The Nets have released Dariq Whitehead and Drew Timme, the team announced on Monday (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).
Whitehead being cut is significant because his $3,262,560 salary for 2025/26 is fully guaranteed, meaning the Nets will now carry a dead-money cap hit. Assuming he clears waivers, Whitehead’s $5,366,912 team option for 2026/27 will be declined as part of the transaction.
A 6’7″ wing, Whitehead was a highly touted high school recruit who has dealt with several injuries over the past few years. Brooklyn selected Whitehead 22nd overall in the 2023 draft after he spent one season at Duke, but the 21-year-old has only played in 22 NBA games over the past two seasons, averaging 5.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per contest.
Timme, who had a decorated college career at Gonzaga, went undrafted in 2023 and spent most of the past two seasons in the G League. He was promoted to a two-year standard contract in late March after a strong ’24/25 regular season with the Nets’ affiliate team in Long Island.
The Nets picked up their $1,955,377 option on Timme in late June, but his salary was fully non-guaranteed, so they won’t incur a cap hit by waiving him. The 25-year-old forward/center averaged 12.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 2.2 APG in nine games (28.2 MPG) with Brooklyn down the stretch last season. His shooting line was .441/.257/.625.
Since he only has one year of NBA experience, Timme could theoretically return to the Nets on a two-way deal if he goes unclaimed, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links). However, the team has yet to determine if Timme will get that final two-way spot, Lewis reports.
Waiving Whitehead and Timme likely means the Nets are deciding between Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin for their 15th standard roster spot. Wilson has a $88K partial guarantee which will increase to about $382K if he makes the regular season roster, while Martin’s contract is fully non-guaranteed.
Tyrese Martin has been the backup SG for Brooklyn (but on a Non-Guarantee, he should make the team with this news).
They are doing Whitehead a favor by waiving him ahead of the cutdown date, in that he might be able to latch on / get a Two-Way somewhere.
Timme was heading down this path once the Nets drafted Danny Wolf (and acquired Highsmith & Bufkin as salary dumps). They would likely look to keep him on a Two-Way if he clears Waivers.
NETS DEPTH CHART
PG: Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, Kobe Bufkin, Tyson Etienne (TW)
SG: Cam Thomas, Tyrese Martin, Drake Powell (INJ)
SF: Terance Mann, Ziaire Williams, Egor Demin (INJ)
PF: Michael Porter Jr, Noah Clowney, Naywood Highsmith (INJ), E.J. Liddell (TW)
C: Nicholas Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe, Danny Wolf
Zeng Fanbo is currently vying for the open Two-Way spot.
I can see the Nets parting ways with the 26-year old Etienne in favor of Timme.
Oh geez, I completely forgot Jalen Wilson.
Wilson is also non-guaranteed, so there’s still a roster competition going on. It does feel like the Nets would keep both players, but his path to minutes isn’t as clear as Martin’s is. Wilson lead the team in minutes last year, but Mann is likely to absorb most of those.
The next odd-man out could be either Kobe Bufkin (4.5M), or Haywood Highsmith 5.6M).
(Also I made a cute Haywood typo in the OP)
the last spot will come down to Martin or Wilson. This one is hard to handicap. I would think the edge would go to Wilson mostly bc I think Martin would take playing time away from guys like Bufkin, Saraf and Powell, all of whom they need to evaluate. And they drafted Wilson. But Martin has supposedly been playing well. I could see someone trading for Martin.
Man, what a roster… Must be the worst since the sixers during the process years
Even in the East, winning 10 games could be tough for them.
They’ll be more competitive than you think.
I like your depth chart. I would play it differently…to tank
PG. Cam Thomas, Traore, Saraf
SG. Mann, Demin, Martin
SF. Porter, Zhaire Williams, Powell
PF. J Wilson, Clowney, Highsmith TW. Zeng
C . Claxton, Sharpe, Wolf
Waive Etienne, Liddell and Bufkin. Sign two young guys on two way contracts. Sign Martin
Maybe give Keon Johnson and Timme a chance if injuries or trades
Timme hopefully to the Blazers and they can trade or waive either Rupert or Murray. Preferably trade either one of them to somebody for a second round pick.
Portland does have a Two-Way open, and Timme would be an attractive fit there.
Their Centers are Donovan Clingan, rookie Yang Hansen, and Duop Reath.
(With apologies to walking trade exception Robert Williams)
Timme definitely deserves a roster spot somewhere after what he showed with the Nets last year
Definitely a Heat type of pickup.
Roster on a bad team. He wouldn’t get minutes on actual contenders, he will be hunted on the defensive side pnr switched.
Timme will get on a team though just not a good one.
Maybe Dariq would be good for the Kings. They need bigger wings.
The Nets have no players who have played more than 6 seasons. Never seen that before, they better grab Russ or something or else this season is going to be totally lost at sea.
MPJ is maybe the dumbest man in the NBA, off-court IQ is sub-100 (his on-court IQ is significantly higher though). HE is the “veteran presence”? Yikes.
not even remotely close to the truth.
Explain.
wrt to MPJ, that is.
regarding the team’s projection, it’s a developmental year, so they’re not interested in adding another veteran.
I mean I get it, but it just seems extreme to not have at least one guy with a decade in the game. Not MPJ, Claxton and Mann being the oldest guys on the team.
Mann and Highsmith are the oldest players on the team.
I meant most years in the NBA = “oldest”. Cmon you know what I meant.
no idea what you meant. maybe you didn’t know they have Highsmith… idk
I was going off years played in NBA, Highsmith only has 5 seasons, the other 3 I listed have 6.
I didn’t notice that. Oh you are right. Every team should have at least three veterans. Good catch Davey. They definitely should sign Westbrook and another veteran out there
Veteran – 10+ plus years NBA experience and 30 years old or older
Exactly.
Nets never got that memo.
Whitehead is worth looking into. I do wonder why Nets are cutting him. Especially with guaranteed money owed.
lacks nba athleticism post-knee injury
Besides Silver wants everyone running and shooting 3s. Running and shooting 3s. Running and shooting 3s. Running and shooting 3s
Whitehead would be fine
Whitehead has some good 3pt shooting per minute