Nets wing Cam Thomas isn’t letting the drama surrounding Kyrie Irving affect his outlook for the 2022/23 season and said this weekend that he won’t think any less of his star teammate if Kyrie pushes to be traded elsewhere, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Irving has been spotted at multiple Las Vegas Summer League games, but didn’t attend the Nets’ contests on Friday or Sunday.
“Kyrie’s my guy. Whatever’s his choices, that’s a choice,” Thomas said. “So I still keep in contact with him. That’s my guy. So whatever he does, that’ll still be my guy, my brother. So, it is what it is; it’s part of the business.”
While Thomas said he wasn’t bothered by Irving not showing up to the Nets’ Summer League games, he did praise three-time All-Star Ben Simmons for coming out to watch some of his young teammates on Sunday vs. Philadelphia.
“Yeah that’s big to have somebody of that stature come out and support us as the young guys. That makes us feel good. It makes us happy to play,” Thomas said. “So kudos to Ben for coming out here and watching us play.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Nets general manager Sean Marks and Heat GM Andy Elisburg were seen talking in Las Vegas on Monday, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links), who says the two GMs are “going beyond cursory conversation” by dining together. Miami is, of course, considered one of Kevin Durant‘s preferred landing spots, so any discussions between the two front offices are worth keeping an eye on.
- The new contract Edmond Sumner signed with the Nets is a two-year, minimum-salary contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who tweets that the second year is non-guaranteed.
- Nic Claxton‘s new two-year contract with Brooklyn, initially reported to be worth $20MM, actually has a base value of $17.25MM, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. The deal includes $2,587,500 in total unlikely incentives, so if Claxton earns all those bonuses, he could end up making nearly $20MM across the two seasons.
- A second-round pick in 2021, forward RaiQuan Gray signed a G League contract and spent his rookie season with the Long Island Nets in the G League, so Brooklyn still controls his NBA rights. As Lewis writes for The New York Post, Gray has worked hard to get into better shape and show the Nets that he deserves a shot at an NBA roster spot this fall.
Nets fans would cry if Miami ended up landing KD. They have nothing of value if Bam can’t be included.
Let’s say Durant has a value of 10
Lowry is 0
Robinson is 0
Herro is 2 [expiring contract]
0 means neutralized
It needs two other teams to offer assets? 4 team deal
Highly unlikely to happen
Trade value sample to whoever gets KD
All star Wiggins
Rising star Poole
Filler Wiseman
With Herro, the allure is potential upside. But, while Herro has a good chance to be a regular as an All Star caliber player, usually trades like this that involve trading good pieces for a top Superstar, the return usually doesn’t match the Superstar because Superstars give you a legit shot for a championship while good pieces just make you better as a team, but not impacting a championship possibility. Brooklyn needs to face that reality.
I’ve been wondering for a while now whether Kyrie is considered Cam Thomas’s guy.
Yeah, that wasn’t clear from the quote. Is Kyrie Cam Thomas’s guy?
Either that, or brother. But guy is said more. Simmons is merely kudos, not to the guy level.
Cam Thomas learns to play the Point …..
Look Out ……
The Nets should do nothing. KD is under contract for 4 years. Even if Kyrie leaves next off season they can use the space to bring in another star or use Simmons as trade bait.
Maybe Marks and Elisburg both like the same cuisine. Or maybe Marks wants it on record that he spoke with MIA about KD, since MIA was one of KD’s two preferred stops. Anyway, Marks is too smart to deal KD for whatever MIA might offer. It’s possible for a team to be good, without having valuable trade assets and that’s MIA right now.
Sean Marks played for the Heat. Could just be old relationships
Simmons is practicing his role with the Nets, watching and cheering his teammates on.
I agree. Kudos to Ben Simmons.
Guy has watched a lot of basketball this past year, so sticking it out and watching even more in the summer is commendable.
It seems completely outlandish that Miami would have enough to get KD unless Simmons is moved or a third team is involved (or both).
I think Boston actually makes the most sense here. Brown + Pritchard + the 4 picks/3 swaps
Brooklyn gets an All Star to wing to reboot around on the fly.
KD joins a team that has the assets to get him while still being a prohibitive favorite to win a ring.
I don’t think you can say that about any potential deal for Miami, Phoenix or even Toronto
Agree, Mia has nothing currently to compete for KD
Bos indeed has the assets, but damn they turn key as is
Always gotta think about KD but it’s reasonable to just pass if Bos
Brown’s only got 2 years left, if he’d agree to an ext BIG value but just the 2 years makes it risky for the Nets .
I think Phx and Tor has the pieces, New Orleans too- OKC ironically doesn’t have the match abilities due to kemba problems. Ida loved that wildcard scenario
** I could see Pat trading for Kyrie under the covet they send out Lowry and/or Robinson in the same deal/linked deals.
It serves 2 fold, clears Mia’s 24 and beyond cap and prolly gives 23 a better chance as well. I think he’d put up some draft capital for that scenario and weather a year of KI. Hard part would be finding the lowry/duncan suitors
Nets blew it by not going after Ayton. Ayton and Bridges should have been the move.
Can’t even do that trade.
I have no source on this hunch but, something feels off with adding KD to a Jimmy Butler led team. It’s not going to happen. PHX is a more sensible option for Ayton, Bridges, and picks and filler. And he fits better with book and cp3 imo. They need him. We got Jimmy.
The only way KD ends up on the Suns involving Ayton is three separate trades. And one is Ben Simmons being dealt.
Would Harrison Barnes, Dav Mitchell , filler and 2 lightly protected 1st’s be enough for you to trade Ben Simmons today?
I think your getting .80 cents on the dollar at best but does an offer like that even qualify? I don’t think his market would be huge but could be even smaller if he has a terrible first half next year.
Tricky call all around , if Bam or Booker is at stake in a KD trade it makes it easier but on the surface you have to sell low here if you do put him on the market
Whoever gets Durant is gonna way overpay . Lol
Sean Marks played for the Heat. Could just be old relationships. They also have to work something out with OKC on removing protections on their 2025 pick to even be able to trade enough picks for KD, but I would assume sending them cash in a deal would do that. If so, Lowry, Herro, Strus, Jovic 3 picks and swaps would be their best possible offer. While not as strong as a couple of the other potential offers I’ve mentioned, it’s still very doable, consider a couple of those other ones also have more hurdles involved, and a couple of those teams probably wouldnt be willing to make those deals
That being said, in that scenario, the Heat would have to sign a couple of remaining FAs, and the main guy I would have loved to bring home was Dragic, before he signed with the Bulls, so they would have to figure out a scoring guard, still grab an option at the 4, and probably a wing shooter. I would also assume they would sign another defensive type guard like Marcus Garrett for depth. Not that it matters right now. Obviously, if you get KD those things can be figured out…I just dont like the idea of conti using to have to wait, while potential necessary pieces go elsewhere
Best place for KD is OKC.