Erik Slater Articles - Page 26

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons will not play Wednesday vs. the Boston Celtics on the second night of a back-to-back, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn. The three-time All-Star, who sat the first night of a back-to-back early last week, said the night off is precautionary as he reacclimates from a three-month absence due […]

The Brooklyn Nets fell 118-110 to the Boston Celtics Tuesday before a sellout crowd at Barclays Center. Here are three key takeaways from the Nets’ fourth loss in five games. Ben Simmons struggles in halfcourt offense Entering Tuesday, Ben Simmons had impressed over five appearances after returning from a three-month absence. The three-time All-Star averaged […]

The only Brooklyn Net left on the injury report is nearing his return. After missing the team’s last eight games due to left adductor tightness, Cam Johnson is expected to play Wednesday vs. the Boston Celtics. The extended absence is one of several lower extremity injuries the 6-foot-8 sharpshooter has battled this season. After signing […]

The Brooklyn Nets are receiving more reinforcements Tuesday vs. the Boston Celtics, with Day’Ron Sharpe set to return following a month-long absence due to a hyperextended knee. Sharpe was one of the Nets’ most pleasant surprises early this year before he was sidelined. After struggling to crack the Nets’ rotation during his first two seasons, […]

There isn’t an NBA reporter busier on trade deadline day than ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The veteran insider has dominated the intel market over the last decade. However, the rush to break news on deadline day can lead to mix-ups, and Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. was caught in the crossfire on Thursday. Wojnarowski reported […]

The Brooklyn Nets’ swap of Spencer Dinwiddie for Dennis Schroder didn’t make headlines at this year’s trade deadline. However, for a Nets team whose offense had fallen off a cliff with Dinwiddie’s eye wandering toward his next destination, it was just what they needed. “He’s a player that we’ve focused on and followed for years […]

The injury-depleted Brooklyn Nets have much-needed reinforcements on the way amid a three-game losing streak that has dropped them to 11 games under .500. Dorian Finney-Smith and Lonnie Walker will return to the lineup Saturday vs. the San Antonio Spurs. Finney-Smith has missed the team’s last six games due to an ankle injury, while Walker […]

Unlike last year, when they upended the franchise by trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets made no seismic changes as Thursday’s NBA trade deadline passed. This year’s deadline, like most of the NBA, was of the quieter variety. The Nets found a stopgap replacement for disgruntled point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, swapping his […]

The depleted Brooklyn Nets could have much-needed reinforcements on the way. After missing the team’s last three games due to left hamstring tightness, Lonnie Walker might return for Saturday’s matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn. Walker has been the Nets‘ most productive bench scorer this season, averaging 12.3 points […]

The Brooklyn Nets are finalizing a deal to acquire Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young from the Toronto Raptors for Spencer Dinwiddie, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Grading the deal for the Nets Dinwiddie was a fixture in trade rumors for weeks leading up to the deadline. The veteran point guard saw a rapid decline in […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie denied rumors that he may be bought out if the team cannot trade him ahead of Thursday’s deadline. “Lol I understand y’all mad at me right now. But this ain’t true,” Dinwiddie wrote in response to a report from NetsDaily. Lol I understand y’all mad at me right now. […]

The Brooklyn Nets will remain shorthanded Thursday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Cam Johnson (left adductor tightness) and Lonnie Walker IV (left hamstring strain) sidelined for the second straight game. Johnson and Walker exited during Monday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors and did not return. Head coach Jacque Vaughn said Tuesday that both players […]

The NBA trade deadline is less than 24 hours away. For the Brooklyn Nets, that means fielding calls on several veterans, and for rookie Jalen Wilson, it means a potential opening in the team’s rotation. Veteran wings Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale are among Brooklyn’s top trade candidates. The Nets have reportedly held firm on […]

Kyrie Irving returned to Barclays Center Tuesday for the first time since requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets one year ago. While the Dallas Mavericks star said “it felt like home” walking into his former arena, his homecoming could be characterized as forgettable. Irving did not receive a tribute video like his former co-star […]

The Brooklyn Nets are battling the injury bug entering the second night of a back-to-back Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks. Cam Johnson (left adductor tightness) and Lonnie Walker (left hamstring tightness), who exited Monday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors and did not return, were both ruled out. Their absences mean Jacque Vaughn’s squad will […]

The Brooklyn Nets couldn’t buy a bucket during a 109-98 loss to the Golden State Warriors Monday at Barclays Center. On a night where the Warriors shot just 4-of-22 from three (18.2%), Jacque Vaughn’s squad couldn’t build a convincing lead at any point, shooting 34-of-89 from the field (38.2 percent) and 13-of-42 from three (31 […]

The Brooklyn Nets have continuously signaled that they intend to keep Mikal Bridges past the February 8th trade deadline. With a stockpile of draft picks after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the team hopes to acquire a star to pair with Bridges in the near future, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “They are telling […]

Is Cam Thomas a part of the Brooklyn Nets’ future? It was a fair question to ask entering the 2023-24 season. The prolific scoring guard spent his rookie year on the bench in the shadows of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. That didn’t change late last season despite Brooklyn trading both stars at the deadline. […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons has been ruled out for Monday’s matchup with the Golden State Warriors. The team labeled Simmons’ injury on the status report as “lower back – injury maintenance.” Brooklyn is on the front end of a back-to-back and will face the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. Simmons returned from a three-month […]

The moment the entire Philadelphia 76ers crowd was waiting for came five minutes into Saturday’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets: Jacque Vaughn signaled to the bench, Ben Simmons ripped off his warm-up, and Wells Fargo Center suddenly came to life. It was Simmons’ third time returning to the arena since forcing his way off the […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons will return from a knee injury for Saturday’s road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. The three-time All-Star missed Wednesday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns after injuring his knee during Monday’s win over the Utah Jazz, his first game back from a three-month absence. Simmons underwent an MRI that revealed […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons is probable for Saturday’s road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons missed Wednesday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns after injuring his knee Monday vs. the Utah Jazz, his first game back from a three-month absence due to a back injury. Head coach Jacque Vaughn said the three-time All-Star was […]

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to be among the NBA’s most active teams ahead of the February 8th trade deadline. Mired in a 6-18 stretch that has dropped them to 11th in the Eastern Conference, general manager Sean Marks faces decisions on several key players. At the front of that list are veterans Dorian Finney-Smith, […]

Cam Thomas struggled to find a role with the Brooklyn Nets during his first two NBA seasons. However, that didn’t stop the 2021 first-round pick from developing a close relationship with Kevin Durant. Known for his elite microwave scoring entering the league, Thomas spent two years picking the brain of one of the greatest offensive […]

Kevin Durant’s return to Brooklyn went as you would have expected, at least on the court. The Phoenix Suns superstar turned in a patented performance against his former team, posting 33 points, five rebounds, and eight assists on 10-of-16 shooting during a 136-120 victory. While the game played out predictably, the Nets’ handling of their […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons is day-to-day after being ruled out Wednesday vs. the Phoenix Suns with a left knee contusion, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn. The three-time All-Star suffered the injury while falling awkwardly after a block on his final play of Brooklyn’s 147-114 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday. Simmons […]

One game after returning from a three-month layoff due to a back injury, Ben Simmons is officially out for Wednesday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. ‘Ben Simmons is out for Nets-Suns tonight due to left knee contusion. He returned on Monday after two-month absence, posting 10 points, 11 […]

The Brooklyn Nets have made it clear that they do not intend to move Mikal Bridges ahead of the 2024 NBA Trade deadline. However, many wondered whether one plausible scenario could force them to re-think that position. What if the Houston Rockets called offering the Nets a chance to recoup their draft picks from the […]

It remains to be seen whether the Nets will give Kevin Durant a tribute video when he returns to Barclays Center on Wednesday. However, after an underwhelming tenure that ended with two trade requests, the two-time MVP made it known he doesn’t want one. “Please don’t, the night will be better without it,” Durant said in […]

After a three-month layoff, Ben Simmons had no issues re-acclimating to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The three-time All-Star provided an instant spark during a 147-114 blowout versus the Utah Jazz, posting 12 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and zero turnovers on his way to a plus-27 in 18 minutes. The Nets, who had posted […]

Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who was ruled out vs. the Utah Jazz on Monday, will also miss Wednesday’s matchup with the Phoenix Suns. The multi-game absence comes after the veteran wing sprained his ankle during Saturday’s win over the Houston Rockets. Finney-Smith snapped out of extended offensive struggles vs. Houston, posting 19 points, seven […]

Kevin Durant will make his much-anticipated return to Brooklyn when the Nets host the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 31. While Durant is the best player ever to don a Nets uniform, it’s unclear what kind of reception the two-time MVP will receive after his tumultuous tenure. Durant’s complicated exit has sparked a conversation about whether […]

Dariq Whitehead, the 22nd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, will undergo season-ending surgery on a stress reaction in his left shin. It will mark the shooting guard’s third lower leg surgery in the last 18 months. Whitehead, the nation’s No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2022 per ESPN, saw […]

“A win is a win.” The Brooklyn Nets put that saying to the test Saturday during their 106-104 victory over the Houston Rockets. Once again, they put themselves in a position through three quarters to coast to a sizable win. And once again, they showed their unique ability to melt down in the fourth. After […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons is expected to return Monday versus the Utah Jazz after a three-month absence due to a back injury. Simmons will rejoin an ailing Nets team that has plummeted to 11th in the Eastern Conference amid a 4-17 stretch over their last 21 games. Despite the lengthy absence, the three-time […]

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons, who has been sidelined for three months due to a nerve impingement in his back, is expected to return Monday vs. the Utah Jazz, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn. Simmons participated in scrimmages with a combination of Nets players and coaches earlier this week. He then practiced with […]

With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, the Brooklyn Nets are mired in a 4-17 cold stretch that has dropped them to 11th in the Eastern Conference. After trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at last year’s deadline, general manager Sean Marks faces a laundry list of questions surrounding his new-look roster as […]

The Brooklyn Nets are optimistic that Ben Simmons, who has been sidelined for nearly three months by a back injury, will return to the lineup next week, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn. Simmons will practice with Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate in Long Island on Saturday. “He will play Saturday hopefully with Long Island. That’ll be […]

The Brooklyn Nets have made a habit of blowing leads during a brutal 4-16 stretch. As a result of these last 20 games, the Nets have plummeted to 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. Another instance of a blown lead came in Tuesday’s 108-103 loss to the New York Knicks. Up by nine points entering […]