Nets Rumors

New York Notes: Simmons, Nets, Thibodeau, Towns

November 24th, 2024 at 8:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets want Ben Simmons to be a bigger factor on offense but it’s not happening. Simmons, who is in the final year of his contract, is averaging 5.4 points and 6.6 assists in 24.6 minutes per game. On Friday, Simmons contributed only two points and four assists in 26 minutes against Philadelphia.

“That’s the normal minutes he’s played. Again, we need him to rebound, we need him to push the pace and to find his teammates. We need him to be aggressive,” first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Again, it was probably not a great game by him and by us as a team.”

We have more on the New York teams:

After losing six of their last eight games, the Nets began a difficult three-game journey to the West Coast, starting with Sunday night’s contest at Sacramento. “It’s the NBA. We know who we’re playing against,” Cameron Johnson said, per Lewis. “We know what Sacramento brings. We know what Golden State brings. We know what Phoenix brings — and it’s really good, high-level players. So, yeah, we do. It is a bit of a wake-up call. But we understand what we’re getting ourselves into.” Dennis Schröder missed the game with right ankle soreness, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets.
It may come as a shock to some people but Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has never been ejected by the officials as a head coach, a span of over 900 games. How is that possible? The Athletic’s James Edwards discusses that subject with a trio of prominent retired referees — Steve Javie, Danny Crawford and Bill Spooner. “He wasn’t complaining on every play and didn’t cross the line, so when he did start complaining a little bit, you’d show him respect because he treated us with some respect,” Javie said.
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable to play against Denver on Monday due to a left calf contusion, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets. Towns is averaging 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his first season with New York. He shot just 6-for-19 from the field, scoring 16 points in 39 minutes, against Utah on Saturday.

Atlantic Notes: McCain, Maxey, Hart, Payne, Nets

November 23rd, 2024 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers rookie Jared McCain initially broke through with a string of impressive performances earlier this month when Tyrese Maxey was sidelined due to a hamstring strain. However, McCain has shown since Maxey returned that he can remain productive alongside Philadelphia’s starting point guard. In Friday’s victory over Brooklyn, McCain racked up 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting while Maxey made 11-of-17 shots from the floor for 26 points.

“I was ecstatic that we found somebody that can give me relief and a break, so I don’t have to have the ball in my hands so much,” Maxey said (Twitter video link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports). “… So we have another guy out there who can make plays, can shoot the ball, can play off the ball, on the ball. It just makes the game a lot easier.”

When a reporter wondered after Friday’s game whether Maxey (6’2″) and McCain (6’3″) believe they can thrive together as “smaller” guards in the Sixers’ backcourt, Maxey half-jokingly took exception to the premise that the duo is “small,” as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Asked by that reporter how tall he is, Maxey shot back, “Taller than you,” while McCain added, “And I’m taller than him.”

“We both play hard,” McCain said in explaining why he and Maxey don’t believe their size will be an issue. “I think a lot of the game is just playing hard. At this point, they’re going to try to get the mismatch. They’re going to have an offensive scheme to try to go at us. But as long as we play hard, I think we will be able to hold our own. That’s something that a lot of people don’t do. And I think we give a lot of effort, give a lot of energy, and I think we can make up for that.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Knicks forward Josh Hart won’t turn 30 until March, but the eighth-year veteran believes he’s already in the “back end” of his playing career, he told Steve Popper of Newsday. “I always told my wife, I’m hanging it up around 34 or 35, maybe with God’s grace get 36 in there. But I’ve got hopefully five years left in the league,” Hart said. While the 29-year-old is averaging a career-best 14.1 points per game this season, he suggested he’d be happy to see that number drop if it helps the team get closer to its ultimate goal: “One thing I’ve always wanted was a (championship). For me, that’s more important than the statistics. When you win a (championship), no one remembers how much you scored. No one remembers what your role is. They care about (if) you got a ring. And at the end of the day, I’ve got hopefully five years left, maybe six. I’m on the back end. That’s what I’m trying to accomplish.”
Veteran point guard Cameron Payne said on Friday that he didn’t really know what his role would be when he signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Knicks during the offseason, but he hopes he’s “starting to turn some heads” with his play so far, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. Payne is averaging 8.2 points in 17.1 minutes per game and has made 44.4% of his three-point attempts. “Honestly, I just wanted to come and help,” Payne said. “When I get out there, I want to be aggressive and just utilize my opportunities. Obviously, I have. I’m in there. I didn’t know, though, coming in. I just wanted to be the best player I could be every day.”
Although the Nets reacquired control of their 2025 and 2026 first-rounders with the expectation that those picks would be high ones, it’s fine that they’ve exceeded expectations in the early going, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who points out in a subscriber-only article that the club doesn’t want to create a losing culture and that the NBA’s flattened lottery odds don’t necessarily reward the very worst teams. I’d also note that despite picking up a few early wins, the Nets are still tied for the league’s sixth-worst record and will likely get worse as the season progresses and they sell off pieces, so a high draft pick remains very much in play.

And-Ones: Playoff Format, Trade Market, All-Star Game, More

November 22nd, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Luke Adams

If the NBA expands to 32 teams in the coming years, executives for Western Conference teams are hopeful it will provide the league an opportunity to revisit the idea of seeding the playoff teams one through 16, regardless of conference, according to Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link).

Assuming Seattle and Las Vegas, the presumed frontrunners, get teams in the next round of expansion, a current Western Conference team – likely one of the Timberwolves, Grizzlies, or Pelicans – would have to move East to balance out the two conferences. Given the relative strength of the East vs. the West, those three clubs may push hard to be the one chosen, but that battle could potentially be avoided by revamping the postseason seeds, Windhorst suggests.

“It would be the right thing to do for the health of the league,” one West general manager told ESPN. “It’s not just about fairness, it’s about giving the fans the best playoff product.”

A change along those lines would require the approval of at least three-quarters of the NBA’s teams (23 of 30), as Bontemps observes, which means at least eight Eastern Conference teams would have to get on board with the idea, potentially voting against their own interests.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Bontemps and Windhorst suggest in the same ESPN story that many scouts and executives around the NBA believe the 2024/25 in-season trade market will take a while to get going. Trades this early in the season are somewhat rare anyway, and new CBA-related restrictions related to aprons and hard caps have only made deals more challenging. “We were looking at a trade concept the other day and there were three reasons the other team wouldn’t be allowed to do it,” one general manager told Windhorst. “One of the rules I didn’t even know about.”
In another Insider-only story for ESPN, Bontemps ranks all 30 NBA teams’ cores, listing each club’s top three building blocks based on both present and future value. The Celtics (Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White) top the list, while the Nets (Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney, Cam Thomas) come in at No. 30.
Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic provide some additional details on the proposed changes to the NBA’s All-Star format, noting that since the league is expected to split its All-Stars into four teams, the head coaches for the top two teams in each conference (four in total) will likely be invited to All-Star weekend to coach a squad. As Vardon and Vorkunov detail, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for the players on the winning All-Star team to earn $100K, while the players on the losing team earns $25K. The NBA and NBPA need to renegotiate those figures before formally implementing the new format, which would result in three losing teams instead of just one.
In a memo sent to team officials, the NBA urged its players to take extra precautions to secure their homes in the wake of a string of burglaries affecting Bucks big man Bobby Portis and Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, among others. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press has the story.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Claxton, Barnes, Embiid

November 22nd, 2024 at 12:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons can expect the same reception he usually gets when the Nets travel to Philadelphia tonight, but it’s unlikely to affect him, writes Dan Martin of The New York Post. Simmons, who called the hostile reaction “funny” during his last trip to Philly in February, is finally healthy and contributing on a regular basis, Martin notes. He had 10 points and nine rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Charlotte, which marked the first time this season he has been available for three straight games.

“He likes playing and he’s a competitor,’’ Cam Thomas said of Simmons. “He likes that kind of atmosphere. I’m sure he’ll be ready to go and have an impact and do everything for us on the court.”

There has been speculation that Simmons might be moved by the trade deadline because of his expiring $40.3MM contract. However, the Nets have been better than expected with a 6-9 record that has them in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. If they decide to pursue a postseason spot ahead of a high draft pick, Simmons could play an important role in helping them win.

“It’s just his presence in that last game, his physicality, his engagement,’’ coach Jordi Fernandez said. “I was very excited to see that. I told him that because he impacted the rest of the group. It’s that energy of, ‘I want to play with him because he’s gonna give me the ball. He’s gonna be physical on defense.’”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

After missing three games with a back strain, Nets center Nic Claxton plans to return tonight, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). Claxton told reporters that he’s been experiencing pain in his back since the offseason, and it might be a while before he’s fully healthy.
Scottie Barnes said he “felt great” Thursday night as he returned to the Raptors‘ lineup after missing 11 games with an orbital bone fracture, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Grange points out that Barnes replaced Davion Mitchell in the starting lineup and might have the skills to be successful as an oversized point guard even when Immanuel Quickley returns from his injury. “The way he shares the ball, the way he’s playing unselfishly — I don’t want Scottie Barnes to be anything outside of Scottie Barnes,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “I just need him to be the best version of himself. And when he’s that, he’s really raising the people around him to another level. He’s making everybody around him better.”
Sixers center Joel Embiid attended this morning’s shootaround but wasn’t an active participant, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid is listed as questionable due to the left knee injury management that has affected his availability since the start of the season.

Atlantic Notes: Nets Veterans, Wilson, Brunson, Embiid, Sixers, Barnes, More

November 21st, 2024 at 11:04pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Multiple Nets veterans have been the subjects of trade speculation since their arrival to the team. Cameron Johnson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Ben Simmons, Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith are among the players who have been involved in trade rumors for some time, with fourth-year guard Cam Thomas joining them this week.

A few of those players are off to career-best starts for a team that’s been surprisingly competitive at 6-9. Johnson exploded for 34 points on Tuesday, as Net Income at NetsDaily writes.

“All three of us have been traded before. It’s not something that we’re worried about,” Johnson said in explaining why he, Finney-Smith and Schröder are playing well. “There’s a lot of speculation about a lot of things, all of our whole careers, my whole career, speculation about this, speculation about that. You hear a lot of outside noise. There’s no sense in letting it bother you. There’s no sense in letting it get to you. Let the future be the future. Control what you can control now.

“The other thing is, we enjoy our group, playing together. I think we are a group that gets along well with each other, and that’s important. So as long as we’re together, we’re gonna fight for wins, and we’re gonna enjoy representing Brooklyn. And whatever the future holds, it holds.”

Johnson’s been happy with how the organization has handled him during his time there, according to Net Income. While the plan is still to select a cornerstone in the upcoming draft and Johnson seems more likely than not be traded, he’s making an impact alongside the other vets.

“Honestly, he’s just been hooping,” teammate Trendon Watford. “I’m not surprised by it. Cam’s a great player, so I’m not surprised by it at all. Last year was last year. He obviously heard all the noise and took it with a grain of salt and came back. And now he’s doing what we know CJ can do.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

With Thomas missing Tuesday’s game against the Hornets due to a minor injury, second-year forward Jalen Wilson stepped up, according to Andrew Crane of the New York Post. Wilson scored a team-high 17 points in the Nets win while making a career-high five three-pointers. The Nets hold a team option for next season on Wilson, who could see his role increase if some of Brooklyn’s veterans are moved ahead of the trade deadline.
Jalen Brunson didn’t want to specifically address the rumors that the NBA is looking into his father’s promotion to lead assistant on the Knicks‘ coaching staff. However, according to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, he had a message for anyone questioning Rick Brunson‘s coaching credentials. “He’s more than qualified for that position,” Jalen said. “He’s a person who has been around the NBA for a long time, who has been around [Tom Thibodeau] for longer than he’s been around the NBA. I think he understands the business, I think he understands the game, I think he understands the head coach. So he’s more than qualified. Look at the way he’s taught me and raised me and how I’ve seen him impact others in all different levels of basketball — high school, college, pros.“
Following a report Thursday morning indicated Joel Embiid wasn’t happy that a Sixers team-only meeting was leaked, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer writes on Marc Stein’s Substack that one source told him on Tuesday that Embiid would be “furious” about the leak and would try to find the culprit. Fischer adds that Tyrese Maxey getting involved and holding Embiid accountable is a silver lining to the situation. Tobias Harris used to serve as a veteran voice and leader for the Sixers, so it was crucial that someone else step up now that Harris is in Detroit.
Fischer also confirmed that Embiid has preferred to hold some level of control over what the Sixers‘ injury report lists him as and how it’s reported.
Raptors star Scottie Barnes played on Thursday for the first time in nearly a month. Following reporting that he would be on a minutes restriction, Barnes ended the night with 17 points in 27 minutes of action. The Raptors did not start a traditional point guard, opting for Barnes over Davion Mitchell, who moved to the bench. Mitchell being moved to the second unit meant Ochai Agbaji maintained his starting role, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg notes (Twitter link). Barnes hadn’t played since Oct. 28, missing 11 games during that time.
Ja’Kobe Walter, who missed the last six games for the Raptors, was available to play on Thursday, Sportsnet.ca’s Blake Murphy tweets. The 2024 19th overall pick also missed some time at the beginning of the season due to injury.

Injury Notes: Nets, Knicks, Spurs, Heat, Rollins

November 21st, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets center Nic Claxton has returned to practice and will be listed as questionable to play on Friday in Philadelphia, the team announced today (Twitter link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).

Claxton has missed the past three games due to a back strain. The club announced last Friday that he would miss at least a week, but it sounds like he might not be out any longer than that.

Another injured Nets center is also inching closer to a return. According to the club, Day’Ron Sharpe has begun one-on-one workouts with coaches and the plan is for him to be integrated into team activities within the next seven-to-10 days. Sharpe has been on the shelf since training camp due to a left hamstring strain.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau provided some injury updates on Wednesday ahead of a victory over Phoenix, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post relays. Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) is expected to be cleared to practice during the team’s current five-game road trip, while Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has started shooting but hasn’t yet been cleared to practice or run. Bondy says Robinson is more likely to return sometime in the new year than in December and adds that Miles McBride (knee) is considered “a true day-to-day” and could return as early as Saturday in Utah.
Victor Wembanyama (right knee contusion) and Devin Vassell (left knee soreness) will each miss a third consecutive game on Thursday when the Spurs take on Utah, but the team considers both players day-to-day and doesn’t view either issue as serious, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I don’t feel like it will be too extended of a time,” acting head coach Mitch Johnson said. “Minor stuff. … Both of them want to be out there very badly.”
Jaime Jaquez (ankle), Terry Rozier (foot), and Josh Richardson (heel) didn’t participate in the Heat‘s practice on Thursday, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Rozier underwent an MRI on his sore right foot, which has been an issue throughout the season and caused him to miss Monday’s game vs. Philadelphia, but that MRI came back clean and he’s aiming to return to action on Sunday vs. Dallas, according to Winderman and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).
The Bucks are now listing Ryan Rollins‘ injury as a “left shoulder dislocation” rather than “left shoulder instability,” but head coach Doc Rivers expects the two-way guard to try to rehab the injury and play through it rather than undergoing surgery, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. “I’m able to do things on it. So it’s kind of one of those decisions like, are you willing to endure some of the pain of it. Pain tolerance, honestly,” Rollins said, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Are you willing to play through it? Is it important enough for you to play at this moment? A bunch of variables went in to it. I feel like I’m good enough to play though for right now.”

Nets Notes: Thomas, Frontcourt, Simmons, Watford

November 19th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the trade deadline is still about two-and-a-half months away, there’s already “plenty of chatter” about the Nets being one of the go-to stops for contenders seeking upgrades this season, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who says Brooklyn is expected to be “open for business” on the trade market.

As Amick writes, while veterans on expiring deals like Dennis Schröder and Bojan Bogdanovic are considered the Nets’ top trade candidates, the team is unlikely to make anyone totally untouchable. That includes leading scorer Cam Thomas, who is “widely considered to be available” after not signing a rookie scale extension with the club prior to last month’s deadline.

A source who spoke to NetsDaily downplayed the idea that the Nets would be actively looking to move Thomas, however. That source noted that the lack of extension can be attributed in large part to the team’s desire to maximize its 2025 cap flexibility and added that owner Joe Tsai is a big fan of the fourth-year guard.

Here’s more on the Nets:

With top two centers Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe on the shelf due to injuries, the Nets’ lack of size has been a glaring issue as of late, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. In one story, Lewis takes a look at how the team’s struggles in the paint and on the glass were difference-makers in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks; in another article, he explores the trickle-down effect the injuries have had on the rest of the roster, including forcing Ben Simmons to play “somewhere he’s clearly ineffective.”
After missing 13 games due to a hamstring strain, Nets forward Trendon Watford made his season debut on Sunday and was a team-high plus-four in the 10-point loss, registering four points, three assists, and three rebounds. Watford said after the game that he believes he can be a “Swiss army knife” for the Nets and is willing to play whatever role head coach Jordi Fernandez asks of him, according to Lewis. “Just being a little bit of a play-maker, doing everything,” Watford said. “I’ll get better with time and just try keeping that role I had last year, just being that guy to do a little bit everything, guard every position. So trying to be that for the team.”
The “big three” version of the Nets led by Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden certainly had more talent than this season’s roster, but Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post argues that the current iteration of the team is more fun to watch, crediting Fernandez for the Nets’ relentless playing style.

Eastern Notes: Nets, Rivers, Embiid, Queta

November 17th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets have been competitive thus far, in large part due to their remaining veterans. A source tells Brian Lewis of the New York Post (subscription required) that it may not last for long. The Nets are pointing toward the future and next June’s rich draft, in which they control four first-rounders. They might start a fire sale sooner than later.

“It’s kind of a perfect storm where they’re better and everybody else is worse,” the unnamed source told Lewis, referring to a handful of struggling Eastern Conference teams. “But (the front office is) not going to let them stay in the middle, so they’ll blow it up. You’ve just got to keep building from there, and then we’ll see what they do around December, when they start blowing everything up.”

Dennis Schröder, Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith are considered prime trade candidates.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Bucks coach Doc Rivers took a financial hit for criticizing the officials after his team’s loss to Charlotte on Saturday. The NBA has fined him $25K, the league announced (via Twitter).
Joel Embiid has only appeared in two games this season due to knee issues. The reason he’s questionable to play against Miami on Monday is a different story. The Sixers star center is battling an illness, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
The Celtics have played well with big man Neemias Queta in the starting five. He has strong net ratings with all the other starters, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes, and Boston is 3-1 with him in the lineup. “He can protect the rim, he can protect the paint, you could switch him one through five,” guard Jrue Holiday said. “Guards like to go at him, but he’s such a big body and has so much length to be able to protect from the three-point line, and then he’s quick enough to kind of meet you at the rim too. Neemi gives us versatility and is a really good defender.” Queta re-signed with the club for three seasons over the summer.

Nets Notes: Marks, Thomas, Watford, Tanking

November 17th, 2024 at 10:56am CST by Arthur Hill

This was supposed to be a rebuilding — or “tanking” — year for the Nets, but general manager Sean Marks told Adam Zagoria of NJ.com that no one associated with the franchise is using the T-word. Brooklyn has been surprisingly competitive to start the season, compiling a 5-8 record and playing close games even in the losses. That spirit was on display Friday when the Nets staged a late rally to take the lead over the Knicks before losing in the final seconds.

“I think you navigate the season as it goes, and you don’t go into a season saying this is where we’re going to be, this is how it’s going to end,” Marks said. “There’s a lot of unforeseen things. … You’ve gotta give credit to these players, they’re playing with a chip on their shoulder, the coaches are doing a helluva job, so that’s exciting to see. It’s exciting to see an identity being formed and a culture being driven. So who am I to push back on that?”

Marks is more concerned with building a strong foundation under new coach Jordi Fernandez than maximizing his draft pick, but he’s also aware of the upcoming opportunity to remake the franchise. Brooklyn has stockpiled 15 first-round picks over the next seven years, including four in 2025. Duke’s Cooper Flagg is considered the top prize in next year’s draft, and Marks has already been to multiple Rutgers games to watch Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

If the team misses out on those elite prospects because its pick isn’t high enough, Marks said he won’t be disappointed.

“Well, these guys [on the Nets] have done something really right if that’s the case,” he said, “and I love that.”

There’s more on the Nets:

Cam Thomas is eager for another shot at the Knicks today after Friday’s narrow loss, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Thomas had 43 points in that game, marking the second time he has reached the 40-point mark at Madison Square Garden in the past six months. “Yeah, he’s not afraid of the bright lights,” Fernandez said. “And I can tell you that from the first shot he took [on Friday]. … The good thing is you have another chance to do it again against the same team. They’re going to feel the same way and then he’s going to have to come back and perform again. So amazing performance by C.T., and very happy, because from the beginning, he kept us alive.”
Trendon Watford is off the Nets’ injury list and ready for his season debut, Lewis adds in a separate story. The fourth-year forward was expecting to be cleared in early November, but he experienced a setback in his recovery from a strained left hamstring. Watford re-signed with the team over the summer after averaging 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 63 games last season.
In a subscriber-only piece, Lewis examines whether the Nets have too much talent to make tanking a realistic option.

Nets’ Claxton Out At Least One Week With Back Strain

November 15th, 2024 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Nets center Nic Claxton has been diagnosed with a lower back strain and will receive an epidural injection later today, according to the team (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).

The plan is to reevaluate Claxton in one week, meaning he’ll miss at least Friday’s and Sunday’s games against the Knicks, as well as Tuesday’s contest vs. Charlotte. In a best-case scenario, he’d make it back for next Friday’s matchup with the Sixers in Philadelphia, but it’s certainly possible he’ll remain sidelined for longer than a week.

Claxton missed the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury and was rounding back into form in recent weeks, having reclaimed his spot in Brooklyn’s starting lineup last Monday (November 4). The big man has averaged 8.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, a career-high 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 24.8 minutes per game across his first 11 appearances (five starts) this season.

Until Claxton returned to the starting five, Ben Simmons had gotten the nod as the Nets’ starting center. Simmons has been coming off the bench as of late and head coach Jordi Fernandez spoke this week about the former No. 1 pick looking comfortable in his natural point guard position, but it’s possible Simmons will rejoin the starters until Claxton gets healthy.

Nets reserve center Day’Ron Sharpe has yet to make his season debut due to a hamstring injury. Noah Clowney, who earned one start earlier this season when Simmons was out and Claxton was still on a minutes limit, would be another option for Brooklyn at center.

The Nets have gotten off to a respectable 5-7 start this season, but they’ve been at their best with Claxton on the floor. His +5.7 net rating ranks first among Brooklyn players; the club has been outscored by eight points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the court.

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