Tag: David Duke Jr.

Player Grades: Anthony Davis leads Lakers to home win over Kevin Durant, Nets

The Brooklyn Nets visited the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Crypto.com arena for the first of two meetings this season.

The Brooklyn Nets visited the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena for the first of two meetings this season. The Nets lost 116-103 and were unable to complete their comeback bid as the team faltered during the fourth quarter.

Nets forward Kevin Durant had a stellar game with 31 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, but was unable to get somebody to come along for the ride against the Lakers. Nets guard Cam Thomas had 15 points off the bench and guard Edmond Sumner netted 13 points.

Lakers forward Anthony Davis had a monster game with 37 points (season-high) and grabbed 18 rebounds (10 offensive which tied his career-high in the regular season). Davis was big for the Lakers in the third quarter as he scored 15 of his 37 points during the period. Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV scored 25 points.

This game came down to the second half as Brooklyn was able to rally from 16 points down with a little under four minutes left in the third quarter to a four-point game with a little over 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter before the Lakers ran away with the game.

Brooklyn center Nic Claxton left the game in the third quarter with a left eye injury and did not return to the game. Guard Seth Curry (ankle injury management) did not play and guard/forward Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) did not play either.

The Nets next play at the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Here are the player grades for Sunday’s game:

All the players who could wear a No. 6 jersey in 2022-23 after the NBA’s plans to retire it to honor Bill Russell

The league recently announced plans to retire Russell’s No. 6 jersey across the league to honor the Celtics great, but some players are excepted.

The NBA and Boston Celtics plan to honor Hall of Fame big man Bill Russell for his unparalleled career in the league and his dedication to fighting for civil rights and social justice by retiring his No. 6 jersey league-wide.

The move — unprecedented in league history — honors the singular life Russell lived on and off the court. Russell was the NBA’s ultimate winner with a record 13 titles to his name as a player or player-coach. He also  achieved or was a part of many milestones, including being a part of the first all-Black starting five and the first Black head coach in league history. Through it all, he used his platform to fight for others in a time when that put his career at great risk.

The players in the league wearing No. 6 jerseys in 2021-22 will be allowed to continue to do so until they either switch to a new number or retire from the game. Let’s take a look at the players who could wear that jersey number next season.

Brooklyn Nets extend offers to Nic Claxton and David Duke Jr

Reports indicate that the Brooklyn Nets have extended a two-way offer to David Duke Jr.

The NBA world has been encapsulated with the Kyrie Irving and Brooklyn Nets contract negotiations, and in so fans completely overlooked the team offering young talent David Duke Jr. a two-way contract.

A report from NBA insider Keith Smith of Sportrac indicated that the franchise extended a qualifying offer for Duke Jr. The offer is valued at $1.5 million.

The young guard would join the Nets Summer League team and then play for both Brooklyn and Long Island throughout the season.

Duke Jr. played in 22 games for the Nets, but really shined with primetime minutes for the G League affiliate, Long Island Nets. He averaged 16 points, six rebounds and three assists per contest.

He is slated to become a prominent piece of the Nets going into the Summer League and seems to be the best young talent on the roster. Duke will join a few undrafted rookies in the Summer League attempting to showcase himself as a talented young guard.

As for Nic Claxton, he will also receive a $2.2 million qualifying offer. He made a name for himself as the backup this past season and averaged 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds while providing a lot of great energy off the bench for the Nets.

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Steve Nash: Kessler Edwards was outstanding to help shorthanded Nets

With just eight players available, the Nets were forced to turn to several rookies and they stepped up in a big way on Tuesday.

With just eight healthy players available, the Brooklyn Nets needed the assistance of four rookies but the group managed to scrape and claw its way to a narrow overtime win over the Toronto Raptors.

Kevin Durant led the way with 34 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in 48 minutes for his 14th career triple-double while Patty Mills had 30 points in the 131-129 victory, including a 3-pointer late in regulation to send the game to overtime.

The 48 minutes were the most logged by Durant in a single-overtime regular-season game since 2014.

Brooklyn received huge contributions from two-way rookies David Duke Jr. and Kessler Edwards. Duke produced a career-high 10 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks while Edwards had a career-high 17 points and 10 rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting from the field.

The double-doubles for Duke and Edwards were the first of their careers.

Nets head coach Steve Nash said Edwards was outstanding in the win.

He was outstanding, obviously. (He had) 17 and 10 with two steals, two assists and three 3s. He started the game and he didn’t run in for a dunk, he gave up an offensive rebound and we just told him: ‘Be aggressive. Have fun out there. You’re a good player. Show it!’ Then he responded so I’m really proud of him and all of these guys.

The Nets announced prior to the contest that James Harden and Bruce Brown were placed into the health and safety protocols. They joined LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter and James Johnson in the protocols, leaving Brooklyn with just eight players.

The 8 players available to play on Tuesday: 

  • G: David Duke Jr., Patty Mills, Cam Thomas
  • F: Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Kessler Edwards
  • C: Nic Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe

The contest on Tuesday was just the third of the season for both Duke and Edwards. They had played primarily in the NBA G League with the Long Island Nets but were called upon with Brooklyn down six players in health and safety protocols.

Durant credited Edwards and Duke for fueling him down the stretch.

I was gassed for sure there in that fourth (quarter). To see Kess, Patty, Duke and Blake make plays in that fourth reenergized me going into that fourth. I was able to hit a couple of shots there in the overtime and give us a small cushion and then Patty was just an assassin tonight. It was an overall team effort and words can’t describe how proud I am to be a part of this group. It was incredible.

Players entered into the health and safety protocols this season are forced to sit out for a minimum of 10 days. However, they can be cleared to play sooner if they return two consecutive negative PCR tests taken at least 24 hours apart.

With the status of those six players in question, the Nets will need to continue to rely on the likes of Duke, Edwards, Thomas and Sharpe. They each stepped up when their team needed them to and that should be an encouraging development moving forward.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Brooklyn Nets news: Nets sign David Duke Jr. on two-way deal

David Duke Jr. secures a two-way deal after averaging 4.3 PPG, 4 RPG and 1 SPG in the preseason.

Providence college product David Duke Jr. has secured a spot with the Brooklyn Nets. Sources have told Shams Charania and the Athletic that Duke will be signing a two-way deal with the Nets. Of course, this means the 22-year-old is set to spend more time with the Long Island Nets in the coming months. Brooklyn’s other rooks, Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe, are expected to join him as well.

In the preseason, the rookie averaged 4.3 PPG on 40% shooting from the field to go with 4 RPG and 1 SPG. Throughout a three game span, Duke played 16.6 MPG for the Nets. Now that the organization has made up their mind on the 22-year-old, it is safe to say that there is a lot to look forward to with him.

In the Summer League, Duke’s defense was superb. It was a strength that made him shine in the past couple months both in Las Vegas and in the preseason. His offensive game is coming together as well, but of course will take time to develop. Duke’s biggest focus will have to be expanding his range. He is already capable of doing everything else at a high level.

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Nets Summer League: Player grades for the Nets’ young prospects

Check out the Summer League ratings for the top Nets players in Las Vegas.

Brooklyn has a lot to look forward to following their 3-2 outing in Las Vegas. Nets GM Sean Marks’ selection of Cameron Thomas is looking like one of the biggest steal of this year’s draft. Day’Ron Sharpe and Kessler Edwards also had strong performances. Their Summer League experience showed us all we needed to know about them.

A few of Brooklyn’s more experienced young players, namely Alize Johnson and Quinndary Weatherspoon, each had standout games in Vegas. With the 2021 Summer League in the books, let’s take a look at some of the grades for the top Nets players from the campaign.

Nets Summer League: Cameron Thomas hits clutch three in win over Bucks

The Brooklyn Nets won their first Summer League game, and Cam Thomas hit a huge shot in the closing minutes.

After falling short of a rally on Monday, the Nets needed to bounce back against the Milwaukee Bucks. Another loss would mean that their chances of advancing to the Summer League championship game would be over.

Right out the gates, Brooklyn showed that much-needed desperation on the defensive end, holding the Bucks to 0-of-6 from three at the end of the first period. This marked the end of a 16-point quarter for Milwaukee. In the second quarter though, the Bucks’ Summer League squad found new life.

They scored 27 points in the period with Jordan Nwora (14 PTS, 3 REBS) leading the way. It wasn’t enough to secure the lead though, as they trailed the Nets 43-48. Reggie Perry (11 PTS, 5 REBS) was the story heading into the half for Brooklyn.

The second half came down to who wanted it more. Every time when it seemed like the Bucks would get the lead, the Nets would answer right back. When the closing minutes finally approached, it took a clutch Cameron Thomas three to create breathing room for Brooklyn to close out the game, 97-91.

Although Thomas (22 PTS, 6-14 FG) will be remembered in this game for his high scoring output, Day’Ron Sharpe (11 PTS, 8 REBS) and David Duke Jr. (10 PTS, 9 REBS) will be remembered for their contributions in other aspects of the game. Rebounding in particular for Sharpe and orchestrating the pick and roll effectively for Duke.

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Live tracker: Here is where the top undrafted free agents have signed

The 2021 NBA draft has come and gone but the draft cycle still continues for a bit longer as the undrafted free agents find their new homes.

The 2021 NBA draft has come and gone but the draft cycle still continues for a bit longer as the undrafted free agents find their new homes.

While the following prospects didn’t get to hear their name called by the commissioner or deputy commissioner on Thursday night, they can find solace in the fact that their path to the pros is far from over. It’s not unheard of for an undrafted free agent to carve out a role for themselves in the NBA.

Some notable names, including Gonzaga’s Joel Ayayi and G League Ignite’s Daishen Nix, will join the fraternity of undrafted basketball players who hope to still make a name for themselves in the NBA.

Here is where the best remaining prospects have landed so far, according to reports:

A roundup of NBA sleepers draft analysts are higher on than others

Who owns the most real estate on Davion Mitchell Island? Who is buying stock in Sharife Cooper?

Everyone loves Cade Cunningham. It’s not a hot take for an analyst to say that Cunningham is their favorite player in the class. That’s not particularly interesting to read, either.

But what is fascinating, however, is when an analyst deviates from the norm and ranks someone significantly higher than where the prospect falls in other rankings. What does that tell us about their individual scouting process and what they value? Further, what does that tell us about the potential draftee?

Some folks call it “buying stock” in a player. Others, like ESPN’s Zach Lowe or The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, call it owning real estate on a player’s island. I like to refer to it as a “draft crush” when I wind up higher than consensus in my evaluation of a player.

My process is ridiculously tedious but the results can be fairly useful. I’ve tracked the evolution of more than sixty unique mock drafts, big boards and draft models from trusted analysts and popular accounts on Twitter.

Each placement is assigned a value based on Kevin Pelton’s draft pick trade value chart. I do this because, as Pelton notes, the difference in relative value between the No. 5 overall pick and the No. 7 overall is much more stark than, say, that of the No. 45 pick and the No. 47 pick.

After composing an aggregate score based on each ranking, I can see where each analyst strays from the pack.

I’ll leave the conclusions drawn from these results up to the reader. But if nothing else, this can eventually be used as a bragging point if one writer was higher than consensus on a draftee who eventually ends up outperforming his draft position.

2021 aggregate NBA mock draft 7.0: Ranking the full class of prospects

The 2021 NBA draft is less than a week away and we finally have an idea of who is in — and who has withdrawn — from the class.

The 2021 NBA draft is less than a week away and we finally have an idea of who is in – and who has withdrawn – from the class.

In order to get a better sense of where all of the prospects stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, Yahoo, The Athletic, The Ringer, Yahoo, NBA Big Board and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win to see where the prospects rank at the moment.

Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion.

Since our previous update last month, some of the players with the most positive momentum include Quentin Grimes, Joe Wieskamp, Vrenz Bleijenbergh, Aaron Wiggins, Justin Champagnie, Jericho Sims, Jason Preston, Josh Primo, Neemias Queta, Trey Murphy and Bones Hyland.

Among players who ranked on our previous update who have since withdrawn from the draft include Roko Prkacin (32), Marcus Bagley (39), Terrence Shannon (48), Ariel Hukporti (50), Max Abmas (53), Johnny Juzang (54), Jordan Hall (66), Carlos Alocen (69) and Ochai Agbaji (75).

The most notable omissions who remain in this class but not these rankings are Yves Pons, Scottie Lewis, Jay Huff, Marcus Zegarowski, Aamir Simms, Dalano Banton, Matt Mitchell, Jose Alvarado, Carlik Jones, Derrick Alston Jr., Romeo Weems, Balsa Koprivica, Chaundee Brown, Isaiah Miller, Jordan Schakel and D.J. Carton.

Note that for the offensive roles, we borrowed a fun idea from Todd Whitehead (formerly of Nylon Calculus) with help from our friends at Bball-Index.com to create a slightly tweaked formula from the version they use.

The goal of that is not to explain how well a player scores but rather offer context for the way that he was used on his most recent team. This should help you predict how he might be used at the next level.

Meanwhile, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report