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[Brooklyn Nets]

Sean Marks: Brooklyn Nets don’t want to ‘lock ourselves into being a 6-7 seed’

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Alongside Head Coach Jordi Fernández, GM Sean Marks reflected on the 2024-25, and more crucially, revealed major hints about the team’s future plans.

General Manager Sean Marks actually said the damn thing.

Following a predictable, if slightly more competent than expected season for the Brooklyn Nets in 2024-25, Marks and Head Coach Jordi Fernández took the podium at HSS Training Facility for their joint exit interview on Monday afternoon.

A season in which Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson were the team’s two leading minute-getters produced a 26-56 record, and the sixth-best odds heading into the NBA Draft Lottery. These 82 games, the very hiring of Fernández, and Marks’ decision to re-acquire Brooklyn’s own first-rounders in 2025 and 2026 last summer have signaled a full-scale rebuild.

But because the Nets got off to a fanbase-paralyzing 9-10 start, because they kept Cam Johnson through the trade deadline, and because reports of their interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo are still surfacing, Marks had to answer the following question.

What qualities are you looking for in a star trade?

If it seems a little early to be talking about star trades, it is. The Brooklyn Nets have yet to make a single draft pick since signaling rebuild last summer, and yet, Antetokounmpo’s name has been whispered about. Does the front office just love him, or do they just have little interest in losing plenty of games over the next couple seasons?

So, after the ninth-year GM noted Brooklyn’s next star must “fit our culture,” he took an opportunity to clarify Brooklyn’s long-term thinking:

“If you’re going after max-level talent, they have automatically and absolutely change the trajectory of your team. This can’t be like let’s go get this [guy] and lock ourselves into being a 6-7 seed. When we go all-in, you’re going in to compete at the highest level and contend.” [Emphasis mine]

This seems to answer the question Brian Lewis asked in his New York Post article that name-dropped Giannis at the beginning of the month: “Are potential lesser targets like Ja Morant, Domantas Sabonis, Trae Young or LaMelo Ball worth emptying the proverbial clip for if it means abandoning all hope for the Greek Freak?”

Marks’ quote is about as close to a definitive ‘no’ as you’re going to get, and it may reinforce the idea that the Nets are committed to a long-term rebuild. It may even suggest that, as much as Brooklyn is enamored with Antetokounmpo, now is not the time.

“I think we need to be opportunistic,” Marks said when discussing the upcoming free agent period. “In this market we’re always going to have various different free agents and opportunities thrown at us. Just simply being in a top five market in the league, that’s going to happen. We don’t want to get sped up. We’ve talked multiple times about being systematic and strategic in how we build here. We know we have 15 first round picks in the next six, seven years; so there’s a lot of draft assets at stake. There’s a lot of cap room at stake, and how we use that, it’s probably too early to determine.”

Indeed, Brooklyn is projected to have over $50 million in cap room this summer, in their own stratosphere of flexibility relative to the rest of the NBA...

“There’s only one team that has a lot of cap space and they may want to do a slower rebuild and aren’t looking to spend it all now,” a veteran agent told ESPN. “I’ve never seen a free agency where only one team has real cap space in my career. These free agents are f—ed.” https://t.co/y2Hnx2uKRQ

— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) March 30, 2025​

Before the Nets peer out the window, though, they need to do some housekeeping themselves. Between their restricted and unrestricted free agents, they have seven players set to at least test the market, and that’s not even counting the club options they could decline.

Whether it’s re-signing players like Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe or nailing their 2025 NBA Draft, Sean Marks professed the importance of homegrown talent, specifically under the new CBA.

“I do think it is important to have guys under contract that you control the contracts, so to speak. You drafted them, you developed them, and they got to their second contract under your watch. It’s difficult when you’re trying to acquire max-level talent on max contracts. Those days are probably gone of going and getting 2-3 max free agents and so forth. Those are gonna be more difficult to do, but I think it’s important to have some value contracts on your roster.”

It certainly sounds like the Nets have interest in retaining much of the team that won just 26 games this season, and judging by the players’ comments on Monday, the feeling is mutual. Thomas, Sharpe, Ziaire Williams, and D’Angelo Russell were all full of praise for the organization, and we’ll have more on the players’ comments in a separate story.

Their reasons, though, were clear. Head Coach Jordi Fernández once again got rave reviews, not just from his players, but his boss as well.

When asked why free agents around the league may want to play in Brooklyn, Marks said: “I think the sales pitch starts with the guy to my right. I think we’ve, we’ve talked about many players and what they’ve said about Jordi and his staff, I think that’s a huge sales pitch. They want to have coaches be up-front, honest with them, and they feel that, to be quite frank, he’s in it with us.”

While the May 12 draft lottery and subsequent decision-making from Brooklyn will steer the course of this rebuilding ship, one thing seems clear: They hired the right guy last summer.

As for Fernández, he didn’t speak copiously at the exit interview. Most questions were directed to Sean Marks, who in turn, was as direct as he’s ever been when discussing long-term plans. That’s what we’re here for, right?

But Fernández couldn’t depart for the summer without one last endorsement of — here’s that word again — the culture.

“I think it’s the quality of people that we have, and that’s how you drive the culture every day, and people that are pushing in the same direction. And the one thing that is important is communication. Communicate on how you want to do things, so there’s no different messages. A lot of times, there’s where there can be a little bit of confusion, and at the end of the day, you see this slippage. And I think, like the quality of this group, the human quality has been great.”

As the Philadelphia 76ers lead-frogged Brooklyn in the race to the bottom, and as the Utah Jazz were hopelessly miserable this season, many mock-GMs harangued fellow fans about the finer points of tanking, of how to maximize pick value. And they weren’t wrong to do so; the true rebuild starts this offseason.

However, it appears the Brooklyn Nets had no such organizational dissent. Marks and Fernández, unsurprisingly, presented a unified front on Monday. The season went well, they said, with plenty of player-development wins like Tyrese Martin’s assist:turnover ratio and Ziaire Williams’ 3-point shooting.

Now, according to each, it’s a do-or-die summer, just as every day is do-or-die when building a culture.

That build may take a while. Sean Marks does not seem gung-ho on accelerating the timeline, big-game hunting just to end up in the Play-In Tournament. That was the biggest takeaway from Monday’s exit interviews.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/14...-want-to-lock-ourselves-into-being-a-6-7-seed

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

3 Takeaways from Brooklyn Nets Season Finale vs New York Knicks

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

At last, we’ve reached what’s surely the longest awaited finish line for this team in some time

Hello, friends.

While today is marked by most as Masters Sunday, Rory and Bryson aren’t the only ones on the back nine this afternoon. Playing their regular season finale, the Brooklyn Nets, to their fans and the “visiting” New York Knicks, opened the Barclays Center doors for a final time.

Brooklyn’s season has been a stark opposite to the sunny, harmonious vibe the tradition like no other brings. Fans were constantly scratching their heads, wondering whether to cheer or sulk after wins. That, combined with a volatile rotation, pesky injuries, and enough Tankathon spins to make you dizzy snipped the strings to the piano playing Augusta. What we got instead felt like a Motörhead record on blast.

It was only right that it ended with the Knicks — the team that put them on this path last summer. While the Mikal Bridges deal remains an absolute fleece in this beat writer’s eyes, the days when the Nets reap the benefits of it are yet to come. What’s important now is Brooklyn getting to the finish line and they accomplished that this afternoon. Here’s how we got there.

It’s Messy as You’d Expect​

Whether due to the players experiencing some form of senioritis on this “last day of school,” or being undermanned at the point guard spot (likely the latter), the Nets were about as sloppy as you’d expect them to be here in game No. 82.

Brooklyn’s 19 giveaways for the game boiled into 31 New York points. They especially struggled in the half court, unable to get Knick defenders moving once penetrating the first line of defense. Instead of driving and kicking for threes, they often drove right into Precious Achiuwa and PJ Tucker.

“It’s hard to win basketball games when that happens,” Jordi Fernández said postgame.

Even on the plays ending in Brooklyn points, the team looked out of sync. Again, this is a more than understandable fault for a group of guys who’ve logged only a handful of minutes together at this level. However, it was also too noticeable to not call out.

We'll take it. pic.twitter.com/HNRWNIis9O

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) April 13, 2025​

Miraculously, it didn’t hinder Brooklyn’s offense for the majority of the game. After two weeks of subzero shooting, the team doused the floor in gasoline before casting a few sparks, posting 66/50 splits at halftime. Those eventually simmered to 51/34 for the game, but still look fair in comparison to what we’ve seen of late.

Had Brooklyn put a better grip on the ball though, they likely get out of here with one more win on the year, as they their final shooting figures were similar to New York’s and they even won on the glass by a deuce. However, they ended up with 12 extra field goal attempts...those came from somewhere.

Wat, Wilson, and Martin Had Gas Left in the Tank​

Combining for over 5,000 minutes of played basketball this year, Trendon Watford, Tyrese Martin, and Jalen Wilson have been workhorses for Brooklyn in this rather unceremonious ride of a season.

“My body definitely feels it,” Martin remarked postgame. “First time, you know, I played this many games in my professional career, especially at this level. So definitely grateful and appreciative of it, but yeah, definitely feeling it.”

But even amid the wear, tear, and lack of playoff-related motivation, he and his fellow veterans saved some juice for this final run.

Martin put in what was one of his more efficient games of the 2024-25 campaign and by extension his career. The combo guard contributed with 20 points while shooting 8-of14 from the field and 2-of-6 from deep. He also flashed some bag work, making a compelling come-from-behind case for most improved Net this season.

add him to the agenda @balldontstop https://t.co/WhLfmJYEdU pic.twitter.com/qO5IZ70yn9

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) April 13, 2025​

Wilson checked the efficiency box as well, going for 18-points while shooting 5-of-8 from deep. Not only did he give the Nets fans sprinkled around the crowd something to savor, but he also glossed up his metrics before turning them in for the year. After shooting 31.9% from deep through March, he shot 52% in April, bringing his percentage for the year to a slightly more respectable 33.7% on 4.6 attempts per game. Considering he fell to No. 51 in the 2023 Draft because scouts doubted his range, that’s a positive.

Watford almost singlehandedly brought Brooklyn one final win, leveraging his size and touch to finish a number of back-to-the-basket takes that helped make it a two point game without about three to go. He tallied 20 points while going 8-of-12 from the field and splashing one of his two attempts from range.

.@trendonw with the smooooth reverse pic.twitter.com/VbVHQWTOpF

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 13, 2025​

Whether or not these veterans just ended their season or Brooklyn careers is a question for another today. All three are either free agents or have team options on their contracts after this season. But this afternoon, they were Nets, and damn good ones at that. They didn’t hear no bell, even if you as fans have been listening for it for months now.

These Guys Deserved a Final Win Even if They Didn’t Get it​

Wins do not come easy in this league. The Brooklyn Nets know that better than anyone. Not only did they go just 26-for-82, but almost every one they did secure required extra effort, poise from inexperienced players, and yes, a bit of luck.

Brooklyn wasn’t able to get one more tonight — and if you consider their play on the floor — that’s just. I mean, they gave up a 17-0 run in the third quarter and got turned over more times than a rotisserie chicken. That’s losing basketball and they know it.

Alas, there’s always more to a season than wins and losses. Words like “fight” and “grit” have echoed the Barclays Center ceaselessly since September, and while stale and even a bit cliché by now, that doesn’t mean they’re not real or important factors.

The Nets may not have put up their best fight today, but that shouldn’t take away from the bare knuckle slug-fest they put themselves and their opponents through over and over again this year. They made their opponents sweat, bleed, and even unexpectedly introduced a few to the mat.

And frankly, everyone owes these guys a pat on the back anyway.

Individuals or teams who overachieve are rewarded with praise and jubilation 95% of the time. That’s how it’s supposed to work in sports — and honestly life. But the Nets fell into that unfortunate 5% bucket this year. That’s just how it is in the first year of a rebuild.

So, after a season of grind and grit only to pull in wins that made the fanbase feel indifferent at best, this unit deserved a win at home to close the season — perhaps more than any other squad in recent history. If they couldn’t get that, let’s at least show them the appreciation wins usually evoke. Consider this my virtual tip of the cap.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/13...rooklyn-nets-season-finale-vs-new-york-knicks

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

New York Liberty take Adja Kane, French stash, with final pick of 2025 WNBA Draft

With the final pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft, the New York Liberty reached deep in the international pool and took Adja Kane. Read about her here.

The spectacle of the 2025 WNBA Draft hardly involved the team of the host city.

After years of trades and pick-swaps that built a championship winner, and a roster poised to repeat this season, the New York Liberty had just one of the 38 selections on Monday night: pick #38,

Just waiting for 38

— Stewie (@breannastewart) April 15, 2025​

With the final selection of the night, GM Jonathan Kolb’s front office took Adja Kane, from France .

Kane turned 20 in March, and is currently competing in her home country’s top women’s basketball league for Landerneau Bretagne Basket. According to Pro Ballers, she averaged 5/4/1 in 20 minutes a night this season, but crucially, blocked over a shot per game.

This helps define her appeal, listed as a skinny, 6’3” center with a plus-wingspan, serious movement skills, and some flashes of touch around the basket...

Adja Kane was had yet to turn 19 while playing this game? I think I get the pick: pic.twitter.com/wzu24R2vCB

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

“As an organization, we pride ourselves on embracing the global nature of the game and are proactive in assembling a deep group of international talent,” said Kolb in a press release on Monday night. “We had a unique opportunity tonight to select Adja Kane, a talented young player from a strong program in France, who will continue to develop overseas for the next few years with our support from afar.”

That statement confirms the obvious, that Kane will be a draft-and-stash, potentially making her way to training camp in the next few seasons, if all goes according to plan.

Remember Leonie Fiebich was once a stash pick that the New York Liberty traded for, then invested in. In Myles Erhlich’s profile of Fiebich last season, she recounted how the Libs established contact with her while she was playing in Europe: “It seemed like they cared. Whereas, when I was with the other organizations, they didn’t really reach out, or they were not in contact with me. It was the first time that an organization was really interested.”

This isn’t to draw a comparison. Kane, who again, just turned 20, is a long way from playing in the WNBA. Fiebich was 24 when she played her phenomenal rookie season, and already the MVP of the Spanish League.

Kane, who is of Mauritanian descent, was a little-used reserve when she helped France’s U20 team win Eurobasket last year, playing just five minutes in the final game.

Still, there is clear upside, and in a draft environment far less homogenized than the NBA — few teams have the investment in international draft scouting that the Liberty have, and thus, very different-looking draft boards — her slot all the way down at #38 isn’t disqualifying by any stretch.

Kane joins a healthy list of French players the Liberty hold the rights to: Marine Farthoux is a fellow draft stash and a former teammate of Seehia Ridard, who signed a training camp contract with the Liberty...

Seehia Ridard (who signed a training camp contract with NY) and Marine Fauthoux (NY has the draft rights to) during their Basket Landes days in 2022. pic.twitter.com/plgbvWJP8M

— Alford Corriette (@alfcorriette) March 18, 2025​

And of course, fan-favorite Marine Johannes will return stateside this season, re-joining the Liberty after overseas commitments kept her out of the 2024 season.

Whether Adja Kane ever makes it over to the Big Apple, who knows? But the talent is there, and, for now, she seems to be the final move of the New York Liberty’s offseason, as they try to go back-to-back in 2025.

Their regular-season opener is at Barclays Center; they'll face the Las Vegas Aces on May 17.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/15...ench-stash-with-final-pick-of-2025-wnba-draft

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Summer of Our Lives: ProfessorB’s final grades

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

In his day job, ProfessorB is an award-winning social scientist and Presidential Laureate. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and other major media outlets. But he also dabbles in NetsWorld.

For 20 teams, the NBA season is still underway. But the Brooklyn Nets have finished their year in the shadows, management has put their best face on it, and summer is looming. Nothing left to do but wait hopefully for the draft lottery — and hand out report cards.

Here are some final ratings for each of the 22 players who played at least 100 minutes for the Nets this season. (The team had 27 players under contract at one point or another, tying a franchise record.)

The total ratings are a weighted average of Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM) and LEBRON, two of the NBA’s most trusted overall performance metrics. Both estimate how many points each player added on offense and subtracted on defense per 100 possessions. (Both are imprecise, especially for players with limited minutes, and there are some significant differences between them. The LEBRON ratings are slower to update and therefore less extreme overall. Nonetheless, the two sets of ratings are highly correlated, and the standard error of the “Total” ratings is about half a point.)

A striking pattern here is the mismatch between minutes and performance. Much of that reflects injuries and trades. But the Nets’ team leaders in total minutes, Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson, kept getting substantial playing time despite being among the team’s worst performers all season. The same could be said for Tyrese Martin and even Nic Claxton, who was consistently outplayed by Day’Ron Sharpe. Jordi Fernandez started his coaching career preaching “winning habits” and promising that all his players would have to “earn” their minutes—but sometimes that’s not how things turn out in the NBA.

At the other end of the spectrum, four of the Nets’ eight best players were traded or waived during the season. Such is the cost of tanking. Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder, and Ben Simmons were all veterans on expiring contracts and presumably not in the team’s future plans, anyway. In exchange for these three, the Nets got D’Angelo Russell, an injured De’Anthony Melton, flyers on Reece Beekman and Maxwell Lewis, and a handful of second-round draft picks.

Killian Hayes was a more puzzling case. The 23-year-old performed surprisingly well on a ten-day contract when the team was desperate for a healthy point guard, posting 9.5 assists and just 2.8 turnovers per 100 possessions. Even his shooting was slightly above team average (true-shooting .559), a significant improvement over the .456 true-shooting that got him bounced from Detroit. Yet Hayes was let go at the end of his ten days—one day too late to be eligible for another team’s playoff roster. Unless he got some sort of quiet promise from the Nets for next season, he was a victim of cruel NBA roster math.

Implications for the off-season? The Nets’ three restricted free agents—Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Ziaire Williams—were all among the top five players still on the roster at season’s end. Expect all three to be back on tradeable contracts next year. Trendon Watford is an unrestricted free agent, but the coaching staff seems enamored with his versatility and potential, and he may well be back, too. Dariq Whitehead had trouble staying on the court and Noah Clowney had trouble living up to the hype from his rookie season; but both are young and promising—and on relatively cheap guaranteed deals. Russell says he wants to return, and he might if the price is right; however, he is essentially interchangeable with several other veteran point guards, including Schroder.

The summer holds more uncertainty for several young Nets with unguaranteed (or only lightly guaranteed) contracts. The most consistent performer among them was Tosan Evbuomwan, a 24-year-old wing on a two-way deal. Wilson, Johnson, Martin, Lewis, and Drew Timme all showed flashes at times, but none really proved that he belongs in the NBA. Which, if any, return may depend on who the Nets add in the draft.

Perhaps the most depressing takeaway from these ratings is the dearth of demonstrated talent on the Nets’ roster from top to bottom. Over the course of the season, no Net was even a full point better than an average NBA player. Most of them were at least a full point worse. (A bit of perspective: MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was 7.5 points better than an average player by this combined measure.) Cam Johnson’s improvement was a bright spot, but it only made him “a quality rotation player” (ranked 111-120) in The Athletic’s end-of-season rating of NBA players.

Sean Marks talks about “being systematic and strategic in how we build.” This season’s results underline the need for patience. The Nets have dug their hole, but have barely begun to lay their foundation.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/16/24409756/summer-of-our-lives-professorbs-final-grades

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Summer of our lives: Brooklyn Nets profess their belief in Jordi Fernández, #Culture

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

It was the most unified day of exit interviews for the Brooklyn Nets in years, and no matter what those on the outside think, those in uniform believe in this franchise.

Sean Marks may have given the most important comments of the day at Brooklyn Nets exit interviews on Monday, but one consistent theme emerged among the players: They want to be back.

Brooklyn only has six players under fully guaranteed contracts for the 2025-26 season; the other nine are either free agents or have some sort of club option. In any case, given Brooklyn’s successful hoarding of cap space for this summer, their fates are controlled by the Nets. If Sean Marks wants D’Angelo Russell and Trendon Watford back — even though those two are unrestricted — he has the space to do it.

Furthermore, Marks said, “I do think it is important to have guys under contract that you control the contracts, so to speak. You drafted them, you developed them, and they got to their second contract under your watch. It’s difficult when you’re trying to acquire max-level talent on max contracts.”

The entire landscape of the league, much less one team, can change over an offseason. But for now, all signs are pointing to Brooklyn running back largely the same roster next season, plus some rookies.

I know, I know. The hardcore realists among you will point out that exit interviews are nothing more than hours of lip-service. To agents, to potential future teams, to fans, whoever.

Even with that in mind, 2025 exit interviews were markedly different than those of previous years. Players were wholly unified in their spirit, in their praise of Head Coach Jordi Fernández, and their opinion on the culture Brooklyn professes to be building. And thus, as you’ll see, in their desire to be on the 2026 Nets.

(Individual interviews have been trimmed. Questions have been paraphrased.)

Cam Johnson​

Q: Now a vet coming off a career year, do you go to Sean Marks and ask if you’re getting traded? What are those conversations like?

A: “Definitely, definitely go to him and ask, because I have a very vested interest in what we’re doing here. I feel like I’ve put a lot of effort into trying to be a part of this program, and I take that very seriously. And I feel like I’ve also been given a responsibility to have that approach. I would definitely like to know everything that’s going on and I understand that I’m not going to be let in on every decision or have say in every decision. But I would like to know going forward.”

Q: How do you square being a veteran leader for rebuild with desire to contend?

A: “I think the point I’d make to that is I feel like I’m growing right alongside of them. I don’t feel in any way, shape, or form that I’m a finished product myself ... We’re all working, we’re all trying to get better, we’re all chasing something. So yeah, obviously I wanna win. Bottom line. I play this game because I like to win. I hate losing, it does not sit well with me, but I can also find silver linings in situations. And one thing that I’ll always do is put my head down and work and try to be a better player and teammate and all of those things. So I can pivot and focus on those things, and I think I have to some extent. Obivously I would like to get back to winning as quick as possible, but in the meantime, I’m gonna enjoy every moment of chasing it, because that’s what makes it feel even better, is when you really gotta work for it.”

Takeaways: I saw Cam Johnson in the hallways the day after the trade deadline passed, and he had big ol’ smile on his face and mentioned he was happy to still be in Brooklyn. All off-the-record stuff. Obviously, trade talks will begin again this summer, but all the above seems genuine. He also praised Fernández and the spirit of the team this season.

Cam Thomas​

Q: What’s your relationship with Jordi like compared to beginning of season?

A: “I think now we’re in a really good spot. A great spot, actually. It’s great. I love Jordi, because I learned a lot from him. I can’t wait to run it back next year with him, if that is the case. We’ll see. But, it’s definitely been great learning from him, for sure. I think we are in a great spot, a great relationship. Just want to keep building that and keep growing.”

Q: You said that getting drafted to the Nets was a “match made in heaven.” Do you still feel that way?

A: “I never wavered from that. I always felt like this was a great fit for me. Just seeing the team, even with the team at the time, it was a great fit. For me, obviously, I would’ve loved to play more, get more run. But, it was just part of the league, part of the business. I understood, but I never wavered. I always loved playing here, even when I got the opportunity to play in front of fans, everybody in the arena. I got excited when I was out there playing, scoring. I definitely love playing in Barclays, playing in front of everybody. Even now, I’m just playing freely, playing with a green light, I would say. So, just experiencing that has been great, but definitely never wavered from the match made in heaven that I said on draft day. It still applies to this day for me.”

Takeaways: Thomas also re-iterated that his hamstring injuries were “flukes” and that the team identity this year was “dope,” while giving standard non-answers about free agency. But for the first time in his career, Thomas was effusive with praise for his coach, and probably the most outwardly happy he’s been to be a Net thus far.

Day’Ron Sharpe​

Q: What’s your mindset heading into free agency?

A: “I’m new to this so whatever happens, happens. God willing — I like Brooklyn — so God willing [I’ll be back].”

Q: Do you want to find a situation with more playing time/starts in RFA?

A: “I don’t really look at starting and the bench type of thing. I just look at the minutes, I already know. So if I have to play 18, I have to play 18. If I have to play 14, I have to play 14. If I have to play 30, I have to play 30. You know, it’s whatever I can get. I always just look at it as: There’s people who want to be in my position every day that hoop. Some guys don’t even play, and I used to be in a position where I didn’t play at all.”

Q: Takeaways from Jordi and his staff?

A: “They speak life instead of trying to bring us down, even when we mess up. He tells us if we mess up, don’t take it hard on yourself, that type of thing. He’s always trying to speak life into us and do the right things and play better and play hard. So, that’s what I like the most.”

Takeaways: Sharpe mentioned the challenge of starting the season injured, saying he’s still ten pounds above his ideal weight. But the man of few, often direct words reflected on growing up in the NBA, and going through that journey in Brooklyn, a place he wants to be.

D’Angelo Russell​

Q: What do you see from Jordi and the foundation?

A: “I’ve seen it over the years, you know, just with teams that are trying to shift their direction and their identity and build a culture. I think every way he’s went about doing it, first with just gathering the guys and getting them to believe. When I came here not too long ago, I felt that, you know, everybody believed in their coach. And you saw it, from all the staff to all the players, to Sean, all those guys believe in coach. So to see what he was doing behind the scenes, to kind of make that go.

“It was that genuine feel that he has. He gives you that vibe that you want to play for him. So, with the talent and the group that the guys that were here this year, they’ll have that chip on their shoulders going into next season. All credit to the work and the staff here as well.”

Q: Takeaways from Jordi and his staff?

A: “I just think the care factor is there, you know, from everybody. And I felt that, and I think that’s a start, you know, when you’re trying to build something. Guys gotta care first, and just from the personalities of players in here, you can tell all the guys have that personality. Obviously the team, the staff, and everybody, the analytics that go into who they bring into this building from everybody, I think there’s this care factor that each individual person has.”

Takeaways: Russell previously stated his desire to return to Brooklyn next season, and hardly spoke about free agency. But in his role as a sort of sage outsider, he clarified what makes Fernández & Co. unique.

Nic Claxton​

Q: What was this season like for you?

A: “It was a very humbling season. It was a lot of highs, a lot of lows for me, just physically, mentally, spiritually, everything.”

Q: How was dealing with your back injury this season?

A: “I still need to get it right. It’s still still bothering me, honestly. But right now, we got the whole offseason, I was still able to play 70 games. So that’s a blessing, being able to do that three years in a row. I don’t take that for granted, no major injuries.”

Q: What does getting it right look like? Procedures?

A: No, nothing major. I'm gonna get it right. I got a plan to get it right. No surgeries though, [knocks on wood].

Takeaways: Claxton praised Brooklyn’s “process” this season, opining that the foundation has been set and they’re on the right track, but man, you don’t like to hear that about his back. However it shouldn’t be surprising, saying he expected to be a “long-term” issue and received an epidural during the season. Keep that in mind when inevitable trade rumors pop up.

Other quotes​

Ziaire Williams, the last of the 2021 first-round picks on the roster, and thus another restricted free agent, said, “I appreciate Jordi just being consistent. Every day he was just — he’s always gonna tell you exactly how it is, straight up, and that’s how I was taught and raised. So I love that method. I think it’s really the only method to winning, is holding each other accountable and just being there for one another. So yeah, credit to Jordi man. He’s an amazing job so far, and we proved to people, you know, that we’re a special team, and we got a lot of potential.”

Trendon Watford vouched for Fernández as well, calling him a “great” coach to play for, echoing previous responses. As for his free agency, Watford said: “I know we gotta have some talks or whatever coming up soon, but I enjoy being here. I like what we got going on.”

Noah Clowney showed up with a cast on his right wrist, a surprise to all in the media room. He said he underwent a “minor” procedure, and between that and the wrist, just wants to focus on strengthening all parts of his body this offseason.

Keon Johnson had my favorite insight of the day, later adding that his 20-acre ranch holds 25 goats, for now...

Keon Johnson is excited to go back to his ranch in Dallas.

"Agriculture was my major ... I kind of want to be a farmer once basketball is over. Just be out on my own land, have my own vibe. But the goal would be to eventually get into aquaponics, hydroponic , fish farming."

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

---

Whether it’s Ziaire Williams telling reporters “we” have a lot of potential, or Day’Ron Sharpe and Cam Thomas openly yearning to be back in Brooklyn, part one of this process seems to have been a success.

Jordi Fernández instilled a culture, albeit with guys fighting for their NBA lives, that players wanted to be a part of.

To be clear, this may be the jumping off point for any rebuild, but it is also the least crucial part. It does not matter unless Sean Marks acquires the talent to don these uniforms, and that’s what this summer is about. The Detroit Pistons not only lost 27 straight games last year with a terrible culture, but hired a new coach and signed Tobias Harris, and are suddenly in the playoffs with a great vibe. The common denominator: Cade Cunningham.

Alas, as Brooklyn lies in wait, they met that low bar in 2024-25. They hired the right head coach and got the right guys in the building.

Those guys may be in the building next year, too.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/16...ofess-their-belief-in-jordi-fernandez-culture

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

‘Braille for Sports:’ Brooklyn Nets announce tactile broadcasts for future home games

Brooklyn’s making its games more accessible and a bit of history at the same time

Even after closing the book on a season only a handful of days ago, the Brooklyn Nets are still doing their part to grow the game of basketball, specifically with how its consumed.

Thursday, in partnership with Ticketmaster and OneCourt, the team announced it’ll begin offering what’s called “braille for sports,” tactile broadcasts to blind and low vision fans during home games at Barclays Center free of charge.

Powered by technology from OneCourt, a Seattle-based startup, the tactile broadcast communicates live gameplay data audibly via an earpiece with live updates on the score and play outcomes. It also does so haptically: trackable vibrations that occur on tablet-sized devices. Collectively, this allows blind and low vision fans to follow along with the on-court action.

The technology was first used by the Portland Trail Blazers, as NBC News reported in February:

Now, the Nets are bringing the technology and opportunity to the East.

“All sports fans should be able to enjoy the in-arena, live action experience of their favorite sports teams, regardless of ability, and our collaboration with OneCourt will help unlock an entirely new world for blind and low vision fans,” said Keia Cole, Chief Digital Officer at BSE Global.

“Thanks to our partners at Ticketmaster, we are proud to bring OneCourt’s devices to the East Coast as we continue leading with a fan-first philosophy, ensuring that Barclays Center continues to remain an accessible and inclusive environment for everyone.”

Brooklyn is the first East Coast professional sports team to offer the style of broadcast. Others NBA teams currently featuring it include the Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns. At this time, it’s only available for home Nets games.

“OneCourt is proud to partner with the Brooklyn Nets and Ticketmaster to bring our tactile broadcast to Barclays Center, expanding our reach within the NBA,” said Jerred Mace, Chief Executive Officer at OneCourt. “The rapid growth we’ve experienced is a reflection of OneCourt’s impact on fans. It’s a privilege to work with partners who share our belief that sports should be inclusive, immersive, and truly for everyone.”

At the end of the 2024-25 season, Brooklyn invited individuals from VISIONS - Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired to a handful of games to pilot the tech, gathering feedback on their experiences in the process.

“So many blind and low vision sports fans choose to not attend live games because they feel that they are missing out on the live visual experience that is happening,” said Mike Cush, Chief Program Officer at VISIONS. “With OneCourt, blind and low vision patrons can ‘feel’ what is happening on the court and not have to rely on sighted assistance to know what is going on during a game.”

“As a blind basketball fan myself, I found OneCourt to be a ‘game changer’ in how I experience a live game,” Cush went on. “Kudos to the Nets for incorporating this technology and giving blind and low vision basketball fans a fully immersive experience.”

That extra mile which grants physically impaired fans an improved experience is something the Nets have traveled down before. In 2021, the ‘Clays became the first sports arena to open a designated sensory room for fans who may need a quieter, more secure environment during events. It also provides various support services including assistive listening devices, captioning, and audio descriptions.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/17...unce-tactile-broadcasts-for-future-home-games

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

After quarter century, Frank DiGraci bids farewell to YES Network, but not Nets fans

He’s been grandmaster of the YES Truck and Nets-on-YES talent whisperer. The man behind the curtain. Now, Frank DiGraci is moving on from coordinating producer of YES to the same role for NBC’s NBA coverage. We’re honored he chose us to publish his farewell.

If you’ve watched Nets games on the YES Network, you know me. Ian and Sarah have given me three names: Producer Frank DiGraci.

The man behind the scenes that navigates each broadcast while leading an outstanding crew. Replays, sponsors, music, storylines all come from the Nets on YES truck as we hope to provide an entertaining and informative experience for you, the viewer. This past Sunday was my final game in the chair after 26 seasons of covering Nets basketball. I’m moving on to be the Coordinating Producer for the NBA on NBC. But before I go I’d like to share some memories.

I’ve produced over 1800 games during my time in New Jersey and Brooklyn. three stand out.

Game 5 vs Indiana May 2, 2002: The Greatest Game in Nets history. The electricity and intensity of a fourth quarter was felt right from the opening tip. Indiana was not a normal 8-seed in this win or go home matchup. It was tied at halftime, the end of the third, end of regulation and after the first overtime. We only had overtime because Reggie Miller tied it at the fourth quarter horn on a halfcourt shot that should not have counted. The game spurred a rule change as Steve Hellmuth from the NBA invented putting the LED lights around the backboard and the scorer’s table the next season. Then Miller ties it again with a dunk in OT. But Jason Kidd wills his team to a 120-109 victory in Double OT. A game that changed the direction of the franchise and spurred the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals runs.

Shootout vs Suns Dec. 7, 2006: This was the “7 seconds or less” run-and-gun Suns with Steve Nash in his prime. One night in December, the Nets decide to run with them. Two overtimes, 318 points, 34 lead changes, 21 ties and some classic moments. The Nets outscored the Suns 43-41 in the fourth quarter! Yet Steve Nash tied it with a three with 2.1 left in regulation. Kidd just missed winning it at the end of the first OT. Boris Diaw hit the game-winner with 14.1 left. The Suns won 161-157 in double overtime in a game that is still the Nets record for most points scored and most points allowed. Kidd had 38 pts, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. Nash 42 points and 13 assists. This also airs as a Classic on NBA TV every summer.

Harris halfcourt fling vs Sixers Feb. 23, 2009: 1.8 seconds left. Nets down one with no timeouts. Devin Harris makes a half-court, Hail Mary heave at the buzzer. The refs rule it no good. The replay center in Secaucus hadn’t been invented yet, so the referees would come to the table to talk to the home truck. After a two-and-a-half minute review, using the YES Network replays, we show it was good by 1/30th of one second. The Nets erupt in joy with a 98-96 win. The Newark Star-Ledger headline read “The YES Network proved Harris got the shot off in time.” It was the first game in NBA History using instant replay to have a shot go from “no good” to “good!”

There have been plenty of memorable experiences:​

• The excitement after the Stephon Marbury trade.
• I was the first person to meet Jason Kidd after his trade to the Nets. We were both at the Celebrity Golf Tournament in Lake Tahoe. Then I went to Oakland to interview his Mom. She said on and off camera, “You are going to win. Jason plays hard. EVERY night.” She knew!
• The excitement after the Vince Carter trade.
• Living through 12-70.
• Going to London for first ever NBA Regular Season games back in Europe in 2011. Going back in 2014.
• The entire process for the move to Brooklyn. Broadcasting the actual first game vs Toronto after Sandy postponed the scheduled opener vs the Knicks.
• Joe Johnson Buzzer-Beaters.
• The excitement of the summer of 2019.
• The NBA stopped on March 11, 2020 with us in San Francisco. The Bubble of 2020.
• Vince Carter Night

...and people:

Head Coaches (15): John Calipari, Don Casey, Byron Scott, Lawrence Frank, Kiki Vandeweghe, Avery Johnson, PJ Carlesimo, Jason Kidd, Lionel Hollins, Tony Brown, Kenny Atkinson, Jacque Vaughn, Steve Nash, Vaughn again, Kevin Ollie, Jordi Fernandez.

General Managers (4): John Nash, Rod Thorn, Billy King, Sean Marks.

...and plays:

Memorable Plays from great players:

• Stephon Marbury: 50-point game vs the Lakers.
• Jason Kidd: The volleyball tip pass to RJ and the circus shot over his head vs Chicago.
• Kenyon Martin: Blocks Dwyane Wade with two hands and catches the ball ... plus any dunk from Kidd.
• Richard Jefferson: Game-winner vs Cleveland with 42 points plus the game-winning shot and defense in Game 6 vs Raptors in the playoffs.
• Vince Carter: Jam over Zo, reverse alley-oop at Orlando & his 2 buzzer beaters.
• Devin Harris: The Philly shot and 40-point game vs the Mavs as the crowd chants “Thank you, Cuban”.
• Joe Johnson: Double OT Buzzer beater vs Detroit. “That was real. And that was spectacular.”
• Deron Williams: 57-point game at Charlotte.
• Brook Lopez: Becoming Nets all-time leading scorer in his last game as a Net.
• Paul Pierce: Game 1 at Toronto in 2014 playoffs. “That’s why they got me here.”
• Kyrie Irving: 50-point game in his Nets debut. 60-point game in Orlando two days after being allowed to sit courtside at Barclays but not play because he was unvaccinated. And he watched Durant drop 53 on the Knicks!
• James Harden: Point guard vision we haven’t seen since Kidd. Shattering Nets records.
• Kevin Durant. Game 5 and Game 7 vs Milwaukee. 49 points in 48 minutes of Game 5. 48 points in 53 minutes of Game 7. And both toes on the line away from the Nets advancing.

Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets honor iconic YES Network producer Frank DiGraci prior to his last game in the role: pic.twitter.com/zYRgQeGAHh

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) April 13, 2025​

In sports television, the Executives are like General Managers. They put the team together. The Talent are like the Players in that both have to perform. And the Producer is the Head Coach who’s job is to put the Talent in the best position to succeed. I am extremely proud of the men and women who have called our games, with many being national voices. I’ve worked with:

Play-by-Play: Ian Eagle, Mike Crispino, Spero Dedes, Marv Albert, Ryan Ruocco, Chris Carrino, Noah Eagle, Justin Shackil, Chris Shearn, Michael Kay & John Sterling (1 game each).

Analysts: Bill Raftery, Jim Spanarkel, Kelly Tripucka, Mark Jackson, Mike Fratello, Tim Capstraw, Greg Anthony, Donny Marshall, Sarah Kustok, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter, Frank Isola, Kevin Loughery (1 game).

Reporters: Matt Loughlin, Mike Crispino, Leslie Boghosian, Michelle Beadle, Jessica Taff, Sarah Kustok, Michael Grady, Meghan Triplett, Chris Shearn, Andy Adler, Julianne Vianni-Braen.

Wacky Moments, Too:​

• The charter plane won’t start on a cold/windy night in Milwaukee and John Calipari personally took food off the plane to bring back for everyone at the hotel.

*We were to trying to beat a blizzard going to Chicago early in the morning but while on the runway, the airport shuts down. Now the crew needs eight hours rest. The entire team and traveling party go back to the Meadowlands Sheraton for the day. When it’s time to leave, we can’t board because the driver locked his keys in the bus. He breaks a window, we get to the plane and finally take off at 11 p.m. We lost the day game the next day.

• The truck losing power and missing the first half of a game at Izod Center. It happened once at Barclays too.
• “Bloopers,” “sitters,” “wedgies” and “spillage.” Oh, we loved spillage. None better than Mason Plumlee in Washington and a gentle tap knocking over an entire tray of beer on the court.

Elements created: Bill Raftery’s “Onions” cartoon. Mark Jackson’s “You’re Better Than That”, :Where’s Michelle Beadle?,” “Spalding” the YES Network basketball, “Ask the Announcers,” “Wear Brooklyn At?” ”Who Am I?,” “Catching Up with Kustok,” “Pick and Poll,” “I Did Not Know That” (Michael Grady)

Through the years: We’ve gone from 1-inch tape machines to hard drives that continually record all the action. Slo-mo replays to Super Slo-Mo to YES-Mo. Standard Definition to High Definition. World Feeds and a whole season without traveling. 1,700 fans to end the 2021 regular season to 15,000 for Game 1 of the Vaccinated playoffs.

Then, there’s Ian​

You know Ian Eagle as an amazing, extremely prepared and talented broadcaster who has been calling Nets games for 31 seasons. He doesn’t have one signature call. He has a library! “Big Finish,” “Rack Attack,” ”Book it,” “Imaginary Ladder,” the list is endless and always creative. He also says “Ricochet” once a game to test if the truck is listening! I’ve known him since the late 90’s and can tell you he is an even better man off the air. You will not find a more kind, generous, egoless person in this business. And funny. He is very funny! A mentor and a life coach for so many and someone you can count on no matter what.

The best night of my career was being able to celebrate this great man on Ian Eagle Night for his 25th Anniversary. I won’t be producing Nets games with Bird any longer. But I know I have a friend for life.

The mantra he taught me and we worked on as a team all these years was to always focus on the basketball game first. Give the viewer at home insight and knowledge about their favorite team. Everything you needed to know about the Nets - on and off the court - you would get on our show. Then we sprinkle in some bits and humor to keep the viewer engaged. To create the feeling that you better not turn the channel because you don’t know what will happen next. And when it got tense, we could match the intensity and rise to the occasion with our storytelling. In the end, we were putting on a show while covering a game.

Thank you for watching. It’s been the ride of a lifetime.

——————————————

As we noted, It’s an honor to host Frank’s farewell. What he did for a quarter century and what he wrote about today should bring a smile or a tear ... or both. So much of our collective memories as fans, as fathers and sons and mothers and daughters, as brothers and sisters, as friends was his work ... “Did you see...?!?” Our appreciation of those who are so familiar to us now — both Eagles, Sarah, Ryan, RJ, Chris, Frank, and Vince, etc. etc. — is due to his skills as a recruiter, a mentor, an extraordinary producer ... and ultimately as a friend.

Frank says he will be watching the Brooklyn Nets and when they appear on NBC Sports producing them. That will be Frank’s next great evening ... and ours. Thank you. Frank.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/17...ids-farewell-to-yes-network-but-not-nets-fans

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Drew Timme named second team All-G League

Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images

The three-time Gonzaga All-American picked up another accolade this week when he was named All-G League.

Drew Timme who went from averaging 11.9 points and shooting 12.5% from three with the Stockton Kings to 23.9 points and shooting 38.5% from three with the Long Island Nets this year — and earning an NBA contract in the process — has been named to the All-G League second team.

The Long Island Nets announced the accolade...

Congrats to our guy @drew_timme2 on being named All-NBA G League Second Team! Timme becomes the second Long Island player in franchise history to receive the Second Team honor after averaging 23.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 35.6 minutes per game during the 2024-25… pic.twitter.com/NRLxoWv6Fq

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) April 17, 2025​

Timme quickly became the star of the Long Island Nets after he was traded by the Kings affiliate at the end of December in a three-team deal that sent Amari Bailey to the Iowa Wolves.

To compare, he was averaging 19.3 minutes per game with Stockton, putting up 11.9 points 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists before the December 30 deal. He had shot only 12.5% from deep, putting up only one attempt a game. Once in Long Island, those numbers essentially doubled across the board. The 6’10” 24-year-old averaged 23.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 57.4% overall and 38.5% from three, averaging nearly three attempts.

On March 28, Timme was called up by Brooklyn and signed to two-year, $2,1 million contract with a team option for next season. With the big club, he surprised, averaging 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 28.7 minutes over nine games, starting two of them.

“It’s great to find a place where you’re given an opportunity to really be able to show what you have,” Timme told NetsDaily at the time. “It’s exactly what I wanted when the trade went through and I couldn’t be more happy to be here.”

In his next to last G League game, he put up 50 points shooting 18-of-21 shots and hitting the winning shot in overtime as Long Island defeated the Motor City Cruise. That won him the G League Player of the Week.

Timme went undrafted in 2023 NBA Draft despite being named to the AP All-American team three times, the last year earning first team honors and being named the Karl Malone Award winner as college basketball’s best power forward. He took Gonzaga to the NCAA championship game in 2021.

Among Timme’s AP All-American teammates in 2023 was Jalen Wilson who became his Nets teammate. Timme and Wilson have known each other since third game in the Dallas area.

• Nets’ Drew Timme selected to 2024-25 All-NBA G League second team - Sharif Phillips-Keaton - USA Today

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/4/18/24410156/drew-timme-named-second-team-all-g-league