- Speaking to Justin Termine of SiriusXM Radio (video link), D’Angelo Russell admitted that he got the sense early in the free agent process that he wouldn’t be returning to the Nets. “I never knew exactly,” Russell said (hat tip to NetsDaily). “[But] you work with these guys every day. You see the same players, you see the same coaching staff, you see the same trainers every day. So when they start to act a little different, you recognize it.”
- Responding to an ESPN report that some Nets officials are concerned about Kyrie Irving‘s “mood swings,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said that – from his perspective – that notion is totally false (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).
A disabled player exception can be granted when an NBA team has a player go down with an injury deemed to be season-ending. The exception gives the club some additional spending flexibility, functioning almost as a cross between a traded player exception and a mid-level exception.
We go into more detail on who qualifies for disabled player exceptions and how exactly they work in our glossary entry on the subject. But essentially, 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.
Because the rules related to disable player exceptions are somewhat restrictive and the exceptions themselves often aren’t worth a lot, they often simply expire without being used. Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on which disabled player exceptions have been granted, just in case.
We’ll use this space to break down the teams with DPEs available for the 2019/20 league year, updating it as the season progresses. Teams have until January 15 to apply for a disabled player exception and until March 10 to actually use them.
Teams that have been granted disabled player exceptions:
- Detroit Pistons: $9,258,000 (Blake Griffin) (story)
- Orlando Magic: $4,629,000 (Al-Farouq Aminu) (story)
Washington Wizards: $4,365,079 (C.J. Miles) (story)- Used to acquire Shabazz Napier.
- New Orleans Pelicans: $3,625,000 (Darius Miller) (story)
- Portland Trail Blazers: $2,859,000 (Rodney Hood) (story)
Los Angeles Lakers: $1,750,000 (DeMarcus Cousins) (story)- Used to sign Markieff Morris.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $1,017,900 (Dylan Windler) (story)
- Brooklyn Nets: $839,427 (David Nwaba) (story)
Many of the teams that have been granted disabled player exceptions have full 15-man rosters, so they would have to open up a roster spot in order to use their DPEs.
So far, only the Lakers and Wizards have used their disabled player exceptions. Now that the trade deadline has passed, the remaining exceptions are less likely to be used, since teams like the Pistons, Magic, Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers, and Nets are unlikely to be in the market for free agents who require more than minimum-salary investments.
Teams/players ineligible for disabled player exceptions:
- Orlando Magic (Jonathan Isaac) (story)
- Washington Wizards (John Wall) (story)
The Wizards applied for a disabled player exception for Wall during the first week of the 2019/20 league year. Word that the NBA had denied that request didn’t surface until October, but the league’s decision makes sense. After all, Wall underwent Achilles surgery all the way back in February.
In order for a DPE to be approved, the injured player must be considered substantially more likely than not to be sidelined through June 15 of that league year. Recovery from Achilles surgery is generally viewed as an 11-15 month process, whereas June 15 would’ve been more than 16 months since Wall underwent that procedure.
The Magic are in the same boat with Isaac. His knee injury apparently isn’t serious enough that the NBA is willing to count on him being sidelined through June 15, so Orlando’s DPE request was denied.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan first began talking about the possibility of playing on the same NBA team during the 2016 Rio Olympics, according to ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan. The USA Basketball teammates didn’t get the chance to become NBA teammates until the 2019 offseason, but agreed when they all hit free agency this offseason that now was the time to make that plan a reality.
As MacMullan details, Irving told Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge during his exit interview this spring that he planned to move on, and he had already decided at that point that he’d head to Brooklyn. Durant spent hours researching Nets general manager Sean Marks, while Jordan talked to veterans like Jared Dudley about their experiences in Brooklyn. Ultimately, all three players decided it was the right landing spot for them.
Here’s more on the Nets, including several more tidbits from MacMullan’s deep dive:
- Durant recognizes that the Nets aren’t the immediate championship favorite that the Warriors were during his years in Golden State, but he wants to help lead his new team to a title. “Obviously leaving Golden State, I’m not expecting anything better than that,” he said, per MacMullan. “I see this situation as, ‘All right, I’m coming to a young organization that has championship aspirations but doesn’t quite know what that feels like.'”
- As Marks tells McMullan, there’s plenty of excitement within the organization about eventually being able to add Durant to Nets’ lineup. “He goes out and takes a couple of set shots — not jumpers — and the whole gym stops,” Marks said. “You can hear a pin drop. That’s great for our guys, because they sense this guy is waiting in the wings. We’re not waiting for him, but man, it’s kind of a cool feeling to know he’s coming.”
- Irving, who has spent nine years working with his own performance specialist, has been somewhat resistant to the Nets’ player-performance program, according to MacMullan. However, Marks insists that Irving’s pushback on that issue has been “neither unexpected nor disruptive.”
- There’s some concern among Nets officials about Irving’s mood swings — MacMullan suggests that he can become unwilling to communicate with coaches and even teammates in down moments. Sources tell ESPN that one such funk happened during Brooklyn’s trip to China, but the team is hopeful that having a good friend like Durant around will help.
- As Bleacher Report relays (video link), Durant said in an appearance on Serge Ibaka‘s YouTube cooking show that the idea of finishing his playing career by spending a season on a EuroLeague team like Barcelona appeals to him.
As the Nets embark in their first season with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant under contract, the players aren’t the only ones working to establish a new chemistry, as detailed by Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn’s head coach for the past three years, is known to have strong people skills and a willingness to get to know his players both on the court and off. For Atkinson, this season will be no different.
“I’m trying to personally establish relationships with the new guys, and quite honestly figuring them out off the court and on the court,” Atkinson said, according to Lewis. “We need time to build that relationship.
“You say, ‘Well, haven’t you been watching DeAndre Jordan or Kyrie for a long time?’ It’s just different when they’re in your house and your system and you’re just trying to really figure it out. We’re still in the figuring-out stage. I know we’ve got to move quick. I know this thing goes quick, so we’re trying.”
Despite likely having to play without Durant this season, the Nets have a strong roster led by the likes of Irving, Jordan, Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie and others as they look to compete for a spot in the playoffs next spring.
Here are some other notes out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Signing Jamal Crawford could make a lot of sense for the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer contends. Crawford, who remains a free agent one week into the NBA season, averaged 7.9 points off the bench for the Suns last year. He’s currently represented by agent Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports Management.
- Knicks coach David Fizdale deserves part of the blame for the team’s horrendous start to the 2019/20 season, Tommy Beer of Forbes writes. New York has kicked off the season at 0-3, dropping games to San Antonio, Brooklyn and Boston.
- Celtics center Tacko Fall made his long-awaited NBA debut on Saturday, checking in to cheers from an electric Madison Square Garden crowd against the Knicks, Marc Berman and George Willis write for the New York Post. Fall, a 7-foot-5 center on a two-way deal with Boston, tallied four points and three rebounds in just over three minutes of action.
Two games into the season, the Knicks‘ point guard situation remains as confused as ever, writes Greg Joyce of The New York Post. Elfrid Payton earned a start Friday night after a strong performance in the season opener, but rookie RJ Barrett was used in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. Barrett posted 16 points and six steals to help lead a comeback, but finished the night with five turnovers and only three assists.
“It was good. I feel like I can do that,” Barrett said of handling the point. “Coach trusts me. He has a lot of faith in me.”
Dennis Smith Jr., who appeared to be the point guard of the future when he was acquired from the Mavericks in the Kristaps Porzingis trade nine months ago, played just 4:31. Frank Ntilikina wasn’t used at all.
“(Smith’s) still in a struggle,” coach David Fizdale said. “I just gotta figure out how to get him out of it. I think he’s just overthinking things a little bit, but we’ll figure it out.”
There’s more from New York:
- Fizdale continues to work through different combinations, which should be expected on a team with nine new players, observes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. The lack of cohesion was especially apparent on defense Friday as lapses enabled the Nets to hit 15 of their first 30 shots from beyond the arc. “We have depth, we’ve just got to get them all to play on the same night and get them clicking on the same night,” Fizdale said. “But that’s going to take time obviously. We’ve had three weeks together. But the fact we have the kind of grit that doesn’t lay down, those are two playoff teams we lost to on the road that we had a chance to win those games.”
- The Knicks-Nets rivalry appeared more heated than ever after a pivotal free agency summer for both franchises, notes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who were thought to be New York’s top targets, both wound up in Brooklyn, and the Nets gave away Irving jerseys last night to emphasize the point.
- Allonzo Trier doesn’t believe Irving’s comments about taking over New York City were meant to be inflammatory, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. “It wasn’t about the Knicks. It wasn’t about anything like that,” Trier said. “I didn’t take anything personally. Kyrie is a really good friend of mine. We spent a lot of time (together) in the summer. Great guy.’’
Kyrie Irving‘s first two games have been nothing short of spectacular. After dropping 50 points in his debut on Wednesday in a loss to the Timberwolves, Irving followed that with a 26-point effort along with the game-winner over New York.
After choosing the Nets over the Knicks in free agency, Irving has been vocal about how happy he is to be back home in the tri-state area. As Brooklyn seeks a playoff spot and a possible championship, Irving sees the Nets overtaking the Knicks for New York City supremacy.
“We’re dressed in that all-black all year. We got a lot, a lot of goals to accomplish this season,” Irving told fans at a promotional event Thursday, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “The team is excited. Obviously we know in the months to follow, we got a sleeping, sleeping monster that’s on our team right there.”
The Nets won’t be at full strength until next year when Kevin Durant, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, is expected to suit up, While it’s possible Durant plays later this year, the Nets are focused on this season and being successful without KD in the lineup.
“…But for the time being, we’re going to take over the whole entire city. It’s about us,” Irving said.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn’t just upset at Marcus Morris. He was also ticked off at the Knicks organization concerning Morris’ free agent odyssey, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reports. Morris backed out of a verbal agreement with San Antonio and inked a one-year, $15MM contract with New York. “Who signed him? I thought it was the Knicks that signed him,” Popovich said. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
However, Popovich has made peace with Morris, as the two embraced after the teams played each other on Wednesday. “That meant a lot. I didn’t know how he felt,” Morris said. “I spoke to him after I made my decision. So it was good to clear the air.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- While the organization may have been disheartened by Kyrie Irving‘s decision to join the Nets, coach David Fizdale wasn’t caught off-guard by the All-Star point guard’s decision, Ian Begley of SNY TV reports. “Nothing surprises me anymore,” Fizdale said. “Guys are going to go where they feel is best for them,” he said. “He felt that that was best for him. I’m happy with the guys that we got.”
- Fizdale admits he’s still a long way from settling on a rotation, Begley notes in the same story. “I’m sure it’s tough for them (not) being set in a rotation. At the same time, we’re not there yet,” he said. “Some teams have the luxury to know here’s my starting five, here’s my backups. Everybody can just dial into when they’re going to play every single night. But right now we don’t have that luxury.”
- Elfrid Payton has apparently taken the lead in the starting point guard race after the opener, Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. Payton posted 11 points, eight assists and five steals with no turnovers as Dennis Smith and Frank Ntilikina struggled. Rookie RJ Barrett got the start in game one, but that experiment may be over, Berman writes. “By no means is this an indictment on anybody or stuck in stone,” Fizdale said. “I still want these guys to be fighting for that top spot.”
- Taurean Prince can earn a $334,375 annual bonus on his new contract with the Nets if the team posts a defensive rating of 105 or better in his minutes, per Hollinger. Prince can also receive another $334,375 annually if he attempts at least 7.6 three-pointers per 36 minutes and makes at least 41.5% of those tries, Hollinger adds. Prince’s extension reportedly maxes out at $29MM over two years.
- New Nets center DeAndre Jordan was “largely an afterthought” in his debut in Brooklyn, recording just two points and three rebounds in 16 minutes, writes Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. Jordan, who admitted he was “a little surprised” to be coming off the bench, is confident he’ll find a rhythm in his new role. “We’re basketball players,” he told Kussoy. “We have to learn how to adjust.”
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2019 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2019/20 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Brooklyn Nets.
Signings:
- Standard contracts:
- Kevin Durant: Four years, maximum salary ($164.26MM). Fourth-year player option. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
- Kyrie Irving: Four years, $136.49MM. Fourth-year player option. Includes unlikely incentives. Signed using cap room.
- DeAndre Jordan: Four years, $39.96MM. Signed using cap room.
- Garrett Temple: Two years, $9.77MM. Second-year team option. Signed using room exception.
- David Nwaba: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Theo Pinson: Two years, minimum salary. Second-year team option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Wilson Chandler: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Two-way contracts:
- Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Deng Adel: One year, minimum salary (Waived).
- Devin Cannady: One year, minimum salary (Waived).
- John Egbunu: One year, minimum salary (Waived).
- C.J. Massinburg: One year, minimum salary (Waived).
- Lance Thomas: One year, minimum salary (Waived).
- C.J. Williams: One year, minimum salary (Waived).
Trades:
- Acquired the Sixers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected) and the draft rights to Jaylen Hands (No. 56 pick) from the Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Mfiondu Kabengele (No. 27 pick).
- Acquired Taurean Prince and the Hawks’ 2021 second-round pick from the Hawks in exchange for Allen Crabbe, the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), and the Nets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
- Acquired the draft rights to Aaron White and the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic in a three-team trade with the Spurs and Wizards in exchange for DeMarre Carroll (sign-and-trade; to Spurs).
- Acquired Kevin Durant (sign-and-trade) and the Warriors’ 2020 first-round pick (top-20 protected) from the Warriors in exchange for D’Angelo Russell (sign-and-trade), Treveon Graham, and Shabazz Napier.
Draft picks:
- 2-31: Nicolas Claxton — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Fully guaranteed. Signed using cap room.
- 2-56: Jaylen Hands — Signed G League contract.
Contract extensions:
- Caris LeVert: Three years, $52.5MM. Starts in 2020/21; runs through 2022/23.
- Taurean Prince: Two years, $25.3MM. Includes $3.7MM in incentives. Starts in 2020/21; runs through 2021/22.
Departing players:
- DeMarre Carroll
- Allen Crabbe
- Ed Davis
- Jared Dudley
- Treveon Graham
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
- Shabazz Napier
- D’Angelo Russell
- Alan Williams (two-way)
Other offseason news:
- Kevin Durant expected to miss entire season due to Achilles tear.
- Joseph Tsai finalized purchase of Nets from Mikhail Prokhorov.
- CEO Brett Yormark stepped down; David Levy named new CEO.
- Wilson Chandler suspended 25 games for failed PED test.
- Rodions Kurucs arrested for alleged domestic incident.
- Lost Trajan Langdon from front office; lost Gianluca Pascucci from front office.
- Hired Jeff Peterson as assistant GM; hired Andy Birdsong as assistant GM; hired J.R. Holden as director of player personnel.
- Lost assistant coach Chris Fleming to Bulls.
- Named Tiago Splitter player development coach.
- Hired Shaun Fein as head coach of G League affiliate (Long Island Nets).
- Exercised 2020/21 rookie scale options on Jarrett Allen, Dzanan Musa.
Salary cap situation:
- Used cap space; now over the cap.
- Hard-capped.
- Carrying approximately $126.08MM in guaranteed salary.
- No exceptions available.
Story of the summer:
The fact that the Nets somehow weren’t the only team this summer that acquired two of the top 10 players on last season’s All-NBA rosters shouldn’t diminish what they were able to accomplish.
Sure, the Clippers may have “won” the offseason by signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George, but few clubs in NBA history have had a more successful free agent period than the 2019 Nets, who landed both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
While the Nets may never match up with the Knicks in terms of their arena, brand, and history, they’ve clearly surpassed their New York rivals on the court and in the front office in recent years. It had to feel good for Brooklyn to secure commitments from two superstars with NBA championships on their résumés at the same time the Knicks were sending out a statement acknowledging their fans’ disappointment and insisting they were still upbeat about their rebuilding plans.
Once the free agency celebration died down and the hangover wore off, a clear-eyed look at the Nets’ roster did leave us with some questions.
With Irving replacing All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell and Durant not expected to play in 2019/20, how much better can the Nets actually be this season? Would bringing in DeAndre Jordan along with his two friends Irving and Durant interfere with the development of up-and-coming big man Jarrett Allen? And even when Durant is recovered from his torn Achilles and ready to return, will he ever be the same player he was before the injury?
As we mulled over those questions, the Nets’ offseason took a turn for the worse, as newly-signed forward Wilson Chandler was suspended for 25 games for violating the NBA’s PED policy and second-year forward Rodions Kurucs faced accusations of domestic violence.
Those developments put a bit of a damper on what should have been a victory lap for the Nets, and Durant’s absence means the team likely won’t to get to fully reap the rewards of its free agency success until the 2020/21 season.
Still, the franchise deserves kudos for the way it has reshaped its roster. After all, it feels like just yesterday that the 2015/16 Nets completed a 21-61 season with no promising young prospects on the roster and no lottery draft picks on the horizon due to that infamously lopsided trade with the Celtics.
Brooklyn still hasn’t drafted a player in the lottery since then, but general manager Sean Marks and company put together a core – and built a culture – that two of the NBA’s top players wanted to be a part of. It should be a long time before the franchise endures another 21-61 season.
That leaves Irving as Brooklyn’s top offseason signing, and he’s certainly worthy of that title. Things went south in Boston for Irving last season due to chemistry issues, but his first year with the Celtics was a success and he’ll likely be on his best behavior in Brooklyn to shake the problematic reputation he earned last year.