James Harden, Bruce Brown Newest Nets In COVID-19 Protocols
The Nets suddenly have seen seven players enter the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the 24 hours. All-Star guard James Harden and versatile swingman Bruce Brown have joined five other afflicted comrades on the sidelines for Brooklyn, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
It was reported earlier that Nets role players LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson are all in the NBA’s coronavirus protocols.
Brooklyn currently has just reached the league minimum for available players to stave off a cancelation of its scheduled game against the Raptors tonight. In addition to the team’s seven coronavirus-related absences, the Nets are also still missing COVID-19 vaccine holdout Kyrie Irving and injured wing Joe Harris. All-Star forward Kevin Durant had been listed as questionable due to a sore ankle, but he’s set to suit up for the Nets now, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bontemps notes in a separate tweet that both Brown and Harden had been in the Nets’ home arena, the Barclays Center, ahead of the team’s game against Toronto this evening. Brown had apparently even been warming up on the hardwood before he received the bad news.
Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that the Nets will be eligible to sign up to five players via the hardship provision due to this swath of absences. Marks adds that Brooklyn will be dinged approximately an extra $500K in tax penalties for each 10-day signing the team completes.
The league postponed two games this week for the Bulls, who are currently missing as many as 10 players due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Should further spread of the virus among the Brooklyn locker room continue, the league could take similar precautions with the Nets.
Central Notes: Bulls, Boucek, Pistons, Lee
The Bulls have announced (Twitter link) that their next contest, scheduled to be a Sunday matinee matchup against the Lakers, has been pushed back to a later start time. The game will now tip off at 7 p.m. CT, after originally being scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. CT.
It was announced yesterday that the NBA would postpone Chicago’s two other scheduled games this week – tonight against the Pistons and Thursday night against the Raptors – after it was revealed that as many as 10 Bulls are currently in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets that Coby White, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., and star wing DeMar DeRozan all have a chance to be cleared by the new tip-off time Sunday. It was reported over the weekend that White had returned to the Bulls’ Advocate Center practice facility for the first time since his diagnosis.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- After missing the Pacers‘ Monday loss to the Warriors, Indiana assistant coach Jenny Boucek is now in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. The first-season assistant will be replaced by Calbert Cheaney on the front of the bench, Agness adds.
- Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has revealed that the NBA will examine game tape to determine which Nets players came into “close contact” with Detroit players, per James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Brooklyn players Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson are currently in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
- The Pistons are optimistic that the G League play of second-year point guard Saben Lee will translate at the NBA level, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Langlois notes that the early returns have been positive, and could lead to more minutes with Detroit for Lee. “I’m just doing whatever the coaches ask me to do,” Lee said. “Up here, I know there’s a lot of scorers, a lot of shooters. Whatever coach [Casey] asks me to do, I’m going to do that. That’s how I navigate that.” Saben played with Detroit’s NBAGL club, the Motor City Cruise, for his first seven contests this season.
Cuban Says Mavs Haven’t Talked To Nets About Irving
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says his club hasn’t had any trade discussions with the Nets about point guard Kyrie Irving, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Cuban is responding to a report from Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who heard from sources that the Mavs are among the teams to have reached out to Brooklyn to inquire about Irving. Begley stated that Kristaps Porzingis‘ name was brought up in those discussions, but added that it’s unclear if the talks progressed beyond the preliminary stage.
Whether or not the Mavs and Nets had a conversation about Irving, it certainly sounds – based on both Begley’s report and Cuban’s dismissal – as if there’s no momentum toward a deal.
Cuban has repeatedly shot down trade rumors involving Porzingis, denying that Dallas has shopped him at all. The Mavs’ owner said last month that he came into the season believing the former Knick had yet to play his best basketball. Porzingis, who has dealt with some minor injury issues in 2021/22, has averaged 19.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in 20 games (29.8 MPG) under new head coach Jason Kidd.
Irving, meanwhile, hasn’t played at all this season due to a vaccine mandate in New York City and the Nets’ decision not to make him a part-time player in road games. If Irving were traded to a team in a city without a similar mandate (essentially anywhere but New York, Golden State, or Toronto), he’d be eligible to play without being vaccinated.
Multiple reports have suggested Brooklyn is willing to listen to inquiries on Kyrie, but a report on Monday indicated there was “renewed optimism” about the possibility of the seven-time All-Star playing for the team this season. It’s unclear if Irving has become more open to being vaccinated or if the Nets may decide to allow him to play in road games.
Four Nets Players Enter Health And Safety Protocols
Four Nets players have joined forward Paul Millsap in the health and safety protocols, the team announced this morning. As Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays (via Twitter), LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson have all entered the protocols and have been ruled out for Tuesday’s game vs. Toronto.
We don’t have information yet on whether any or all of the five Nets players in the protocols have tested positive for COVID-19. If they’ve registered a false positive or have been deemed close contacts of someone who tested positive, it’s possible they could be cleared later this week.
However, if they’ve all tested positive for the coronavirus, they’ll be sidelined for at least 10 days or until they can return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. In that scenario, the Nets would be eligible to add multiple extra players via the hardship provision.
The Nets, who are also without Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris, will now find themselves a little shorthanded when they host the Raptors on Tuesday. They should have as many as 10 players available, but there are a few little-used rookies in that group, including David Duke, Kessler Edwards, and Day’Ron Sharpe.
Kevin Durant and James Harden will, of course, be leaned on heavily to carry the scoring load, assuming Durant plays — he’s listed as questionable due to right ankle soreness (Twitter link via Marc Stein).
The Nets aren’t the only New York team currently being affected by the health and safety protocols. The Knicks announced this morning (via Twitter) that rookie guard Quentin Grimes is out for Tuesday’s game vs. Golden State due to the protocols.
Grimes is the third Knick to enter the protocols within the last four days, joining RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin. It’s unfortunate timing for 2021’s No. 25 overall pick, who had his best game as a pro in his first career start on Sunday when he scored 27 points with seven 3-pointers vs. Milwaukee.
Nets Rumors: Harris, Irving, Claxton, Trade Exceptions
The Nets have expressed a “surprising willingness” to discuss veteran sharpshooter Joe Harris in trade talks this season, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Fischer acknowledges that it would take a significant offer to pry Harris away from Brooklyn, but suggests the team seems open to the possibility.
“It’s crazy to me; he’s their only real three-and-D player,” one assistant general manager told Fischer. “But his name keeps popping up.”
Harris, who has missed the last month due to a left ankle injury, is under contract for two more years beyond 2021/22. He’ll earn fully guaranteed salaries of $18.64MM in ’22/23 and $19.93MM in ’23/24. That makes him a pricey role player for one of the NBA’s top taxpaying teams, but Harris’ outside shooting is worth the cost — he has led the league in three-point percentage in two of the past three seasons and is leading the way again in 2021/22 with a 46.6% mark.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Brooklyn has remained open to discussing trade involving Kyrie Irving, but haven’t gained real traction on any scenarios involving the star point guard, sources tell Fischer.
- Rival executives believe the Nets could make Nicolas Claxton available prior to the trade deadline, according to Fischer, who says the team “quietly gauged” the center’s value around the 2021 draft. Claxton has been productive on a team-friendly deal for Brooklyn, but will get more expensive in 2022, when he reaches restricted free agency.
- There’s a sense among rival execs that the Nets will use one of their traded player exceptions to acquire a veteran before the trade deadline, with Claxton a candidate to be an outgoing piece in such a deal, writes Fischer. Brooklyn created TPEs in their Spencer Dinwiddie sign-and-trade ($11.5MM) and their DeAndre Jordan salary dump ($6.3MM).
Paul Millsap Enters Health And Safety Protocols
- Nets forward Paul Millsap has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, sources tell Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Millsap is averaging a career-low 11.2 minutes per game in Brooklyn this season, so his absence shouldn’t create a huge hole in the team’s rotation.
“Renewed Optimism” About Possibility Of Irving Returning To Nets
There’s “renewed optimism” about the possibility of Kyrie Irving suiting up for the Nets this season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Irving hasn’t played at all in 2021/22, since he remains unvaccinated against COVID-19 and a municipal mandate in New York City prevents him from playing in home games. He’s eligible to participate in road games, but the Nets decided they didn’t want him to be a part-time player.
In order for Irving to return to action for Brooklyn, one of three things would need to happen:
- New York City would need to repeal or adjust its vaccine mandate.
- Irving would need to get vaccinated.
- The Nets would need to allow him to take part in road games.
Charania’s report doesn’t specify which of these routes is most likely. However, he notes that multiple City Hall officials – from both the outgoing and incoming NYC administrations – have told The Athletic that there are no plans to eliminate the mandate requiring individuals to be vaccinated in order to enter indoor venues.
That would leave vaccination or an adjustment to the Nets’ policy for road games as the only realistic paths for an Irving return. Charania doesn’t know which of those scenarios might come to fruition, but has heard recently from sources that Kyrie could play this season after all.
According to Charania, Irving and his good friend Kevin Durant have been talking more often as of late about his fit with the team, the Nets’ games, and life in general. There “appears to be an increased level of enthusiasm between the two superstars,” Charania adds.
This is just my speculation, but one report back in September stated there was a belief that Durant would help convince Irving to take the vaccine — perhaps that will ultimately happen a few months later.
Another recent report indicated that Irving may be interested in taking a plant-based vaccine, which is going through clinical trials, but it’s still likely months away from receiving full approval.
If Irving gets fully vaccinated, he would be eligible to play in all of Brooklyn’s home and road games. If the Nets adjust their policy and allow the star guard to play without being vaccinated, he would remain ineligible to play in home games, as well as in road games vs. the Knicks and Raptors.
Atlantic Notes: Harden, Madar, Sixers, Simmons, Springer
After convincing the team to let him play on Friday against Atlanta, Nets star James Harden agreed to take a rest day on Sunday vs. Detroit, as Zach Braziller of The New York Post details. Head coach Steve Nash said that Harden essentially forced his way into the lineup on Friday, but the club has been concerned about his workload (36.2 minutes per game) and was happy he agreed to take a game off on Sunday.
“He had a heavy stretch of games and we’re gonna try to steal some games for these guys here and there. And fortunately, he was open enough for [this] to be the night,” Nash said, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “So we’ll miss him [on Sunday] but it’s important and it pays this forward hopefully to the end of the season.”
Harden’s 20.8 PPG, .404 FG%, and .337 3PT% so far this season represent his lowest marks since his Oklahoma City days (the three-point rate is a career worst). While Sunday’s day off could help recharge him, Harden may just not be the player he was during his prime, Braziller writes in a separate story for The Post.
Harden and Kevin Durant are both former MVPs, but it has been clear so far this season that the ex-Rocket is Brooklyn’s No. 2 option behind Durant – who scored a season-high 51 points in Sunday’s win – rather than a true co-star, says Braziller.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has been in Serbia as of late, attending multiple ABA League games, according to a Eurohoops report. Stevens’ scouting trip has focused on Yam Madar, a Celtics second-round pick in 2020 who is currently playing for KK Partizan and could be brought stateside as soon as next season.
- The Sixers have held their own without Ben Simmons available this season, particularly in games Joel Embiid has played, but they still lack a consistent second option on offense to complement Embiid, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey suggests that Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, and Tyrese Maxey are solid players, but are better suited to be third or fourth options for a legit contender.
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton outline why the Sixers will be hard-pressed to acquire a top-25 player in any Simmons trade, and consider which borderline stars may be realistic targets. Brandon Ingram, Domantas Sabonis, and CJ McCollum are among the players discussed by Marks and Pelton.
- Sixers rookie Jaden Springer sustained a concussion during a G League game and will be sidelined until he clears the concussion protocols, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. The 19-year-old hasn’t been a part of the NBA rotation at all this season, appearing briefly in just one game.
NBA Fines Kevin Durant $25K For Swearing At Fan
The league has fined Nets All-Star forward Kevin Durant $25K for “directing obscene language” at a fan during the Brooklyn’s 113-105 victory against the Hawks, the NBA has announced (Twitter link).
With 28 seconds left in the first half Friday, Durant apparently made the remarks towards an attendant fan in the arena.
The NBA has been cracking down on players’ on-court obscenities this season. As Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets, the league fined Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma $15K for flipping off a fan earlier this week. Lakers forward LeBron James was also fined $15K for making an obscene gesture on the court last month.
New York Notes: Durant, Harden, Turner, Barrett
The Nets are resting Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge for tonight’s game in Houston, tweets Mark Medina of NBA.com. Durant played more than 40 minutes in Tuesday’s win at Dallas, and Brooklyn is being careful not to overextend Aldridge, who briefly retired at the end of last season due to a heart condition.
There have been concerns about the heavy minutes that Durant and James Harden have seen this season with the loss of Kyrie Irving and injuries to other rotation players. Harden said Tuesday that neither of them minds the increased workload, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
“One thing about me and KD, we love to play basketball,” Harden said. “So it don’t matter. We could play the whole 48. Even if we’re exhausted. Coach says something — nope. We wanna stay in the game. We wanna play.”
There’s more from New York City:
- Harden received a mostly positive reaction when he was introduced tonight in Houston, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Harden, who played more than eight seasons with the Rockets before forcing his way out in January, returned to Houston for a game last season, but the crowd was limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. “I think it definitely means something to James,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “I don’t want to overstate it, but I also don’t want to understate it. He had such a historic run here. This city means a ton to him.”
- A report that the Pacers are exploring trades involving Myles Turner could be significant to the Knicks, who checked on Turner’s availability during the offseason, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Those talks didn’t go very far, Begley adds, but New York’s front office remains interested in finding a center who can stretch the floor. The Knicks have multiple ways to match Turner’s $17.5MM salary, Begley notes, and Mitchell Robinson, Nerlens Noel or Taj Gibson would likely be included in any deal.
- Tom Thibodeau’s search for lineup solutions will be much easier if RJ Barrett continues to shoot the way he did in Tuesday’s win over the Spurs, per Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. Barrett broke out of a 13-game shooting slump with a 32-point night while going 7-of-8 from beyond the arc. “I was down for a couple of weeks, but I’m feeling better now,” Barrett said. “It was good to get back in the gym, it was great and to have a game like today. Hopefully that can carry on for (Wednesday).”