The Nets‘ Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades earlier this month significantly reduced the team’s star power but have created a deeper roster, resulting in difficult decisions for head coach Jacque Vaughn, as Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post writes.
With Seth Curry back in action on Wednesday following a five-game absence due to a left adductor strain, the Vaughn and the Nets employed a 10-man rotation that left out a couple players who have had regular roles for much of the season. As Sanchez writes, there was no room in that 10-man rotation for Edmond Sumner or Yuta Watanabe in addition to Day’Ron Sharpe or Patty Mills.
Vaughn is happy to use 10 of the Nets’ 14 players (not counting two-ways) for the time being, but expects to tighten the rotation further this spring.
“We’re playing 10 guys right now,” Vaughn said on Wednesday. “Eventually that’s going to whittle down to nine or eight as you get into the playoffs, but I think that’s the biggest thing is being able to utilize the depth.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Although he’s one of the odd men out of the Nets’ new rotation, Mills said he likes the look of the roster in the wake of the trade deadline and remains confident in the team’s chances to make the playoffs. In a conversation with Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the veteran guard made multiple references to the character of the locker room and the off-court bonds between Nets players. “Genuinely, you look around the room and we’ve just got really solid dudes,” Mills said. “(Potential) friendships, (where) you can talk and you can go outside of the basketball court, which I think at the end of the day makes a real impact on what we can do on the court.”
- Given the opportunity to take on a larger role, Nets guard Cam Thomas scored 134 points in a three-game span earlier this month, but he has seen his minutes dip again within the last week, averaging just 19.8 MPG in Brooklyn’s last three games. Thomas, who expressed frustration with his limited playing time early in the season, doesn’t sound thrilled about once again taking a step back, Sanchez writes for The New York Post. “It’s tough,” Thomas said. “From doing one thing and trying to adjust to the team because that’s just what you got to do. It’s tough for sure. So just got to figure it out.”
- Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Bulls center Andre Drummond admitted that he would’ve liked to re-sign with the Nets as a free agent last summer, but turned to the “next best option” when things didn’t work out with Brooklyn. “I definitely wanted to come back, but I think they were going in a different direction, so there was nothing I could really do about that,” said Drummond, who was the Nets’ starting center down the stretch and in the playoffs last spring.
Drummond wouldn’t have been in the starting lineup but he could’ve been in the rotation. They figured Ben was going to enter the mix at center but he really shouldn’t be when he’s a better creator than low post player on offense. Day’Ron Sharpe is not the answer right now. Claxton’s the starter but Ben would match up better on defense against bigs like Embiid and Giannis. Drummond would be better to have now.
The Nets have an open spot they could use for a big, but I think that’s not extremely likely because they don’t want to add to their luxury tax and because they have plenty of unused players as it is. They may decide to use it by March 1 to have someone available for depth during the playoffs. If they want to have a true point guard on the roster, they could sign Chris Chiozza to the main roster but leave him in Long Island where he’s been on fire.
Patty Mills comment = better team chemistry without KD, Kyrie, or both.
“you can go talk outside of the court”
That appears like a shot at the media & the NBA player/media interaction contract & policy more than a shot at Irving & Durant.
Carryover of the AAU mentality… have 3 good games, now you wanna be ranked. 3 good games in high school, now you think you’re a McDonald’s All-American. 3 good games in college, you should be a lottery pick. Now, 3 good games in the league and you’re a max player and the team should be built around you.
Young fella, just stay ready and continue to play good ball!
That’s nor a unfair assessment on the young players in the leauge. On the other hand they are trained to do things in 3 to 5 game burst which does result in elevation when expectations are met.
Nets are 34-24 today. They are the 5th seed right now. With 24 gms left. Will they make playoffs as top 8. Or will they fall out. It’s all about the team now. Sure would be nice to see the real Ben Simmons.
Brooklyn Bridges ……. taking full advantage
They would need top 6 to avoid any play-in games. I think a .500 record or better for the last 24 could get them there, but tiebreakers are going to be important. They got it over Miami. They need to win their last game against the Knicks to guarantee that tiebreaker. I don’t think they’re going to make any major personnel moves, though another big could be helpful. However, since they already have at least four players getting DNP-CDs, it’s not likely that they’ll go out of their way to add anything to their luxury tax payments. They may decide that they want to have depth at point guard, if necessary, for the playoffs. I could see them signing Chris Chiozza, who’s having an amazing season for the LI Nets, to a rest of season contract on March 1, then leaving him in LI until its season and playoffs end.
Drummond just ask for a buy out. He did say he wanted minutes and to start. Noel should asked to be waived
Kinda feel for Cam Thomas.
All he does is ask for minutes and when given he performs. Not saying he’s perfect by any means but he’s only 21, was the 27th pick of his draft and kid can really ball. This years he’s shooting 46-41-86 that’s really efficient. To put that into perspective his team mate Seth Curry is shooting 46-42-97.
Conferring the age difference and potential, I’d be starting Cam Thomas alongside Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges and either Cam or Dorian at PF. He gives the starting 5 a go to scoring option and takes some of that load off Bridges who’s never had to be that guy.
Then off the bench just play around Ben with either Dorian or Cam at the 4, Royce and either Seth Curry, Patty Mills or Joe Harris. Seth is the better shooter, Patty offer shooting and some ball handling and Joe offers shooting plus some alright defence.
Cam deserves his minutes