Tag: Wilson Chandler

Every player in Philadelphia 76ers history who has worn No. 22

Here is a list of all 16 players in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers who have worn the No. 22 uniform.

It’s summertime in the NBA, so it’s time to learn some history. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the older franchises in the NBA. Their history dates to the 1949-50 season.

With that longevity, the team has had hundreds of players come through the City of Brotherly Love. Sixers Wire looks at the No. 22 which has been worn by 16 of those players in the history of the franchise.

This running series will go through all of the uniform numbers worn in franchise history. The previous edition of this series was a list compiling the 30 players who have worn the No. 23.

Here is the list of the 16 who have worn No. 22 in Sixers history:

Why Wilson Chandler left Nets for opportunity to play in China

The Brooklyn Nets won’t have one of their role players from the 2019-20 season, Wilson Chandler, who chose to play in China instead.

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Wilson has had a lengthy NBA career, starting things in with the Knicks before joining the Denver Nuggets, then the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers. It all came full circle last season when he returned to New York to play in Brooklyn for the Nets last season. All told, he’s logged 12 years in the league.

But Chandler took his talents outside of the NBA at one point. In the middle of his seven-year stint with the Nuggets, the forward played for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association.

And after a year in Brooklyn — before getting the chance to play with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as a healthy duo — Chandler is back in China with the Lions.

“People ask me, ‘Why did you go to China? You could have possibly won a ring if you stayed with the Nets with KD and Kyrie both being healthy and having Caris (LeVert) and Spencer (Dinwiddie) and all the other guys on the team,'” Chandler said on The Realm Podcast. “But I felt like I needed a change. I felt like I needed peace of mind, to get away. Being here makes you appreciate things.

“I think I just needed that change of environment and that change mentally, just to find peace within myself and get away and be here and just focus on being happy and being happy playing basketball. Loving the sport, not playing for a paycheck. Not playing for family. Not playing for fans and stuff. That was the biggest thing for me. I’m honestly happy with my decision.”

Wilson Chandler invests in Kobe Bryant’s Art of Sport with James Harden

Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler is expanding his business portfolio with Mark Cuban, James Harden and Juju Smith-Schuster.

The late Kobe Bryant will always be remembered most for his historic basketball career with one of the most revered franchises in all of sports, but there was more to the Los Angeles Lakers legend. In addition to spending time with his family, he’d begun a promising business career following his retirement from basketball.

Bryant’s business portfolio included the personal health care company, Art of Sport, which he co-founded.

According to CNBC, the company recently “announced it raised $6 million in a Series A funding round from investors.”

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban headlines the list of investors, but the group also includes Houston Rockets superstar James Harden, Pittsburgh Steelers standout wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and a member of the Brooklyn Nets, Wilson Chandler.

The company Chandler has now invested in — which was founded in 2018 –“says it avoids chemicals such as sulfates in its products and uses only ‘natural, high-performance botanicals.'”

Michael Scotto and Anthony Puccio on the Steve Nash hiring, Nets trade candidates and more

On this episode of the HoopsHype podcast, we discuss Nets’ hiring of Nash, how close Gregg Popovich was to coaching the Nets, and more.

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On this episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. Scotto and Puccio discuss the reaction to Brooklyn’s hiring of Steve Nash, how close Gregg Popovich was to coaching the Nets, what the rest of the assistant coaching staff could look like, and more. Is Caris LeVert the team’s third star? Which Nets players will be trade candidates this summer?

:20 – Initial reactions to Nash’s hiring.

1:20 – The possibility of Gregg Popovich coaching the Nets.

Puccio: “As far as I’m concerned, and what I was told, was Pop was definitely somebody that they had on the table. They wanted a big name back when they fired Kenny Atkinson coming into this next season, where Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are going to be healthy, as we assume. I understand that they wanted to get him. He was definitely a name that was on their list, but throughout the process, I was being told it was far fetched. There were a lot of obstacles to get him.”

4:34 – Evaluating the roles Joe Tsai and Sean Marks had in the hiring process.

7:03 – The comparison to the Jason Kidd hiring.

10:07 – The shift in Brooklyn’s culture.

13:00 – Questions for Nash to answer as a head coach.

15:10 – What retaining Jacque Vaughn means for Brooklyn.

16:00 – The backlash for picking a coach with no experience.

19:44 – Could Vaughn be a head coaching candidate next offseason in the NBA or college game?

20:20 – Nets assistant coaching changes to keep an eye on.

Scotto: “When I look at it, Tiago Splitter, Bret Brielmaier, Adam Harrington, I think those guys stay. Adam’s got a great relationship with Kevin Durant. Tiago and Bret have Spurs ties. You mentioned earlier that Jacque Vaughn was brought in by Sean Marks to be a guide for Kenny (Atkinson) when he first started. The guy I remember Kenny bringing on was Jordan Ott from Atlanta. He’s done great work with DeMarre Carroll in the past. He’s continued to do great work with Joe Harris as well. If Kenny gets a job as a head coach somewhere, I could see him maybe trying to bring Jordan Ott with him.”

Puccio: “I think a name to look out for is Raja Bell, somebody he played with the Suns in Phoenix. Someone else to look at is Alvin Gentry, who was part of the coaching staff in Phoenix and was just laid off from his Pelicans job.”

23:44 – Is Caris LeVert the third star for the Nets?

27:54 – Is LeVert a candidate to come off the bench and compete with Spencer Dinwiddie to be next season’s Sixth Man of the Year?

32:36 – Who could be in trade talks for the Nets this offseason? Dinwiddie? Jarrett Allen?

Scotto: “You’ve got Dinwiddie who’s got a guaranteed deal next year, and then he’s got a $12.3 million player option the year after that. He’s opting out of that, barring any injury. He’s going to opt out of that to try and get more money, survey the market and be a potential starting point guard. I’d be shocked if he didn’t.”

36:39 – What executives and scouts think of Nicolas Claxton as a trade target.

Scotto: “Anytime I’ve had conversations with opposing scouts or executives, Nic Claxton is a guy that they all come out to watch and talk to people about to try and get more background on. If he was in the draft this year, no doubt in my mind he was going to be a lottery pick and probably in the top 10.”

38:07 – What Joe Harris could command in free agency.

Scotto: “I think they definitely re-sign Joe Harris, and I think he doubles his salary to somewhere around $15 million, give a couple million more or less.”

39:06 – What are the futures of Jamal Crawford, Tyler Johnson and Wilson Chandler?

Puccio: “I think you definitely see Jamal Crawford come back next year. I’m very confident that he’ll be back, and also Tyler Johnson as well after what he did in the Orlando bubble. We know Sean Marks likes him a lot after the contract that he threw at him when he was in Miami.”

“I think, with Chandler, it’s kind of a coin flip. I personally don’t think that he’s coming back, but we’ll have to see on that front.”

44:03 – Looking at the landscape of the East next season.

MORE: Is Steve Nash the right hire for the Nets? Executives, coaches and scouts weigh in.

Wilson Chandler was thinking long-term when he opted out of NBA restart

Wilson Chandler was one of multiple Brooklyn Nets who were not with the team in Florida for the NBA’s restart.

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The Brooklyn Nets were without multiple players inside the Disney bubble for varying reasons.

Kevin Durant (right Achilles) and Kyrie Irving (right shoulder) were still rehabbing and Nic Claxton (left shoulder) underwent season-ending surgery in late June.

DeAndre Jordan opted out after testing positive for COVID-19. Spencer Dinwiddie also had to opt-out after his second positive COVID-19 test in as many weeks. A late positive COVID-19 test also forced Taurean Prince to stay home during the restart.

But there was one member of the Nets who didn’t test positive for COVID-19 or have an injury that didn’t make the trip: Wilson Chandler.

After he elected to opt-out, Chandler expressed on the “Court Vision” podcast that concerns regarding COVID-19 led to his decision, though he didn’t go into specifics beyond taking care of his children and grandmother.

But now the Nets forward painted a clearer picture.

Chandler told Mirin Fader of Bleacher Report there was too much uncertainty surrounding the illness when he opted out, even for those who recovered from the illness.

And there are still things Chandler, and many others, don’t know about COVID-19:

I’m not a doctor. I don’t know the long-term effects of COVID. They were saying that many players are asymptomatic, but I don’t know the long-term effects. So, being uncertain of the future, that made me afraid.

Chandler also added:

It’s never about me. It’s about my family and those underlying conditions that might [put them] at risk. Just keeping them safe. When you have kids, you just want to be able to protect them.

Jamal Crawford confident in his hoop skills as restart approaches

Nets guard Jamal Crawford will bring a veteran voice to Orlando for the NBA’s restart.

Brooklyn Nets guard Jamal Crawford is battling the noise and the doubters, but what he sees is the hooper he’s still capable of being.

Crawford released an interview with The Players’ Tribune, and he spoke about the different stages of his career, likening them to albums musicians have over the course of their careers. Crawford, 40, is at a stage that would be the end for most players, but he feels he can still ball out:

In my heart of hearts, I’m like, I know I’m still the same player. I know at this age you’re not supposed to be the same player, but I know I am. That’s why that last month was so huge. Besides the 51-point game off the bench, right? I averaged 31 points in the month of April. That’s my highest scoring month of my career, in 19 years.

Crawford was speaking of his season with the Phoenix Suns during the 2018-19 campaign. He scored 51 points off the bench as the Suns lost 120-109 to the Dallas Mavericks. In four April games, he scored 31.3 points per game and shot 55.1% from the field.

A three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner, Crawford’s ability to quickly score will make him valuable for Brooklyn.

The Nets need all the offensive help they get, with Caris LeVert now being the No. 1 option. Crawford will be another important player in the team’s offense, with his mesmerizing handles helping him dissect defenders.

During his career, Crawford has scored 14.6 points per game, dished 3.4 assists a game and shot 41.0% from the field.

Brooklyn will be without Kevin Durant (right Achilles rehab), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder), DeAndre Jordan (opted out after testing positive for COVID-19), Nicolas Claxton (left shoulder), Wilson Chandler (chose to opt-out), Taurean Prince (won’t play after testing positive for COVID-19) and Spencer Dinwiddie (won’t play after testing positive for COVID-19).

With Crawford there as a veteran voice, he could help the Nets stay levelheaded in an environment no one in the league has ever experienced.

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Why the Orlando restart could be a turning point for Caris LeVert

Brooklyn Nets wing Caris LeVert has a great opportunity to prove he’s the franchise’s third star while in the Disney World bubble.

Brooklyn Nets wing Caris LeVert is waiting to erupt.

A four-year player out of Michigan, LeVert is nicknamed “Baby Durant” for a reason. LeVert’s ability to score in multiple ways is his greatest strength, and it’s going to make him the Nets’ undisputed best player as the franchise hurtles toward the NBA’s restart.

LeVert had surgery on his right thumb in November, and he didn’t return until January. He has played in 39 games this season, and he’s still managed to improve. This season, LeVert averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game and shot a career-best 38.1% from the 3-point line.

Spencer Dinwiddie, one of the Nets’ primary ball handlers, won’t play in Orlando after testing positive for COVID-19 again on Monday. Considering Dinwiddie was the lead guard, that responsibility will now go to LeVert.

And as a budding shot-maker, LeVert is more than capable of achieving success.

LeVert has increased his scoring numbers each season he’s been in the league. His field goal percentage numbers have decreased each season, but that’s in part because his number of field goal attempts has gone up each season. This season, he took a career-high 15.6 shots a game.

On top of that, he’s shown he’s capable of commanding an offense for stretches. LeVert has averaged 3.5 assists for his career, and he has dished 4.1 assists per game this season.

He had his first career triple-double March 6, when he scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished 10 assists as Brooklyn defeated the San Antonio Spurs.

LeVert will have to shoot about 20 shots because of how much offense the Nets will lack. Along with Dinwiddie, the Nets will also be without Kevin Durant (right Achilles), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder), DeAndre Jordan (elected to opt-out after testing positive for COVID-19), Nicolas Claxton (left shoulder) and Wilson Chandler (elected to opt-out) in Orlando.

Perhaps he can have a 50-point outburst in Orlando, just like when he scored a career-high 51 points against the Boston Celtics on March 3.

The Nets aren’t even going to make it out the first round in, assuming they secure a playoff spot.

Brooklyn, currently ranked seventh in the Eastern Conference, hasn’t officially earned a playoff berth. But the Washington Wizards are 5.5 games behind the Orlando Magic, and Bradley Beal isn’t coming to Orlando because of a shoulder injury. The Nets should be able to comfortably have a playoff spot by the time the seeding games finish.

Brooklyn isn’t a contender, but LeVert has a great opportunity to leverage himself as the clear third option for next season, when Durant and Irving are supposed to be back healthy.

A wing player with LeVert’s skill is the perfect complement for scoring dynamos in Durant and Irving.

LeVert doesn’t project as a No. 1 and No. 2 option right now — and the crazy thing is, he did well as Dinwiddie’s scoring partner. This season, he’s had the Nets’ third-highest usage percentage (27.7%), right behind Irving and Dinwiddie. The usage percentage is also a career-best for LeVert.

LeVert playing with Durant and Irving means he’s going to earn the easiest of shots. He could end up having the best efficiency of his career next season.

And despite the Nets’ slim chances to make it out of the first round, what’s more important is how the early part of the restart could be a pivotal time in the young wing’s development.

The stage will undoubtedly be LeVert’s.

Sean Marks has ‘no reason to believe’ more Nets will opt out of bubble

Spencer Dinwiddie is still trying to make the trip to Disney and play with his Brooklyn Nets teammates during the NBA’s restart.

At least at the beginning of the NBA’s restart of the 2019-20 season at Disney World, there won’t be a team with a more depleted roster than the Nets.

Brooklyn will be without Kevin Durant (right Achilles), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder), Nic Claxton (left shoulder) Wilson Chandler (elected to opt-out) and DeAndre Jordan (elected to opt-out after testing positive for COVID-19).

Like Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie also recently tested positive for COVID-19, but he didn’t decide opt-out right away. And it appears the point guard and Brooklyn’s leading scorer in 2019-20 will still try to make the trip.

On a call with reporters on Wednesday, Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters, “I have no reason to believe that more players will opt out, but again, this is a very fluid time,” per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

Marks did state Dinwiddie’s status is “up in the air” per Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, but the guard indicated on Twitter he still hopes to play:

Oddsmakers expect Nets to go sub-.500 during seeding games

If the Brooklyn Nets lose Spencer Dinwiddie on top of the other five players already ruled out, their trip to Disney could be a rough one.

On June 30, 2019, Kevin Durant announced he was heading to Brooklyn to play for the Nets. Kyrie Irving joined his friend in this venture, getting the chance to play for his childhood team in the process. The duo also brought DeAndre Jordan along with them.

One year later, Durant continues to rehab from his right Achilles surgery, Irving is working his way back from right shoulder surgery and Jordan is the latest NBA player to test positive for COVID-19.

With the NBA set to resume the 2019-20 season at Disney World in Florida, at the end of July, the Nets have to prepare to play without their three major 2019 free agent acquisitions. Furthermore, Nic Claxton (left shoulder) is out and Wilson Chandler elected to opt-out of the Disney bubble. And Spencer Dinwiddie, who tested positive for COVID-19 like Jordan, may not play either.

So when BetOnline released its win total over/unders for seeding games on Tuesday, it wasn’t a shocker to see the sportsbook doesn’t have high expectations for Brooklyn. BetOnline has set the Nets’ over/under set at three wins.

Losing both Jordan and Chandler is a big hit, but Dinwiddie could prove to be too much for the Nets. The point guard was the team’s leading scorer before the league’s hiatus and willed Brooklyn past opponents on more than one occasion in 2019-20.

If Dinwiddie is done, Caris LeVert will have to carry the load on the offensive end, with consistent contributions from Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince. Also, Chris Chiozza and newly acquired Tyler Johnson would have to help run the offense if LeVert is the only other healthy ball-handler.

RELATED: DeAndre Jordan tests positive for COVID-19, will not play at Disney
RELATED: Spencer Dinwiddie tests positive for COVID-19, may sit out restart
RELATED: Nets took Wilson Chandler’s decision to sit out Disney bubble ‘very well’

Report: Kevin Durant will not travel with Nets to Disney

Kevin Durant has already said he won’t play at the Disney World bubble, and it appears he won’t travel with the Brooklyn Nets either.

When Brooklyn Nets announced Nic Claxton (left shoulder) was out for the remainder of the 2019-20 NBA season, the organization stated he wasn’t traveling to Disney with the team.

Wilson Chandler (elected to opt-out) expressed he needed to stay with his family. So, there was no room for speculation as to whether or not he’d travel to Florida with the team.

DeAndre Jordan also made it clear on Monday when announcing he tested positive for COVID-19 that he’s not going to Disney World in late July.

There still hasn’t been word on Kyrie Irving (right shoulder), but given his stance on the league’s restart, it’d be surprising if he went.

Then there’s Kevin Durant (right Achilles).

There’d been no word on whether or not he’s traveling either. But, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports is now reporting the forward will not join the team at Disney.

Spencer Dinwiddie also may not travel, having recently been diagnosed with COVID-19. He has not yet made a decision.

RELATED: DeAndre Jordan tests positive for COVID-19, will not play at Disney
RELATED: Spencer Dinwiddie tests positive for COVID-19, may sit out restart
RELATED: Nets took Wilson Chandler’s decision to sit out Disney bubble ‘very well’