Erik Slater Articles - Page 26

The Brooklyn Nets’ halfcourt offense was the central question mark surrounding the new-look team entering 2023-24. The majority of offensive concerns stemmed from spacing issues with Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton, two non-shooters, sharing the floor in Brooklyn’s starting five. However, Claxton went down with an ankle injury during Brooklyn’s season opener. In the two […]

The Brooklyn Nets filled their final open roster spot Tuesday, signing guard Keon Johnson to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Johnson joins Armoni Brooks and 2023 second-round pick Jalen Wilson as Brooklyn’s two-way players. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard was the 21st pick in the 2021 draft out of Tennessee. He appeared in […]

The injury bug didn’t take long to hit the Brooklyn Nets in 2023-24. Already down Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson, the Nets lost two more rotation players during Monday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, with Spencer Dinwiddie (left ankle sprain) and Dennis Smith Jr. (left hip contusion) exiting midway through the game. Johnson and Claxton […]

The Brooklyn Nets transformed their roster this offseason, moving on from aging veterans and taking fliers on young, versatile players with upside. Lonnie Walker IV was among the free agents who saw an opportunity with the new-look Nets, and he’s making the most of it early this season. After signing for the minimum, Walker sat […]

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas entered the 2023-24 season with a solidified rotation role for the first time in his career, and he’s wasted no time adding his name to the NBA record books. The 22-year-old continued his hot streak Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets, scoring 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field and […]

The Brooklyn Nets announced Monday that they will be without Cam Johnson for at least 10 days as the forward tends to a strained calf. They’ll be missing an additional starter for multiple games, with head coach Jacque Vaughn saying Nic Claxton will be out Monday at Charlotte and Wednesday at Miami, according to Brian […]

The Brooklyn Nets’ decision to bench Cam Thomas late last season after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving baffled fans. Thomas had just turned in a historic three-game scoring stretch, averaging 44.7 points per game on 56 percent shooting. Yet, with the team’s new-look offense sputtering, head coach Jacque Vaughn refused to introduce him to […]

The Nets will be without Cam Johnson for at least six more games after the forward was sidelined by a calf bruise following Brooklyn’s season-opener. Johnson had an MRI on his calf that revealed a strain and will be reevaluated in 10 days, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. After signing a four-year, […]

The Brooklyn Nets will be without two of their starters again on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets as they look to secure their first win of the 2023-24 season. The Nets ruled out Nic Claxton (ankle) and Cam Johnson (left calf contusion) for the second-straight game. Claxton was a walking boot Friday after injuring his […]

The Brooklyn Nets were dealt another heartbreaking loss Friday at Dallas, falling 125-120 to the Mavericks. Luka Doncic stole the show with 49 points on 16-of-25 shooting from the field and 9-of-14 from three, leading a miraculous comeback in the final minutes. Here are four takeaways from Brooklyn’s second consecutive loss to open the season: […]

The Brooklyn Nets will already be without two of their top players for the second game of the season. Cam Johnson (left calf contusion) and Nic Claxton (ankle) were ruled out ahead of Friday’s road matchup with Dallas. Johnson missed nearly the entire preseason after straining his left hamstring days before training camp. The 6-foot-8 […]

The Brooklyn Nets ruled out Nic Claxton with an ankle injury ahead of Friday’s road matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Claxton appeared to injure his ankle during the second quarter of Brooklyn’s season-opening loss to the Cavaliers. The 24-year-old took a hard fall after his feet got tangled with Damian Jones and was slow to […]

Over eight months had passed since Ben Simmons last appeared in a regular season game before the Brooklyn Nets’ season opener Wednesday, a 114-113 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Much had been made of Simmons’ improved health after he spent the layoff working through a rigorous rehab process. The former No. 1 pick’s teammates and […]

A pair of first-round picks are under contract with the Brooklyn Nets for at least one more season. Following their loss in the opening game of the 2023-24 season, the Nets announced on Thursday that they have exercised the fourth-year team options for guard Cam Thomas and center Day’Ron Sharpe. Brooklyn added both Thomas and […]

Brooklyn Nets fans spent a large portion of the last two seasons calling for Cam Thomas to receive a more prominent role. They got their wish Wednesday, and once again, Thomas delivered in emphatic fashion. The third-year Net set an NBA record for points off the bench in a season-opener, scoring 36 on 13-of-21 shooting […]

The Brooklyn Nets fell 114-113 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in their season opener Wednesday at Barclays Center. After taking the lead late, the Nets’ new-look roster couldn’t close the deal against the Donovan Mithcell-led Cavs. Here are three key takeaways from a nail-biter in Brooklyn: Ben Simmons reverts to old habits Ben Simmons’ improved aggressiveness […]

The Brooklyn Nets open the 2023-24 season Wednesday at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brooklyn boasts a revamped roster following the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and several offseason moves. With that, we offer four bold predictions as the Nets begin their first season of a new era. *Watch NBA games LIVE with […]

After missing the Brooklyn Nets’ final two preseason games with an ankle sprain, Dennis Smith Jr. is expected to play in Brooklyn’s season opener Wednesday vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers. Dennis Smith Jr.’s injury Smith was in a walking boot following the injury, which occurred while landing on a defender’s foot during Brooklyn’s Oct. 12 exhibition […]

The Brooklyn Nets were a team without an identity at the end of the 2022-23 season. Following the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at last year’s deadline, Brooklyn welcomed Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, three defensive-minded wings, alongside a sizable guard in Spencer Dinwiddie. While the new-look roster possessed nowhere near […]

The Brooklyn Nets entered the past three seasons with championship aspirations led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. That deep playoff run never came to fruition, and following the trades of Durant, Irving and James Harden within one year, Brooklyn is on the outside looking in. The Nets open this season with the fifth-worst odds […]

One of the most decorated players in Nets franchise history is making a long-awaited return, just not on the court. Vince Carter will join Brooklyn’s YES Network broadcast team as an analyst this season. Carter will analyze “a small package of games” this season alongside Richard Jefferson and Sarah Kustok, YES Network announced on Tuesday. […]

The Brooklyn Nets are crafting a new identity in 2023-24. After years as an isolation-heavy, offensive team led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn enters this season with a revamped roster centered on size, athleticism and versatility. Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton headline that philosophical shift. The pair of near seven-footers will anchor a […]

The Brooklyn Nets finalized their 15-man roster Thursday, announcing the release of Darius Bazley. The decision means Trendon Watford and Harry Giles will fill the team’s final two standard roster spots. Watford and Giles joined Brooklyn on minimum contracts this summer, and the Nets are intrigued by the versatility both signings can add to the […]

Several storylines surround Ben Simmons’ return to the Brooklyn Nets this season. For head coach Jacque Vaughn, few loom larger than the former number-one pick’s offensive fit alongside Nic Claxton. In a league that prioritizes spacing more than ever before, the Nets are attempting to defy modern standards, placing two non-shooters in their starting five. […]

After straining his hamstring days before the start of training camp, Cam Johnson participated in Brooklyn Nets practice for the first time this preseason on Saturday. Johnson had no restrictions, and Brooklyn expects the forward to be available for Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. “I think his progression to get to this point […]

Cam Johnson is progressing toward a potential return to the Brooklyn Nets’ lineup. With opening night vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers five days away, head coach Jacque Vaughn said Johnson is expected to practice for the first time this preseason Saturday. The Nets were dealt an unexpected blow when Johnson strained his hamstring days before the […]

The Brooklyn Nets made their first roster move of the preseason Thursday, waiving forward Darius Bazley. Bazley signed a non-guaranteed contract this offseason after three-plus years in Oklahoma City and a brief stint with Phoenix last season. In three preseason appearances, the 24-year-old averaged 5.7 points and 6.3 rebounds on 40.0 percent shooting 20.0 minutes […]

Mikal Bridges enters the 2023-24 season, his first full year as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, with star-level expectations. Following a breakout 30-game stretch with the Nets to close 2022-23, many have considered Bridges Brooklyn’s centerpiece as the team pivots to a new era. The 27-year-old has yet to showcase his high-level offensive capabilities […]

Australian basketball fans have long awaited the return of Ben Simmons to the country’s national team. After a lingering back injury sidelined Simmons for the second half of the 2022-23 season, the former number-one pick chose not to play for the Boomers in the 2023 FIBA World Cup this summer. After an extended rehab process, […]

Ben Simmons has high expectations for a healthy version of himself ahead of the Brooklyn Nets’ 2023-24 campaign. After missing the second half of 2022-23 due to a lingering back injury, the three-time All-Star said he feels Brooklyn can “shock a lot of people” before outlining some lofty individual goals. “I want to be back […]

The Brooklyn Nets looked far from a team ready for opening night during Thursday’s 127-119 preseason loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Several numbers jump off the page when assessing what went wrong, but none were more glaring than Brooklyn’s 27 turnovers. Yes, you read that correctly, 27. The Nets are attempting to find an offensive […]

After three years of game-planning for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, opposing coaches will be met with a revamped Brooklyn Nets squad in 2023-24. While the Nets lack a superstar, the new-look roster is filled with versatile two-way players. Ben Simmons presents one of the league’s top passers and defenders if healthy. Mikal Bridges and […]

Spencer Dinwiddie has no qualms about accepting an off-ball role with a healthy Ben Simmons at point guard for the Brooklyn Nets this season. “This team goes as far as Ben and Mikal (Bridges) take it. We know who Ben can be when he’s healthy and in a good space mentally, and that’s what we […]

The Brooklyn Nets have yet to get a look at their new-look starting five through two preseason games. After straining his hamstring days before training camp, Cam Johnson has been held out of training camp thus far. Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn is optimistic that the 6-foot-8 sharpshooter could join practice next week. However, Vaughn […]

Nearly two and a half years had passed since Harry Giles last appeared in an NBA game entering the 2023-24 season. The nation’s number-one high school player in the Class of 2016, Giles was once considered a future NBA star, ranked ahead of players like Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox and Lonzo Ball. “A […]

Maccabi Ra’anana head coach Yehu Orland entered a crowded room of reporters ahead of Thursday’s exhibition with the Brooklyn Nets. His shirt read, “R.I.P Eli, forever in my heart.” The message honored one of Orland’s best friends, Eli Ginsberg, who was killed two days earlier defending Israel after Hamas militants attacked the country. The attack […]

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn faced scrutiny for Cam Thomas’ benching amid the team’s offensive struggles late last season. With Thomas’ role in question entering 2023-24, questions surrounding the 2021 first-round pick persisted early in training camp. However, the skeptics were silenced ahead of Brooklyn’s preseason opener, with Vaughn giving Thomas a surprise starting […]

Mikal Bridges’ stock has steadily risen within NBA circles since joining the Brooklyn Nets at last year’s trade deadline. The 27-year-old quickly cemented himself within the inner circle of the NBA’s rising stars upon his trade, averaging 27.7 points on 47/38/89 shooting splits in 31 games (playoffs included) with Brooklyn. He continued building that star […]

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has not had a typical career arc through his first two NBA seasons. After a chaotic, Covid-laden rookie year in 2021-22, Thomas struggled to crack Brooklyn’s rotation following the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving last season. The late-season benching came after the 2021 first-round pick tied LeBron James […]