Brooklyn’s signing of Donald Sloan could turn out to be a small gamble that pays off big, according to NetsDaily.com. Sloan has bounced around the league during his six-year career, but he showed promise in limited playing time with the Pacers last season, starting a career-high 21 games. His toughness on the court, combined with his ball-handling abilities, could earn him a spot in the Nets’ backcourt. Sloan signed a one-year minimum deal with Brooklyn last week and will make just $50,000 if he is waived before the season starts. The website notes that the addition of Sloan provides another obstacle for rookie Ryan Boatright to make the team.
There’s more news out of Brooklyn:
- The extension given to Bruce Ratner and Forest City Enterprises to resolve their debt to Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov could be a signal that a deal is coming soon, NetsDaily speculates in the same story. Payment of the $31.3MM debt has been delayed for a month, marking the second time the deadline has been extended. The website notes the “general belief” is that Prokhorov would like to buy out Ratner’s stake in the Nets and Barclays Center. “The team is obviously on the auction block, and my guess is they are extending this agreement because there might be a deal close at hand,” said stock analyst Paul E. Adornato of BMO Capital Markets Inc. “What this tells me is that there could be a larger deal for the sale of the team and the sale of the arena.” It is uncertain whether Prokhorov will keep the team for long if he obtains full control.
- Willie Reed was able to parlay an impressive summer league game into a contract with the Nets, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Playing for Miami’s entry in the Orlando Summer League, Reed posted 17 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes against Brooklyn, impressing the organization that cut him in training camp last season. “I obviously knew some of the guys who were there [for Brooklyn], the young core, and I was upset that I was the only person who was waived last year,” Reed said. “But I understand that this is a business. … I just tried to get better throughout the D-League season, and I was able to become the No. 1 D-League prospect and become really consistent. … It all worked out; I had a great game against them and a great summer league.”