Nets Notes: Curry, Drummond, Simmons, Durant, Irving
Some of Seth Curry‘s family members may not have been pleased with Thursday’s trade that sent him from the Sixers to the Nets, but he’s looking forward to the opportunity in Brooklyn, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Curry, who is married to the daughter of Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, was part of the price the Sixers had to pay to bring in James Harden.
“I had a feeling if this trade did go down I was going to be a part of it,” Curry said. “I was preparing for the last week or so. I kind of prepared my mind for it, and I’m just looking forward to the next opportunity. I feel I can fit into a lot of different situations: Play with the ball, play without the ball. I’m just looking forward into coming here and trying to help these guys in whatever way I can.”
Curry ranks second among active players in career three-point shooting percentage at 43.7%, so his role should be obvious, especially on a team that might not get Joe Harris back this season. Curry became a full-time starter for the first time in his career during his year and a half with the Sixers and he’s averaging a career-high 15.0 points per game this season. Now he hopes to bring that same production to Brooklyn.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been somebody who has fit in with different types of star talent, whether it’s Luka [Doncic], [Damian Lillard] and CJ [McCollum], obviously Joel [Embiid],” Curry said. “It didn’t take me long to get used to playing with those guys, so I’m going to just try to come in and do what I do and try to do it within the concept of the team.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- The players the Nets acquired in the trade weren’t eligible tonight because Harden and Paul Millsap didn’t complete their physicals in Philadelphia until after the game started, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Curry, Andre Drummond and Ben Simmons have been cleared to play Monday against the Kings, but there’s no word on when Simmons might return to action.
- Kevin Durant is making progress in his rehab from a sprained left knee, but there’s still not a timetable for his return, coach Steve Nash told Nick Friedell of ESPN. Durant, who hasn’t played since January 15, is hoping to be back some time after the All-Star break, but everything depends on how his knee responds. “I feel that the next couple weeks that I’ll start to do more,” Durant said. “That’s probably as much as I can give you and I don’t know for sure. I’m just listening to the training staff, just doing my job and coming in and following the game plan every day. Whatever they give me. But from the last few weeks I feel like they’ll be able to give me more and more each day goes on, so I’ll ramp up here soon and we’ll see what happens. I want to be back as fast as possible but I also know that I don’t want to go out there and be 80%. I want to be 100 so I can be the best that I can be.”
- Kyrie Irving‘s part-time status has been called a distraction, but he’s not bothered by the situation, Friedell tweets. “There’s no guilt that I feel,” he said. “I’m the only player that has to deal with this in New York City because I play there. If I was anywhere else in another city then it probably wouldn’t be the same circumstances.”
Kevin Durant: Harden’s Decision Came As A Surprise
Speaking to reporters tonight for the first time since James Harden was traded to the Sixers, Nets star Kevin Durant said he didn’t realize that Harden was unhappy in Brooklyn until he saw media reports over the past week, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.
Durant is rehabbing a sprained left knee that has sidelined him since January 15 and has limited the time he spends with teammates. He was on the bench Thursday night for the first time since being injured.
“I wasn’t around the team to really, really see the vibe,” Durant said. “But I know the losses hurt us, and I know my injury might have hurt the team a bit not being around. And then Kyrie [Irving] in and out the lineup. But I didn’t really get a feel for the team because I wasn’t around.”
Friedell states that Harden seemed fully committed to the Nets until recently, noting that just a week and a half ago he said the team had enough talent to compete for a title with a full roster. However, Harden ultimately made a direct request this week to general manager Sean Marks and team owner Joe Tsai to send him to Philadelphia.
Durant doesn’t know what changed, but said he won’t be reaching out to Harden to get an explanation of why he felt he had to leave.
“James doesn’t have to explain anything to anybody,” Durant said. “He’s his own man. He makes his decisions on his career by himself. He doesn’t owe anybody an explanation, and I wasn’t looking for one. I’m just glad that we got this thing done and now we’re able to move forward and get some of this noise away, and I’m sure he would feel the same way. But from around our team and around our group, there’s noise about what may happen. So I’m glad we can push through that.”
There have been reports that Durant talked to Harden recently in an effort to convince him to stay at least through the end of the season. Durant refused to confirm that and added that nothing he could have said would have changed Harden’s mind.
“I think once a person gets to that decision of ‘I’m unhappy,’ I think he’s gone through a lot of steps to get there,” Durant said. “So no matter what I say or try to convince someone — I’m not saying I did this, but this is just my theory on this — no matter what I say or do to try to convince someone to change their mood from being unhappy to happy, I think that’s when I’m pretty late to the party. He’s made his decision. I’m sure people make their decision before they get to that mode of being unhappy. I didn’t have any conversations with James up until then. I thought everything was solid. I don’t do any convincing. I’m sure you make those choices and decisions on your own as an individual. Me as a friend, I just have to accept it.”
With the Harden distraction gone, the Nets now have to focus on turning around their season. Brooklyn has fallen into eighth place in the East after 10 straight losses, and there’s no definite date on when Durant might be able to resume playing or when Ben Simmons will join the team.
Durant said he’s focused on getting the team back on the right path and didn’t express any regrets over the breakup of the Big Three, who played only 16 games together but were 13-3 as a group.
“I feel like the basketball we played was a good brand of basketball while we were out on the floor, so I can live with what we did,” Durant said. “The outside noise and all that other stuff that happened, and how people feel about their time here … but once we actually laced them up and played basketball together, I think it was a good brand. So you could live with that.”
Goran Dragic Likely To Reach Buyout Deal With Spurs
The Spurs are expected to begin negotiations on a buyout agreement with newly-acquired guard Goran Dragic this week, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The Lakers and Warriors will be among the teams pursuing Dragic in free agency, sources tell Wojnarowski, along with the Clippers, Bucks, Bulls and Nets. Dallas was previously viewed as a frontrunner to sign the point guard, but the acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie seemingly took the Mavericks out of the mix.
Dragic appears to be the top name on this year’s buyout market, and teams are confident that he remained in top shape during his long absence, Woj adds. After being dealt to the Raptors last offseason, Dragic played just five games before he and the team reached a mutual agreement that allowed him to work out on his own until he could be traded again.
San Antonio acquired Dragic, along with a 2022 second-round draft pick, shortly before Thursday’s trade deadline, sending Thaddeus Young and Drew Eubanks to Toronto in return.
Dragic, 35, is attractive to contenders because of his long history of success in the playoffs. He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2020 before being sidelined by plantar fasciitis.
Dragic currently has $6.1MM left to be paid on his $19.4MM contract, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN, although because the number is prorated it will decline each day. Whatever money Dragic gives up in San Antonio, he will presumably be able to replace when he signs with his new team.
Atlantic Notes: Drummond, Barrett, Raptors, Durant, Aldridge
Nets center Andre Drummond expressed confidence that his new team can win the championship this season, as relayed by Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). Drummond was one of three players traded to Brooklyn on Thursday, joining teammates Ben Simmons and Seth Curry.
“We have a great roster,” Drummond said. “I think when everybody’s healthy and and able to play all together, I think we’re very scary down the stretch in the playoffs. I think this team is a championship team. Absolutely.”
Brooklyn added Simmons, Curry and Drummond to a core that already includes Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin. The team has lost 10 games in a row, however, dealing with injuries and the part-time availability of Irving.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks guard RJ Barrett will miss the club’s game against the Blazers on Saturday, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. Barrett is dealing with a sprained ankle. This will be the second straight game he’s missed.
- Blake Murphy of Sportsnet examines the Raptors‘ short-term and long-term outlook after the trade deadline. Toronto traded for veteran forward Thaddeus Young this week, sending away a package headlined by Goran Dragic. The team has won eight straight games and currently holds the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
- Nets head coach Steve Nash released two positive injury updates on Saturday, Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays (via Twitter). Durant (sprained MCL) has been doing on-court work for roughly one week, while Aldridge’s return from an ankle injury is days away, not weeks.
Nets Notes: Marks, Harden, Simmons, Irving, Mills, Nash
Nets general manager Sean Marks said the decision to move on from James Harden was a difficult one, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
“Make no bones about it: We went all-in on getting James Harden and inviting him to the group,” Marks said during a video conference call discussing the trade deadline Friday afternoon. “And these decisions to move on from a player like that, of that caliber, are never easy ones. I just want to be clear that this is not something that you think, great, let’s just make a split decision and move on from that. I give James a lot of credit for having open dialogue, open discussions with me and with the group, [Nets coach Steve Nash] and [owner] Joe Tsai and everybody over the last 24, 48 hours.
“Again, I said they’re not easy, but I think that’s something we pride ourselves on is being open and honest. James was honest with us and we were honest with him. I think it’s a move that enables him to have a fresh start, enables this team to have a fresh start, without trying to push things to make things work. If we realize this is not going to work, short-term or long-term, then it’s time to say for both parties involved, this is better off.”
Marks went on to say that trading Harden wasn’t about the team’s 10-game losing streak, it was based on his entire tenure in Brooklyn, and the newly-acquired players help the Nets in ways that Harden couldn’t.
“It’s not just eight or nine games,” he said. “The things that we’ve had to deal with over the course of the last year since James has been here is, to be quite frank, the Big Three, quote unquote, haven’t had significant time to play together for a variety of different circumstances. So, I think the frustration is more in that than in eight or nine games. Obviously it was not, and it currently isn’t, trending in the right direction, but we’re not going to make a decision off of one, two, five games, whatever it may be. The sample size has to be bigger. And at that point, we’re sitting here saying, ‘Yeah. We’ve seen enough.’ On both sides.
“We obviously thank James immensely for everything he’s done. Let’s be honest, he’s come in here and set all kinds of Brooklyn Nets records in such a short time. He’s a hell of a player, without a doubt. Again, these are not easy decisions, but we’re very grateful for what James has done over his short time here, but at the same time, adding these three players — Seth [Curry], Andre [Drummond] and Ben [Simmons] — help us in needs James doesn’t fulfill.”
When asked if the Sixers tampered by talking to Harden, Marks said that was for the league to decide.
“Unfortunately, the world we live in right now, so much of this is being played out in the media,” Marks said, per Bontemps. “So much of this is, whether it’s scuttlebutt, hearsay, and so forth, it’s just the nature of the beast. It’s just the nature of the world we’re in. I’m not going to start making accusations at everybody else. Again, this particular set of circumstances was played out in the media far earlier than any conversations were ever had. I don’t know and again if this is where it ends up, that will be completely up to the league to look into these set of circumstances.”
There are several more interesting quotes from Marks in Bontemps’ article. I recommend checking it out.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Kyrie Irving said there were hints that Harden was unhappy in Brooklyn, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays. “I can’t really say that you feel that [unhappiness] in the locker room, but we get hints,” Irving said. “So we just wish him well. We want him to be ultimately successful. Now we move forward with the guys that are coming in. We’re excited. I just want everyone to be happy and do things they love to do, and be a part of things they can see themselves being successful at. It probably wasn’t here with us and he made a choice and we respect him for it. No love lost.”
- Nets guard Patty Mills said that his fellow Australian Simmons is in a good place at the moment, Lewis writes in a separate article for the Post. “He’s in a really good place right now, speaking to him a fair bit lately and seeing what he’s been up to in terms of staying ready and getting his body right and getting game ready,” Mills said. “So it was good and pleasing for me to see and feel where he’s at. From that standpoint, you get a really hungry person who’s looking forward to playing basketball again, and especially with our group.”
- Nash was reflective on what could have been with the “Big Three” era, per ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “You’re up 2-0 against the NBA champs, and then to not have James in the first games and then Kyrie in the last games, James being on one leg, Jeff Green being out of the lineup, all sorts of things that hampered our opportunity to win,” Nash said. “To take them to overtime in Game 7, you definitely think there are some what-ifs, but that’s life. You can’t look back. You’ve got to look forward.”
Harden Directly Asked Nets’ Marks, Tsai For Trade To Sixers
For much of the 2021/22 season, Nets guard James Harden insisted during conversations with general manager Sean Marks and team owner Joe Tsai that he wanted to remain in Brooklyn beyond this season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne (Insider link). And initially, signing a long-term deal with Brooklyn was Harden’s preferred option, since he could always force a trade down the road if he needed to.
However, as the season progressed, Harden began talking to various player agents to get advice about how best to make his way to Philadelphia, according to ESPN’s duo. As Wojnarowski and Shelburne detail, the Nets would often quickly learn what Harden – who has a reputation for being passive-aggressive rather than confrontational and was worried about the optics of making another trade request – was saying to agents and other third parties.
Finally, with the trade deadline fast approaching, Harden directly told Marks and Tsai that he would prefer to play for the Sixers, asking the GM and team owner on a FaceTime call to send him to Philadelphia, sources tell ESPN.
The Nets told him they would only make a deal if it was a good one for the organization, which Harden understood. While the two sides agreed at that point that Harden wouldn’t play until after Thursday’s deadline, the former MVP appeared to have already checked out on the team, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, who say Harden informed management he was headed to Houston on Wednesday to wait out the deadline.
Here’s more from Wojnarowski and Shelburne on the Harden/Ben Simmons blockbuster:
- Marks and Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey engaged in plenty of posturing in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline before eventually getting more serious late on Wednesday night, sources tell ESPN. Up until that point, Marks had listened to a couple of Morey’s trade pitches, but rebuffed them.
- According to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, when the two sides reengaged and eventually neared the finish line on Thursday, Marks told Morey he needed to hang up the phone to run the proposed deal by Tsai, prompting Morey to yell, “Stay on the f—ing phone!” Marks jokingly replied, “We’re dropping F-Bombs now, Daryl?” He ultimately got Tsai’s approval to move forward on the trade.
- Simmons’ agent Rich Paul met with Nets star Kevin Durant and Durant’s business partner Rich Kleiman nearly a month ago and pitched the idea of a Harden/Simmons swap, per Wojnarowski and Shelburne. Durant initially wasn’t interested in the idea, but the equation changed after he injured his knee and Harden became increasingly disengaged during his absence.
- Harden doesn’t have a direct history with Sixers star Joel Embiid, but has always been a fan of the center and pushed Morey to trade for him when they were both in Houston, according to ESPN’s duo. “James respects players who do a good job defending him,” one source said. “And Joel has always done that.”
- Although Simmons never got over what he viewed as a lack of public support from head coach Doc Rivers following last spring’s playoff loss to the Hawks, the two men had been speaking again in recent weeks, with conversations “increasing in substance,” per Woj and Shelburne. However, their final conversation on Thursday was mostly just an exchanging of pleasantries, sources tell ESPN.
Nets Waive DeAndre’ Bembry
8:50pm: The Nets have officially waived Bembry, according to a team press release.
4:25pm: The Nets are waiving veteran swingman DeAndre’ Bembry, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Brooklyn was required to cut a player today in order to complete the team’s blockbuster deal with the Sixers. The Nets are acquiring three players – Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond – in that trade and only sending out two (James Harden and Paul Millsap).
Bembry, 27, has played well for Brooklyn in 2021/22, beginning the season on a partially guaranteed contract and earning a full guarantee based on his strong performance. In 48 games (19.8 MPG), he has averaged 5.8 PPG and 3.2 RPG on .568/.417/.600 shooting while providing defensive versatility.
Bembry will likely draw interest around the league as a free agent, or even before he clears waivers, since any team could claim his one-year, minimum-salary contract using a minimum salary exception. If Bembry goes unclaimed, Brooklyn will be on the hook for his full $1,669,178 cap hit.
Nets Trade James Harden, Acquire Ben Simmons
8:34pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from the Nets and Sixers. Nets general manager Sean Marks released this statement:
“We are thrilled to welcome Ben, Seth, Andre and their families to Brooklyn. Ben is an All-NBA and All-Defensive player with elite playmaking abilities, while Seth has proven to consistently be one of the league’s best 3-point shooters and Andre has been one of the league’s top rebounders for the last decade. Together, the three will enhance our core by providing versatility and depth on both ends of the floor while better balancing our roster.
“The decision to trade James was a difficult one, however after recent discussions with him and his representatives we felt that this move would be best for all involved, as it better positions us to achieve our goals this season and in the years ahead.”
Sixers co-owner Josh Harris released the following statement in Philadelphia’s announcement:
“James Harden is one of the truly elite players in the league. His career has been defined by incredible personal achievement, including honors as NBA MVP and three-time NBA scoring champion. We’re thrilled to pair him with Joel Embiid and this dynamic roster in our pursuit of an NBA title. I am proud to welcome James and Paul Millsap – a proven veteran and former All Star – to the 76ers, and can’t wait for what the future holds for the city and our fans.”
12:18pm: The Nets and Sixers are finalizing a trade that will send James Harden to Philadelphia, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links), Brooklyn will receive Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks, while the 76ers acquire Paul Millsap along with Harden.
Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that the first-rounders headed to the Nets are the Sixers’ unprotected 2022 pick and a protected 2027 pick.
Brooklyn will have the right to defer this year’s pick to ’23, according to Wojnarowski, who says (via Twitter) the ’27 pick will be top-eight protected. If it doesn’t convey in 2027, it will be top-eight protected again in ’28. If it falls in its protected range twice, the Nets would instead get a 2028 second-rounder and cash.
Although a potential Harden/Simmons swap was first mentioned as a possibility back in the fall, it hadn’t been viewed as something that could realistically happen during the season until the last week or so.
With Kevin Durant injured and Kyrie Irving only partially available due to his vaccination status, the Nets have been in a tailspin, losing their last nine games. Harden had looked increasingly unhappy during Brooklyn’s slide and was said to be frustrated by Irving’s off-and-on availability.
Rumors began swirling that Harden was interested in reuniting with Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, culminating in a report this morning that said the former MVP wanted to be traded to the Sixers, but hadn’t made a formal request.
It still seemed like a long shot that the Nets and Sixers would find common ground before today’s trade deadline, but both sides were ultimately motivated to get something done. Brooklyn didn’t want to risk an unhappy Harden leaving for Philadelphia for nothing as a free agent in the offseason, while the Sixers wanted to resolve their standoff with Simmons and maximize their ability to contend for a title this season by acquiring a legitimate star to pair with MVP candidate Joel Embiid.
Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, had maintained since Simmons first requested a trade last summer that the team wouldn’t give away the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in a deal that didn’t bring back an All-Star caliber player. He took plenty of heat for that stance as the Simmons drama extended through the offseason, into training camp, and then well into the regular season, but it ultimately paid off. A year after missing out on Harden when the Rockets sent him to Brooklyn, Morey finally got his man.
Harden can become an unrestricted free agent this summer by turning down his $47.4MM player option for 2022/23 and would be eligible to sign a five-year contract worth up to about $269MM with the Sixers, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Harden and Embiid will team up to lead a Sixers roster that still features Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle, both of whom reportedly drew interest from the Nets during trade talks.
Philadelphia maintained through the process that Maxey was off the table, but Brooklyn pushed for Thybulle up until today. Shortly before the two teams reached a trade agreement, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported (via Twitter) that the inclusion of Thybulle was the last remaining sticking point. The Nets ultimately relented on that point.
Simmons’ value took a hit as a result of his poor showing in last season’s playoffs and his subsequent holdout, but the Nets are getting one of the NBA’s best play-makers and defenders, albeit one who still lacks a jump shot.
They’ll also add a sharpshooter in Curry who will fill in nicely for Joe Harris, whose status for the rest of the season remains up in the air due to an ankle injury. Both players on on multiyear deals, with Simmons not eligible for free agency until 2025, while Curry’s contract expires in 2023.
Additionally, the Nets found a new home for Millsap in the deal. The team had agreed last month to trade or waive the veteran forward, who wasn’t satisfied with his role in Brooklyn. The Nets will replace Millsap and bolster their frontcourt depth by adding Drummond, who is on a one-year, minimum-salary contract.
The Nets created $15MM in tax savings as a result of the move, Marks notes (via Twitter).
The Nets will take their time getting Simmons acclimated, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the former No. 1 overall pick welcomes the change of scenery.He has already spoken to Durant and they’re on the same page, Haynes adds.
Simmons, who said he wasn’t mentally ready to play for the Sixers this season, will continue to work with his therapist now that he has been traded, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. “It’s a work in progress,” a source told Shelburne.
While more deals will be made today, it’s safe to say none will be as impactful as this one, featuring two Eastern Conference rivals who hope to contend for a title this season. It will be fascinating to see how the Nets and Sixers look going forward.
LeBron Chooses Giannis, Curry In All-Star Draft; Durant Picks Embiid, Morant
After James Harden was traded away from the Nets on Thursday, former teammate Kevin Durant opted not to pick him in the All-Star draft conducted on Thursday night. Harden was the last player chosen by LeBron James for Team LeBron, as the league announced (via Twitter).
LeBron’s starters, besides himself, are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Jokic.
Durant, who won’t play in the All-Star Game at Cleveland due to his knee injury, chose Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young and Andrew Wiggins as Team Durant’s starters.
James selected Luka Doncic as his top reserve. His guard-heavy team also features Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet and Harden.
Team Durant’s bench includes Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball and Rudy Gobert.
Thus, numerous teammates will be on opposing clubs for the All-Star game, including the Jazz’s Gobert and Mitchell and the Suns’ Paul and Booker.
The game will be played February 20 in Cleveland.
Durant: Everybody Got What They Wanted
- How does Kevin Durant feel about the James Harden trade? In a TNT interview (hat tip to the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver), the Nets superstar said, “I’m excited for our team and looking forward to finishing the season out with this new group … The playoffs are right around the corner and we’ve got to fast track and get used to each other. I think everybody got what they wanted.”
- The Nets explored trades involving Nic Claxton, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News tweets. Andre Drummond was added in the Harden deal and LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to return in the near future from an ankle sprain. Those developments will presumably eat into Claxton’s playing time.