Andre Roberson

International Notes: Dragic, Knight, Roberson, Topic

At a press conference on Thursday, veteran guard Goran Dragic, who recently announced his retirement, said that he received offers from several EuroLeague teams but didn’t want to play in Europe and leave his children in the United States, per SportKlub (hat tip to BasketNews.com).

Dragic named Olimpia Milano, Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, and Barcelona as some of the teams that had interest in him. However, he had been hoping to work out a deal to remain in the NBA and confirmed he had some discussions with the Heat. After Miami passed on him and no other opportunities arose, the 37-year-old decided to call it a career, noting on Thursday that his left knee isn’t 100% healthy.

Dragic confirmed that he’ll be hosting a farewell event in Ljubljana, Slovenia on August 23 and 24, with NBA stars like Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler expected to attend — Doncic is a fellow Slovenian, while Antetokounmpo and Butler are former NBA teammates. Dragic added that he hasn’t decided what his next career move will be now that he’s finished as a player.

“I want to stay in basketball,” he said. “I don’t see myself as a coach. You are away from home for too long. Maybe in some other role.”

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

  • Longtime NBA guard Brandon Knight has signed with AEK Athens for the rest of the 2023/24 season, the Greek team announced in a press release. Knight, who appeared in 451 regular season NBA games from 2011-22, last played in the league with Dallas during the 2021/22 season. The 32-year-old holds career averages of 14.0 points and 3.9 assists per contest for six teams.
  • Veteran forward Andre Roberson will be competing in this month’s Dubai International Basketball Championship, announcing this week that he’ll be part of the team from the Philippines at the event (Twitter video link). Known as a defensive specialist, Roberson appeared in over 300 regular season NBA games from 2013-21. It appears he’ll be on the same roster in Dubai as Dwight Howard, who has also reportedly committed to play for the Filipino squad.
  • Serbian point guard Nikola Topic, who had been rising up 2024 draft boards of late as he debuted for Crvena Zvezda, suffered a knee injury in his second EuroLeague game and is expected to be out for about six weeks, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Topic is at No. 5 overall in ESPN’s latest prospect rankings for ’24.

Thunder’s G League Affiliate Acquires Andre Roberson

The Oklahoma City Blue, the NBA G League affiliate of the Thunder, has acquired veteran NBA wing Andre Roberson, the team announced (via Twitter).

After being drafted 26th overall in 2013, Roberson spent his first seven seasons with the Thunder. He emerged as one of the league’s top defensive players before a major knee injury and a series of setbacks derailed his career.

Roberson, who turned 31 in December, last played for the Nets during the 2020/21 season, making five appearances. In 307 career regular-season games (269 starts, 22.2 MPG), the very limited offensive player averaged 4.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 0.9 SPG on .473/.253/.468 shooting.

Considering he has played 12 games since January 27, 2018, and his most recent appearance was March 3, 2021, it’s safe to say it’s a long shot that Roberson will make it back to the NBA. Still, it would be a great story if his comeback attempt is successful.

Several 10-Day Contracts Expire; Multiple Teams Have Roster Spots To Fill

All seven of the 10-day contracts that were signed during the final week of February have now expired. As our 10-day tracker shows, that list included three Nets deals (Tyler Cook, Iman Shumpert, and Andre Roberson), along with contracts signed by the Pelicans (Sindarius Thornwell), Raptors (Donta Hall), Lakers (Damian Jones), and Kings (Norvel Pelle).

None of those players have been re-signed to a second 10-day deal so far, but that comes as no surprise. The five teams that had players on 10-day contracts won’t begin their second-half schedules until Thursday at the earliest (Friday for the Lakers), so it doesn’t make sense to sign someone to a 10-day contract now and waste the first few days of the deal.

That doesn’t mean that all the players listed above will get a second 10-day stint with their respective teams later this week, but some of them seem like good bets to stick around a little longer. Jones, for instance, looked good during his 10 days as a Laker, putting up eight points in eight minutes in his first appearance and earning a start in Sacramento last Wednesday.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that the Lakers and Pelicans are now carrying 13 players on standard contracts, while the Nets are carrying just 12. The NBA requires teams to have a minimum of 14 players under contract (not counting two-ways), but clubs are permitted to dip below that minimum for two weeks at a time.

So even if those three clubs decide not to bring back the same players on 10-day contracts, they’ll have to add a player (two players in Brooklyn’s case, but one will be Blake Griffin) at some point during the next couple weeks.

The Jazz are also in this boat, but will have to add a player even sooner. They dipped to 13 players on standard contracts when they waived Shaquille Harrison on February 24, so we can probably expect them to sign a player to a 10-day deal before the second-half schedule gets underway this week.

The Hornets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Rockets, Clippers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Suns, Trail Blazers, Kings, Spurs, and Raptors also have openings on their 15-man rosters, but aren’t under any pressure to fill them in the near future, since they’re all at the 14-player minimum.

Most teams with open roster spots will fill them before the end of the regular season, but for the time being, it makes sense for those teams to either hold them open or fill them with players on 10-day deals in order to maximize their roster flexibility for the March 25 trade deadline.

Nets Notes: All-Stars, Perry, Griffin, 10-Days

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden have become regulars at the All-Star Game, but it’s still an important event for all three of them, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Nets‘ trio, which has combined for 27 All-Star appearances, will technically be teammates Sunday on Team Durant, although Durant won’t be in Atlanta because of a strained left hamstring.

“For the All-Star Game, that’s always a blessing,” Harden said. “That means you’re doing something right. That means you’re playing extremely well up to that point. You never want to take opportunities like that for granted. So I’m blessed. I’m fortunate to be a part of my ninth All-Star Game.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

  • Brooklyn has recalled Reggie Perry from the G League, Lewis adds in the same story. The rookie power forward averaged 18.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and shot 52.1% from the field in 15 games for Long Island. He appeared in 14 games for Brooklyn before being sent to the G League bubble.
  • The Nets are rumored to be the favorites to sign Blake Griffin, who agreed to a buyout with the Pistons this week, and Dan Devine of The Ringer believes he would be a good fit in Brooklyn. With Durant recovering slowly from his hamstring issue and Jeff Green dealing with an injured shoulder, the Nets need could use help in the frontcourt. Griffin could provide valuable minutes at power forward and may even split time with Green as a backup center. Devine believes Griffin might be rejuvenated by being surrounded with so much talent, and his play-making skills could make Brooklyn’s offense even more dangerous.
  • The Nets are letting their three 10-day contracts expire during the All-Star break, according to a NetsDaily story. Tyler Cook‘s deal ended today, while contracts for Andre Roberson and Iman Shumpert will expire Sunday. A league source told NetsDaily there’s no urgency to sign any of them to a second 10-day deal because Brooklyn doesn’t play again until Thursday.

Nets Re-Sign Shumpert, Roberson To 10-Day Contracts

As expected, the Nets have brought back guard Iman Shumpert and forward Andre Roberson shortly after waiving them, announcing today in a press release that they’ve officially signed the two veterans to 10-day contracts.

Brooklyn signed Shumpert and Roberson to non-guaranteed contracts in recent weeks, then cut both players on Tuesday night in advance of this year’s salary guarantee deadline. By releasing the two vets and bringing them back on 10-day deals, the Nets will retain some roster and salary cap flexibility with the trade deadline just a few weeks away. Both players cleared waivers today.

Shumpert and Roberson were initially signed to bring their defensive abilities to an offensive-minded Brooklyn roster, but neither player has seen much action for the team so far. Shumpert has appeared in a single game, logging six minutes, while Roberson played 22 total minutes in two appearances.

The two 10-day deals will cover the rest of the Nets’ three remaining first-half games, then the club will have to make a decision on whether to re-sign the players to start the second half of the season. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Shumpert will earn about $160K on his 10-day contract, while Roberson will make $149K. Both players will have cap hits of $111K.

The Nets now have a full 15-man roster, including three players – Shumpert, Roberson, and Tyler Cook – on 10-day contracts.

Nets Waive Roberson, Vonleh, Shumpert; Plan To Sign Cook

The Nets have announced via a press release that they have waived swingmen Andre Roberson and Iman Shumpert, as well as power forward/center Noah Vonleh.

Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets that Shumpert and Roberson intend to ink 10-day deals with Brooklyn should they clear waivers this Friday. Releasing this triumvirate of players now frees the Nets from having to guarantee their contracts for the whole season. This year, players must be cut by tomorrow, February 24, to beat the February 27 guarantee deadline.

Waiving players on non-guaranteed deals and subsequently adding them via 10-day contracts is common practice for teams looking to avoid a full-season cap hit.

Beyond hoping to retain Roberson and Shumpert through a string of 10-day contracts going forward, the Nets also intend to sign power forward Tyler Cook to a 10-day deal as a Vonleh replacement, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). Cook is averaging a stellar 20.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, and 0.6 SPG for the Iowa Wolves across seven games on the 2021 NBA G League Orlando “bubble” campus.

Vonleh was signed earlier this month to address the Nets’ shortcomings in their frontcourt. The well-traveled 25-year-old had suited up for the Hornets, Trail Blazers, Bulls, Knicks, Timberwolves and Nuggets across seven seasons before arriving in Brooklyn this year. Vonleh appeared in just four games for the Nets, averaging 2.8 MPG.

Nets Notes: Shamet, Roberson, Claxton, Cousins

Playing against a former team isn’t a new experience for Nets guard Landry Shamet, who has already been traded twice in his brief NBA career, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. What’s odd for Shamet in his return to Los Angeles this week has been confinement to his hotel room because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“It is weird not going from the airport and taking the regular route that I would take to get back home,” he said. “But nonetheless, I’m here and I’m glad to be back here and kind of relive some of the memories, I guess.”

Shamet averaged 9.3 PPG as a part-time starter for the Clippers last season before being shipped to Brooklyn in a three-team deal in November. His experiences in Philadelphia and Los Angeles helped prepare him for a role on teams dominated by star players.

“Any team that’s ever been put together with that much talent isn’t going to just happen overnight and be perfect,” Shamet said. “I think that’s the biggest thing — time and patience and accountability. And if you have those things, over time you’re going to grow and you’re going to develop and turn it, hopefully, into what you wanted it to turn into. I think that’s what I’ve learned.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

  • Andre Roberson tells Chris Milholen of NetsDaily that the number of familiar faces in Brooklyn has made his transition to the team much smoother. Roberson, who signed with the Nets on Tuesday, joins a squad with former Thunder teammates Kevin Durant and Royal Ivey, who is now an assistant coach. Spencer Dinwiddie was a college teammate at Colorado. “It just shows you what kind of people and character you are walking into,” Roberson said. “I think it’s dope and kind of gives me a head start because I know what to expect. So far, so great, so I can’t complain.”
  • Center Nicolas Claxton is getting closer to returning from the knee tedinopathy that has sidelined him all season, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. Claxton is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, marking the first time all season he has appeared on the injury report.
  • Harden’s presence on the Nets might work against DeMarcus Cousins‘ chances of winding up in Brooklyn, notes Erik Bacharach of Heavy. Cousins was among the most outspoken players when Harden was trying to force a trade out of Houston, calling some of Harden’s comments “disrespectful.”

Nets Notes: Durant, Roberson, Second Unit, Harris

Kevin Durant will miss his fourth straight game on Sunday due to a left hamstring strain, according to Malika Andrews of ESPN. Durant, who missed all of last season while rehabbing a ruptured Achilles, did strengthening exercises on Saturday. “I don’t think this is a long-term thing,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “But there is elements of maybe it being, taking a few more days than we thought or just being cautious.”

We have more on the Nets:

  • Andre Roberson is relieved to get another NBA opportunity, as he told Tom Dowd of BrooklynNets.com. The former Thunder wing signed with the club on Tuesday. “I wasn’t ready to give up on my dream,” Roberson said. “I knew at some point, a door, an opportunity would open, whether it be this season or next season, so I was just gonna stay in shape as best I can. … I had some traction with other teams, but nothing really stuck, but the Nets called.”
  • Nash is happy to see reserves like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Landry Shamet and Tyler Johnson make a greater impact, Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes. “They’ve all really played well. It makes our depth look a lot better,” Nash said. “The second unit’s been producing, holding or extending leads.”
  • Joe Harris, who re-signed on a four-year, $75MM contract over the offseason, is benefiting from being surrounding by stars, Joyce notes in another piece. Harris is taking more 3-pointers than he ever (6.6 per game) and is making a league-best 50.7%. Harris has knocked down 43 3-pointers in the last 11 games.

Nets Waive Norvel Pelle, Sign Andre Roberson

1:03pm: The Roberson signing is official, the Nets announced in a press release.


6:16am: The Nets have waived center Norvel Pelle, opening up a spot on their 15-man roster, the team announced in a press release issued early on Tuesday morning.

With that newly-opened roster spot, Brooklyn will sign free agent forward Andre Roberson, who has agreed to a deal with the club, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) initially reported that the Nets were “strongly considering” adding Roberson to replace Pelle.

Charania had said on Monday that the Nets mulled the possibility of signing Roberson last month before opting for veteran swingman Iman Shumpert instead. With so many non-guaranteed contracts at the back of their roster – including Pelle’s – the Nets ultimately decided to circle back to the former Thunder forward.

Roberson, who is limited on offense but has a reputation as a defensive stopper, returned last August during the NBA’s summer restart after having been on the shelf for two-and-a-half years due to knee issues. In his last full season, way back in 2016/17, he averaged 6.6 PPG and 5.1 RPG on .464/.245/.423 shooting and typically guarded opponents’ top perimeter threats.

Roberson’s defensive ability should be an asset on a Nets team that doesn’t lack offensive firepower, with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving leading the way. Roberson and Durant were teammates for three years in Oklahoma City.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Brooklyn will carry a modest $217,845 cap hit for Pelle’s 22-day stint with the club. The big man, who logged limited minutes in just three games for the Nets, will clear waivers on Thursday and will be free to sign with any team, assuming he goes unclaimed.

If Roberson signs a guaranteed contract or is retained beyond the salary guarantee deadline of February 24, he’ll have a full-season cap hit of $998,978, the prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum, per Marks. Once the signing is official, the Nets will once again have a full 15-man roster, though they could make additional adjustments before next Wednesday’s salary guarantee deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Charania’s Latest: Nets, Roberson, Ball, Simons, Faried

Before they signed veteran swingman Iman Shumpert in an effort to improve their wing defense, the Nets considered longtime Thunder forward Andre Roberson, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), the Nets’ interest in Roberson wasn’t just cursory — the team actually worked him out before signing Shumpert.

Roberson, who is limited on offense but has a reputation as a defensive stopper, returned last August during the NBA’s summer restart after having missed over two full years due to knee issues. However, his contract expired at season’s end and he has yet to catch on with a new NBA team. Given how many of Brooklyn’s end-of-roster players have non-guaranteed salaries, it’s possible the Nets could open up a spot and circle back to Roberson later in the season, as Lewis notes.

Here’s more from Charania:

  • The Raptors and Nets – who were both mentioned by Charania as possible Andre Drummond suitors via trade or buyout – are viewed as two teams in the market for frontcourt help. Charania suggests the Mavericks, Lakers, and Trail Blazers are among the clubs likely to join that list.
  • Charania confirms that the Bulls have some interest in Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, but says the two teams haven’t engaged in any dialogue about a possible trade.
  • Rival teams are keeping an eye on Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, according to Charania. There’s no indication Portland has interest in moving Simons, but other clubs may envision a larger scoring and play-making role for him than he has in Portland, where he backs up an All-NBA point guard.
  • Veteran big man Kenneth Faried, 31, is working out in Los Angeles and hopes to make an NBA comeback, per Charania.