Tag: Brooklyn Nets

3 Ben Simmons destinations (the Cavaliers!) in free agency after his Nets buyout

What do you think about Ben Simmons in Cleveland or L.A.?

After a chaotic NBA trade deadline, the next domino to fall is the buyout market, which is headlined by former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the three-time All-Star is finalizing a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets. This means that he can become the most intriguing player available to potentially help a contender for the rest of this season.

The problem, however, is that Simmons is paid $40.3 million on his current deal.

NBA BUYOUT MARKET: 26 candidates teams may consider after the NBA trade deadline

While that money will get paid by the Nets, because he made more than the mid-level exception of $12.8 million, he is ineligible to sign with any team in the luxury tax apron.

Unfortunately, then, that immediately disqualifies the following teams: Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets.

The Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are also very close to the first apron and could struggle to sign him as well.

He is reportedly seeking a winning environment and stability, per Law Murray. With that in mind, based on the reporting, here are some teams that could still make sense.

Cleveland Cavaliers

After making a splashy move at the deadline to add De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers are a particularly intriguing option.

Cleveland has the best record in the Eastern Conference and the second-best record in the NBA. While they already have the best offense in the league so far this season, their defense is not quite as dominant.

But if they added Simmons (who is a former NBA steals leader and a two-time First-Team All-Defense recipient) to a group that already has a strong defensive anchor with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, they might have an even more exciting group.

L.A. Clippers

Another team that Simmons will reportedly consider is the Clippers, who are hanging around as a potential play-in team in the Western Conference.

While they have not exactly gotten a ton of availability from Kawhi Leonard this season, a defense with Simmons and Leonard is going to intimidate any opponent.

Couple that with Ivica Zubac and Kris Dunn, who are also two of the best defensive players at their position this year, and you suddenly have an elite group on that end of the floor.

Of course, it would also be fascinating to see Simmons play alongside James Harden after the two were famously traded for each other in 2022.

Houston Rockets

As originally reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Rockets are another team that is worth watching as a potential team interested in Simmons.

He is expected to meet with the organization, per Chris Haynes, which is noteworthy as Houston has been hesitant to make any changes to their very promising young core.

Houston already has a top-five defense this season even without Simmons, and they get especially good productivity from Amen Thompson and Tari Eason.

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Pat Connaughton/Blake Wesley NBA Tracker: Dec. 30-Jan. 5

We actually have game action to talk about this week.

After a week of neither former Notre Dame player in NBA seeing game action, it finally happened again this past week. Granted, both players only saw only one game of action apiece, but it still was an improvement from the stretches they just had experienced.

[autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] saw action with the San Antonio Spurs for the first time in five games in a 36-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers on New Year’s Eve. In over eight-and-a-half minutes, he made his lone field-goal attempt, dished out four assists and blocked one shot.

[autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] found minutes with the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time in six games Jan. 2 in a three-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Over nine-and-a-half minutes, he shot 1 of 3 from the field, grabbed four rebounds and had an assist, steal and block.

It’s hard to know when either player will see the court again, but this stretch at least gives us hope that it will happen sooner than later.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Dorian Finney-Smith is the perfect defender to make the Lakers a contender after his trade

Dorian Finney-Smith is one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Lakers made a savvy trade, acquiring one of the top targets available in Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith.

The main reason why the Lakers ought to feel especially excited about Finney-Smith is his defensive prowess. While he is shooting a career-best 43.5 percent on 3-pointers and will help relieve spacing for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the most exciting element to his game is what he can provide on the defensive end of the floor.

Earlier this season, on November 26, the Lakers had the fourth-worst defense in the league. Even earlier this month, on December 5, their defensive rating still ranked worse than all but three teams in the NBA. It was a disaster on that end of the court for first-year head coach JJ Redick and Los Angeles.

dunksandthrees.com

But between December 8 and December 28, they started surging and had the second-best defensive rating in the league in that span.

Already anchored by one of the best defenders in the world with Davis and a possible imminent return of Jarred Vanderbilt in early January, the addition of Finney-Smith can only help that identity.

Finney-Smith ranked in the 74th percentile or better in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus each season since 2018, per dunksandthrees.com, and also better than the 80th percentile in each campaign since 2020.

dunkandthrees.com

What is most impressive about Finney-Smith, though, is that he is able to play well no matter who he is guarding. Finney-Smith currently ranks 94th percentile in defensive matchup difficulty and 89th percentile in defensive positional versatility, via BBall-Index.

Among those who have logged more than 1,900 minutes in a completed season, there are only 32 players in the league who have reached the 90th percentile or better in each threshold in the database. Finney-Smith has achieved it five years in a row, however, achieving as much in each season between 2019 and 2023.

That ranks solely as the most of anyone in that period. For comparison: The only other players to accomplish this more than twice in that span are Mikal Bridges, Herbert Jones, Jimmy Butler, Royce O’Neale, P.J. Tucker, and Andrew Wiggins.

Using the matchup data available on NBA.com, including the postseason, here are the players Finney-Smith has defended for the most possessions (in order): Paul George, Donovan Mitchell, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, James Harden, Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul.

It takes a lot of confidence from a coach to assign a player to guard that caliber of opponent. But how did he do in those opportunities?

Let’s take a look at someone like Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, who the Lakers will assuredly play in the Western Conference. Booker has averaged 34.4 points per 100 possessions but is averaging 21.3 points per 100 when defended by Finney-Smith.

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best players in the NBA and has averaged 34.0 points per 100 as a pro with an eFG% at 53.6 percent. When guarded by Finney-Smith, he is averaging 23.0 points per 100 with an eFG% at just 43.0 percent. (Note: League average eFG% since DFS turned pro is 53.4 percent.)

MATCHUP POSSESSIONS POINTS PER 100 (NBA) POINTS PER 100 (DFS MATCHUPS) DIFFERENCE
Paul George 605.1 30.7 19.5 -11.2
Donovan Mitchell 551.8 35.7 27.4 -8.3
DeMar DeRozan 494.8 30.9 19.6 -11.3
Devin Booker 441.2 34.4 21.3 -13.1
Jayson Tatum 343.4 33.4 18.6 -14.8
LeBron James 319.6 36.6 22.8 -13.8
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 221.7 34.0 23.0 -11.0
Ja Morant 147.6 33.3 21.7 -11.6
Paolo Banchero 100.6 30.6 16.9 -13.7

There is superstar guard Ja Morant, who has averaged 33.3 points per 100 with an eFG% at 50.8 percent since he was drafted by the Grizzlies. He is averaging 21.8 points per 100 while recording an eFG% of 41.7 percent in his Finney-Smith matchups.

Or we can look in the Eastern Conference at a forward like Boston’s Jayson Tatum, who is averaging 33.4 points per 100 with a 53.4 percent effective goal percentage in his NBA career. But during Finney-Smith matchups, he is averaging 18.6 points per 100 with an eFG% at just 40.6 percent.

He has fared well against other bigger forwards such as Paolo Banchero (30.6 points per 100 in the NBA versus 16.9 points per during DFS matchups), Pascal Siakam (27.8 points per 100 as a pro versus 19.3 points per 100 for DFS matchups), and Lauri Markkanen (28.5 points per 100 in the NBA versus 20.7 points per 100 during DFS matchups).

DARKO

There are some players who give him a challenge, like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić. But those assignments can go to his new teammate Anthony Davis, who is one of the best defenders in the world. For the most part, no matter what position he is guarding, he is able to make a positive impact.

For much of the season, Rui Hachmiura as well as Max Christie and Cam Reddish had to take on the most difficult assignments on the opposing team.

Now, however, Finney-Smith can play that role and ease the burden on his new teammates as they attempt to make a playoff push down the stretch.

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NBA trainer Joe Abunassar: ‘Being great demands more sacrifice than most are willing to make’

Joe Abunassar, a name synonymous with elite basketball training, brings nearly three decades of expertise to the game. Over his 27-year career, Joe has trained over 300 NBA players, including Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Chauncey Billups. As the …

Joe Abunassar, a name synonymous with elite basketball training, brings nearly three decades of expertise to the game. Over his 27-year career, Joe has trained over 300 NBA players, including Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Chauncey Billups.

As the founder of Impact Basketball, Joe revolutionized the field by integrating on-court skills, strength, nutrition, and mental performance into one comprehensive system.

Abunassar sat down with HoopsHype reflecting on his journey, his approach to blending drills with game readiness, the importance of building trust with players, and his plans for the future of Impact Basketball.

Social media reacts to Lakers trading D-Lo to Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith: ‘A perfect 3 & D role player’

While the rumor mill had Rob Pelinka being patient regarding trades before the February 6 deadline, the Lakers caught everyone off guard sending D’Angelo Russell to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. The Lakers got the wing depth …

While the rumor mill had Rob Pelinka being patient regarding trades before the February 6 deadline, the Lakers caught everyone off guard sending D’Angelo Russell to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. The Lakers got the wing depth they needed, sacrificing D-Lo, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks. The Lakers still have flexibility below the second apron to keep adding help to the roster.

Check out some of the immediate reactions to the D-Lo trade.

Killian Hayes: ‘You can’t take everything off the Internet’

Killian Hayes came into the league full of promise. Drafted 7th in the shortened COVID season, Hayes was brought to Detroit to be their franchise floor general. However, after several underwhelming years, he was released back in February. Hayes is …

Killian Hayes came into the league full of promise. Drafted 7th in the shortened COVID season, Hayes was brought to Detroit to be their franchise floor general. However, after several underwhelming years, he was released back in February.

Hayes is currently with the Long Island Nets hoping to show he can still play at the NBA level, and latch on with a team soon. Following a recent practice at the G-League Showcase in Orlando, the southpaw spoke with HoopsHype about his improved shooting mechanics, what he can bring to potential teams, the online discourse against him, and more.

Social media reacts to Brooklyn trading Dennis Schroeder to Golden State: ‘Warriors now more of a contender’

The Golden State Warriors are acquiring point guard Dennis Schroeder for De’Anthony Melton, according to Shams Charania. The Warriors are also receiving one second-round pick from Brooklyn in exchange for three second-round picks. Here’s how social …

The Golden State Warriors are acquiring point guard Dennis Schroeder for De’Anthony Melton, according to Shams Charania. The Warriors are also receiving one second-round pick from Brooklyn in exchange for three second-round picks.

Here’s how social media reacted to the news:

Former UNC basketball standout sets season-high point total

Former North Carolina Tar Heel Cam Johnson just had the best game of his young NBA season on Tuesday night.

When you think of the most athletic basketball players to don a North Carolina Tar Heels basketball uniform, who comes to mind?

For me, Cameron Johnson is right up there. Johnson transferred to UNC – from Pitt – ahead of the 2017-2018 campaign, North Carolina never won a title in Johnson’s two years, but he made a lasting impact.

Now a crucial member of and starting small forward for the Brooklyn Nets, Johnson is enjoying the best season of his 6-year career.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19 in a 116-115 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Johnson scored a season-best 34 points. He shot an unconscious 6-of-12 from the perimeter, made 11-of-20 shots overall and all six of his free throw attemps.

Johnson wasn’t just contributing on the score sheet. He showcased his versatility as a well-rounded contributor, adding five rebounds, four assists. two blocks and a steal.

Brooklyn isn’t playing great basketball, sitting 6-9 not even a quarter through the NBA season, but it’s currently seeded ninth in a weak Eastern Conference.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DClGwmUO83P/?img_index=1

Johnson is 49th in the entire NBA with 18.1 points per game, which ranks second on the Nets behind Cam Thomas. With Brooklyn thought to be early sellers, Johnson might not be in Brooklyn much longer – though he’s a great, young talented player to build a franchise around.

North Carolina only had Johnson for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons, but like I alluded to earlier, Johnson made an immediate impact from Day One.

He started 56 of his 62 games as a Tar Heel, averaging 15 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Johnson earned First Team All-ACC Honors after 2019 ended, when UNC lost to Auburn in the Sweet 16.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Pat Connaughton/Blake Wesley NBA Tracker: Oct. 22-27

Basketball season is underway.

(This story was updated to change a photo.)

The 2024-25 NBA season has gotten underway, which means it’s time to watch Notre Dame’s two representatives. Neither player has exactly had a glowing start though.

[autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] began his 10th NBA season by scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in the Milwaukee Bucks’ Oct. 23 season opening-win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He followed that up by shooting a combined 2 of 10 from the field in losses to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. He’s averaging 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game in this young season.

[autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] now is in his third season with the San Antonio Spurs. He tipped off his campaign with six points and two assists while losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Oct. 24 season opener. He had a single field goal and two more assists in six minutes during an Oct. 26 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Wesley is averaging a mere 4.0 points and 0.5 rebounds a game over two contests, but he has the Spurs’ second-highest plus/minus through two games. Granted, that came entirely during the Mavericks game, but still:

Here’s to decent seasons from both Connaughton and Wesley.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

2024-25 Brooklyn Nets: A quick preview

The Brooklyn Nets have finally decided to fully embrace a rebuild, starting by trading away Mikal Bridges and reclaiming control over their next two drafts. This strategic shift gives the franchise the flexibility to chart a new course. The big …

The Brooklyn Nets have finally decided to fully embrace a rebuild, starting by trading away Mikal Bridges and reclaiming control over their next two drafts. This strategic shift gives the franchise the flexibility to chart a new course. The big question now is whether Brooklyn will also look to move other key players like Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dennis Schroeder, who all have potential trade value. Even Nic Claxton, fresh off his offseason re-signing, could become a trade asset when he’s eligible to be moved this season (which is January 15, 2025).

While expectations are low for the Nets, the departure of Bridges opens the door for a new star to take center stage. Cam Thomas, who averaged 22.5 points per game last season, will now have an even larger role, solidifying his rising trajectory. The 22-year-old guard is emerging as a key building block for the team’s future or a valuable trade asset. Meanwhile, Schroeder, coming off a stellar performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics, will run the offense at point guard. Nic Claxton’s new long-term deal provides some stability in the paint for Brooklyn.

Despite this foundation, the Nets seem poised to tank in hopes of landing a top prospect, potentially someone like Cooper Flagg, as they fully commit to a long-term rebuild.