News Nets Team Notes

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to Summer League, folks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Egor Demin on his position in the NBA:

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

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

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

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

YAY-GOR DYOH-MIN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Score: Oklahoma City Thunder 90, Brooklyn Nets 81

Next Up​

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

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

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

Drum roll please...​

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

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Brooklyn looks for its first win in Las Vegas.

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

On to the next!

***

WHO: Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards​

WHEN: 8:00 PM ET​

WATCH: ESPN 2 or YES Network​

***

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Offseason acquisitions thrilled to join Brooklyn Nets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Vote here!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ain’t sh*t funny about that. ​

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

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

Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drew Timme powers his way inside for the And-1

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

— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2025​

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

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

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

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

Final Score: New York Knicks 97, Brooklyn Nets 93

Egor, you may now see the Shot Doctor ​

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

this was great from Tom "Lethal Shooter" Crean

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

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

Next Up​

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Jonquel Jones to return shortly after All-Star break

Photo by Brian Babineau /NBAE via Getty Images

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

Photo by Brian Babineau /NBAE via Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A busy All-Star Weekend​

Photo by Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Could Jacky Cui re-join Long Island Nets?

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

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

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

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) August 26, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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