Nets Sign Iman Shumpert
3:50pm: The Nets have officially signed Shumpert, the team announced today in a press release. His minimum-salary contract will pay him about $13.1K per day as long as he remains on the roster.
2:24pm: The Nets are bringing in free agent swingman Iman Shumpert, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com tweets. No corresponding roster move will be necessary, as Brooklyn has the ability to carry a 16th man until Wilson Chandler returns from suspension.
The news of Shumpert signing coincides with Stadium’s Shams Charania reporting that Caris LeVert is expected to miss several weeks because of feared ligament damage in his thumb. LeVert, who recently signed a three-year, $52MM extension, has missed 79 games because of injury since coming into the league.
Shumpert’s deal will give him the opportunity to once again be teammates with Kyrie Irving after the two vets won a title in Cleveland together. As NetsDaily relays, Irving lobbied for the team to sign Shumpert over the summer.
As we explained earlier this month, players serving longer-term suspensions can be moved to the suspended list after five games, at which point a team is eligible to add an extra player to its roster. Chandler will be eligible to return from his 25-game ban on December 15, so Brooklyn will have to make a roster move at that time, releasing Shumpert or trading or waiving of its other players to get back down to 15 players on standard contracts.
Nets, CEO David Levy Part Ways After Two Months
Less than two months after he joined the Nets as the CEO of the franchise and the Barclays Center, David Levy and the Nets are parting ways, the team announced today in a press release. Oliver Wiesberg, the CEO of J Tsai Sports and the Nets’ alternative governor, has been named Levy’s replacement on an interim basis.
While the Nets’ announcement and a statement from Levy himself classify the move as a mutual agreement to part ways, Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg suggests in his report that the longtime Turner Broadcasting executive resigned from his new post in Brooklyn.
Levy replaced former CEO Brett Yormark in September when new owner Joe Tsai officially assumed control of the franchise from Mikhail Prokhorov. Presumably, the two sides expected the relationship to last longer than two months, so there’s likely more to the story than they’re willing to reveal at this point.
Wiesberg’s statement in the Nets’ press release may offer a hint at the circumstances surrounding Levy’s departure. That statement reads, in part: “As we enter an exciting next chapter of our organization, it’s important that ownership and management are completely aligned on our go forward plan.”
Lowe: Nets Need More From DeAndre Jordan
- In his Friday column for ESPN.com, Zach Lowe noted that DeAndre Jordan has gotten off to a poor start in the first season of a lucrative four-year contract with the Nets, failing to deter opponents from scoring at the rim. Brooklyn will need more from the veteran center going forward to justify its investment, Lowe argued. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post details, Jordan was one of the few bright spots during a blowout loss to Phoenix on Sunday, scoring 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Dinwiddie Calls Claxton Team's Second-Most Talented Player
Spencer Dinwiddie, speaking after the debut of Nets rookie center Nicolas Claxton on Friday night in a 119-115 victory against Portland, called the 20 year-old the team’s second-most talented player. Claxton, drafted 31st by Brooklyn this summer, scored eight points on three-of-five shooting from the field and pulled down six boards in just 12 minutes of action.
Those comments reflect just how high Dinwiddie is on the rookie, considering he apparently has him ahead of Kyrie Irving on his informal list of Brooklyn’s most talented players. Irving, the Nets’ only healthy current All-Star, is averaging 31.9 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game for the 4-4 squad.
Meanwhile, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson lauded Claxton’s defensive awareness: “Just understanding the coverages,” Atkinson noted. “I think one time in the first half we were switching everything and he handled that fantastically. That was part of the reason we drafted him, that he was versatile and could guard five positions, so he proved that.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/7/19
Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Nuggets have assigned rookie forward Vlatko Cancar to the Erie BayHawks, the team’s PR department tweets. The 2017 second-round selection has appeared in one game, a two-minute cameo on Oct. 31. Denver doesn’t have a G League affiliate.
- The Clippers assigned center Mfiondu Kabengele and guard Derrick Walton Jr. to the Agua Caliente Clippers for a practice and then recalled them, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets.
- The Bulls assigned swingman Denzel Valentine, who missed last season due to an ankle injury, to the Windy City Bulls, the team’s PR department tweets. Valentine practiced with the G League team and is expected to remain with them for their first two games on Friday and Saturday. Rookie power forward Daniel Gafford was also assigned to the Windy City Bulls and will remain for their season opener, according to another team tweet.
- The Spurs assigned forward Chimezie Metu to their Austin affiliate, then recalled him prior to their game against Oklahoma City, according to a team press release. He’ll be re-assigned to Austin for its season opener on Friday.
- The Hawks assigned swingman Allen Crabbe to the College Park Skyhawks for a practice and then recalled him, according to Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the team’s PR department (Twitter links). Crabbe is working his way back from knee surgery.
- The Hornets assigned two rookies, guard Cody Martin and forward Caleb Martin, to the Greensboro Swarm for a practice and then recalled them, according to a team press release. They also recalled rookie forward Jalen McDaniels, according to another team release.
Nets Notes: TLC, Kurucs, Jordan
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot could have made more money by returning overseas, but he decided to accept a two-way contract with the Nets, as he explains to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily. “I wanted to still keep a foot in the NBA,” said Luwawu-Cabarrot, who played with Long Island Nets head coach Shaun Fein several years ago in France. “The Nets always gave their two-ways an opportunity to play and that was the goal. I am just trying to get better with everything I work on. In the G League, be a leader of the team, try to do something good with the team.”
- In other Nets news, Brian Lewis of The New York Post explores Rodions Kurucs‘ struggles to adjust to a new role this season, while Peter Botte of The New York Post says DeAndre Jordan‘s ankle injury isn’t as bad as initially feared. Jordan is being listed as day-to-day.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/4/19
Here are Monday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- Pistons first-round pick Sekou Doumbouya was assigned to the Grand Rapids Drive, Eric Woodyard of ESPN tweets. The teenage forward had been in the league’s concussion protocol since late in the preseason.
- The Raptors assigned rookie big man Dewan Hernandez to Raptors 905, Blake Murphy of The Athletic tweets. Hernandez has yet to make his NBA debut.
- The Wizards recalled rookie guard Justin Robinson prior to their team’s game against the Pistons, the team’s PR department tweets. The point guard has made two cameo appearances this season.
- The Celtics assigned first-round pick Romeo Langford to the Maine Red Claws, the team’s PR department tweets. The rookie guard from Indiana is still looking for his first NBA basket.
- The Nets recalled power forward Nicolas Claxton from their Long Island affiliate, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. The rookie out of Georgia has yet to make his NBA debut.
- The Mavericks recalled rookie forward Isaiah Roby from the Texas Legends, according to a team press release. This is the second time the second-round pick has been recalled from the G League.
Nets Notes: Irving, Prince, Cordinier
The Nets are a far more high-profile team this season than they were a year ago, thanks to the offseason additions of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. However, as Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press writes, this year’s team still appears to be on a similar level as last year’s, which finished with a modest 42-40 record.
While Brooklyn once again looks good enough to be competitive in just about every game, that doesn’t necessarily mean the team win a ton of those games. Still, as Mahoney relays, head coach Kenny Atkinson is optimistic that there’s room for the Nets to improve.
“We have three new starters and we’re still working through getting on the same page,” Atkinson said. “You say well, that’s your job, to get it done. And we’re working towards that. We’re not there yet.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, sources close to Kyrie Irving expressed frustration with an ESPN report claiming that the point guard’s “mood swings” were a cause for concern among Nets officials. As Vardon writes, Irving wants the focus this season to be what he does on the court, rather than anything he says or does off of it.
- Brian Lewis of The New York Post takes an in-depth look at why Taurean Prince may appreciate his new two-year, $29MM contract extension with the Nets more than an average NBA player would.
- The Nets have six draft-and-stash players under team control, and while many of them likely won’t ever play in the NBA, Net Income of NetsDaily is keeping an eye on the group, just in case it features any gems. NetsDaily’s latest check-in includes a look at 22-year-old Isaia Cordinier, who is playing for a new club in France after joining Brooklyn’s Summer League team in July.
Nets, Suns Eligible To Add 16th Man
The Nets and Suns are now each eligible to add a 16th man to their standard roster if they so choose. Brooklyn would be able to carry a 16th player up until the team’s December 15 game against the Sixers, while Phoenix could carry a 16th man until its December 17 contest vs. the Clippers.
Both teams have players serving 25-game suspensions, with Wilson Chandler sitting out for the Nets while Deandre Ayton is sidelined for the Suns. NBA rules permit a team with a suspended player to move that player to the inactive “suspended list” once he has served five games of his ban. The fifth game of Chandler’s suspension happened on Friday, while Ayton’s fifth missed game was on Saturday.
Since both clubs have used up all their cap room and have no other cap exceptions available, they’d be limited to the minimum salary exception if they were to sign a free agent.
Of course, neither team is obligated to use its temporary roster flexibility to add a new player. Acquiring a 16th man would create a roster decision in mid-December, when those suspensions are due to end.
For instance, if the Nets sign a free agent, they’d have to get their roster back to 15 players on December 15, when Chandler comes off the suspended list. They could do so by trading or waiving their temporary 16th man, or by trading or waiving another player, including Chandler.
For now, there’s no indication that a signing is imminent for either team, but if the Nets or Suns do make a roster addition in the near future without a corresponding move, you’ll know why.
And-Ones: Timberwolves, Durant, Buycks, Draft
The Timberwolves are fuming over how the NBA handled the discipline for Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns, which stems from a mid-game scuffle between the two superstars last week, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Minnesota has expressed disapproval of the league’s decision to suspend both Embiid and Towns two games for multiple reasons, as noted by Krawczynski.
Firstly, team officials believe Embiid was the instigator of the scuffle, leading to Towns’ involvement. The franchise also touched on Embiid’s decision to leave the game with a bang upon his ejection, shadow-boxing and firing up the Philadelphia crowd while Towns exited the floor quietly.
And the last issue, one discussed heavily by fans across the league, relates to the league’s decision not to penalize Ben Simmons for his involvement in the altercation. Simmons was seen with his arms wrapped around the neck of Towns, causing many to believe he was attempting a rear-naked choke. The league ultimately viewed Simmons as a peacemaker.
“While we are disappointed in the league’s decision, we understand the magnitude of this unfortunate incident,” Wolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said, according to Krawczynski. “The NBA is highly competitive and last night was a reflection of that. We support Karl and will move forward together as a group.”
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The shaky starts from both the Nets and Warriors show Kevin Durant‘s tremendous on-court value even more, as detailed by Frank Isola of The Athletic. Golden State lost Durant in free agency this summer, with the 10-time All-Star choosing to take his talents to Brooklyn on a multi-year deal. Durant is expected to miss the rest of the 2019/20 season as he rehabs from a torn Achilles’ tendon, with the Nets currently struggling at 2-4.
- Free agent guard Dwight Buycks has agreed to a new deal with the Shenzhen Leopards in China, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Buycks averaged 20.5 points with the team last season.
- Jonathon Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN.com discuss the early contenders for the 2020 NBA Draft, including which prospects have the best chances of being selected in the lottery. ESPN revealed its early mock draft for the event last week, with 7-foot-1 center James Wiseman currently projected as the No. 1 overall pick.