RSS Nets Team Notes

[Zedster]

Tough loss last night but honestly the second half of the season feels like it's all about development at this point. Clowney's extension situation is interesting - $12.5M/year feels about right given where he's at, though I wonder if the Nets try to lock him up before other teams can make offers. The defensive concerns are real but he's only 21.

The Suns game was frustrating to watch. Dropping 40 in the first quarter and giving up 20 threes is rough. The drop coverage against Booker just wasn't working - he's too good at finding the open shooter when you double him like that.

Silver lining though: Traoré continues to look promising. That spin move on Grayson Allen was nice. And MPJ showed up in the second quarter when they needed him. Williams being back is good too after that illness.

The Long Island notes are encouraging. Etienne putting up 27, Chaney Johnson with 21 on efficient shooting, and Saraf settling down with only 2 turnovers after that rough start. Those two-way guys are getting real reps which should help depth down the stretch.

Wednesday against the Knicks should be interesting. They've been struggling lately and the Nets haven't beaten them in three years. Would be a nice one to steal at the Garden.

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Long Forecast: Toppin, Philon rise as Brown Jr. spotlights

Welcome to another week of The Long Forecast on NetsDaily.

Another week of college basketball is in the books, which means a deeper look at this year’s incoming NBA draft class.

Where do the Nets’ picks sit?​

Since last week’s column, the Nets went 1-3 and hold the league’s fifth-worst record at 12-29, a game out of fourth in the Tankathon rankings.

As for Brooklyn’s second-round selections, they are currently slotted at No. 35 (their own), no. 41 overall (via LA Clippers) and no. 44 (via Atlanta). Why the change from two to three seconds? It’s complicated and ultimately will depend on final standings come April. H/T to Jeremy Woo of ESPN.

Here are the latest mock drafts from Tankathon and Bleacher Report. Also, ESPN

Risers​

JT Toppin, Texas Tech

Throughout 17 games for the Red Raiders this season, Toppin has averaged 21.6 points per game in 34.2 minutes, shooting 56.3% from the field and knocking down just 28.6% of his 3-point attempts, while corralling a whopping 11.2 rebounds per game.

JT TOPPIN HUGE BLOCK IN THE CLUTCH ON TOP NBA PROSPECT AJ DYBANTSA

Toppin had 27 PTS and 12 REB in the win over No. 11 BYU pic.twitter.com/kVXWHh056V

— ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2026

Against BYU on Saturday, he poured in 27 points, 12 rebounds, and two steals while shooting 61.1% from the field and knocking down three of his four attempts from beyond the arc.

JT Toppin comes up with a massive clutch block on top NBA prospect AJ Dybantsa

Toppin finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds in the win over No. 11 BYU
pic.twitter.com/b1aHAw9dAo

— OutOfSightSports (@OOSSports) January 18, 2026

Toppin is highly athletic and has legitimate defensive upside at the next level.

Labaron Philon, Alabama

In 17 games for the Crimson Tide this season, Philon is averaging 22 points per game and 4.9 assists throughout 28.8 minutes while shooting 53.4% from the field and knocking down 38% of his 3-point attempts.

Have just loved the way that Labaron Philon is getting his buckets this season.

Such a crafty scorer out of the PnR and getting downhill with so many counters. Love his ability to change speed and directions with ease. He's such a fluid mover going all directions and angles.… pic.twitter.com/NtJmRGw919

— Lucas Skinner (@redcooteay) January 14, 2026

While his production is certainly promising, ahead of the NBA’s Scouting Combine, he must put on some weight, as he currently stands at 6’4” and just 177 pounds.

Labaron Philon will be a lottery pick this year, and deservedly so; the stutter steps he uses to freeze a defender and burst into space is high level on ball creation; but an area I’d love to see him focus more in, is being a threat without the ball too.

pic.twitter.com/Cc8y7u9WUT

— Point Made: Scouting & Film Room (@PointMadeLiam) January 14, 2026

Philon possesses a high basketball IQ, and if he continues to play at this rate, he will be a lottery selection in June.

Fallers​

Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn

While Pettiford has flashed scoring upside, his production has been uneven.

Through 18 games, he is shooting just 36.6% from the field and 27.4% from 3-point range, numbers that highlight that inconsistency.

For an explosive, shifty guard, the path forward is clear: cleaner shot selection and steadier shooting will determine his draft stock.

Spotlight of the week​

Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

During his first 10 games, Brown established himself as one of the ACC’s most dynamic freshmen.

Throughout 27.2 minutes, he is averaging 16.6 points per game alongside 5.1 assists while shooting 38.1% from the field and 26.8% from beyond the arc.

Shooting is the backbone of Brown’s game. He has clean mechanics and proven range both off the catch and off the dribble, and he shows the ability to run an offense and make sound reads.

That combination of shooting and versatility makes it easy to see why scouts remain intrigued.

If his efficiency takes a step forward as he settles back in, he has a real path to putting himself firmly in the conversation as a top selection.

Sleepers​

Jaden Bradley, Arizona

Across 18 games this season, Bradley has averaged 14.1 points per game along with 4.6 assists while converting 46.7% of 3-point attempts.

Against UCF on Saturday, Bradley compiled 23 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals while shooting 54.5% from the field.

Jaden Bradley continues to show he's one of the best guards in the country:

21 PTS | 6-13 FG | 1-2 3PT| 3 REB | 2 STL pic.twitter.com/e9VsNImHFF

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 20, 2025

He offers solid length and is known for attacking the rim with authority. The Wildcat has really developed his shot on the outside, which makes him a threat from beyond the arc.

Jaden Bradley is an NBA Basketball player and I will die on this hill pic.twitter.com/1JhwkJ2QRs

— Damon (@DamonDawg) January 8, 2026

All of it adds up to a rapidly emerging, three-level scorer whose expanding offensive package is making him increasingly difficult to scheme against.

This week’s watch guide​

Here is a list of games that fans should tune into this week.

• Tue, Jan 20 — 7:00 PM ET: UCF @ Iowa State
• Wed, Jan 21 — 7:00 PM ET: Notre Dame @ UNC
• Sat, Jan 24 — 3:00 PM ET: Illinois @ Purdue
• Sat, Jan 24 — 5:30 PM ET: Utah @ BYU
• Sat, Jan 24 — 8:30 PM ET: Tennessee @ Alabama
• Mon, Jan 26 — 7:00 PM ET: Louisville @ Duke
• Mon, Jan 26 — 9:00 PM: Arizona @ BYU

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...ast-toppin-philon-rise-as-brown-jr-spotlights

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

In nail-biting win, Ben Saraf saves day for Long Island

Lightning struck twice this weekend for the Long Island Nets as they eeked out two back-to-back wins over the Iowa Wolves, one easy on Sunday, the other a nail-biter Monday night, 108-106. Six players wound up in double figures including two of the Nets three two-ways and one of the Flatbush Five.

Long Island entered the fourth up by 14 points. At one point, with roughly nine minutes remaining in the final quarter, they led by twenty. However, that lead quickly diminished as Long Island suffered a monumental collapse. In the end, it was rookie Ben Saraf who saved the day with a critical steal and drive in the last minute to seal the win. Saraf finished with 17.

Ben coming up clutch to put the game away pic.twitter.com/ib2Gf8O0nB

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 19, 2026

The win gives Long Island a 7-5 record, good for fifth in the G League’s Eastern Conference.

Early on, it was E.J. Liddell once again looked great in this one. Liddell finished this one with 18 points, connecting on 7-of-8 shots, including going 2-of-3. Liddell, the 6’7” Ohio State product who turned 25 last month, led the team in scoring while grabbing seven rebounds, one assist, and two steals.

However, perhaps the strongest part of Liddell’s game could be found further along in the boxscore. Liddell also led the team and the game in blocks in this one, tallying four. He didn’t have a single block Sunday, which is very uncharacteristic for Liddell, one of the G League leaders in the category. Liddell is a very solid offensive player, but where he thrives the most is on defense, and more specifically, knowing how to execute a block perfectly.

“It’s a God-given gift,” Liddell told ND about his blocking ability and how he worked at it to get it where he is today. “The timing, the patience, I think it’s just me blocking out negativity. That’s how I look at it when I’m blocking shots. Blocking out bad vibes. That’s just a gift I’ve always had.” At times, Liddell looks like he has more potential than a couple of the rookies.

Tyson Etienne, also on a two-way deal, was coming off a 25-point performance on Sunday. In this one, he had a minor step back in points, but he put together an all-around better game than he had on Sunday. Etienne connected on six of his 13 shots, including hitting 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. Etienne finished this game with 16 points.

However, where Etienne really excelled was as a playmaker in this one. The 26-year-old picked up a 10 assists, a career high, giving him a double-double. He also had three steals to his credit.

Now let’s get to the Brooklyn rookie, Ben Saraf. Saraf has been very tough to read since being sent down by the Nets. One game he throws up 40 points, another game he only has eight points. He’s also been troubled by ankle woes. In this one, it looked like it was going to be another nightmare game for the rookie. He started by connecting on one of his six shots, very similar to his start in Sunday’s game.

But in typical Saraf-fashion, it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. Saraf finished this game connecting on six of his 14 shot attempts, which looks an awful lot better than 1-of-6. He also connected on three-of-six from beyond the arc. Saraf also tallied five rebounds, five assists, and one block.

However, where Saraf shone the most was in the ballhawk department. He tallied four steals in this one. While many people have an opinion on Saraf, one thing that they have to give him credit for is his ability to read passes. Even if he doesn’t always finish the game with “x” amount of steals, he reads passes very well and knows how to disrupt them. He’s always on the ball, despite what the stat sheet says. Moreover, as his two big plays at the end prove, he has a clutch gene.

Grant Nelson returned in this one after missing Sunday’s game due to injury management. The 7-foot 23-year-old tallied 10 points, four rebounds, and one assist, all in 16 minutes. He played well enough for the Iowa commentator to remark how he was “shocked” that Nelson was not one of the players to receive a two-way contract by Brooklyn. He added that he’s also “shocked” that Nelson was available for the taking by any team that wants him. However, Nelson told ND last week how happy he is with organization crediting Brooklyn and Long Island performance staffs with helping to mitigate a knee issue that’s bothered him since he was 18.

Indeed, he’s looked very good despite minutes restricts as we noted this morning…

Slowly but surely. In three starts since returning from seven-week knee rehab, Nelson has scored 40 points in 49 minutes. That’s 29.4 per 36 minutes. He’s shooting 16-of-25 (61.5%) overall and grabbing 11.8 rebounds per 36. Nelson is 23. Nets currently don’t hold his NBA rights. https://t.co/LnWTsnRh0D

— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) January 20, 2026

This leads to yet another question. Who should be given a two-way deal more? Nelson, or Chaney Johnson? Johnson is the latest Brooklyn two-way signee. In this one, you wouldn’t know it, though. Johnson came off the bench in this one, picking up eight points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, fulfilling the D part of his 3-and-D potential. For Johnson, who went undrafted out of Auburn, it was his first game of less than 10 points since being called up from Cleveland.

Of course, two-way deals are non-guaranteed and the Nets have a recent history of moving players, from either the G League to a standard NBA contract or pulling their two-way status while permitting the play to continue playing on a lesser G League deal.

Brooklyn may someone special on their hands with Nelson, at least at the G League level. He’s already making highlight reels…

First Half Highlights from Iowa #StrongIsland pic.twitter.com/a807d4x9cl

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 19, 2026

Trevon Scott picked up 15 points as he connected on five of his 10 shots from the field for 50%. Nate Williams had a quiet game by his standards, tallying 11 points, hitting on just four of his nine shots for less than 50%.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (7-5) look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday, January 21st, as they travel to South Dakota to face off with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA G League and Long Island Nets respective websites. It will also be available on the FanDuel Sports Network.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 108, Iowa Wolves 106 – G League
• Game Highlights: Long Island Nets 108, Iowa Wolves 106 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...iting-win-ben-saraf-saves-day-for-long-island

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE Discussion: Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks, 7:30 PM ET

The Knicks are sliding and they need a win in the worst way. Enter: the Brooklyn Nets.

Brooklyn can stay the course with the tank and help both sides get what they want. A win-win. Or they can kick the enemy while they’re down; maybe remind them with every kick that the Nets control their first-round picks in 2027, 2029, and 2031, plus a 2028 first-round pick swap.

For now, we stay humble. Knicks have won nine straight against the Nets entering Wednesday.

KEY INFO​

Brooklyn Nets (11–27) at New York Knicks (23–17)​

When: 7:30 PM ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: YES Network / MSG
Radio: WFAN Sports

INJURY REPORT​

Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
Etienne: OUT – G League Two Way
Johnson: OUT – G League Two Way
Liddell: OUT – G League Two Way
Saraf: OUT – G League Assignment

Discussion​

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...on-brooklyn-nets-at-new-york-knicks-730-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Long Island loses late despite big games from EJ Liddell, Grant Nelson

The Long Island Nets returned to the court on Wednesday night, as they traveled to South Dakota to take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce. While it looked like it might be a disaster for Long Island, they were able to cut down a 25-point deficit to single digits on the backs of E.J. Liddell and Grant Nelson, both of whom had big games. However, they couldn’t pull off the upset and fell to the Skyforce, 119-110.

All three of the Brooklyn Nets’ two-way players were on hand in this one – EJ Liddell, Tyson Etienne, and Chaney Johnson as was Ben Saraf, still on assignment from Brooklyn. Liddell played his heart out, early on looking like the only player on the court for Long Island. Liddell continues to be one of the best shooters on the team, connecting on 8-of-14 overall and 4-of-6 from deep.

The 6’7” 25-year-old has shown that, whether in Brooklyn or on Long Island, he takes smart shots. He doesn’t just throw anything up and pray that it falls. That was on full display Wednesday. Another strong suit of Liddell’s game has been rebounding, he flirted with a double-double, tallying nine rebounds. He looks to have a very bright future.

Speaking of a player with a bright future, Grant Nelson also played well once again. On a bit of a minutes restriction since coming back from injury, Nelson is showing up and showing out each time he’s been on the court. Nelson, who played for 18 minutes (the lowest of all the starters), wound up with 14 points and 18 rebounds.

GRANT SLAM pic.twitter.com/eLsv9RMcuA

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 22, 2026

In his 18 minutes on the court, Nelson, a North Dakota native, also flirted with a double-double, grabbing eight boards and blocking two shots. In his four starts, playing no more than 18 minutes in any of them, Nelson is putting up 29.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes. He’s also shooting 71.4% overall, although he has yet to connect from deep.

Nelson will likely give the Brooklyn organization a choice to make about their two-way deals or maybe even ther standard deals. The three two-way deals are filled with Liddell, Tyson Etienne and Chaney Johnson. Do you jeopardize losing Nelson after the season, or perhaps even sooner, to a team that wants to offer him a two-way spot to develop there? Of course, at this time of year, just before the trade deadline, rosters get fluid. An unbalanced trade by Brooklyn could open up a roster shot and a two-way could be given a standard if non-guaranteed deal or alternately, a two-way could be moved around like chess pieces. Two-way players can be dumped as a two-way but asked to stick around and continue to play with Long Island but on a deal that plays considerably less than the two-way.

Johnson, who is the latest two-way signee, entered from the bench and tallied 14 points and 15 rebounds. This was an excellent showing by the two-way player, He also had three assists and a block. Johnson is the youngest player on the roster, three months younger than Nelson.

Chaney Johnson scored 14 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds for the double-double

Send Chaney to the @nbagleague Next Up Game: https://t.co/bvPrWh5nuq pic.twitter.com/5kCJ9iuI8G

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 22, 2026

Etienne was second on the team in scoring with 15 points. Etienne, who’s usually a pretty good shot, had a bit of an average day by his standards. He hit six of his 13 tries, connecting on just three of his 10 shots from deep. Etienne also continued in his role as playmaker , tallying eight assists. He also had a rebound and a steal to his credit.

Now let’s get to the bad news. Saraf had a tough game. The 19-year-old connected on just two of his 12 shots, going one-for-five from deep. He also just got tormented on defense multiple times by the Skyforce’s Jahmir Young. Young finished the game with 30 points, oftentimes torching the Brooklyn rookie.

Everyone has bad games; it’s all a part of the development process. Nonetheless, this is a game he’d like to pack away and never look at again, and who could blame him? A couple of things Saraf did well: he finished with six assists while only turning the ball over once. So, that’s a pretty positive sign.

Nate Williams rounded out the Long Island starters. He finished with 12 points. By Williams standards, this was a bit of an average performance. Malachi Smith came off the bench and tallied 13 points.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (7-6) return to their home court on Friday, January 23rd, as they face off with old friend AJ Lawson and the Toronto Raptors 905. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be watched on the NBA G League website, as well as the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Sioux Falls Skyforce 109, Long Island Nets 101 – G League
• Game Highlights: Sioux Falls Skyforce 109, Long Island Nets 101 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...espite-big-games-from-ej-liddell-grant-nelson

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets embarrassed by New York Knicks, lose 120-66

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

On Wednesday night, the Brooklyn Nets had a game to win. It was the game to unite both sides of the aisle, whether you believe rooting for your favorite team to lose is a morally corrosive practice that leaves stains on the heart of your fandom or if you believe more in the marriage of fandom and pragmatism.

Not only did they have the Knicks in MSG, but they had a Knicks team with water creeping into their lungs: 7-11 since winning the NBA Cup and entering Wednesday on a 2-9 stretch. If there’s not full-blown panic over in Manhattanites, it’s just around the corner, with beat writers reporting that the team hasn’t fully bought into their roles and advocating for a major shake-up at the trade deadline.

The Nets don’t own the Knicks first-round pick this year — they do in odd-numbered years — but that hardly mattered on Wednesday. Brooklyn has shorted New York’s long-term future, but in the short-term, they had a chance to plunge the Knicks further into disarray on Wednesday. Whether you hate the blue-and-orange or don’t pay them any mind, you can’t deny the hilarity of a 12-29 team handing them their 10th loss in 12 games, right in the middle of a championship-or-bust season.

Anyway, that’s not what happened. The Knicks secured their largest margin of victory in franchise history. Seriously. Here’s a brief list of stuff that happened:

• Landry Shamet shot 6-of-6 from deep
• The Nets shot 10-of-27 in the paint
• Mike Brown challenged a call up by 48
• Mike Brown lost that challenge
• The Nets (with 11 points to spare) scored the fewest points by an NBA team in a game this season
• Thanks to a 5-0 run to close the game, the Nets avoided the worst margin of defeat in franchise history
• Why are you still reading this?

Let’s allot some brief space for Ziaire Williams, the only Net who, by any measure, played well. He (with some help from Day’Ron Sharpe) desperately tried to raise Brooklyn’s energy level in the first half, deflecting pass after pass and applying ball pressure to Jalen Brunson, who was otherwise seeing cones. Williams scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting with just a rebound and a steal, but he was the only one who matched New York’s verve.

Every other aspect of these 48 minutes was depressing. Michael Porter Jr. continued his cool-streak with a 4-of-14 performance, Egor Dëmin hit two quick threes before air-balling a floater by a foot, scoring zero points the rest of the way. Nolan Traore had a 0/1/3 line with three turnovers and Danny Wolf got owned by Deuce McBride at the rim. Terance Mann, Jalen Wilson, and Tyrese Martin — all of whom were initially out of the rotation — entered early in the fourth quarter, only for the Nets to go scoreless until the 5:38 mark.

“I felt like the little stuff that we said we wanted to do, we didn’t do,” said Noah Clowney postgame. “Like, we know they’re gonna switch, Josh Hart and OG are gonna switch, things like that. We need to get Brunson in the action because he’s not gonna switch, so there’s our advantage and play off of that. Stuff like that, offensively, we didn’t do it and defensively it was disastrous. We didn’t get back for the first part, they lit our ass up from three, had everything they wanted.

Jordi Fernández fell on the sword postgame: “This was a tough one, but show up the next day and have positive energy and work and get better and go out there and compete. I have to help them better … players are not responsible for it, so I got to make sure that they understand the values that we have and how we want to play, and we’ll work together.”

Drake Powell disagreed, predictably: “Yeah, 100% don’t agree. I think, you know, we’re the ones that are out there playing, making decisions, and I think it’s ultimately on us as a team.”

Maybe rooting for losses and encouraging a tank isn’t about pragmatism. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism. The Brooklyn Nets — scratch that — Nets fans had a rare opportunity on Wednesday to get a win without worrying about a ping-pong ball, to be a true thorn in the Knicks’ side. With that in mind, the second-worst loss in franchise history tastes even more bitter.

Oh well. At least they’re tanking. One year and five days ago, the Brooklyn Nets lost by a franchise-record 59 points to the Los Angeles Clippers, and it hardly mattered. They would soon return home, win six out of seven games, and later make five first-round draft picks who will either become good NBA players or not, regardless of Wednesday’s humiliation ritual.

“This doesn’t stop the plan that we have. It’s just, obviously, a tough experience to go through.” — Jordi Fernández.

Final Score: Brooklyn Nets 120, New York Knicks 66

Milestone Watch​

• The 54-point margin of defeat is the second-largest in Nets history, slightly more respectable than the aforementioned 59-point drubbing at the hands of the Clippers last season.
• In each of the last three seasons, Brooklyn has lost a game by 50+ points, starting with the rout that got Jacque Vaughn canned. The Portland Trail Blazers, from 2021-2024, are the only other franchise to accomplish this feat.

Sadly, the loss as bad as it was didn’t change things in the Tankathon rankings. The Nets are still in fifth, three games behind (ahead?) of the Kings in the loss column. Because the Jazz won, Brooklyn put a little distance between themselves and Utah who remains in sixth.

MPJ injury update​

Gotta love how candid Michael Porter Jr. is with the media. Brooklyn’s leading scorer offered up — unprompted — that he’s been dealing with an MCL sprain since getting tangled up with Wendell Carter Jr. in Brooklyn’s loss to the Orlando Magic. Now, he’s only missed two games since then, and they were both on the front-end of a back-to-back, so he and Jordi Fernández don’t believe it’s anything to worry about.

“He had some discomfort, but he kept playing. He’s played all the way through,” Fernandez said. “We value our players’ health, and if it were something that didn’t allow him to play, we would do whatever it takes to figure that out. But he’s played, so I don’t think I have anything else to say from that.”

Brooklyn has a strong incentive to tank this season, not to mention the trade rumors swirling around Porter Jr. If it was a serious injury, you’d have to believe he wouldn’t be playing through it, but perhaps it’s contributing in some small way to his relative struggles of late. Since the Orlando loss, he’s shooting 42% from the floor and 33% from deep.

Next Up​

The schedule doesn’t get any easier, as the 27-16 Boston Celtics, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, come to town. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday evening.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 120, New York Knicks 66 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 120, New York Knicks 66 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Drake Powell PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Noah Clowney PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Knicks get back on track with biggest win in their history, beating Brooklyn by 54 points – AP
• Knicks snap losing streak with historic beatdown of Nets – Reuters
• Knicks destroy Nets in historic laugher to snap four-game losing skid – Jared Schwartz – New York Post
• Michael Porter Jr.’s knee issue isn’t only reason for his Nets production dip as trade deadline looms ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Giannis Antetokounmpo calls out ‘selfish’ Bucks teammates with trade talk swirling – Eric Richter – New York Post
• Knicks blitz Nets early, snap four-game skid in historic fashion at Madison Square Garden ($) -C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. playing through minor MCL sprain ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Ziaire Williams’ ‘superpower’ is showing up again for the Nets ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Knicks buy themselves more time in historic win over Nets ($) – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News
• Josh Hart denies Knicks players-only meeting: ‘Y’all dragging it.’ ($) – Kristian Winfield – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades following Wednesday’s 120-66 loss at the Knicks – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY
• Nets Fernandez Could Be Facing Futility Battle – Steve Lichtenstein – Steve’s Newsletter

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...ts-embarrassed-by-new-york-knicks-lose-120-66

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

RUMOR ROUND-UP: ‘All indications’ MPJ is sticking around

Pretty much same ol’, same ol’. In a series of tweets and podcasts Thursday, pundits suggested that with two weeks to go before the February 5 (3:00 p.m. ET) trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets are unlikely to make a big deal involving either Michael Porter Jr. or Nic Claxton. As for Cam Thomas, there doesn’t appear to be any interest.

Indeed, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, Michael Scotto of Hoophype and Ian Begley of SNY agreed that the Nets aren’t making calls, but instead in listening mode. Moreover, they believe that the Nets may see a role for both in building a contender next season.

Siegel who as recently as ten days ago laid out a potential trade package the Golden State Warriors could offer the Nets, stepped back from the Porter-to-Golden State rumors … the Warriors need to replace Jimmy Butler out for a year after tearing his ACL. He wrote:

[T]he Dubs were exploring the trade market for a potential final piece to solidify their title chances. In doing so, Michael Porter Jr. from the Brooklyn Nets was a prominent name connected to Golden State, given his offensive surge and 3-point shooting on the wing.

League sources told ClutchPoints that these two teams did speak to one another during the first week of 2026, but no real trade talks regarding Porter ever materialized. The Warriors, who had internally discussed the idea of pursuing Porter, received indications that his asking price would be too much compared to the trade market as a whole.

It no longer appears as if pursuing Porter is a path the Warriors would like to go down in the wake of Butler’s injury, especially with Moses Moody and Buddy Hield, two players who would likely be salary fillers to acquire a player like Porter, seeing their respective roles elevated.

Siegel also dismissed talk that the Lakers might be interested in MPJ.

While quickly on the topic of Porter, it is worth mentioning that the talk of the Los Angeles Lakers possibly throwing their hat in the mix for Porter isn’t a realistic possibility and something they do not have a desire to do, sources said. The Lakers have signaled that they do not want to take on big money at this time, regardless of how many years a player has left on their contract.

Porter, 27, is in the midst of a deal that will pay him $38.3 million this season, then $40.8 million next season. Bottom line, he said, echoing Shams Charania among others, is that the Nets intend to keep Porter, perhaps revisiting interest in the off-season or alternately using him as a key player in building an improved roster next season.

All indications coming out of Brooklyn are that the Nets are very comfortable keeping Porter and don’t feel a need to rush a decision. Trade talks could be revisited in the summer, as rival teams continue to get the sense that the Nets will keep Porter as their focal scorer heading into the offseason.

Similarly, Mike Scotto who’s been reporting the Nets are likely to keep MPJ reiterated his thinking on Begley’s podcast. His overall theme: the Nets are taking but not making calls on either Porter or Nic Claxton. Both have been subjects of “exploratory” interest but so far the Nets are in listening mode.

Full Putback show here: https://t.co/ZudHV8nvO1

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 22, 2026

With MPJ, I would say for Brooklyn they’re not shopping him. They’re listening, certainly. He’s been all-star caliber player. You’re asset-driven. If you get draft picks more than MPJ, you do it. But they also want to be better next year. I’ve been told he could be a part of it. There’s no urgency to move him now.

Expiring plus all star production, it’s valuable. I don’t see them moving MPJ without the asking price.

Nic Claxton, I heard there was exploratory interest with Golden State, Pacers. I did not get the sense that anything close. For Nic, his contract descends. For Nets, there’s no urgency to move him and he could be a part of it next year.

The Warriors interest is new. In previous reporting, the Pacers and Lakers had been listed as teams interested in the 26-year-old.

Cam Thomas, he thinks, is unlikely to be moved other than in a bigger deal, assuming one emerges. Thomas, who recently switched agents, is on a $6.0 million qualifying offer and as such can veto any trade on any grounds. Most pundits believe his value, low to begin with, has dropped even further following his latest bout with hamstring issues. Said Scotto:

Cam Thomas, I think has to be included in a bigger deal if they’re going to do something. Stand alone value, he’s struggled and I think a lot of people around the league think his time (with Brooklyn) is going to come to an end given the extension negotiations they had.

Begley agreed and said he thinks Thomas is more likely to wait till the summer when he’ll be an unrestricted free agent and “sign elsewhere.”

Scotto also revisited Boston’s interest in Day’Ron Sharpe from last summer. The Celtics had discussed signing Sharpe but didn’t have the cap space and the Nets inked him to a very reasonable, two-year, $12.5 millon deal with the second year a team option. At the same time, the Nets and Celtics had discussed a salary dump in which Anferee Simons would come to the Nets along with draft pick(s) but Celtics resisted sending out a first rounder.

Day’ron Sharpe – Boston likes him, and {there’d been) some conversation for Anfree Simmons previously, if Nets could get a first round pick for him but Boston has resisted. Now, they’ve been in the thick of the East and pendulum could shift and they could be a buyer – add Day’Ron or someone else (Zubac), lots of moving parts.

Scotto added that even if the Nets don’t make a big move they are likely to play a role in facilitating trades among teams with apron concerns. He anticipates they’ll come away with “draft compensation” if that happens.

Nets will be an active team and they have to use the cap space to get draft compensation — 2nd round — teams have to get below the luxury tax or three team/four team trades that need Nets cap space.

The Nets currently have 20 seconds through 2032 along with 13 firsts, ten of which are tradeable, as well as league-leading $15.3 million in cap space. It’s that wealth of assets that will likely get them calls over the next two weeks.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-rumors/104892/rumor-round-up-all-indications-mpj-is-sticking-around

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE Discussion: Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

There isn’t much good news to report after a 54-point loss to the Knicks, but we’ll offer one: the Nets have an opportunity to make up for it against the Celtics. Best part about an 82-game season as most players and coaches will tell you.

Celtics (27-16) @ Nets (12-30)​

WHEN: 7:30 PM ET

WHERE: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY

WATCH: YES Network / WFAN on radio

---

PREVIEW​

Back when KD asked out of Brooklyn in 2022, one of the biggest names connected to the Nets was Jaylen Brown. Shams reported the Celtics offered Brown, Derrick White, and a first-rounder. Of course, the Nets moved KD to Phoenix in a masterclass that subsequently led to even more picks in the Mikal Bridges trade. Does that outweigh having a Finals MVP and leading MVP candidate tho? Does it matter? Tonight it does. This is what the Nets are dealing with, in Jordan Greene’s words:

“Through the season, Brown is averaging 29.8 points on 48.8 % from the field. In the last three games, Brown is averaging 34.3 and nine. Not to mention his leadership. After long being looked at as a second option, Brown is proving that he has the skillset and mindset to lead a team of his own. Other members of the Celtics have been making big leaps as well. Derrick White is still one of the best two-way players in the game, Payton Pritchard has emerged as a starting point guard, and Luka Garza, the former Iowa superstar, is contributing well as a stretch five. He’s currently shooting 47.1 % from the 3-point line. If he had enough shot attempts, he’d qualify as the NBA’s second best from beyond the arc. Who knew? Apparently Brad Stevens.”

---

INJURY REPORT​

Haywood Highsmith — OUT (Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery)

Tyson Etienne — OUT (G League Two-Way Assignment)

Chaney Johnson — OUT (G League Two-Way Assignment)

E.J. Liddell — OUT (G League Two-Way Assignment)

Ben Saraf — OUT (G League Assignment)

---

Discussion​

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...ion-boston-celtics-at-brooklyn-nets-730-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

In wake of historic beatdown, Nets talked about moving on

The Brooklyn Nets sulked back to the visitors’ locker room after a historic, 54-point loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. Jordi Fernández headed to a brief postgame presser, where he fell on the sword in his typically monotone style. Did the head coach really believe he was “responsible” for the ass-kicking, that halfway through the season “players are not responsible for it, so I got to make sure that they understand the values that we have,” or was it just something to say?

Players did not tear the visiting locker room apart. Rookie Drake Powell mentioned that a couple veterans spoke a sentence or two, but it was not exactly a scene out of Remember the Titans. Guys got dressed leisurely, sat on their phones, and chatted — maybe slightly softer, a little more somber, than normal.

“I mean, I don’t know if I said much directly after,” said Michael Porter Jr. Friday. “We all were kind of a little — obviously just had our feelings about the game. But later that night, I texted the guys and just told them like, ‘yo, that’s my fault. I’ve got to come in with that energy.’”

To Porter Jr. and the Nets, Wednesday was not a shameful chapter in a rivalry matchup or a devastating blow to team morale. It was a bad day at work.

“It’s the time leading up to the game,” explained MPJ at Friday’s shootaround. “It’s the day off, how you spent your day off in between games, how much sleep you got. All those things play a part to how your body, your nervous system, your mind feels when it’s tip-off time. And I felt like those two days were a little shaky for me in terms of preparation, and that’s what separates the good players and the average players from the great players, that time in between.”

Playing 82 games in 170 days does not provide much time for reflection, only for routine. Nic Claxton finally used the E-word on Friday morning, but he wasn’t stewing over the loss: “I’m in the present now. We focused on tonight, we know we got to be a better team tonight, because that’s not gonna happen again. t’s unacceptable. Obviously, it was embarrassing. We’ll be ready to go tonight.”

Nets fans seeking more public atonement from their leaders were out of luck. But Porter and Claxton veterans that they’ve had to be despite being 27 and 26, didn’t have to grovel; instead, they gave the Boston Celtics (missing Derrick White) one hell of a game on Friday night.

Now, there were embarrassing moments in this one too. Barclays Center was filled Celtics fans cheering their hearts out and serenading Jaylen Brown with unmistakable “M-V-P” chants far louder than any “Broooooook-lyyyyyn” chants begun by the PA announcer. I felt particularly bad for two die-hard Nets fans in front of press row, about to triumph over the sea of green they were engulfed in before their favorite team defended a last-second sideline-out-of-bounds play befitting of their 12-31 record…

Hugo González. CLUTCH.

Hits the triple to send the game to DOUBLE OVERTIME pic.twitter.com/lszFiZIoiC

— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2026

Still, Claxton and Porter fulfilled their promise. Though MPJ’s impact wavered as the game went on, he indeed brought the right energy out of the gate, cutting hard and crashing the glass. Noah Eagle called him “spry” on the YES Network broadcast. Claxton capably guarding Jaylen Brown in isolation was crucial to Brooklyn’s defensive gameplan, and Brown ultimately shot 9-of-27.

Postgame, Jordi Fernández said he was “proud of the brand of basketball we played, the competitiveness. We got better today, and that’s most important.”

MPJ respectfully disagreed: “We lost. That’s all I really care about. I don’t care about no fight, personally. Obviously it was a better performance collectively than last game, but we still lost. So it was a game we should have won. We’ve lost too many games this year that come down to the wire like this.”

Brooklyn improved their performance tenfold from Wednesday to Friday. Alas, it was Friday’s loss that bothered Brooklyn’s veterans more…

Nic Claxton with a very responsible reaction to Hugo's game-tying three: pic.twitter.com/v2QumrSzzd

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) January 24, 2026

Claxton was still muttering to himself about the loss in the locker room postgame. Wednesday’s loss might have elucidated the effect that organizational tanking has on its players — and why you try to keep their duration short. But Friday’s loss showed that players are wholly divorced from that strategy. While clearly an optimal development for Brooklyn’s long-term prospects, especially with the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers picking up wins on the same night, this one stung.

“We played a really good game,” said Clax. “I feel like we deserved to win. We just didn’t execute enough down the stretch, so we got to learn from it. But this is a tough loss though. This one really hurt.”

With the trade deadline 12 days away, both Claxton and Porter Jr. are sure to have a go bag packed at all times. But neither of them seem too concerned about the possibility of being traded.

“It seems like it’s the same thing every year, whether it’s — I mean, it’s a part of the business,” said Clax. “You see certain teammates, certain names in trade rumors or whatever, but you just got to be where your feet are and be a professional. It’s cliché, but it is what it is. It’s our job to come out here and perform whenever we put on a Brooklyn Nets uniform.”

MPJ. agreed: “Honestly, I’m just going with the flow. Whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my control. So, I’ve voiced already that I’m enjoying my time here, and I’m enjoying getting to grow with these guys and the day-to-day process with these guys. But everything else, I just try to let it be what it’s going to be.”

Brooklyn’s two highest-paid players have been pushed into early vet-status as a result of being on the NBA’s youngest team. This week, they were right for the part, easily shrugging a historic loss and trade rumors off their shoulders before leading one of Brooklyn’s most competitive games in 2026.

The Nets are 12-31, the worst team either player has been on — for MPJ, by a long shot. Now, they get to escape a brutal snowstorm in the Northeast by starting a five-game road trip in sunny Los Angeles. Once again, the task will be to rebound from a brutal loss; is it the same as rebounding from an outright embarrassment?

“No,” says Porter “It’s different. You learn from them in different ways. Obviously what happened at MSG the other night is unacceptable and there’s unlimited things to learn from. But tonight there’s very specific things, late-game situations. So you can learn something from any game.”

Nic Claxton simply sighed: “It’s so many games when you play an 82-game season. So, you really just can’t get too high, you can’t get too low. You get beat by 50, you got to be ready to respond. If you lose a tough game like this, you just kind of just got to be even-keeled through everything.”

While that is certainly a clichéd sentiment, the Nets just covered the entire bandwidth of defeat in three days, from Wednesday’s embarrassment to Friday’s gut-punch. In a losing season that only promises to continue down this path, that cliché may is a damn useful one.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...historic-beatdown-nets-talked-about-moving-on

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Grant Nelson shines in just 19 minutes as Long Island wins big

The Long Island Nets returned to their home court on Friday night, January 23, for a showdown with the 10-2 Toronto Raptors 905, the G League’s best team. Long Island featured the three Brooklyn two-ways – E.J. Liddell, Tyson Etienne and Chaney Johnson – as well as Brooklyn’s rookie assignee, Ben Saraf but 7-footer Grant Nelson, who is not under contract with the big club, would play hero in this one, contributing to the big Long Island win in a number of ways.

100 career points for Grant Nelson pic.twitter.com/hnJswyYEnI

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 24, 2026

Nelson finished this game with 20 points in less than 19 minutes on the court. The 20 points led the team, despite the 23-year-old playing the fewest minutes among the starters. The effort also marked the Alabama product’s second career game with at least 20 points for Long Island. Nelson shot the ball more than effectively, draining seven of his eight shot attempts. He didn’t take any shots from deep, but he went perfect from the foul stripe, hitting all four of his shots. Nelson also played a very physical game and has looked great in his five starts since a seven-week layoff due to an ankle injury…

Grant Nelson on his strong performances, his injury scare tonight, and a potential two way deal.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/eUoiMxuFk1

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 24, 2026

Following the game, NetsDaily had a chance to speak with Nelson about his mindset on how well he’s been performing in these games.

“I’m really just grateful to be back on the court,” Nelson says. “Tonight I think my teammates did a good job at moving the ball and getting off of it early, because the first two times we played them we gave up 40 points off our turnovers and 23 in the other. We lost by like 20-something in one and like seven in the other. I think tonight we just did a lot better, followed their scouting report, and just came out with the win.”

He picked up multiple tough lay-ups, even converting on a couple of and-ones. More impressively, Nelson even found Ben Saraf with the ball and boxed out two of Toronto’s players at the same time, leading to a wide-open lay-up for the Brooklyn rookie. His physical style can lead to scary moments, like in the first half when he went up for a tough lay-up in the first quarter and came down awkwardly.

Nelson was out for most of the first quarter, but re-entered the game as soon as the second quarter came around after he worked with the Long Island trainer on the sideline. After the game, Nelson told ND, “I just tweaked my ankle a little bit. Nothing too bad. It was obviously good enough to keep playing.” Nelson also reached 100 career points in the win and recorded a game-best plus-minus of +26.

Over his five starts, Nelson is averaging 30.1 points and 12.6 rebounds per 36 minutes and 75%.

With more performances like this, Nelson will become a player to watch for a two-way spot, should a spot open up. Following his impressive performance, Nelson was asked if he could see himself getting a two-way deal with Brooklyn and if that’s a goal of his. “Yeah, for sure,” Nelson told ND. “That’s been a goal of mine since the summer like right after the draft, to get that two-way spot with Brooklyn. I’m still competing for it and still playing for it, so hopefully soon.”

Teams traditionally review two-way contracts at the trade deadline which is now 12 days away. In the past, the Nets have both moved players up from two-ways to standard NBA deals or waived players from their two-way contracts while retaining their G League rights.

Brooklyn rookie Ben Saraf saw a bit of an improvement in this one. Last time on the court, Saraf connected on just two of his 12 shots and went one-for-five from deep. Friday nigh, he finished with nine points on 3-of-11 shooting, missing all five of his 3-point attempts. When asked about this performance of late and his mindset coming out of it, Saraf had this to say:

“I think nothing changed for me,” Saraf says. “I have to keep shooting the ball with confidence is what the team wants me to do. Same for today, I didn’t hit the threes. 0-for-5, but I think I have to keep shooting the ball.”

Ben Saraf on his brutal shooting performance last game, his performance tonight, and the Brooklyn Nets’ 56 point loss to the New York Knicks.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/qwesdFuWZ7

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 24, 2026

Despite how slight it may have been, any improvement at this point is a good improvement.

“I feel like for me just sticking to the simple things,” Saraf says. “I think that’s what the team wants me to do. It starts with the defense. First of all, it’s a defense for us. Today was a better game for me on the defensive side. Offensively, it’s just keep practicing, keep shooting the ball, and it’ll fall in.”

Saraf was on Long Island during Brooklyn’s historically ugly loss against the Knicks. and offered some advice to his teammates at Barclays Center. “Stick to the basics,” Saraf told ND. “For Jordi, the most important thing is to play hard. So, I’m sure we’ll fix it.”

We saw a very uncharacteristic game from E.J. Liddell in this one. He connected on just one of his 12 shots, including missing all seven of his tries from deep. However, where Liddell did damage to Toronto was on the foul line. Liddell connected on four of his five tries from the foul stripe. He finished with eight points.

Liddell shone in the rebounding department. Liddell hauled in 11 rebounds and had one assist to his credit. Liddell’s 11 rebounds led not only the team, but the game. Despite an ugly performance shooting the ball, Liddell remains one of the top shooters.

Brooklyn two-way player Chaney Johnson was second on the team in scoring with 16 points. He shot the ball very well, connecting on five of his six shots, including hitting both of his shots from deep. Johnson also went two-for-three from the foul stripe. He finished with four rebounds and three assists. In another characteristic performance, the Nets’ third two-way player, Tyson Etienne, took only five shots, connecting on two of them.

Long Island guard Malachi Smith added 14 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals in 31 minutes as he set his Long Island high for rebounds and matched his career-high assist total. Smith shot 54.5 percent (6-for-11) from the field and 50 percent (2-for-4) from deep and finished without any turnovers in the game.

To round out the starters, Nate Williams tallied 15 points, as well as six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and four blocks. Williams’ four blocks led the game, having more than the entire Toronto team combined. Meanwhile, Alex Schumacher, a 6’3” 24-year-old shooting guard signed out of the Suns organization, made his debut for Long Island in this one, and did well. He finished with 12 points and shot the ball very effectively, hitting 4-of-5.

The loss pushed the Raptors out of the top spot in the G League. They’re now tied with the Greensboro Swarm at 10-3, while the Nets are now 8-6.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (8-6) return to the court on Monday night, January 26th, for a showdown with the Motor City Cruise. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA G League site, as well as on the YES Network.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 109, Raptors 905 93 – G League
• Game Highlights: Long Island Nets 109, Raptors 905 93 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...9-minutes-on-the-court-in-big-long-island-win

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

From question marks to rotation pieces, Nets’ rookies growing fast

Early in their Nets careers, Drake Powell and Nolan Traore looked like the team’s two rookies least equipped for the NBA.

One didn’t impress in college and missed most of the preseason. The other arrived built like a featherweight and played like the game was on fast-forward.

Powell wasn’t a starter or a featured player at the University of North Carolina, then spent Summer League and the opening stretch of preseason sidelined with a lingering knee injury. ESPN projected him as a second-round pick in its final 2025 mock draft, but Brooklyn selected him at No. 22 felt like a leap of faith, 10 spots earlier than where ESPN had him.

Traore, meanwhile, didn’t look ready from the moment he arrived. At 175 pounds, he was the lightest player from the NBA Combine to be selected in the draft. Even at the G League level, he played like he had a shorter shot clock than everybody else, piling up turnovers while hurrying through possessions that didn’t need to be rushed.

Now, two players who once had their NBA caliber questioned are averaging over 20 minutes per game this month, a reflection of both impressive development and growing trust from the coaching staff.

POWELL’S TWO-WAY VALUE​

Powell’s overall collegiate stat line didn’t jump off the page, but a closer look showed some measurables that hinted at his two-way potential.

While he wasn’t lighting up scoreboards with the Tar Heels, he did score efficiently, shooting 37.9%from three and 48.3%from the field. Beyond his game action, there were some positives. His athleticism was on full display at the 2025 NBA Combine, finishing with the top standing (37.5 inches) and max (43 inches) vertical jumps. He also placed among the top five at his position in both the agility drill and the three-quarter sprint.

After ramping-up early in the season — while managing his injury, Powell is now operating at full capacity and proving to be a valuable asset. In a 116–113 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this month, the North Carolina product scored a career-high 16 points, including a clutch three with five seconds remaining to cut the deficit to one. His defensive impact has shown up as well, recording two steals in Brooklyn’s recent 130–126 loss to the Boston Celtics.

“I see him as a very good shooter, a very good playmaker, I can run plays for him on the second side, he can handle in transition, he can guard the best perimeter player, his athleticism is top in the NBA for his position,” said Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez. “We believe he can be not just a good but a great two-way player, which means that he’s going to be a very good defender.”

That’s high praise for the league’s 19th youngest player.

At 6’5” (in barefeet) and 195 pounds, the 20-year-old possesses the blend of size, athleticism and shooting ability teams look for in an ideal two-way contributor. Sean Marks understood that not all five of his first-round picks would become stars but for a team hoping to eventually contend, filling specific roles matters and Powell is beginning to find and prove his niche.

TRAORE TURNING CHAOS INTO CONTROL​

Based on the way he opened the season, Traore’s recent improvement may come as the biggest surprise in the group.

The Frenchman was a mess … and that’s putting it kindly. He averaged 4.5 turnovers per game through his first four appearances with the Long Island Nets, a rate that would currently lead the NBA. But slow starts aren’t unfamiliar to him. During his time with Saint-Quentin in France’s LNB Elite League, Traore followed a similar arc before being named the FIBA Champions League Best Young Player.

By December, he was averaging 22.2 points, eight assists, and 1.4 steals per game in the G League while cutting his turnovers down to 2.2 before being called back up to Brooklyn. While he still uses his high-end speed to his advantage, the game has slowed down for Traore, allowing him to manipulate defenders with sudden changes of pace.

“He took full advantage of the opportunities he had with Long Island,” said Fernández. “And when he came back here, he did so with a different spirit and a lot more confidence.”

After playing in just ten games throughout the first three months of the season, the rookie point guard has already played in 13 in January, averaging 7.8 points and 3.5 assists while playing 23.4 minutes per game.

During Brooklyn’s 130–126 double-overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday night, Traore logged career highs in both minutes (37) and points (21), while also adding three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Indeed, he became the youngest player in franchise history to score 20 points in a game. (He’s also the fifth youngest player in Nets history.)

“His ability to touch the paint, how slippery he is, obviously, he’s gonna keep growing,” Fernandez said after the game. “He’s got to grow that voice, and I’m going to trust him. He’s doing a great job.”

JORDI’S NURTURING​

Ultimately, the rapid development of these young players can’t be discussed without giving credit to Fernández. While growth still depends on the players themselves, much of it comes down to how they’re used, challenged, and ultimately put in positions to succeed.

There’s no tough love without the “love” part, and Fernández does a strong job of reminding his young players what they’re capable of while also jumping on every opportunity to correct them or clean up areas they can improve.

When Powell played only two minutes during a loss to the Dallas Mavericks back in December, his coach didn’t hesitate to call him out publicly.

“These young guys need to understand how important every minute you play is,” Fernández said. “If the intentions are there, I’m completely fine. But if the mistakes are from easing into the game, that’s not how we do it here.”

The following game, Powell responded with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal while helping the Nets beat the Milwaukee Bucks.

For the Nets’ young players, progress hasn’t come through comfort or sugarcoating, but through constructive criticism and accountability.

It’ll be a while, maybe a couple of years, for pundits and fans to finally assess the Nets 2025 Draft, but for Powell and Traore, there’s already enough for change perceptions.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...rotation-pieces-nets-rookies-are-growing-fast

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Clippers, 9:00 PM ET

Late night Nets! NFL Conference Championship games are clearing up in LA nonetheless, which means folks are gearing up for Nets-Clippers. The Nets will be shorthanded yet again in the first of five on the road.

Nets (12-31) @ Clippers (20-24)​

9:00 PM ET
Intuit Dome (Inglewood, CA)
YES Network

“As the Nets PR staff noted to ND, the trip west was eventful thanks to the weather in the Northeast… but they are now safely ensconced in L.A. where it’s 62 degrees and partly sunny. Nic Claxton and Day’ron Sharpe are going to be in for a fight on the inside tonight. Ivica Zubac is tied for fifth in the NBA in rebounding at a shade over 11 boards per game. He’s especially tough to deal with on the offensive glass as he captures almost four o-boards a night. To make things more challenging for the Brooklyn duo, Zu is tremendous at the rim.”- Brian

INJURY REPORT​

Nets

• Cam Thomas
• Nolan Traore
• Noah Clowney
• Haywood Highsmith
• Chaney Johnson
• Tyson Etienne

Clippers

• Bradley Beal — OUT (hip fracture)
• Bogdan Bogdanovic — OUT (hamstring)
• Derrick Jones Jr. — OUT (knee)
• Kawhi Leonard — QUESTIONABLE (knee)

DISCUSSION​

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...ooklyn-nets-at-los-angeles-clippers-900-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets demolished again, this time by L.A. Clippers, 126-89

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

At first, it was just a bad start. It quickly grew worse. And by the time Kawhi Leonard jogged into a pull-up three, extending the lead to 47-14 and forcing Jordi Fernández to call another timeout, it was officially ugly. The Los Angeles Clippers had dogged the Brooklyn Nets in less than 15 minutes of game-time, and the next three-ish quarters would be simply cosmetic for the Clippers, a botched botox for the Nets.

The Nets never let it get quite as bad as their 54-point loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday, nor their franchise-worst 59-point loss to these Clippers about a year ago. But when you’re trailing by nearly 40 points in the first half, it feels about the same…

Nets get gifted a 5-on-4 possession and miss four shots

Kris Dunn limps to the sideline in the middle of the play and limps back in for the rebound pic.twitter.com/2dUsmmVyN8

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) January 26, 2026

If the Nets hadn’t been blown out by the Knicks earlier this week, they could have used the injury excuse, as feeble as it would be. Noah Clowney (back soreness), Cam Thomas (ankle sprain), and Nolan Traore (illness) all missed this one; Terance Mann was re-inserted into the starting lineup and Ben Saraf saw his first NBA action since December 6.

But Brooklyn shot 20% from the field in the first quarter, trailing 38-14 after 12 minutes of play, quickly destroying any hope that Friday’s resilient performance against the Boston Celtics was a sign of things to come. The Nets had their issues in that game too — notably their crunch-time defense — but they took a formidable opponent right down to the wire. With a career-best night from rookie Nolan Traore (21 points), it was just about the perfect loss in a tanking season.

Sunday’s night’s loss to the Clippers just stunk. Ben Saraf scored six points with four turnovers, Drake Powell put up five points and four turnovers, and Danny Wolf shot 3-of-13, inventing new ways to miss layups. Egor Dëmin shot just 3-of-11, but he did hit three straight 3-pointers while getting fouled on another in the third quarter, giving the Nets fans bored enough to keep the game on for that long something to hold onto.

Not that the veterans did much better. In fact, Wolf and Dëmin were the only Nets to reach double-digits; the team shot 33.7% from the floor and a grotesque 20.9% from deep. However, all 12 Nets played and all 12 scored, including a triple from E.J. Liddell, so that’s something? The highlight of the game may have been Terance Mann getting a technical foul on Dëmin’s behalf…

John Collins pushes Egor Demin after he wraps up James Harden on a fastbreak. Terance Mann comes in and shoves Collins with some words for him after.

Vet sticking up for the rookie. pic.twitter.com/CMCIyXz2XW

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 26, 2026

Conversely, the Clippers shot 56.4% from the floor, including a tidy 12-of-25 from three. Like the Nets, all 12 of their guys scored, led by 28 points from Kawhi and 19 from James Harden.

“It’s part of life and part of learning and part of finding the next Nets,” said Jordi Fernández. “Because we know and believe that we have the right vision here of doing what we want to do and being successful as an organization with great ownership and management. And we’re obviously going to need the right pieces on the floor, the play-and-compete is a certain standard. And right now, out of three games, one out of three as far as being competitive is not good enough.”

Chris Carrino and Sarah Kustok did a much better job at filling space than I’m doing with the rest of this article, discussing the impending Super Bowl matchup and Kerry Kittles’ career. Carrino even closed with positivity, noting that Brooklyn shot 22-of-25 from the line in the formidable Intuit Dome, dropping a gem: “The Whammy beats The Wall.”

Fernández was not so cheerful in postgame: “I brought this up before: You can lose, and you can be a loser. For 18 minutes we lost, and we’re competitive. And for 30, we’re losers. So we have to decide what we want to be and who we want to be.”

The NBA has not yet announced the date of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.

Final Score: Los Angeles Clippers 126, Brooklyn Nets 89

Milestone Watch​

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Next Up​

The Nets continue their five-game road trip by paying a visit to old friend and Coach of the Year candidate Jordan Ott. Tip-off against the Phoenix Suns is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Los Angeles Clippers 126, Brooklyn Nets 89 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Los Angeles Clippers 126, Brooklyn Nets 89 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Kawhi Leonard, James Harden fuel fast start as Clippers rout Nets 126-89 – AP
• Nets take embarrassing beating from Clippers for fifth straight loss – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets’ losing ways carrying into road trip that could help tanking cause – Dan Martin – New York Post
• From Knicks disaster to Clippers blowout, Nets can’t stop the bleeding – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades: Danny Wolf drops 14 in 126-89 loss at the Clippers – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...s-vs-clippers-126-89-kawhi-leonard-danny-wolf

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Egor Demin chosen for Rising Stars competition at All-Star Weekend

Egor Demin, the Brooklyn Nets’ first lottery pick in 15 years, has been selected for the NBA’s Rising Stars Competition at All-Star Weekend, the league announced Monday afternoon. The selection for the competition that features rookies, sophomores and G League stars, takes place at 9:00 p.m. ET February 13 at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, the first night of three-night weekend.

The 6’9” guard is one of 10 rookies, 11 sophomores and seven G Leaguers to make the team.

Michael Porter Jr. will learn his All-Star fate on Monday when All-Star reserves will be revealed but Demin’s selection ensures that Brooklyn will have at least representation at the 75th All-Star Game. MPJ has never made an All-Star Game. Skill competition participants will also be announced soon, but no Nets are likely to be selected for that.

Demin is the first Brooklyn Net to be selected for the Rising Stars competition since 2019 when the competition was rookies vs. sophomores. Rodions Kurucs was named to the rookie squad and Jarrett Allen to the sophomores.

Demin, a native of Moscow and a BYU product, was taken at No. 8 in the first round at the end of June and after playing in the Summer League in Las Vegas, he spent two months rehabbing from plantar fascia before finally joining the Nets in preseason. In the regular season, Demin is averaging 10.2 points, 3.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 40/40/85 for the season. He is the 11th youngest player in the NBA.

For Demin, it’s another recognition and for the Nets front office, justification for what was at the time an unpopular pick. In the days and weeks leading up to the Draft, Demin was seen as a precocious playmaker but a limited shooter. Since then, he’s shown that not only can he shoot, but he can shoot at a high volume and in clutch moments.

In fact, other than than Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Demin is arguably the 2025-26 rookie class’s best volume shooter from deep. And other than last month, he’s been the class’s top volume shooter, hitting 47.1% of 6.4 attempts per game. Knueppel, who’s on an historic run, is hitting 39.0% of 6.3 attempts.

Demin is one of five first-round picks the Nets selected in June, a record haul. The others were Nolan Traore, taken at No. 19; Drake Powell at No. 22; Ben Saraf at No. 26 and Danny Wolf at No. 27.

NBA assistant coaches determined the pool of 21 NBA players, with each team submitting one ballot. Voters ranked 10 rookies and 10 sophomores, with more points assigned to higher placements. The top 10 rookies and top 10 sophomores by point total earned spots. The final spot was awarded to the higher-scoring player among the 11th-ranked finishers in each class. The pool includes one more sophomore than rookie based on total points received.

The players will be divided into four teams for the competition, with a draft run by four honorary coaches taking place Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET

Presenting the honorary head coaches for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars!

NBA Rookies and Sophomores will be drafted onto three teams on Tuesday (1/27) at 7:00pm/et on Peacock, with NBA G League players to comprise the fourth team.

The four teams will compete in the Castrol… pic.twitter.com/lb37AOyoHC

— NBA (@NBA) January 14, 2026

In what is described as a mini-tournament, Team A will face Team B in the first semifinal (Game 1), and Team C will play Team D in the second semifinal (Game 2). The winner of Game 1 will meet the winner of Game 2 in the championship (Game 3).

For each semifinal game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points. For the championship game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 25 points.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-news...-rising-stars-competition-at-all-star-weekend

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Starters combine for 72, Grant Nelson flirts with double-double in LI win

The Long Island Nets returned home court Monday night for a game vs. Motor City Cruise. The game got underway at 7:00 p.m. EST, and early on, it looked as if it wasn’t going to be Long Island’s night. the Nets found themselves down by 16 points, but ultimately they came back to win it, 112-106.

After going down early, the Nets dominated the offensive glass in the third and picked up five steals to take an 83-80 lead over the Pistons G League team going into the final frame. Long Island closed out the win by shooting 88.9 percent (8-for-9) from the line in the fourth and going on a 14-5 run to snap Motor City’s five-game win streak…

Biggest comeback win of the season, that's #StrongIsland basketball pic.twitter.com/JIGKcZZPu9

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 27, 2026

The Nets trailed by as many as 16 points, marking the largest comeback win of the season for Long Island and the team’s first comeback from a deficit of at least 15 points since a 16-point comeback win over Motor City on March 22, 2025. The Nets G League affiliate’s record is now 9-6, good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Long Island starters combined for 72 points with two vets, Nets two-way Tyson Etienne (22) and Long Island signee Malachi Smith (23) leading the way.

Grant Nelson has now started six straight games after returning from a seven-week rehab of a balky knee. He once again played a solid all-around game despite still being on a minutes restriction, The 23-year-old 7-footer played a little less than 20 minutes, his high since returning and flirted with a double-double, yet again. He shot the ball well, connecting on four of his eight attempts, as well as making two-of-three from the foul stripe, the last of which sealed the win…

BIG First Half from Grant Nelson
10 PTS | 6 REB
80% field-goal percentage pic.twitter.com/nPBwC5QwZ5

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 27, 2026

Nelson finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, which was a team best, as well as block and two assists. In his six starts, Nelson is averaging 28.9 points and 12.9 rebounds as well as 1.4 blocks, per 36 minutes. He’s also hitting 67% of his shots overall and 88% from the stripe. Although he shot nearly 30% from three in 160 college games, he’s only attempted two deep shots since returning although one of his four field goals Monday night was on the line.

.A small sample no doubt, but a growing one. No word yet on when the Nets might remove the restrictions, but the near 20 minutes he played Monday is the most he’s played in those starts.

E.J. Liddell, one of the Nets current two-ways along with Etienne and Chaney Johnson, remained with Brooklyn on the West Coast.. With the trade deadline just about 10 days away, Brooklyn could elevate one of their two-way players to a standard NBA deal if one opens up or waive the player from their NBA roster while retaining the players G League rights.

Malachi Smith, the 6’4” combo guard who was Liddell’s high school teammate once again got the start Friday with Brooklyn rookie PG Ben Saraf, also with the big club. Smith reminded Long Island exactly why the started him in the first place. He led the team in scoring with 23 points. Smith shot the ball very well, as he connected on eight of his 14 shots, including going four of six from three-point land.

Smith also contributed in other ways, as picked up four assists. That’s become an area where the 6’4” 24-year-old’s game has he’s exceled, getting s his teammates involved, particularly now with Saraf and Nolan Traore in Brooklyn.

Etienne, was second on the team in scoring in this one. After having a rough few performances shooting the ball, the 6’0” 26-year-old Etienne landed six of his 14 shots, six of 13 from deep, for a total of 22 points. Etienne also hauled in four rebounds and a team-high seven assists. This also marked Etienne’s 11th game with at least five makes from long range since joining the Nets, the second-most such games in franchise history.

Small forward Nate Williams, who turns 27 next month, looked to be more on his game in this one, tallying 16 points. Williams shot the ball well, hitting on six of his 14 shots. He also had three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. When Williams is on his game, he looks like one of the best on the court. Tonight, fortunately for Williams, was one of those nights. It was 13th consecutive game getting into double-digits in the points category. The 6’7” Sag Harbor native has the most NBA experience on Long Island, having played 47 games.

Rounding out the starting five, the Nets third two-way Chaney Johnson made his presence felt in this one. The 6’7’ 3-and-D prospect, youngest player on Long Island’s roster, got into the double digits in scoring, picking up 10 points. However, Johnson had a bit of a lackluster day shooting the ball. He connected on just three of his 10 tries, including going 1-of-4 from deep. But he had five rebounds, two assists, and one block to his credit…

High Flying Chaney
Send Chaney to LA for the @nbagleague Next Up Game by voting here:https://t.co/bvPrWh5nuq pic.twitter.com/xkg6uJVmpF

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) January 27, 2026

Where Johnson excelled was as a ball hawk in this one. The 6’7” 23-year-old picked up a team-leading and game-leading four steals. It also marked a career-high.

The Long Island bench was quiet in this one, but was headlined by Tre Scott, who picked up 10 points, becoming the sixth and final player this game to get into the double-digit mark. He also had five rebounds to his credit. David Muoka also tallied six points and seven rebounds off the bench. Alex Schumacher, a 6’3” shooting guard signed last week, had eight points. Muoka (Hong Kong) and Schumacher (Switzerland) are the team’s two international players.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (9-6) return to their home court on Wednesday, January 28th, as they once again face off with the Motor City Cruise. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on ESPN+ and the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 112, Motor City Cruise 106 – G League
• Game Highlights: Long Island Nets 112, Motor City Cruise 106 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...nt-nelson-flirts-with-double-double-in-li-win

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Long Forecast: Ament climbs, Boozer falls as Acuff Jr. soars

Welcome back to The Long Forecast on NetsDaily.

Another week of college basketball is in the books, which means we are back for another roundup as we get a closer look at this year’s incoming draft class.

Where do the Nets’ picks sit?​

Since last week’s column, the Nets are 0-3 and own the league’s fifth-worst record at 12-32. As for their second round selections, they’re currently slotted at No. 35, 42 and 44 overall.

Here are the latest mock drafts from Tankathon and Bleacher Report.

Risers​

Nate Ament, Tennessee

Following a rocky start to the NCAA season, Ament has heated up in recent games.

Against Alabama on Saturday, the Virginia native scored 29 points to complement seven rebounds and three assists while shooting a stellar 47.1% from the field and knocking down two of his three 3-point tries (66.7%).

Nate Ament vs Alabama Last Night..

29 PTS (10-20 FG, 2-3 3PT, 7-9 FTs)
7 REBS
3 AST

He’s Picked it up these last 4 games.. How we Feeling??? pic.twitter.com/fV1AAk8I8h

— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) January 25, 2026

Standing at 6’10’ and 207 pounds, Ament has great length and can guard multiple positions on defense.

Projected top 5 pick Nate Ament today:

23 PTS | 8 REB | 5 AST | 6-12 FG | 2-4 3PT pic.twitter.com/82HMJDtilY

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 8, 2025

If he continues to play at this rate, he has a strong chance of becoming a top pick in June. However, the 19-year-old must stay at this rate to make up for his rough start to the season

Fallers​

Cayden Boozer, Duke

Entering the season, there was a widespread expectation that Boozer would be a surefire first-round selection. However, unlike his brother Cameron, Cayden has not lived up to the hype thus far.

In 19 games this year and just three starts, Boozer has averaged just 6.5 points per game and three assists while shooting 46.5% from the field and knocking down 32.4% of his three-point shots in 20.5 minutes.

He is playing behind Caleb Foster, who is a veteran at Duke, so he is splitting minutes, and while he is on the floor, there hasn’t been much to write home about.

His shot hasn’t been that impressive, and he currently looks like a mediocre facilitator for the Blue Devils, and nothing more than that.

Spotlight of the week​

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

In 20 games this season, Acuff Jr. has been a dominant force for the Razorbacks.

Over 33.2 minutes, he averages 20.2 points per game, 6.2 assists, and 2.9 rebounds, while shooting 42% from three-point range and 50% from the field.

DARIUS ACUFF, JR DEFENSE OFFENSE

You can debate the extent of Acuff’s defensive upside, but what isn’t debatable is his effort, tenacity and willingness to compete on that end. At the very least: functional athleticism applied within a team concept.pic.twitter.com/SqXjpBvDNE

— Conrado Pascual (@CP3_777) January 24, 2026

At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Acuff Jr. is a physical guard with great length who has a knack for getting downhill quickly. He is very confident and is able to make very tough shots off the dribble.

Darius Acuff Jr. vs Vanderbilt tonight..

17 PTS (7-14 FG, 3-7 3PT)
5 AST
2 REBS

There not much to say here more than we already know..

What team in a good draft position would we like to see him at? pic.twitter.com/xhKOoHjeyR

— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) January 21, 2026

The 19-year-old has forced his name into the upper echelon of draft conversation, and the numbers, along with his traits, speak for themselves.

Sleepers​

Flory Budinga, Kansas

After an uninspiring start to the year, Budinga has scored over 20 points in two of his last three games.

Against Kansas State on Saturday, the Congo native poured in 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished an assist, and blocked three shots.

Flory Bidunga entered the transfer portal last offseason but ultimately returned to Kansas.

This season:

14.7 points
9 rebounds
2.5 blocks
1.8 assists
59.6% FG

What do you think? Is he a future 1st Round Draft Pick?? pic.twitter.com/A4sqqibBbd

— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) December 8, 2025

Currently in his second NCAA season, the 20-year-old has continued to improve, flashing tremendous upside.

5️ Kansas commit Flory Bidunga wins 2024 Indiana Mr. Basketball Flory avg’d 19pts, 13rebs, 4.4blks ppg this season while leading the Kokomo Wildkats to a 25-4 record @KHS_AD I @FBidunga pic.twitter.com/dlGVUzviV2

— League Ready (@LeagueRDY) April 24, 2024

Highly explosive with solid length, Budinga could force himself into consideration for a late first-round selection in June’s draft.

This week’s watch guide​

Here is a list of NCAA games fans should tune in to this week.

• January 27, 7:00 PM tip-off: Nebraska @ Michigan
• January 31, 12:00 PM tip-off: Duke @ Virginia Tech
• January 31, 4:30 PM tip-off: BYU @ Kansas
• February 1, 4:00 PM tip-off: Illinois @ Nebraska
• February 2, 9:00 PM tip-off: Kansas @ Texas Tech

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...t-amnet-climbs-boozer-falls-as-acuff-jr-soars

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets overcome by Phoenix Suns in wild finish, lose 106-102

Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets, once again, could only move on in the wake of a depressing blowout to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night. After following a 54-point loss with a double-OT defeat last week, Tuesday night’s match against the Phoenix Suns (sans Devin Booker) was their opportunity to continue a semi-disturbing pattern of blowout -> good game -> blowout -> good game.

After the Knicks loss, Michael Porter Jr. put the blame on himself: “A lot of it, that’s on me, I didn’t come in with the right energy. You know, I felt like that trickled down throughout the group.”

He continued: “It’s just an energy thing. I feel like when you go out there and you have the right aggression, the right energy and the right outlook, then it just can change the whole flow of the game.”

MPJ didn’t speak before Tuesday’s contest in Phoenix, but he clearly felt the same way this time around. Once again, he delivered. Porter scored 12 points in the first quarter, all two-pointers. Whether off the drive or off a cut, he was living at the rim early…

getting to the rim early

MPJ had all 12 of his 1Q points in the paint. pic.twitter.com/QmKFURuVCg

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 28, 2026

With the threat of the rim in his back-pocket, MPJ then his usual array of ridiculous 3-point shot-making. He would finish with a game-high 36 points on 15-of-24 shooting, including 6-of-10 from deep. With All-Star reserves announced this coming Saturday, MPJ gave the coaches one more All-Star-caliber performance to think about.

MPJ couldn’t do it alone, though. He was the only Net in double-digits in the first half, but the bigger issue was the team’s defense. Despite winning the first quarter, Brooklyn found themselves down 60-51 at halftime, their pick-and-roll defense falling leading to dunk after dunk for Mark Williams. It appears Drake Powell served the main punishment, as he started the game but played just eight first-half minutes, then was benched after the break.

With Powell on the bench, Brooklyn got it together in the second half. Nobody took over the game — the second-highest scoring Net on the night was Egor Demin with 15 points — but they got a variety of contributors. Ziaire Williams hit a big triple, Cam Thomas scored seven of his 11 in the second half, and Day’Ron Sharpe dropped a memorable dime…

holy smokes Day'Ron pic.twitter.com/pi3eWqExcK

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) January 28, 2026

…all part of a team-wide effort to chip away. Brooklyn kept the deficit within single-digits the whole half, then made their push midway through the fourth quarter. Finally, Terance Mann drove off the catch and rose up for an and-1 layup, punctuated by a flagrant foul from Grayson Allen…

TMANN AND-1!! @terance_mann pic.twitter.com/q7cv2pQ6Iu

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 28, 2026

Mann hit the free-throw, giving the Nets the lead and beginning a see-saw affair in the final few minutes. Dëmin hit a three, Mark Williams continued his monster night (27 points) with two more buckets inside. Brooklyn might have run away with this thing, but despite their resiliency, they could not get a handle on the little things. Phoenix scored a whopping 72 points in the paint, partially because Brooklyn turned it over 22 times…

RYAN DUNN STEAL AND SLAM pic.twitter.com/boHUfd1JRP

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 28, 2026

Despite that, they still had a chance to win as Terance Mann brought the ball up court, trailing by two points with just over a minute left. Former Net Royce O’Neale back-poked him, setting off a mad dash for the ball, ending in a tie-up between former teammates and current friends Ziaire Williams and Dillon Brooks. That was just the beginning, though.

The baby-faced Dëmin finally had enough of Dillon Brooks, who had previously picked up both a flagrant foul and technical foul (for shoving Dëmin, incidentally) earlier in the game. Dëmin gave Brooks a shove, Brooks smartly exaggerated it, and then half the arena seemingly got involved…

A big scuffle breaks out after Egor Demin shoves Dillon Brooks, who was pulling at a loose ball well after the whistle was blown. Brooks shoved Demin earlier in the game and got a tech.

The Suns lead the Nets 104-102 with 1:14 remaining. Officials are going to the monitor for a… pic.twitter.com/9AmGhZcR0a

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 28, 2026

O’Neale grabbed Dëmin, Ziaire Williams and Grayson Allen had their own cussing match off to the side, Mann grabbed O’Neale as a crowd gravitated around them (Dëmin quietly walked away). In the middle of the chaos, Michael Porter Jr. shoved Suns assistant DeMarre Carroll, and only then did Ziaire Williams get injured: Postgame, Jordi Fernández reported that a well-meaning Suns coach ran into Williams while trying to break up the fight, and Williams had to be helped to the locker room postgame.

“Those are just guys protecting each other and fighting for each other, and I think they did a great job,” said Fernández of his team. “You know, you’re not going to let any of your teammates get hit or pushed or anything. Obviously, there’s boundaries and we don’t want anybody to get hurt here, but you know, you’ve seen a few dirty play. They call it, they didn’t call it, I think it got out of hand because of that.”

Whew boy. Three technicals on the Nets, two on the Suns. Frankly, Dillon Brooks’ master plan of being a huge [redacted] all game worked, as it typically does. Grayson Allen, often less cunning in his mischief, stepped to the line for the technical free-throw…and missed it. No harm done?

Not quite. With Williams hurt, the Suns could choose which Net to sub in the game for the jump-ball, and they chose Ben Saraf. Jordi Fernández then left him on the floor for the game-tying possession, which never went anywhere and ended in a 24-second violation. Then, Fernández subbed in Danny Wolf to guard Grayson Allen, who spun right around him for an extra-bitter dagger.

Baffling decisions, tanking decisions, or an extreme effort to get a couple rookies some crunch-time reps? You decide. Either way, the Nets continued the pattern, following up an ugly blowout with late-game heartbreak. They’ve now lost six in a row, their record now a pitiful 12-33. But hey, it’s a tanking season, and at least there was a clear positive on Tuesday night.

“I like my guys sticking up for each other…the resiliency and keep fighting, I think we did it.” — Jordi Fernández

Final Score: Phoenix Suns 106, Brooklyn Nets 102

Milestone Watch​

• Egor Dëmin made a pretty special 3-pointer midway through the second quarter. It marked his 33rd consecutive games with a triple, tying Landry Shamet (2018-19) and Rudy Fernández (2008-09), for the all-time longest streak by a rookie.
• Michael Porter Jr. tied his season-high with those 36 points
• Brooklyn is still the fifth in Tankathon rankings but only two games out of first, and ONE in the win column!

Injury Report​

Jordi Fernández had no further update on Ziaire Williams postgame, saying the team did not know what the injury was. Based on his limp and escort off the floor, it may be lower body, but that is merely an educated guess at this point.

Nolan Traore and Cam Thomas both returned from one-game absences for this one. However, despite Traore having the best game of his NBA career vs. the Boston Celtics on Friday night, he did not see any minutes.

Meanwhile, Noah Clowney missed his second consecutive game with back soreness.

Next Up​

The Brooklyn Nets now embark on the worst back-to-back the NBA schedule could possibly offer: Denver and Utah. Hope you like your oxygen thin! Tip-off against the Denver Nuggets is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday night.

• Boxscore: Phoenix Suns 106, Brooklyn Nets 102 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Phoenix Suns 106, Brooklyn Nets 102 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Press Conference (Video) – NBA
• Suns beat Nets 106-102 after teams scuffle late in fourth quarter – AP
• Nets waste big Michael Porter Jr. effort, fall to Suns in chippy affair – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Egor Demin continues to lead Nets’ youth movement as Jordi Fernandez walks pivotal tightrope – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Late scuffle overshadows Nets’ 106-102 loss to Suns ($) – E.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. drops 36 points in 106-102 loss at Suns – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...-vs-suns-106-102-michael-porter-dillon-brooks

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns, 9:00 PM ET

Late night Nets are back for game No. 2 of five on this road trip. They’re up against the Phoenix Suns, who they just faced in Brooklyn. Now over to Phoenix (don’t call ‘em KD). It hasn’t just been a five-game losing streak. The Nets lost by 54 to the Knicks recently and they just put up a dud against the Clippers.

Some level of heart, pride might go a long way. Even for a tanking team.

Otherwise, congratulations to Egor Dëmin on making the Rising Stars Challenge. Nets fans haven’t had too much to celebrate in the mainstream this year, but Egor’s been one of them.

---

KEY INFO​

Nets (12-32) @ Suns (27-19)

WHEN: 9:00 PM ET

WHERE: Footprint Center (Phoenix, AZ)

WATCH: YES Network | Gotham Sports App

---

INJURY REPORT​

Nets

• Noah Clowney — Out (back soreness)
• Tyrese Martin — Out (left knee)
• Two-way players Tyson Etienne & Chaney Johnson with Long Island
• Ben Saraf & E.J. Liddell are traveling with the Nets.

Suns

• Devin Booker — Out (ankle)
• Jalen Green — Questionable (hamstring)

---

DISCUSSION​

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...ssion-brooklyn-nets-at-phoenix-suns-900-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Tyson Etienne’s historic night not enough in Long Island loss

The Long Island Nets returned to the court on Wednesday night for their second of a back-to-back showdown with the Motor City Cruise. Entering Wednesday’s game, Long Island has won six of its last eight games. The last time these two teams were on the court, Long Island came away with the win. Despite Tyson Etienne’s history-making night and Nate Williams’ double-double, Long Island would fall to Motor City, 106-104.

Etienne etched his name in the history books, becoming Long Island’s all-time leading scorer. Etienne passed the 1,156 point mark in his two seasons with Long Island to earn that spot. Tonight’s 15 points were more than enough to get him over that hump and pass Jordan Bowden who played for Long Island earlier this decade. Bowden is now playing in the German league.

After the game, NetsDaily spoke with Etienne on just what this moment meant to him.

Tyson Etienne on becoming the Long Island Nets all time leading scorer, what it means to him, trusting his shot, and more.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/Vx9JzyfmrT

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 29, 2026

“It was super special,” Etienne tells ND. “I’m super grateful to be in that moment. I remember when I was in high school at LUHI (Long Island Lutheran) and practicing at the Nassau Coliseum. I just remember thinking how special it was to be in that building with the history of what’s in this building. To be able to be on a team with my teammates and get to play in such a legendary landmark, and represent the Nets organization at the highest level, I’m extremely grateful to be in this moment, to be etched in history; it’s truly an honor.”

Etienne began with Long Island at the beginning of the 2024-25 season. ND asked Etienne if he could go back in time and tell his younger self something when he was first starting with Long Island. What might that be?

“I would tell myself just keep going,” Etienne tells ND. “Just stay the course. Don’t give up on yourself. Some games are going to be amazing, and some games won’t be as amazing. But you have to keep going. You have to keep waking up and putting the work in day-by-day. You have to keep showing up for your teammates. Keep showing up and keep doing the things in what matters to win. I’d just tell myself to continue to stay focused on winning, and that’s the biggest thing, and just have fun with it.”

Etienne connected on four of his 21 shots. Not the best shooting performance for Etienne by any means. He connected on just three of his 17 tries from deep, which was the worst on the team. However, through it all, Etienne continues to trust his shot during the highest highs and the lowest lows. After the game, Etienne spoke about how important it is to him.

“As a shooter, you have to have faith,” Etienne tells ND. “You have to have confidence that you know ‘I put a lot of work in, man’ every single day on my jump shot. On the court, off the court, I put a lot of work into my jump shot. Sometimes the ball is just not going to fall.

Nate Williams had the best game for Long Island, scoring-wise. He led the team in scoring with 18 points, connecting on eight of his 19 shots, including shooting 50% from three-point range. Williams was a star in this one, finishing with 10 rebounds to walk out of this loss with a double-double. Williams was credited with two assists.

Williams is certainly a player to watch as the NBA Trade Deadline approaches. Whether it be Brooklyn or another NBA squad, Williams is a bona fide candidate for a two-way spot in his final year of eligibility.

Grant Nelson continued to be on a minutes restriction. However, he’s been making the most of the minutes he’s given until the restriction is lifted. He played in just 20 minutes in this one, which was by a big margin, the least amount of time that a starter played in this one. After the game, ND got to catch up with Nelson and ask him how he’s been feeling and when we could see the restrictions get lifted.

Grant Nelson on how he’s feeling, his minutes restriction, his lack of shooting from deep, and a two-way deal.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/5ykw9at2Cn

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 29, 2026

“I feel good,” Nelson tells ND. “Been getting better every day. I’m really not sure about the timeline. It kind of depends on how I respond to each game. It’s really on a game-to-game type of thing. It should continue to go up because I’ve been feeling good. Hopefully it’s lifted in no time.”

Nelson finished this one with just eight points, connecting on three of his six shots from the field for 50%. He took a single shot from deep, which he missed. Nelson has always been a decent, 30% shooter in his time at North Dakota State and Alabama. So, what changed and why he doesn’t shoot much from beyond the arc at the professional level?

“I’m really just working through some things and getting my shot right,” Nelson tells ND. “I haven’t hit one on the season, so I’m kind of just getting in the gym and working on that. I’ve been getting downhill, getting to the rim, and scoring pretty well at the rim, so I’m going to continue to do that.”

Nelson also had five rebounds, one assist, two steals, and a whopping three blocks, two of them on back-to-back plays. Nelson is establishing himself as more of a big man by upping his block totals and he told ND that he’s still thinking about is the two-way deal. The NBA Trade Deadline often leads to roster reconstruction.

“For sure,” Nelson said when asked if this was still something he was trying to strive for. “I’m really just trying to get to that next level. I’m going out there and giving it all on the court, and I’m putting it in God’s hands. I’m just going to keep working.”

The second Brooklyn two-way player in Long Island, other than Etienne Chaney Johnson finished with 12 points, connecting on four of his 13 shots. Johnson flirted with a double-double in this one, picking up nine rebounds. The two-way star also had two assists and one block to his credit.

Alex Schumacher, the Nets newest player, connected on two of his three shots for six points, and also had two rebounds and two assists. Coming to Long Island from the Valley Suns in exchange for returning player rights for Jordan Schakel, he spoke with ND about his arrival on the Island…

Alex Schumacher on joining Long Island, the Swiss National Team, his goals, and more.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/fmPv6Xya2V

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) January 29, 2026

“I was a little shocked,” Schumacher told ND about finding out he was traded. “At the same time, it’s the game and the business side of it. It was the first time I actually got to see the city, and it was amazing. I’ve never been in New York like this. It was unique too with the snow storm, so I went from straight heat to a snow storm, so it was kind of cool.”

ND also asked Schumacher about his role here and learning under Long Island head coach Mfon Udofia. “I’m another ball-handler, just trying to make everyone’s job a little easier,” Schumacher continues. “Just touching the paint, and spreading out to make everyone get better. So far, from the first day, he just really chimed in on winning. I felt that energy from everyone else, and it was cool to flow right into that.”

Schumacher is also a member of the Swiss national team. “The overseas aspect of it is just fundamentals, not flashy or anything crazy, it’s just everyone on the same page,” Schumacher said about the differences between FIBA and the NBA/G League. “I think going over there and experiencing that opened my mind a little bit more about the game.” Schumacher also has plans to continue to play for the Swiss national team.

“So, there was the August opening, and November, and the end of February,” Schumacher tells ND. “We’re still deciding whether I’m going to do that one or not. Yeah, I think it would be another cool opportunity.”

Looking ahead for Schumacher, his goals for the year are pretty simple. “Definitely postseason talk,” Schumacher continues. “I think that’s a big thing. I think that’s everyone’s mind right now. I think it’s feasible with this group of guys. Me coming in here and trying to learn as much as I can in these first three games, I think the more that we gel, I think we’ll be a good team.”

Long Island’s other FIBA player, Hong Kong’s big man, David Muoka had 14 points, playing one of his best games on Long Island. The 6’11” 25-year-old went 7-of-9, and also picked up five rebounds, three assists, and a block. Tre Scott also had 14 points off the bench in this one. Fellow returning player, Terry Roberts, flirted with a triple-double, tallying 11 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Roberts also picked up a whopping four steals.

The Nets dominated inside during the opening quarter, outscoring the Cruise 22-10 in points in the paint and matching the team’s season high for paint points in a single quarter. Long Island shot 61.9 percent (13-for-21) from the field in the first to take a 30-24 lead. A tightly-contested second quarter featured seven lead changes and ended with the Cruise holding a 56-54 lead.

Long Island went on a 19-6 run in the third quarter before the Cruise responded with an 8-0 run to enter the final frame tied at 79. The Nets used a 14-2 run from 8:25 to 5:58 in the fourth to take an eight-point lead before the Cruise battled back. Johnson’s putback dunk tied the game at 104 with 48 seconds remaining, but Motor City knocked down two free throws to hold on for a 106-104 win. Neither team held a double-digit lead in the game, which featured 13 lead changes.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (9-7) return to the court looking to get back in the win column on Monday, February 2nd, as they welcome the Grand Rapids Gold to the Nassau Coliseum. This game also marks the New York Liberty Affiliation Night, with a heavy Liberty presence expected. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be viewed on the NBA G League site and the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Motor City Cruise 106, Long Island Nets 104 – G League
• Game Highlights: Motor City Cruise 106, Long Island Nets 104 (Video) – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...historic-night-not-enough-in-long-island-loss

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Denver Nuggets, 9:00 PM ET

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 27: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 27, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was nearly 50 years ago the Nets and Nuggets competed in the 1976 ABA Championship, the final ABA game ever. The two teams have had different fates since the merger but that’s not here nor there. The Nets have lost six straight and it isn’t getting easier tonight.

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KEY INFO​

Brooklyn Nets (12-33) at Denver Nuggets (31-16)

WHEN: 9:00 PM ET

WATCH: YES Network

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INJURY REPORT​

Nets:​

• Ziaire Williams: OUT – Left Calf Contusion
• Egor Dëmin: OUT – Left Plantar Fascia Injury Management
• Cam Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Injury Management
• Noah Clowney: OUT – Back Injury Management
• Haywood Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
• Tyson Etienne: OUT – G League Two-Way
• Chaney Johnson: OUT – G League Two-Way

Nuggets: ​

• Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Strain)
• Christian Braun (Left Ankle Sprain)
• Nikola Jokić (Left Knee Bone Bruise)
• Cameron Johnson (Right Knee Bone Bruise)

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DISCUSSION​

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...ion-brooklyn-nets-at-denver-nuggets-900-pm-et