curious Mike,” his own vlog, or guest appearances on other assorted podcasts, blogs and vlogs, you come to realize that it’s just so banal, defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “so lacking in originality to be obvious and boring.”

To summarize another week to forget. To begin…

Michael Porter Jr says a boys high school basketball team would beat the WNBA All-Stars pic.twitter.com/wANZtQh0Ie

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) August 31, 2025

Indeed, MPJ said the Women’s Olympic Team would also fall to a group of 16 and 17-year-olds. To remind people, Team USA is one of the most dominant in all Olympic teams, with a 78–3 record in Olympic play, and a record eight consecutive titles. As Wikipedia notes,“they have no Olympic losses since 1992, no losses in any major tournament since 2006, and their gold medal in 2024 broke the U.S. men’s basketball team’s record (1936–1968) for the most consecutive Olympic team victories in all Olympic sports.“

But the debate, as stupid as it gets, ignores a basic point: why the hell would the women’s Olympic team or the WNBA All Stars need to justify their greatness by playing a group of kids?!? They don’t need to prove a damn thing on any basketball court! That should’ve been Porter’s response.

Of course, MPJ has a history of diminishing women’s basketball saying they don’t deserve equal pay, something that’s not on the table in the current labor negotiations. What IS on the table is equity. Why can’t one of men’s basketball leading figures offer solidarity to the game’s women rather than diminish them at an artificial level? Besides, it ain’t his money! He’s already been paid $115.3 million in his career and is owed another $78.1 million. MPJ will make more than twice as much money this season than the entire WNBA.

Next up!

PlaqueBoyMax asked NBA star Michael Porter Jr. to choose between having a th*t daughter or a gay son

“Both of them would hurt a n*gga heart” pic.twitter.com/FWkPRsJuHk

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) August 30, 2025

To us, this is even worse and indeed, tops the list of vile things he’s said since joining Brooklyn and that list grows every day. Sure every American (last we checked at least!) has a right to free speech but what’s the point of using your fame to be hurtful, dismissing the value of a child because of their sexual preferences or proclivities? Don’t kids, particularly those dealing with being “other,” have enough to confront on a daily basis? Unlike the debate over WNBA salaries, there’s no data to debate here, just simple kindness. Enough!

But getting back to the banality. Watching MPJ’s videos with Steiny of “One Night with Steiny”: and PlaqueBoyMax, it’s not hard to recognize how these two are playing him. They laugh uproariously at his comments knowing how it will create controversy for him to their benefit. What does he get out of all this? The cost/benefit analysis is decidedly not in his favor.

In your face update:

On Monday afternoon, “Curious Mike” released a mini-episode in which Porter told Steiny aka Aaron Steinberg that he was “out of the club,” because Steiny didn’t tell him that the “clips” that he willingly appeared in “would go viral like that.” It’s an apparent reference to the video in which MPJ told Steiny and co-host Bob Menery that people he will often have dates listen to the sexist, misogynistic rants of Andrew Tate whose spent time in a Romanian prison on charges involving rape, physical assault, sex trafficking of minors among other things, last week’s atrocity…

As one fan posted, the emotion was obviously fake, that indeed he’s making light of the controversy and doubling down on what he said.

One final thing: when these latest clips came to the fore, we suggested that someone should acquaint Porter that he now resides in New York City as if the Big Apple has some cultural superiority. That was wrong, This stuff should be vile to everyone.

What next for LinSanity?

The magic is over for Jeremy Lin at least on the court. Lin now 36 years old and newly a father announced his retirement from the game, ending a storybook career that included three weeks of pure New York hoops joy called LinSanity…

He announced the big life event on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeremy Lin 林書豪 (@jlin7)

and other social media.

There’s a lot to review about how a 21-year-old undrafted Asian point guard out of Harvard who barely escaped being waived used all those improbabilities to become for three weeks not just the center of basketball worldwide but the very heart of the city, the child of immigrants who came to the great boiling melting pot and succeeded beyond anything imaginable. Like a lot of New York dreams, it peaked but like a lot of New York dreams, it lived on, particularly in the city’s Asian community.

He also won a ring in Toronto and had an injury riddled couple of seasons in Brooklyn that truth be told ended badly. But the relationship between the Tsais and Lin is strong. Clara Wu Tsai and Lin are second cousins.

Indeed, the two spoke about it a few weeks back.

Clara Wu Tsai talks about her cousin Jeremy Lin and the effect of LinSanity on the Asian American community including her and Joe’s two sons while Lin talks about the challenges of peaking at 23 and how he dealt with life after the spotlight faded. https://t.co/S4SetKhomq

— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) July 16, 2025

“Our grandmothers were sisters,” Wu Tsai explained. “Obviously my grandmother was the older sister and his grandmother was the baby of the family, but we are second cousins.”

Wu Tsai that she and her family were well aware of the connection 15 years ago when LinSanity burst on the scene at Madison Square Garden elevating the 23-year-old Asian-American to superstar status at least for a couple of weeks.

“LinSanity was such a big part of my family when it came out. It brought so much joy to us. Just the way Jeremy was an underdog and captured the hearts of the nation, of so many people. including all the young Asian hoopers, including my two sons. It allowed them to dream that they can play in the NBA sometime.”

Beyond that, Joe Tsai recruited Lin to join the advisory board of The Asian-American Foundation, which he helped found and fund to combat discrimination. The two are also personally close, which leads us to speculate whether Lin will find next role with the NBA or even the Nets. Next month, the Nets and Suns are traveling to Macao for the renewal of the NBA Asia Games, the first ones since 2019 when a tweet by then Rockets GM Daryl Morey on the political status of Hong Kong sent the relationship into a tailspin. Expect a grand pronouncement or two to further cement things. Don’t be surprised if Lin’s name pops up.

Final Note

This is going to be (another) tough year for fans. The Nets see the 2026 NBA Draft as a game changer, They’re throwing their first first rounders into the fire. It’d be best if there were few “distractions” like the best player being a jerk.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/off-season-report/98491/netsdaily-off-season-report-no-19

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

NY Liberty vs. Golden State Valkyries preview: Welcome to Balhalla!

Didn’t have it and honestly, might not have it in the end. The New York Liberty began their latest western swing on Saturday night in Phoenix and let go of the rope in the fourth quarter on the way to a disappointing loss to the Phoenix Mercury. The L cost them the season series against Phoenix and their path to home court advantage in the early rounds is all but finished barring something unforeseen.

The opponent tonight has been one of the biggest surprises in basketball. The Golden State Valkyries have exceeded every single expectation possible and find themselves knocking on the door of a playoff spot. They hosted the Indiana Fever on Sunday night and came away with another impressive victory. They’re closing in on a playoff berth, which would be a tremendous accomplishment and a sign of great things to come.

Where to follow the game​

MY9 on TV. Liberty Live and FOX Local on streaming for the locals. League Pass for the out-of-towners. Late night so we getting started after 10 PM.

Injuries​

Sabrina Ionescu missed Saturday’s game with a left toe injury. The team hopes she will be back tonight as she is listed as questionable. Nyara Sabally was doing some on court work in Phoenix, and has been upgraded to questionable.

Kayla Thornton is out for the season as she recovers from knee surgery. Tiffany Hayes missed Sunday’s game with a leg injury and will miss this game as well. Same for Cecilia Zandalasini as she is dealing with a left calf injury. Monique Billings is back after being out with a right ankle injury.

The game​

New York won games one, two, and three. This is the final regular season meeting between the two teams.

This is the third game in four nights for the Valkyries. Fortunately for them, they’ve all been at home so the travel impacts are eliminated. They also had five days off between games in this stretch so they were able to get some much needed rest in between. That said, it’s still a lot on the team’s shoulders and they’re gonna try to fight through the fatigue and get to the regular season finish line.

For New York, the objectives now are two-fold. First and most importantly, get healthy! If this group is able to stay healthy for about two months, they can get hot and go on another big-time run. Secondly, they need to get real reps with what might be their playoff lineups. Quick, do you want to guess what their most used five player lineup is this season?

Still guessing?

drumroll

The answer, clocking in at 123 minutes is

• Emma Meesseman
• Natasha Cloud
• Jonquel Jones
• Sabrina Ionescu
• Leonie Fiebich

And if you’re wondering how it compares to the past two years, New York’s top lineup in 2023 played 522 minutes and the top lineup in 2024 played 246 minutes. Real live reps are needed so we can see what does and doesn’t work for the Liberty. The season is longer, but they have a lot less time.

One thing about the Valks that will help the Libs is their propensity to turn the ball over. Golden State has the third highest turnover rate in the W this season. They do a great job of getting back in transition and limiting fast break opportunities, so the Liberty will need to make the most out of those chances when they get them.

We keep saying it, and until it’s corrected, we’re gonna have to keep saying it: The Liberty are terrible on the glass and it’s going to be one of the things that dooms their repeat dreams if they don’t correct it. It’s been a problem all season long and when you have to defend second, third, sometimes fourth chance opportunities, it adds up and saps what little bits of energy you have left. No rebounds, no rings, and Breanna Stewart has publicly declared that the time for championship level play is now

"This is not championship-level basketball at this point and everybody needs to recognize that and understand that we need to get there and that starts with the mindset and then putting it onto the court."

– Breanna Stewart after last night's loss pic.twitter.com/c46cmjIp7m

— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) August 31, 2025

Simple as that.

Speaking of Stewie, she made two three pointers in a game for the first time since June 25 against the Valkyries in Golden State. If New York wants to make it far in the playoffs, they’re going to need Stewart to consistently make those shots. If she can’t, the room her teammates has to operate shrinks considerably.

Player to watch: Veronica Burton​

Say hello to the likely winner of the Most Improved Player! VB has gotten her chance to shine in Golden State and has made the absolute most of it. She’s at career highs across the board and even with that, the support she’s gotten from head coach Natalie Nakase has meant the most to her.

“The element of trust that my coach has in me,” she told The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II, “it instilled in me just a different type of confidence. … I think that’s every point guard’s dream. And it challenges me in a way that I haven’t been challenged before. But I love it. Every part about it. I’ve wanted it, and I’m just grateful to have it right now.”

She’s got it and then some.

Natasha Cloud has a slight fracture in her nose, which means she has to wear a mask. Luckily, it’s the cool as hell black mask!

That’s fly as hell. In the meantime, Tash will look to get the Liberty rolling downhill again. The team doesn’t take as many shots in the restricted area as they should, and they’re going to need to get those attempts in the painted area so they can fully open up the offense. If Cloud can get into the paint, the threes will open up for players like Fiebich and Kennedy Burke on the perimeter. Even if they don’t, rim attempts are always what you want and can help your team get to the free throw line. New York has two weeks to iron out various details on both sides of the ball, and a game like tonight is the perfect place to start.

From the Vault​

Ones in the air for Mike

And in honor of Tash’s black mask, let’s take it back to one of my favorite black mask games

More reading: Team Thirteen Valkyries Blog, Valkyrie Nation, The Valkyries Blog, Swish Appeal, Chicago Sun Times, Women’s Basketball Roundup, No Cap Space, Newsday, NY Liberty Fan TV, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty...veronica-burton-natasha-cloud-breanna-stewart