Erik Slater Articles - Page 6

Danny Wolf’s NBA debut with the Brooklyn Nets will have to wait longer. The Nets ruled out the No. 27 pick for Sunday’s Philadelphia 76ers matchup due to a left ankle sprain. Wolf injured his ankle during Brooklyn’s shootaround before the team’s Oct. 22 regular-season opener. The big man missed the Nets’ first three games […]

Two and a half years removed from the end of the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era, the Brooklyn Nets are in the early stages of a rebuild. While the Nets are tanking for a top draft pick this season, they’ll look to take a step forward next year with their first-round pick going to the Houston […]

The Brooklyn Nets’ selection of Egor Demin with their first lottery pick in 15 years was much-maligned. A large portion of that skepticism stemmed from the Russian point guard’s subpar outside shooting at BYU. However, he’s quelled those concerns across eight Summer League and NBA appearances, converting 23 of 48 (43.8 percent) three-point attempts. The […]

The Brooklyn Nets’ 0-5 start to the season has been a reminder of how ugly a rebuild can be. Jordi Fernandez’s squad has looked non-competitive and, at times, embarrassing through its first five appearances. Brooklyn’s rotation features two rookie point guards in Ben Saraf and Egor Demin. Michael Porter Jr. pointed to the duo’s struggles […]

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. is embracing a new role following his trade from the Denver Nuggets. The 6-foot-10 forward enters the 2025-26 campaign as a lead offensive option for the first time in his career. After years in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray’s shadows, the former No. 1 recruit is relishing the opportunity […]

The Brooklyn Nets have been the NBA’s worst team to start the season, and a historically bad defense has been at the center of their struggles. Through four games, the Nets have allowed 522 points (130.5 per game), the most in franchise history. Brooklyn’s 131.2 defensive rating ranks last in the NBA, 7.5 points below […]

The Brooklyn Nets parted ways with fan favorite Drew Timme before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. Yet, some speculated that the former Gonzaga star could return to fill the team’s final two-way spot. Any hopes of a reunion ended on Saturday. The Long Island Nets traded Timme and their 2027 first-round pick to the […]

The Brooklyn Nets assigned rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf to their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, on Monday. Both players are recovering from ankle injuries. Powell injured his ankle during the Nets’ season-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets, while Wolf hurt himself the same day during the team’s shootaround. The rookie duo […]

Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin will be sidelined for Monday’s matchup with the Houston Rockets. Following Sunday’s 118-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Nets ruled out the No. 8 pick for the season’s first back-to-back due to left plantar fascia tear injury management. Demin missed a large chunk of the training camp and […]

Cam Thomas’ latest scoring outburst put him in rare Brooklyn Nets company. The 24-year-old posted his 10th career 40-point game during Sunday’s 118-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, tying him with Kevin Durant for the third-most in the Nets’ NBA history. Only Vince Carter (17) and Kyrie Irving (14) have more. Thomas has flashed […]

The Brooklyn Nets lost rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf to ankle injuries during their first game of the season. They lost another key contributor during Sunday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Ziaire Williams exited the game after suffering a lower back contusion on a hard fall. He was ruled out promptly, and his […]

Nine years ago, Kenny Atkinson took over as Brooklyn Nets head coach and lifted the team out of the NBA basement and into the playoff picture. Following the failed Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era, the Nets find themselves entrenched in another rebuild. Unlike Atkinson’s first season, this team features an NBA-record five first-round picks, including Brooklyn’s […]

The Brooklyn Nets fell short of a miraculous comeback during Friday’s 131-124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center. After falling behind by 25 points, Jordi Fernandez’s squad clawed within one in the final minutes before failing to get over the hump. While veterans Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. fueled much of the […]

BSE Global, the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, unveiled finished portions of a five-year, $100 million renovation project to Barclays Center. Ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, BSE will debut new premium and fan spaces at the arena. The renovations include Gallagher Terrace, a premium membership club offering the arena’s […]

Brooklyn Nets rookie Drake Powell made his NBA debut in his home state on Wednesday. The former North Carolina wing played seven minutes during a 136-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, posting two points and two rebounds while converting his only shot attempt. While Powell continued to show promise, he sprained his ankle in the […]

Wednesday marked the long-awaited NBA debut of the Brooklyn Nets’ historic rookie class. However, one of the team’s record five first-round picks was a surprise scratch. Danny Wolf sprained his left ankle during shootaround and was ruled out for the Nets’ 136-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Wolf was Brooklyn’s final pick in June’s draft […]

The Brooklyn Nets enter the 2025-26 campaign with historically low expectations. They looked the part of a tanking team during Wednesday’s season-opener. Jordi Fernandez’s squad fell 136-117 to a Charlotte Hornets team that also projects to be one of the worst in the league. The new-look Nets put forth a putrid defensive effort before a […]

The Brooklyn Nets don’t enter the 2025-26 NBA season with playoff expectations. After reacquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks and entering a rebuild, the team is mired in another tanking campaign. However, with an NBA-record five rookie first-round picks and several veteran trade acquisitions entering the mix, numerous questions surround the rebuilding squad. The […]

Wednesday marks the start of a new Brooklyn Nets era and the NBA’s boldest draft experiment in recent memory. After years of star-hunting and quick fixes, the Nets seemingly committed to an organic build this offseason, making an NBA-record five first-round picks. Brooklyn’s draft was the butt of jokes. Journalists mocked the front office’s emphatic […]

Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin missed most of training camp with a plantar fascia tear. However, after returning for Friday’s preseason finale in Toronto, the No. 8 pick is available for Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Charlotte Hornets. Demin played 19 minutes vs. the Raptors, posting 14 points, five rebounds and one assist on 3-of-5 […]

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to be among the NBA’s worst teams this season. After falling to the eighth pick in the 2025 draft, the rebuilding squad is aiming for a top selection in a highly-touted 2026 draft. The Nets boast the NBA’s youngest roster featuring an NBA-record five rookie first-round picks. That inexperience and […]

The Brooklyn Nets enter this season with a new-look roster but the same goal. One year after trading Mikal Bridges and reacquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets, the Nets selected an NBA-record five rookies in the first round of June’s draft. The rebuilding squad’s 2025-26 campaign will be aimed at […]

The Brooklyn Nets boast a revamped roster entering year two of a rebuild. After an NBA-record five first-round picks in June’s draft and four offseason trades, several players will be vying for minutes. With that, we project what second-year head coach Jordi Fernandez’s rotation will look like at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. Projecting […]

Brooklyn Nets forward Haywood Highsmith hoped to return from offseason knee surgery in time for the team’s regular season opener. However, following an injury setback, he’ll be sidelined much longer. Highsmith recently experienced right knee swelling during the course of his rehab from an August meniscus procedure. Following an evaluation, the Nets determined that the veteran […]

The Brooklyn Nets waived guard Kobe Bufkin on Sunday, trimming their roster down to 15 standard contracts. Bufkin joined the Nets in September as a salary dump from the Atlanta Hawks. Brooklyn sent cash considerations to the Hawks and did not acquire a draft pick in the deal. Bufkin entered the mix for a Nets […]

Egor Demin’s NBA debut was the most anticipated for a Brooklyn Nets rookie since the team’s move from New Jersey. After missing most of the preseason with a plantar fascia tear, the No. 8 pick finally took the floor on Friday, and Nets fans should be encouraged by what they saw. Demin played 19 minutes […]

Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin will make his NBA debut during Friday’s preseason finale against the Toronto Raptors. Demin missed the beginning of training camp and Brooklyn’s first three preseason games due to a plantar fascia tear. However, he participated in five-on-five scrimmages last week and will play “some minutes” against the Raptors. “He’s been […]

Last year’s tanking Brooklyn Nets season didn’t result in the payoff the organization hoped for. After exceeding early-season expectations with the help of first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez, the Nets finished with the NBA’s sixth-worst record and fell to the eighth pick in the draft. Brooklyn’s front office has taken measures to maximize its chances […]

The Brooklyn Nets are projected to be among the NBA’s worst teams this season. However, the rebuilding squad boasts several impact veterans who could be of interest to contenders down the line. CBS Sports released its top 100 player rankings for the 2025-26 campaign, and two Nets made the cut. Nic Claxton came in at […]

The Brooklyn Nets signed former Alabama star Grant Nelson on Wednesday, the team announced. As per team policy, the terms of the deal were not released. However, it’s likely a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract. After going undrafted, Nelson played for the Nets’ Summer League team but did not open training camp with a deal amid a […]

The Brooklyn Nets waived Chinese star Fanbo Zeng on Wednesday, the team announced. Zeng joined the Nets on an Exhibit 10 contract before training camp. Brooklyn’s decision to part ways with the 22-year-old comes days after their landmark trip to China. While Zeng was a fan favorite in Macao, he saw limited opportunities during the […]

Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin has yet to take the floor this preseason while recovering from a plantar fascia tear. However, the No. 8 pick’s return is on the horizon as the regular season approaches. Demin participated in five-on-five scrimmages last week during the Nets’ trip to China. His status for Friday’s preseason finale against […]

There were many positive Brooklyn Nets takeaways from last year’s tanking campaign. However, Jordi Fernandez’s coaching ability loomed large for the rebuilding squad. The first-time head coach exceeded expectations, leading the Nets to a 9-10 start before management traded away Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn released his NBA head coach rankings […]

The Brooklyn Nets waived Dariq Whitehead and Drew Timme on Monday, the team announced. The pair of moves comes as the rebuilding squad works to trim its roster to 15 standard contracts ahead of its Oct. 22 regular season opener. Brooklyn selected Whitehead with the No. 22 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, the […]

Player development and draft position remain the Brooklyn Nets’ top focuses entering year two of a rebuild. Following an eventful offseason, the team begins the 2025-26 campaign with a revamped roster. Former NBA executive Johnson Hollinger recently released his record predictions for every NBA team. Hollinger projected the Nets to go 26-56, the third-worst record […]

The Brooklyn Nets were the butt of many jokes for their 2025 draft. General Manager Sean Marks’ decision to make an NBA-record five first-round picks, three of which were point guards, left many scratching their heads. However, entrenched in a rebuild, the Nets are playing the numbers game, hoping one or more of their selections […]

You’ll rarely hear an NBA owner, front office executive or coach admit to tanking. Nets owner Joe Tsai came close during a recent appearance at the All-In Summit in Los Angeles. “Well, I have to say that we’re in a rebuilding year,” Tsai said. “We spent all of our [2025] picks — we had five […]

This year’s Brooklyn Nets training camp has featured a steady drumbeat of Ben Saraf praise. While he was the last point guard the team selected in June’s draft, the 19-year-old impressed this offseason with his poise as a lead ball handler. With Egor Demin sidelined by a plantar fascia tear, Saraf and fellow rookie Nolan […]

Tanking has become a taboo subject for NBA organizations. While numerous teams enter each season angling for a top draft pick, you’ll rarely hear an owner, front office executive or coach use the word “tank.” Last month at the All-In Summit in Los Angeles, Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai didn’t explicitly admit to his team […]