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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.”

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.

New York Notes: Trier, Barrett, Irving, Atkinson

February 26th, 2020 at 7:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Allonzo Trier continues to be dangerous from 3-point range, but the second-year guard isn’t seeing enough playing time for it to make a difference, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Trier was a pleasant surprise for the Knicks last season, earning a two-way contract after going undrafted and later having it converted to a standard deal.

He averaged 22.8 minutes per night as a rookie, but that figure has dropped to 12.0 this season and Trier has only gotten into 21 games. Berman calls Trier’s reduced role one of the season’s great mysteries, but there are some explanations. Drafting RJ Barrett added to an already crowded backcourt, and a source tells Berman that management isn’t pleased with Trier’s effort on defense.

“I’ve flipped onto a new year and new role,’’ he said. “I just have to accept it and continue to do my job. And even if I don’t play, I continue to come in and support my teammates.’’

The Knicks made an effort to trade Trier at the deadline, Berman adds, but teams weren’t willing to part with a future asset. Trier insists he would have been fine either way.

“I wasn’t nervous,’’ he said. “If it happened, it happened. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Nothing to be worried about.”

There’s more from New York City:

Barrett told reporters today that he’s more “ambidextrous” than fully left-handed, Berman relays in a separate story. Barrett revealed that shooting is one of the few things he does with his left hand, adding that scouts were incorrect when they feared he wouldn’t be effective going to his right. Barrett has been given more ball-handling duties with Elfrid Payton and Frank Ntilikina both injured, and interim coach Mike Miller believes he may ultimately become a combo guard. “He likes the ball in his hands,” Miller said. “The hardest guys to guard are guys like Devin Booker. The ball is in his hands then he’s playing off the ball. He’s really difficult to defend. How do you game plan on him? He’s not in one spot. He’s all over the place, coming off handoffs, screens and initiating.’’
A date still hasn’t been set for Kyrie Irving‘s season-ending shoulder surgery, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Irving and Kevin Durant are both expected to start accompanying the team on road trips soon.
In the same story, Atkinson talks about being the longest-tenured active coach in the New York market, even though he has only had his job since 2016. “(The Nets) obviously stuck with me when we went through a lot of struggles,” he said. “We’ve had struggles this year. I just think that’s the real advantage too, of being on the same page with ownership.”

Atlantic Notes: Irving, Walker, Harris, Ellington

February 23rd, 2020 at 6:22pm CST by JD Shaw

The Nets recently ruled out Kyrie Irving for the rest of the 2019/20 season, with the star point guard set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his injured shoulder in the near future. Irving, who appeared in just 20 games this season, is expected to be ready for the start of next season — provided he doesn’t have rotator cuff damage or suffer any major setbacks.

“I’m not going to get into details now, because he’s still evaluating what his options may be over the next couple of days,” general manager Sean Marks said, as relayed by Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “But in terms of he is having surgery, and he will be out for the remainder of the season.”

Irving first injured his shoulder against the Pelicans on Nov. 4. He continued playing through the pain for multiple contests, later missing 26 straight games as a result of the injury. Brooklyn failed to adjust to Irving’s arrival, mostly playing better without him this season.

“Obviously, we feel bad for [Irving],” teammate Caris LeVert said. “He wants to be out here with us. That’s first and foremost. He definitely worked extremely hard to come back. It’s just a series of unfortunate things that happened with him.”

Here are some other notes from the Atlantic Division tonight:

Celtics guard Kemba Walker didn’t have a minutes restriction during the All-Star Game last week, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). Walker missed Sunday’s contest against the Lakers due to a knee injury, which was made worse by the highly competitive style of play in the All-Star Game.
Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris has expressed his desire to re-sign with the team this summer, with the 28-year-old set to become an unrestricted free agent. Brooklyn is expected to enter next season with the likes of Kevin Durant, Irving, LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen and others, sporting one of the league’s most talented cores on paper. “Definitely, why wouldn’t you?” Harris said when asked if he hopes to re-sign this summer, according to NetsDaily. “Obviously, those are guys who I’ve gotten close with now that I’ve been with them this past year,” Harris said. “They’re obviously incredible players. You see what they’re able to do when they are healthy and playing. I don’t think there’s anybody in the NBA who wouldn’t want to play with those guys.”
Knicks guard Wayne Ellington remembers the late Kobe Bryant as both a friend and a mentor, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. Both Ellington and Bryant played for the Lakers during the 2014/15 season, with Bryant’s competitiveness, drive and passion holding a permanent impact on Ellington and many other players around the association.

Kyrie Irving Out For Remainder Of Season

February 20th, 2020 at 5:19pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kyrie Irving will miss the remainder of the season, Nets general manager Sean Marks said today, as Marc Stein of the New York Times relays (Twitter link). The point guard will undergo a procedure on his shoulder.

His last game came on February 1 against the Wizards, where he injured his knee. That ailment appears to be fine, but his shoulder woes, which he attempted to play through while taking a cortisone shot, will cause his debut season in Brooklyn to end.

Irving, who signed a big-money, four-year contract with the Nets last summer, has been limited to just 20 games in his first season with the club, primarily due to those shoulder issues. He has been his usual productive self when he has been healthy, averaging 27.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 5.2 RPG with a shooting line of .478/.394/.922, as own Luke Adams detailed earlier today.

The point guard’s best game of the season came in a 54-point performance in which Irving said he had the “Mamba Mentality,” dedicating it to the late Kobe Bryant.

Irving will return next season alongside Kevin Durant, who reiterated that he will not play this season. Durant inked a four-year deal with Brooklyn last summer.

Kyrie Irving Likely To Undergo Procedure On Shoulder

February 20th, 2020 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

2:39pm: Irving is considering treatment options – including surgery – and will make a decision within the next few days, according to Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The expectation in Brooklyn over the past few days is that Irving will miss the rest of the season, sources tell Charania.

2:09pm: Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, who visited a specialist this week to get another opinion on his troublesome right shoulder, will likely undergo a procedure on that shoulder and miss an “extended period of time,” league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Irving, who signed a big-money-, four-year contract with the Nets last summer, has been limited to just 20 games in his first season with the club, primarily due to shoulder issues. He has been his usual productive self when he has been healthy, averaging 27.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 5.2 RPG with a shooting line of .478/.394/.922.

Although Charania’s report doesn’t provide specifics on Irving’s recovery timeline, it may be time to start wondering how much more he’ll actually contribute to the Nets this season. With Kevin Durant confirming he won’t play this season, Brooklyn isn’t a legit championship contender in 2019/20, so the team won’t want to rush Irving back.

At the very least, it seems likely he’ll miss the Nets’ second game in Boston on March 3, depriving Celtics fans of the opportunity to welcome him back this season following his free agency departure.

Regardless of when Irving is able to return to action, the 25-28 Nets, who currently rank seventh in the East, are in position to clinch a playoff spot. The team has a 17-16 record in games without Irving so far this season.

Kevin Durant Reiterates He Won’t Play This Season

February 20th, 2020 at 8:06am CST by Luke Adams

Since back on Media Day last September, the Nets‘ decision-makers and Kevin Durant himself have been insisting that there are no plans to have the star forward return to the court this season. Durant, who continues to recover from a torn Achilles suffered last June, reiterated that point in a conversation with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks (video link), ruling himself out for 2019/20 in the most definitive terms yet.

Asked by Rooks if there’s any chance of a return this season, Durant initially replied, “No, I don’t think so.” When Rooks pointed out that his reply left the door open, KD promptly closed it: “No! No. The best thing for me is to continue to rehab, get as strong as I can and focus on next season.”

It would have been fascinating to see the seventh- or eighth-seeded Nets get Durant back for the postseason and suddenly become a dangerous sleeper, but that scenario was never realistic. Brooklyn knew when it signed Durant to a four-year, maximum-salary contract that he almost certainly wouldn’t suit up for the club until year two.

While Durant’s absence was expected, the Nets have also been without their other star free agent signee for much of the season. Kyrie Irving has been limited to 20 games and reportedly re-aggravated his shoulder injury this week.

There have been no updates yet on Irving’s visit to a specialist, but Brian Lewis of The New York Post wonders if the ailment might ultimately bring Kyrie’s season to an early end. As Lewis notes, Irving previously opted for a cortisone shot over arthroscopic surgery. If the latest specialist recommends surgery, Irving could join Durant on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.

Kyrie Irving To See Specialist, Out Indefinitely

February 18th, 2020 at 5:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kyrie Irving, who is nursing knee and shoulder injuries, isn’t expected to return to the court anytime soon, as Malika Andrews of ESPN.com relays. The Nets‘ point guard is scheduled to see another specialist for this shoulder this week.

“That’s about all I can tell you,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “His shoulder continues to bother him. That’s about the extent of it now.”

Irving missed 26 games earlier this season because of shoulder woes. He should have a clearer timetable for a return after seeing the specialist.

Atkinson said that Irving didn’t re-aggravate the injury on a specific play or during a specific practice. It’s something that has been lingering.

“A cortisone shot lasts as long as it can,” Irving said back in December. “You either continue to get cortisone shots, which is obviously detrimental to your health and your muscles, or you go get arthroscopic surgery. For me, it’s just about being able to go back out there after the right amount of rehab, the right amount of rest and recovery and see what we can do for the rest of the season and then re- evaluate after a few months.”

The Nets inked Irving to a four-year deal during the offseason. He has missed a total of 33 games for the club because of his various ailments.

Kyrie Irving Elected As NBPA Vice President

February 17th, 2020 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard Kyrie Irving was elected to the executive committee of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today, replacing Pau Gasol as one of the union’s vice presidents, per an official release. Gasol’s three-year term as VP had expired.

“This was the right time for me to run for a leadership position in the NBPA,” Irving said in a statement. “I have been an observer and a participant in union affairs for a while, but for the most part, I was off on the sidelines, supporting our Executive Committee as they made important decisions. At this point in my career, I wanted to join forces with those guys and take a bigger role outside of the basketball court and within our union.

“I want to help move the union forward with innovative ideas, not only on social issues but also with business ventures into a new space. I am honored to be elected by my peers and I cannot wait to work with everybody to make an impact.”

Irving will join an executive committee led by union president Chris Paul and first vice president Andre Iguodala. The Nets star will be one of six NBPA VPs, along with Bismack Biyombo, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, CJ McCollum, and teammate Garrett Temple.

Irving, who has missed Brooklyn’s last five games with a knee injury, is believed to be nearing a return, though the team has yet to announce whether or not that will happen this Thursday in Philadelphia.

Nets Notes: Lineups, Bryant, Claxton, Levy

February 17th, 2020 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

As the Nets prepare for Kyrie Irving‘s return to action, the team seems to be mulling the idea of leaning more heavily on small-ball lineups, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. While it’s possible not all of Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Caris LeVert will be in Brooklyn’s starting five, there’s a chance that all three guards could play together at the end of games.

“The big question, the big thing is who’s going to finish; that’s the one, how do you finish?” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We have opportunities to play small, really small, too. That’s within our possibilities. We’ll just figure it out. It’s hard to know until you have it in your hands what exactly you’re going to do.”

As Lewis notes, a lineup that features the Nets’ top three guards alongside Joe Harris at the four and Jarrett Allen at the five has only played 18 minutes together this year, but it has been one of the club’s most effective five-man units, outscoring opponents by 20.5 minutes per 100 possessions. Harris told Lewis that he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Brooklyn opts for smaller lineups more often the rest of the way.

“I would’ve never thought in my life I’d be playing power forward in the NBA, but that’s the direction the NBA is going,” Harris said. “And as the year wears on, teams are doing whatever it takes to win games. Sometimes that’s going with a smaller lineup.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Alex Schiffer of The Athletic takes a look at how Travon Bryant, who had a decade-long career as a player in international leagues, has become a key member of Atkinson’s coaching staff. Bryant, who works with Brooklyn’s frontcourt players, has had an impact on rookie big man Nicolas Claxton this season. “I enjoy working with him every single day,” Claxton said. “I have to give some credit to him. He’s extremely knowledgeable of the game, and I think he’s going to be a good coach in this league for a while.”
Back in November, the Nets parted ways with CEO David Levy after just two months. Speaking recently to Ira Boudway of Bloomberg (hat tip to Brian Lewis of The New York Post), Nets owner Joseph Tsai explained that he and Levy had different expectations for what that job would entail. “He was already looking ahead at how to grow the J Tsai sports portfolio, but we also needed someone to do the nuts and bolts,” Tsai said. “Maybe he thought that he wanted to do something that’s bigger and he could just bring in other people to do it, and I’m of a view that before you outsource something you should do it yourself.”
After getting a week off for the All-Star break, the Nets will make a concerted effort to avoid a repeat of their post-Christmas-break struggles, Lewis writes in a separate story for The New York Post. Following a four-day Christmas break, Brooklyn lost seven consecutive games and 12 of 14. A similar post-All-Star run could jeopardize the club’s hold on a playoff spot.