Erik Slater Articles - Page 37

Ben Simmons started every single one of his games during four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. That three-time All-Star has stepped into a different role at points this season, and the trend is continuing following the Brooklyn Nets’ trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Simmons has come off the bench seven times on the […]

The implosion of the Brooklyn Nets’ Big 3 finally completed itself this week with Brooklyn trading Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant within a span of five days. Ironically, as the two Nets stars walked out the door, the long-lost third wheel in James Harden made his return Saturday night. Harden took the floor at Barclays […]

The Brooklyn Nets introduced Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson Sunday just an hour ahead of the pairing’s first game in Brooklyn. It had been a tumultuous three days for the beloved Phoenix Suns duo. Both were traded, along with Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a pick swap, in a blockbuster deal that sent Kevin […]

Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson will make their Brooklyn Nets debut Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Brooklyn acquired the wing duo, along with four first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, in Thursday’s blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. Bridges has emerged as one of the NBA’s top wing defenders since […]

As someone who has covered the Nets for years, it is difficult to find the words to describe the turbulence of the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era in Brooklyn. Through every plot twist of the duo’s tenure – whether vaccine mandates, injuries, trade demands, suspensions, firings, or hirings – it’s easy to get tongue-tied when trying […]

The Brooklyn Nets officially announced their trade sending Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns Thursday. The deal was expanded to a four-team trade with Milwaukee and Indiana. In exchange for Durant and T.J. Warren, the Nets acquire Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round draft picks, two second-round picks and one first-round pick swap. Following the […]

Hours after acquiring Jae Crowder as part of the seismic trade that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix, the Brooklyn Nets traded the forward to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal with the Indiana Pacers. The full details of the trade are as follows: Nets: Two second-round picks (Via MIL) Bucks: Jae Crowder Pacers: Jordan […]

The era that never was came to a close for the Brooklyn Nets early Thursday morning. Three days after trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn agreed to send 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and one first-round pick swap. Nets forward […]

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant will not play in the All-Star game next week in Salt Lake City, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. Durant has missed the last month after suffering an MCL sprain on Jan. 8 in Miami. Head coach Jacque Vaughn said Tuesday that the forward received a positive update on the […]

The Nets ruled out Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith Tuesday vs. the Phoenix Suns Tuesday due to a coach’s decision. Both players are expected to arrive in Brooklyn for physicals Tuesday after being acquired as part of the Kyrie Irving trade. The duo will likely debut Thursday vs. the Chicago Bulls. Ben Simmons will return […]

After Cam Thomas scored a career-high 44-points in a comeback win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaugh said the guard joked that he was the all-time leading scorer of Brooklyn’s “stay ready” group. Thomas has been in and out of the rotation this year while attempting to fill a […]

The Brooklyn Nets’ trade sending Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks was made official through the league office Monday. The announcement comes after Brooklyn attempted to expand the deal into a three-team trade. “(The) Nets-Mavs trade still hasn’t been made official with (the) league office because (the) […]

Brooklyn Nets point-forward Ben Simmons is expected to return to the team’s lineup Tuesday versus the Phoenix Suns after missing five games with left knee soreness. Simmons was ruled out Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers but could have been available had the game not been the front end of a back-to-back, according to head […]

The seemingly never-ending Kyrie Irving-Nets saga came to a dramatic close Sunday. Brooklyn traded the eight-time All-Star to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian-Finney Smith, a 2029 first-round pick, and two second-round picks. The deal marks a homecoming for a fan-favorite in Dinwiddie, who spent four years in Brooklyn from 2017 to 2021. The […]

Nets big man Ben Simmons is listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup with the Clippers after missing Brooklyn’s last four games with left knee soreness. Head coach Jacque Vaughn said that Simmons went through an individual workout Saturday. The 26-year-old received an MRI Friday, which came up clean. Simmons missed four games earlier this season […]

It finally happened. After a long summer of contract negotiations and potential sign-and-trades, Kyrie Irving is finally heading to a new team two days after requesting a trade from the Nets. Brooklyn dealt Irving and Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and draft picks. The trade marks the culmination of […]

No Kyrie Irving, no problem for the Brooklyn Nets. One day before the bombshell news of Irving’s trade to the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn took the floor against Washington without the All-Star guard, as well as Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and T.J. Warren. After falling behind by 23 points in the first half, the Nets seemed […]

Nets guard Kyrie Irving shook the basketball world when he requested a trade Friday six days ahead of the deadline. The eight-time All-Star even caught his teammates off guard. How did Nets players find out about the franchise-altering development? “Same way [as] everybody else: Twitter,” Royce O’Neale said Saturday via Brian Lewis. ” [I was] […]

Remember when James Harden dropped a bombshell on the Brooklyn Nets and the rest of the NBA by requesting a trade at last year’s deadline? What a turbulent period for Brooklyn and the league, one that we’re unlikely to see again for some time. Never say never, though, when Kyrie Irving is in the equation. […]

Kyrie Irving won’t be taking the court just one day after he made his shocking trade request, as the Brooklyn Nets have listed the star guard as out for Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Irving is listed out with right calf soreness. With the trade deadline five […]

Nets guard Kyrie Irving sent shockwaves through the NBA when he requested a trade Wednesday a week ahead of the deadline. The request comes after Irving was unable to come to terms with Brooklyn on a max contract extension. Despite the eight-time All-Star’s demand, Brooklyn is under no obligation to trade Irving before the deadline. […]

Never a dull day in the world of the Brooklyn Nets. Eight-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving requested a trade Friday ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline. The request comes after Irving publically voiced his desire for a max contract extension with Brooklyn last week, applying pressure to the Nets front office in the process: “The […]

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks sat courtside watching his team warm up before Wednesday’s matchup with the league-leading Boston Celtics. He did so with Brooklyn a heavy underdog while missing Kevin Durant for the 11th straight game, as well as Ben Simmons and T.J. Warren for the third straight. While Durant’s historic offense is […]

Brooklyn Nets point-forward Ben Simmons and forward T.J. Warren will miss their third consecutive games Wednesday when the team travels to face the Boston Celtics. Simmons exited last week’s home loss versus the Detroit Pistons with left knee soreness, while Warren sustained a left shin contusion. While Brooklyn has posted back-to-back wins without the pair, […]

Look at any NBA billboard, commercial, or social media post and you’ll see players like LeBron James, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, among others. These superstars are the engine that has turned the league into a global phenomenon. The NBA is stacked with more high-end talent than ever […]

It was nearly a home embarrassment for the Brooklyn Nets Monday night at the Barclays Center. Facing the Los Angeles Lakers without LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Brooklyn led by 19 points in the first half before an epic third-quarter collapse. Los Angeles opened the frame on a 14-0 run and would go on to […]

Kevin Durant has missed the Nets’ last nine games after suffering an MCL sprain during a Jan. 8 win at Miami. Brooklyn has posted a 3-6 record during his absence while struggling to find consistency on both ends. However, it may not be long before the former MVP is back in the lineup. Durant recently […]

Kevin Durant called out Montrezl Harrell after the 76ers center dismissed Nic Claxton’s improvement this season before Philadelphia’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday. “Come on Montrezl, you was talking crazy. You not like that,” Durant said on his podcast, the ETCs. “You’re an enforcer as a basketball player, but you’re not that guy. Clax […]

Over three years have passed since the New York Knicks have beaten the Brooklyn Nets. New York City’s quote-on-quote “little brother” had won eight straight dating back to January 2020 heading into the latest matchup of the crosstown rivalry. That streak is alive and well after the Nets took down the Knicks 122-115 before a […]

The Brooklyn Nets ruled out big man Ben Simmons ahead of Saturday’s home matchup with the New York Knicks. Simmons exited Brooklyn’s 130-122 loss vs. Detroit Thursday with soreness and swelling in his left knee. The 26-year-old struggled to make an impact prior to the exit, going scoreless on 0-3 shooting. The knee flare-up comes […]

The Brooklyn Nets entered the 2022-23 season headlined by a big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. Durant and Irving have been brilliant while carrying Brooklyn up the Eastern Conference standings following a dysfunctional start. The duo was the league’s only pairing to be named All-Star starters Thursday. But it has been […]

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were named Eastern Conference starters for the 2023 All-Star game Thursday. The star duo recently led the Nets up the East standings during a historic span in which Brooklyn posted an 18-2 record, the best 20-game stretch in franchise history. This marks Durant’s 13th All-Star selection and his 11th as […]

Ben Simmons was ruled out during the third quarter of the Nets’ matchup with the Detroit Pistons Thursday due to left knee soreness. Simmons previously missed four games earlier this season due to soreness and swelling in the same knee. The 26-year-old was unproductive prior to the exit, failing to record a point on 0-of-3 […]

The NBA trade deadline is two weeks away and the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly in search of frontcourt help. The Nets recently inquired with the Minnesota Timberwolves about big man Naz Reid, league sources told the Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. “I’ve heard from league sources that the Nets have also inquired about Reid,” O’Connor said Tuesday. […]

The Brooklyn Nets dropped a nail-biter 137-133 in Philadelphia Wednesday night. After trailing by as many as 17 points, Brooklyn clawed their way back to tie the game with 4:00 remaining. But Philadelphia’s high-powered offense featuring Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey would prove too much down the stretch. Here are three takeaways from […]

Nets guard Kyrie Irving is voicing his desire to remain in Brooklyn long-term. Irving’s agent told Bleacher Report Wednesday that the guard is seeking a contract extension. Although it is unclear whether the team shares that appetite. “I have reached out to the Nets regarding this,” his agent Shetellia Irving told Chris Haynes. “We have […]

The Nets’ 0-4 start to Kevin Durant’s extended absence drew strong comparisons to last season’s downward spiral with the superstar sidelined. The team posted a 5-16 record, including an 11-game losing streak, after Durant went down with the same injury this time last year. However, Brooklyn quickly silenced that narrative with back-to-back wins over Utah […]

For the second consecutive year, the Brooklyn Nets opened January near the top of the Eastern Conference. And for the second consecutive year, Kevin Durant’s MVP-level season, as well as Brooklyn’s climb up the standings, were halted by an MCL sprain. Durant has missed the Nets’ last six games after going down during a Jan. […]

The Brooklyn Nets fought back from a 17-point deficit to pull within two in the last minute Sunday at Golden State. The majority of that comeback came on the back of Kyrie Irving, who finished with 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range. However, in the game’s biggest moment, […]