The Brooklyn Nets are seeing their season slip-sliding away. The Nets headed into their game at the Barclays Center against the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-game losing streak and losers of 17 of 22.
Brooklyn’s two most recent losses were excruciating. On Sunday, the Nets held a 114-103 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers midway through the fourth quarter. But the Nets went scoreless over the final 5 minutes and 33 seconds as the Clippers picked up a 125-114 victory.
Then, on Tuesday, as Brooklyn opened up a three-game homestand against crosstown rivals New York Knicks, the Nets again frittered away another fourth-quarter lead. Leading 97-94 with 5:40 left, the Nets scored just six points the rest of the way as the Knicks earned a 108-103 win.
“You could hear in the crowd, felt like a friggin’ away game when they made their run,” Nets’ forward Mikal Bridges told Bridget Reilly of the New York Post about the loss to the Knicks. “Yes, we got good looks. They got some key buckets. We just got to overcome it, you can’t fold and put our heads down if they make a little run. It’s part of the game, just got to be able to execute after and go out and win.”
NBA Rumors: Nets Provide Update On Two Key Players, 4 “Untouchable” Pistons and Lakers Trade Rumors
Brooklyn sits in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 17-26 record. The Nets are a half-game behind 10th-place Atlanta and one-and-one-half games in front of the Toronto Raptors. The Nets have a minus-1.3 scoring differential.
Nets Injuries
Part of the Nets’ issues has been injuries. Bridges is the only player who has appeared in all 43 games and one of four players to play in 40 contests. Furthermore, seven players who have seen regular minutes this season have missed five or more games, including Ben Simmons (37) and Day’Ron Sharpe (6).
Speaking of Simmons and Sharpe, coach Jacque Vaughn recently updated their injury progress.
It sounds like Simmons return is getting closer. Simmons partook in the Nets shootaround on Tuesday and could practice with the G-League Long Island Nets at some point. He will miss the Nets next three games, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“He will not play this week, so that gives us [Tuesday], Minnesota, and Houston. So he will not play this week,” coach Jacque Vaughn said before Tuesday’s Nets game. “But all signs are pointing towards him … at some point, we’ll use Long Island to get a practice underneath him or get some more bodies around him. Hopefully, that’s in the near future.:
Simmons has been sidelined with a nerve impingement in his back since November 6.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted a couple of hours ago that Simmons could suit up for the Nets as early as next Monday.
After practicing with the Brooklyn Nets’ G League team this weekend, there’s optimism that Ben Simmons could return as soon as Monday vs. the Utah Jazz, sources tell ESPN. Simmons has been out with a lower back nerve impingement since November 6. pic.twitter.com/QRh7h3HcO0
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 25, 2024
Meanwhile, Sharpe likely will be out longer with his hyperextended knee. He has missed the past seven contests.
“I think I’ve got a lot more steps I’ve got to take. Right now, I’m just still on the process of strengthening my leg back,” said Sharpe, who didn’t offer a timeline. “I don’t know yet. But I just feel good. Better. I feel like I’m going in a positive direction.”
However, Sharpe has yet to be cleared to participate in a full practice.
“Really, I’ve just been on the bike and lift. I’m just trying to get my strength back in my leg,” Sharpe said.
In other injury news, rookie Dariq Whitehead is still rehabbing a left shin stress reaction. Whitehead, who has only played two games for the Nets, was diagnosed with a left shin stress reaction last week. While a timetable for the 19-year-old’s return to the court has not been disclosed, he is expected to miss multiple weeks.
“Just trying to take the right steps to make sure my shin is where it needs to be before I step back on the court again to make sure there’s no setbacks,” Whitehead told The Post. “Just being 19, trying to make sure we take care of things the right way and not have to have any setbacks.”
4 Pistons Who Reportedly Won’t Be Traded
The Detroit Pistons are getting closer to being fully healthy for the first time this season.
Detroit (5-39) picked up its fifth win last night with a 113-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets as the Pistons outscored them down the stretch to complete their comeback. Monte Morris produced seven points, three rebounds, and three assists in 11 minutes in his season debut for the Pistons.
However, Cade Cunningham remained out for the eighth straight games as coach Monty Williams said he wants Cunningham to get in some more practice time and conditioning before he returns. So, Cunningham should be set to go when the Pistons host the Washington Wizards on Saturday afternoon.
Detroit has won three of its last 13 games. So, the Pistons need five more victories over their final 38 games to avoid setting/tying the NBA futility record for the fewest wins in the season. Still, the Pistons may be sellers at the NBA trade deadline.
While Detroit is not guaranteed to make a move, James L. Edwards of The Athletic reports that Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, and Jaden Ivey won’t be among the players traded.
The Pistons view Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren as their blue-chip pieces moving forward. Per league sources, the feeling is that Detroit has no interest in trading any four of those players in the immediate future.
So, What Pistons Could Be Traded
Morris, Alec Burks, and Bojan Bogdanovic have been the most talked about Pistons who could be on the move.
Morris played well in his season debut, and Edwards said teams have contacted them about the veteran guard’s availability. But the teams and Pistons, for that matter, want to see what Morris provides after returning from injury.
Edwards added that the Pistons are listening to offers for Burks and Bogdanovic, they aren’t actively shopping either player.
Detroit appears more inclined to wait until the summer to make a decision on Bogdanović, whom they really value, unless a trade for a good first-round draft pick and a good player comes along. As for Burks, the Pistons believe they have a chance to retain the bucket-getting veteran this summer. But I get the sense that two really good second-round picks, at minimum, would cause Detroit to consider a move before the deadline.
Los Angeles Lakers Trade Rumors
The Los Angeles Lakers desperately seek a point guard, and Dejounte Murray is their top target. However, the Lakers may be willing to do other deals.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Jovan Buha of The Athletic report that the Lakers are very interested in “moving on from” Gabe Vincent. Vincent is expected to be out until at least the end of February as he continues to recover from an arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee. Vincent, who has two more years on his contract, has appeared in five games this year. However, the duo says that Vincent has “negative value.”
“Vincent is definitely viewed as a negative asset right now around the league because he’s been hurt,” Scotto wrote, “and he hasn’t been able to show if he can fit with the Lakers or not. There’s also always the stigma that Miami Heat role players are not as good elsewhere,”
Buha also believes that Rui Hachimura could be dealt. But as Buha said, if the Lakers trade Hachimura, they would create a hole in their frontcourt.