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2019/20 Disabled Player Exceptions To Expire On Tuesday

March 9th, 2020 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

March 10 is the last day that teams are allowed to disabled player exceptions for the 2019/20 season, which means the six clubs that still have DPEs available will see them expire if they’re not used on Monday or Tuesday.

We go into more detail on how exactly disabled player exceptions work in our glossary entry on the subject. Essentially though, a DPE gives a team the opportunity to add an injury replacement by either signing a player to a one-year contract, trading for a player in the final year of his contract, or placing a waiver claim on a player in the final year of his contract.

Trades are often the simplest way to make use of disabled player exceptions, but we’re well past the 2019/20 deadline, so that’s no longer an option.

There also don’t appear to be any players on the free agent market or on waivers at the moment who are worthy of an investment larger than the veteran’s minimum — especially since there are no true contenders among the five teams with disabled player exceptions still on hand. As such, I expect the remaining six available DPEs to ultimately go unused.

Here’s a breakdown of the eight DPEs granted by the NBA this season, including the two that were used in recent weeks:

Disabled player exceptions still available:

Detroit Pistons: $9,258,000 (Blake Griffin) (story)
Orlando Magic: $4,629,000 (Al-Farouq Aminu) (story)
New Orleans Pelicans: $3,625,000 (Darius Miller) (story)
Portland Trail Blazers: $2,859,000 (Rodney Hood) (story)
Cleveland Cavaliers: $1,017,900 (Dylan Windler) (story)
Brooklyn Nets: $839,427 (David Nwaba) (story)

Disabled player exceptions that have been used:

Washington Wizards: $4,365,079 (C.J. Miles) (story)
- Used to acquire Shabazz Napier.
Los Angeles Lakers: $1,750,000 (DeMarcus Cousins) (story)
- Used to sign Markieff Morris.

Nets Notes: Atkinson, Durant, Irving, Jordan

March 9th, 2020 at 8:46am CST by Luke Adams

In an in-depth story for The Athletic, Shams Charania and Alex Schiffer take a closer look at Kenny Atkinson‘s final days in Brooklyn, detailing how the Nets ultimately came to the decision to part ways with their head coach.

As Charania and Schiffer explain, a team meeting following last Wednesday’s blowout home loss to Memphis was an inciting event. During that “spirited” session, people in the room aired their grievances, with Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan among the players who were called out. Perhaps most importantly, Kevin Durant suggested that the Nets must improve certain habits and that they weren’t building the sort of culture traits that a legit title contender has.

According to The Athletic’s report, no directive from Kyrie Irving or Durant was ever given to replace Atkinson, but the Nets’ two new stars “never connected” with the incumbent head coach and there was a growing belief they weren’t interested in playing for him next season. A handful of other players were also believed to have started “disconnecting” with Atkinson, per Charania and Schiffer.

In Wednesday’s meeting, players didn’t hold back on critiquing Atkinson’s coaching style, expressing their “growing displeasure” with his communication tactics. Charania and Schiffer write that the aftermath of that meeting could have gone one of two ways. Atkinson could have become more motivated to fix those issues players had — however, sources tell The Athletic that the head coach instead came out of that session “dejected” and not wanting to let anyone “dictate his job.” He began to talk about leaving the job on his own terms, if necessary.

Atkinson and GM Sean Marks ultimately made the final decision to part ways late on Friday night and into Saturday morning, according to The Athletic.

Here’s more on the Nets and their coaching change:

Nets center DeAndre Jordan took exception to the idea of blaming Durant and Irving for Atkinson’s departure, calling those reports “bullsh–,” as Peter Botte of The New York Post writes. “I’m close with Kyrie, but Wilson (Chandler) is a new player, Garrett Temple’s a new player. We’re all new players,” Jordan said. “So if you’re going to say new players, put it on all eight of the new players.” Jordan added that he was “shocked” by the news, adding that Atkinson “did a great job with us.”
For what it’s worth, the Athletic report from Charania and Schiffer suggested that Jordan was among the players to express frustration to Atkinson last week, with sources indicating there had been a “season-long tension” relating to the coach’s decision not to start Jordan over Jarrett Allen. In Brooklyn’s first game under Jacque Vaughn, Jordan entered the starting lineup, signaling the “beginning of the end of the old Nets,” writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.
Marc Berman of The New York Post explores whether Mark Jackson – who is expected to be a candidate for the Knicks‘ head coaching job this spring – may also be on the Nets’ list of targets, given Rich Kleiman‘s fondness for the former Warriors head coach.
As for Atkinson’s next move, one source with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Charania and Schiffer is confident that the former Brooklyn head coach won’t be out of work for long if he doesn’t want to be. “Kenny will be back coaching soon,” the source said. “He works too hard. Works his ass off. He will probably take the time away and replay the scenarios and relationships that went wrong — and come back stronger for the job he wants.”

The Latest On Kenny Atkinson

March 8th, 2020 at 10:29am CST by Arthur Hill

Kenny Atkinson‘s surprising departure as coach of the Nets on Saturday may have been instigated by his players, but it was a mutual decision, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Sources tell Lewis that Kyrie Irving bears much of the responsibility for the move, but Atkinson has understood for months that a change might be necessary.

“Kenny and I had these pretty frank conversations. And it wasn’t last night, 24 hours; there wasn’t one game,” general manager Sean Marks said. “This was a culmination of events over the course of the year. Kenny’s brutally honest, and the humility he showed to admit ‘My voice is not what it once was here. It’s time.’ This is a compromise that Kenny and I and ownership came up with; it was time. Kenny grinded and did everything he could, but it was time for another voice in that locker room, and it’s our job to find it.”

Marks and owner Joe Tsai gave Atkinson credit for helping to turn around a franchise that was among the league’s worst when he took over in 2016. He has the Nets on track for their second straight playoff appearance, but what the organization wants in a coach apparently shifted after last summer’s free agency bonanza that brought in Irving and Kevin Durant. Neither of them offered comment on Atkinson’s departure, but the players who did insist that they weren’t involved in the decision.

“I absolutely [had] no ‘Fire Kenny’ conversations with Sean, so I don’t know, not a part of that,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “It’s not like I called Joe on the phone and was like, ‘Hey you making any moves?’ I like to think we’re cool, but not that cool.”

Lewis adds that one of the first actions from interim coach Jacque Vaughn was to talk to Irving and other players about what changes they would like to see.

“It’s a service business. I’m serving these guys. I’m just a vessel,” Vaughn said. “It’s today’s game and being able to adjust to that, getting the most out of talent on your roster, but also listening and hearing the voices of the No. 1, 2, 3, 4 guys on your roster. It’s crucial, and having that relationship is a must in today’s game.”

There’s more fallout from this season’s most surprising coaching change:

Irving would like to see the Nets hire Tyronn Lue, his former head coach in Cleveland, reports Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Currently an assistant with the Clippers, Lue took the Cavaliers to three straight NBA Finals, including two with Irving as his point guard. Irving didn’t like Atkinson’s “rigid” coaching methods and clashed with him almost immediately, sources tell Goodwill. Multiple sources also say Atkinson didn’t mesh with his two new stars and wasn’t looking forward to coaching them next season when both will presumably be healthy. “Oh, it was definitely mutual,” a league source said.
Alex Schiffer of The Athletic talked to sources around the league and compiled a list of candidates to potentially become the Nets’ next head coach. Vaughn’s name is on the list along with some familiar candidates such as Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Thibodeau, Mark Jackson and former Nets star Jason Kidd. A few possibilities without head coaching experience are Darvin Ham, Ime Udoka, Brian Keefe and Adam Harrington.
Atkinson may be the perfect choice to take over the cross-town Knicks, suggests Greg Joyce of The New York Post. New York is trying to rebuild with a collection of unproven young talent, much like Brooklyn was when Atkinson was hired there, and he is represented by Creative Artists Agency, which was run by new Knicks president Leon Rose. “It seems like he’s very well respected within players, within the league — players he coached and players he didn’t coach,” said Knicks forward Julius Randle. “I know I respected him.”

More On Nets, Kenny Atkinson Parting Ways

March 7th, 2020 at 11:44am CST by marksuleymanov

In a shocking move, the Nets announced on Saturday morning that the organization mutually parted ways with head coach Kenny Atkinson. It was an unexpected move for a Brooklyn team that – despite missing its two best players (Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant) – is still the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, albeit with a modest 28-34 record.

Plenty of fallout is expected as a result this move, with signals that Brooklyn is already planning for the 2020/21 campaign. Irving and Durant are expected to be healthy, which means the Nets will enter next season with elevated championship aspirations. Assistant coach Jacque Vaughn will take over as the club’s interim head coach but it will be key to watch who the Nets target to lead the team next season.

As we noted in our earlier story, general manager Sean Marks and Atkinson had a close relationship during his stint as head coach. Reports suggest that in addition to Atkinson reportedly losing part of the locker room, his discussions with Marks indicated a change was imminent. Now, Atkinson enters the market with a reputation for positive player development and developing a strong team culture.

Here’s from the hectic day in Brooklyn:

During a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Marks said moving on from Atkinson was “a decision that Kenny, I and ownership came up with.” Marks added that Atkinson was a big part of building the culture the Nets have established over the past four seasons.
Per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), the final decision that led to Atkinson’s dismissal came from owner Joe Tsai. After reportedly meeting with Nets players, he made the call that it was time for Brooklyn to move on from Atkinson.
Tsai issued a statement about Atkinson’s departure, tweeting, “I am extremely grateful to Kenny Atkinson for what he’s done for our franchise over the years. If we did not have him, we would not be where we are with promising young guys still improving. All the best Kenny.”
A pair of former Nets, Jared Dudley and D’Angelo Russell — who were crucial in Brooklyn’s playoff season in 2018/19 — expressed shock over the move. Dudley tweeted “Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!” while Russell added a blank face emoji. While Dudley spent just season in Brooklyn, Russell developed into an All-Star under Atkinson.

Nets Part Ways With Head Coach Kenny Atkinson

March 7th, 2020 at 8:26am CST by marksuleymanov

The Nets and head coach Kenny Atkinson have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced today in a press release. Assistant coach Jacque Vaughn will take over as the club’s interim head coach.

“After discussions with Kenny about the progress of the season, we mutually agreed that a coaching change would be in the best interest of the team,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “This was an extremely difficult decision, however the organization believes it is one that is necessary at this time. Kenny was instrumental in developing our players and building the identity and culture we have become known for over these past four seasons. The foundation he helped put into place here is one that we will continue to build on in the coming seasons.”

Atkinson, who took over as the Nets’ head coach in 2016, went just 20-62 in his first season with the club, but has played a key role since then in guiding the rebuild in Brooklyn and turning the team into a playoff contender. His best season came in 2018/19, when he led the Nets to a 42-40 record and the No. 6 seed in the East. He had an overall record of 118-190 (.383) in nearly four full seasons.

Although the Nets have fallen a little short of expectations this season, that can be attributed in large part to the injuries to stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Durant has missed the entire 2019/20 campaign while recovering from an Achilles tear, while shoulder issues limited Irving to just 20 games. Brooklyn is still in position to make the playoffs, albeit with a modest 28-34 record.

Given the circumstances surrounding the team’s performance this season, it’s surprising that the Nets would feel motivated to make a change. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says (via Twitter) that Atkinson and Marks had multiple conversations and sensed that the relationship had run its course and that an eventual change was inevitable. The two sides decided not to wait on that change, despite the fact that they maintain a close relationship, Woj adds.

As Wojnarowski notes in a separate tweet, Atkinson has shown that he’s comfortable and effective leading a rebuilding team, so he should be in high demand going forward as other lottery-bound clubs around the NBA seek new coaches of their own. One of those teams is also in New York, though it remains to be seen if Atkinson will emerge as a target for the Knicks this spring.

As for the Nets, while Vaughn is taking the head coaching reins in the interim, the team will presumably conduct a more expansive coaching search at season’s end. With Durant and Irving expected to be ready to go in the fall, Brooklyn figures to target a coach who can potentially lead a veteran squad to title contention, rather than one overseeing a rebuild.

Luke Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

New York Notes: Durant, Nets Backcourt, Knicks Fans, Rose

March 5th, 2020 at 1:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant provided a medical update during the Nets‘ broadcast Wednesday night on the YES Network, relays Peter Botte of The New York Post. Durant said he continues to make progress in his recovery from Achilles surgery and confirmed that he recently started playing three-on-three games with teammates.

“I feel all right. It’s been fun, playing three-on-three with the guys every day,” Durant said. “I miss the routine. I’ve missed getting up every day and being one of the guys, going to practice, going to shootarounds. It’s been difficult, being away from the scene. But I’m about nine months out (from surgery), so I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.”

There’s more NBA news from New York City:

Because of injuries to Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson still doesn’t know if they can form an effective backcourt rotation with Spencer Dinwiddie, writes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Irving will miss the rest of the season after shoulder surgery and played just 20 games in his first year in Brooklyn. LeVert was injured early in the season and has been available for only 36 games. “That would be the piece we still have to figure out,” Atkinson said. “You have a lot of ball dominant guards. That being said, Caris and Spencer, with D’Angelo [Russell], they played a lot without the ball. I think D’Angelo’s usage rate was higher than Kyrie’s. We can definitely do it.”
Four fans tell Marc Berman of The New York Post they were ejected from Madison Square Garden after starting a “sell the team” chant directed at owner James Dolan late in Wednesday’s loss to Utah. The Knicks are denying the claim, stating that no one was ejected or escorted out of the building. Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press notes that years of losing may be catching up with the organization as last night’s crowd was the smallest since 2006 and overall attendance is likely to drop for the fourth straight season.
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell believes hiring Leon Rose as president of basketball operations will help turn the Knicks around, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. A CAA client, Mitchell talked about Rose when he was asked about the team’s dispute with Spike Lee. “I think with Leon — who I know personally — things are going to trend upward. I love Leon to death,” Mitchell said. “He’s a great dude, great person and a really good businessman. So I think they’re going to start going in the right direction when he gets in there.”

Durant Has Progressed To 3-On-3 Work

March 4th, 2020 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

During TNT’s Tuesday broadcast (video link), Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports cited league sources who say Nets star Kevin Durant is making good progress in his Achilles recovery and is doing some 3-on-3 work. Durant is on track to be ready for training camp in the fall.

Kyrie Irving Undergoes Surgery On Shoulder, Officially Out For Season

March 3rd, 2020 at 12:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard Kyrie Irving underwent arthroscopic surgery in New York today to relieve the impingement in his right shoulder, the team announced in a press release. Irving, who is expected to make a full recovery, will miss the rest of the season, the Nets confirmed.

A report nearly two weeks ago had indicated that Irving would undergo a procedure on his shoulder and be sidelined for the remainder of the 2019/20 campaign, so today’s update was expected.

It has been a lost first season in Brooklyn for Irving, who was limited to just 20 games due to health issues. The star guard, who turns 28 later this month, put up some of the best numbers of his career when he was on the court, averaging 27.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 5.2 RPG with a .478/.394/.922 shooting line.

Even without Irving and Kevin Durant, Brooklyn is in position to earn a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Despite their current four-game losing streak, the Nets remain four games ahead of the ninth-seeded Wizards. The team likely won’t last long in the postseason, but will head into the 2020/21 season with higher expectations, as both Irving and Durant are on track to return to action in the fall.

Atkinson Pushes Team Hard In Practice

March 2nd, 2020 at 9:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Coach Kenny Atkinson tried to stir up the slumping Nets with a long, difficult practice on Monday, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports. Brooklyn has dropped into eighth place in the East. “You’ve got to get a little uncomfortable when you’re not doing well. I think that’s part of the philosophy. You’ve got to feel that,” Atkinson said. “It’s great having days like this, two days in between, allows you to really practice and get some things done.”

Kevin Durant Will Consider Olympics

February 29th, 2020 at 6:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

As Kevin Durant continues to rehab his torn Achilles tendon, there’s a chance his return to the court might happen at the Summer Olympics, according to Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. Durant was among 44 finalists on a list released by USA Basketball earlier this month, and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, says the Nets star is giving it serious consideration.

“[Tokyo is] definitely a possibility,” Kleiman said. “He allowed his name to be in the group of finalists. But there are other benchmarks in front of him that are more important before he makes those decisions.”

Kleiman doesn’t specify what those benchmarks are, but one is presumably a return to full health. Durant has made “significant progress” lately, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who states that he has been holding regular workouts with teammates who aren’t part of Brooklyn’s rotation.

“I have no question he’ll be back better than ever,” Kleiman said. “By next season, I expect nothing but KD. Great things will happen. Injuries are a part of the game, and it’s obviously been a bit frustrating. The Nets are still in playoff position. The players are developing and getting better. I expect things to pick up. Everyone knows what [Durant and Kyrie Irving] can do when they’re playing and healthy.”

Durant is a two-time Olympian, winning gold medals at the 2012 Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Lewis notes that 2016 is when Durant, Irving and DeAndre Jordan formed a bond as Olympic teammates and began talking about playing for the same NBA franchise.

Golliver adds that Durant’s playing career may have been interrupted by the injury, but his business ventures are still on track. His video series titled “The Boardroom” returned this week for its second season on ESPN Plus.