The Denver Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cameron Johnson, sources told ESPN.

While both players have two years remaining on their contracts, the Nuggets are able to get off Porter’s contract, which has $38.3 million due this coming season and $40.8 million in 2026-27. Johnson will make $21 million this coming season and $23 million the following season.

The trade is also the first big move by the Nuggets’ new front office of Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace. It frees the Nuggets from the luxury tax and expands their ability to utilize most of a $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

The Nuggets followed the move by bringing back free agent Bruce Brown, who agreed to a one-year deal with the team that he helped win an NBA title with in 2023. Brown’s deal is for the veteran’s minimum.

Brown was popular in the Nuggets locker room and played a pivotal role on the championship role on the championship team. He does well alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 2022-23 with the Nuggets. Last season with the Toronto Raptors and the New Orleans Pelicans, Brown averaged 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Johnson also appears to be a good fit for the Nuggets. The 6-foot-8 forward enjoyed a breakout season in his sixth year in the league, averaging 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 39% shooting from behind the arc with the Nets.

“I’m excited!” Johnson told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “I get an opportunity to compete with some of the league’s best. What more can I ask for?”

Already a solid defender who can space the court, Johnson showed more ability to create shots for himself in Brooklyn this past season, adding a unique dynamic to his profile as a 3-and-D player.

He has struggled with injuries throughout his career, however, and has not exceeded 60 regular-season games since the 2021-22 campaign.

Porter had spent his entire six-year tenure with the Nuggets, averaging 18.2 points and seven rebounds in 77 games for the Nuggets this past season. Porter was a key player during the Nuggets’ title run, and he gives the Nets a career 40% 3-point shooter.

He ends his Nuggets tenure second in franchise history in made 3-pointers with 843, trailing only Murray.

Ben Simmons‘ time with the Brooklyn Nets has been so disappointing that at multiple points, it looked like it might be over.

Back in March 2023, a nerve impingement in his back, along with knee troubles, sidelined him. A year later, the same issue shut him down again.

Simmons’ tumultuous tenure has finally ended, with him and the Nets finalizing a buyout.

He spent most of his Brooklyn tenure sidelined – missing 207 of 297 games – and was ruled out for the Miami Heat game early in the day and officially listed as away from the team.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, all in the midst of playoff pushes, scheduled a Friday meeting with Simmons.

The Nets stood pat at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline – no last-minute trades and no roster shakeups.

As things unfolded, it became clear that a buyout for Simmons was the likeliest outcome, and by Friday, his future had been decided.

Simmons was in the final year of a five-year, $177.2 million contract he had signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in Jul. 2019, a contract that Brooklyn took on in the 2022 trade deadline deal that sent James Harden to the Sixers.

Having played just 15 games last season, Simmons had appeared in 33 of the Nets’ 51 games this year by Friday, still dealing with injuries but still finding ways to contribute when able to a team focused on rebuilding.

His arrival in February 2022 marked the first step in reshaping the Nets’ roster. Simmons’ addition indicated that the team aimed to maintain its competitiveness.

By the 2023 trade deadline, both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant had forced their exits from Brooklyn, making him the only one left of the big three.

He went from being a piece trying to integrate into a championship-contending roster to the lone survivor of a roster shakeup – eventually becoming a very expensive and costly asset – trying to adjust to a rebuilding process.

Simmons’ stint with the Nets ends without a playoff appearance.

This year he is averaging 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game on a Nets roster that’s seen frequent changes in the lineup.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the 2023-24 regular season due to lingering issues from a back injury. The three-time All-Star has struggled to stay healthy for most of his career and has only appeared in 57 games since the 2021-22 season.

“Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back,” the Nets said in a statement. “Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health.”

After going first overall in the 2016 NBA Draft and missing his entire first season with an injury, Simmons became a fixture of the resurgent Philadelphia 76ers at the turn of the decade. Along with reigning MVP Joel Embiid, Simmons was quickly becoming a key member of a young championship contender.

Despite his earlier success, many were quick to criticize Simmons, claiming that his Rookie of the Year award was not deserved because it was technically his second season. Others consistently questioned his short-range shooting style in a league increasingly geared toward three-pointers.

For many fans already critical of Simmons, his performance at the end of the 2020-21 season was a sort of affirmation. The point guard performed exceptionally poorly during the 76ers’ playoff run, becoming the worst free-throw shooter in postseason history. In the team’s Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons did not attempt a shot in the final quarter of five games, including Game 7 when the team lost in an upset as the first seed.

Simmons became a scapegoat among 76ers fans, who readily blamed him for the team’s failures. The team’s former rising star responded in famously cryptic fashion, holding out for the 2021-22 season and claiming to have a back injury. He was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a trade that also included James Harden. The trade accomplished very little for both teams in retrospect, but with Simmons as the direct counterbalance to Harden, the Nets received shockingly little in the deal.

Simmons has since spent two seasons in Brooklyn, during which the team has completely given up its championship pursuits for the moment. He has only managed to appear in a limited capacity as his back injury and other ailments have severely impacted his production, even when he has been healthy enough to play.

This latest development makes Simmons’ future even murkier and could signal the end of his career. He has one year remaining on his current contract and would receive $40 million, far beyond his current value if he can compete in the 2024-25 season.

The Brooklyn Nets have fired head coach Jacque Vaughn after a 21-33 start to the 2023-24 NBA season. The team is currently 11th in the Eastern Conference and has gone 6-15 since the start of the new year.

Vaughn spent four years as a Nets assistant coach from 2016 to 2020 before becoming the team’s interim head coach after the firing of Kenny Atkinson. He was then moved back to an assistant coach position before becoming the team’s head coach in 2022, which he held until Monday. While Vaughn was with Brooklyn he saw the arrival and departure of stars such as James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. In his time with the Nets, the team made the playoffs every year but only reached the second round once, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in 2021. The last game Vaughn coached for the Nets was a 136-86 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics before All-Star Weekend.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. “We thank Jacque for all he has done for the Nets and the borough of Brooklyn, and wish him, Laura and their family nothing but the best in the future.”

After seeing Irving leave for Dallas and Durant for Phoenix, the Nets are in an unknown phase, without their superstars but perhaps not a bad enough record to tank for a better draft pick. With talented players in Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton the team did get out to a strong 13-10 record to start the season. Unfortunately, they’ve gone 8-23 in the games since then and are 21st in the league in scoring at 113.4 points per game, two factors ultimately leading to Vaughn’s firing.

Despite the team only one position shy of the NBA Play-In tournament, the parting of Vaughn from the Nets is yet another example of high expectations by NBA front offices. Most notably, the Bucks fired head coach Adrian Griffin in his first year despite a 30-13 record and second place in the East. Vaughn’s overall head coaching record with the Nets was 71-68 over the course of three total seasons.

In Vaughn’s place, Kevin Ollie will take over as the team’s interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Ollie was an NBA veteran for 13 years and won an NCAA National Championship in 2014 as head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies. He was also the head coach of the Overtime Elite team before joining Brooklyn’s coaching staff last season.

The Nets currently have 28 games remaining on their schedule and are two and a half games behind the Atlanta Hawks in the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.

If anyone had any remaining questions about the current favorites in the NBA, the Boston Celtics answered them emphatically Wednesday night. The team dominated the Brooklyn Nets 136-86 to take a six-game lead in the Eastern Conference.

In the second game of a back-to-back against the Nets, the Celtics had everything their way from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Boston outscored Brooklyn in every quarter, even after most of their starters checked out early. The 50-point margin of victory at the end is the 46th largest in NBA history.

With a 43-12 record, not only does Boston tower over its own conference, but the West as well. The Minnesota Timberwolves, currently out-dueling the Thunder, Nuggets and Clippers for first, only stand at 38-16. The Celtics are in a league of their own, with the playoffs fast approaching.

Guard Jaylen Brown has resumed his duties as the team’s star supporter, and newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis has been a revelation, scoring 20 points per game in his first season as a Celtic. But the key to Boston’s success this season has been team leader and MVP candidate Jayson Tatum.

Tatum has stepped into the ranks of superstardom in the last three or four seasons, steadily improving into a franchise-caliber player. With 27 points per game this season and a stellar reputation on defense, he is the difference-maker on the best team in the NBA. His versatility was on full display Wednesday; with the game well in hand from the beginning, he scored a modest 20 points while racking up nine assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes on the floor.

After the Celtics’ first game against the Nets Tuesday, a 118-110 victory and 41-point night for Tatum, the 25-year-old forward told reporters that he does not feel pressure to perform in a typical superstar role. Surrounded by talented teammates, he claimed that he can be versatile because he has options.

“We’ve got a really good team where in any given possession we could have two, three advantages and it’s not always just going to be me,” Tatum said. “So just understanding that and knowing that I need my teammates. I need everybody, we all need each other.”

With just over a quarter of their schedule remaining, the Celtics will more than likely lock up the first seed in the NBA Playoffs with time to spare. This meant very little last season, however, as the eighth-seeded Miami Heat beat both first-seeded Bucks and second-seeded Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals. Despite several impressive regular seasons in recent years, Boston has not won a championship since 2008.

As Damian Lillard decides between the Portland Trail Blazers and free agency, a few front runners have emerged on the star’s list of potential destinations. He still hasn’t decided to leave his longtime team, but the possibility of his departure is more likely now than ever before.

In an interview on Showtime’s The Last Stand with Brian Custer, Lillard named two teams that he would be especially interested in pursuing in free agency.

“Miami obviously,” Lillard said. “Miami is the obvious one. Bam [Adebayo] is my dog. Bam is my dog for real. But I mean I think Miami is the obvious one. Brooklyn is another obvious one because Mikal Bridges is my dog too. I mean, both have capable rosters.”

For the past 11 seasons, Lillard has played for the Trail Blazers and made seven All-Star appearances. He has led the team to a number of playoff appearances but has never gotten close to a championship. Signing another contract would demonstrate a level of commitment seldom seen among stars in the modern era.

“I want to have an opportunity to win in Portland…We got an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete,” Lillard said. “If we can’t do that, then, you know, obviously, like I’ve said, you know, for months now, like then this is a separate conversation that we would have to have.”

Beyond Portland, where he would have an obvious purpose as the team’s current leader, Lillard could also find very solid opportunities in Brooklyn and Miami. The two destinations would offer different chances; Miami is currently in the midst of an NBA Finals run while Brooklyn is in the very early stages of a rebuild. Both could obviously find ways for the 32-year-old guard to contribute, however, while also giving him legitimate chances in the postseason going forward.

In the blink of an eye in 2020, the Phoenix Suns seemingly went from a Western Conference bottom feeder to a bona fide contender at the highest level of the NBA. When Chris Paul joined a team that already had budding stars Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton on the roster, Phoenix became a force overnight.

But in two straight postseasons, the team has fallen just short of the summit. In 2021, the Suns’ magical run through the Western Conference was finally stopped by Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who handled them in a six-game Finals series. The following season, the team’s run ended earlier despite a better regular season thanks to an other-worldly performance from Luka Doncic in the conference semifinals.

There’s potential for a dynasty in Phoenix, but steps to that end have been uneven to this point. But early Thursday morning, the team entered an emphatic new phase in its ongoing coup. There’s no going back now.

To repeat the news everyone’s already read, the Suns acquired superstar Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren from the Brooklyn Nets Thursday morning in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Thomas, four first-round draft picks and a 2028 pick swap. It’s a textbook win-now move, as the team essentially relinquished its future for a shot at the title.

Durant’s talents are well-recorded, as are his tendencies to land in promising organizations pursuing a championship. His time on the Warriors was better spent than the seasons he gave to the failed experiment in Brooklyn. Still, his lack of championship success as an individual feels more circumstantial than anything. He remains one of the most dominant players in the NBA, and he’s worth what the Suns paid to acquire him.

Durant will join Booker, Paul and Ayton to create a seemingly unstoppable starting four, to the extent that Phoenix will almost certainly become the new favorite within the conference, if not the league in time. The team was already a contender with a 30-26 record this season, and Durant is now expected to elevate the team even higher.

It’s easy to get caught up in the allure of the Durant acquisition and much more difficult to face the consequences of the trade. Phoenix did relinquish a significant part of its team in order to get its superstar. Crowder would have been a greater loss several months ago before it became clear that the forward was waiting for a trade. But Bridges was a beloved member of the roster, having been on the team since 2018 while providing consistent numbers throughout his career. In gaining Durant, the team also loses some semblance of depth while risking negative impacts on morale.

In a very short time, it will become apparent if the Suns’ trade for Durant resulted in short-term success for the organization. One can imagine that anything short of a championship this season would now be considered a failure, as it’s abundantly clear that the team is tired of falling short. If anything, Phoenix can no longer be accused of taking half-measures.

It wasn’t unexpected. In his first game in the Wells Fargo Center since the 2020-21 season, Ben Simmons was vigorously booed by 76ers fans at every stage of the team’s game against the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday.

“I thought it was going to be louder,” Simmons said after the game.

Between his disappointing performance in the 2021 Playoffs and refusing to compete with the team the following season, Simmons became a villainous figure in Philadelphia long before the Sixers traded him to Brooklyn in February. Once a part of “The Process,” the team’s plan for returning to championship contender status, he quickly became a symbol for dysfunction in an otherwise promising Sixers organization.

Simmons’ presence on the floor overshadowed the game itself. Early in the third quarter, Simmons took to the foul line and got Sixers fans out of their seats with two missed free throws. The team has a promotion with Chick-fil-A that rewards fans with free chicken nuggets if a visiting player misses both shots at the line, and Simmons provided on a night where he nearly attempted more free throws than points.

Without stars James Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia still managed to spoil their maligned former star’s homecoming with the help of big performances from Tobias Harris, De’Anthony Melton and Paul Reed, who combined for 65 points to knock off Brooklyn’s big three of Simmons, James Harden and Kevin Durant.

As for Simmons, Brooklyn’s defense-oriented guard earned a solid stat line, scoring 11 points with seven rebounds and 11 assists. But he did little to dispute his reputation as one to shy away from big spots, as he didn’t shoot at all in the fourth quarter while Philadelphia gradually took a commanding lead. After the game, Durant commented on the vitriol surrounding Simmons, claiming that he observed hate for his team throughout the league.

“Everybody wants to see our team fail,” Durant said. “Nobody likes Ben. Nobody likes Ky. Nobody likes myself.”

Through 18 games, the Nets are 8-10 and are 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. They next face the Toronto Raptors on the road Wednesday night.

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has taken significant steps toward getting his suspension lifted and could return to the team as soon as Sunday. Irving has met with Nets management, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Jewish leaders in an attempt to earn forgiveness for promoting a film featuring antisemitic themes.

“Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education,” NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio told ESPN Wednesday night. “He has been grappling with the full weight of the impact of his voice and actions, particularly in the Jewish community. Kyrie rejects Antisemitism in any form, and he’s dedicated to bettering himself and increasing his level of understanding. He plans to continue this journey well into the future to ensure that his words and actions align with his pursuit of truth and knowledge.”

Speculation around Irving’s attempts to move past his suspension has become a massive talking point beyond the world of sports, as many have used his story to discuss the normalization of prejudice and corporate apology efforts. It is not the first time that Irving has been at the center of controversies, as his refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine last year led to his long-term absence from games at the Barclays Center.

Irving’s impending return to the floor this season could not come at a better time for the Nets, who are 6-9 and allowed 153 points to the Kings on Tuesday. The team’s struggles have provoked Kevin Durant to openly disparage his teammates and argue that he can only carry them so far. The star seemed more optimistic in response to news of Irving’s potential return.

“I haven’t talked to him since we’ve been on the road trip about it, the last couple of days,” Durant said. “But we’re looking forward to his return to the team. Definitely gonna give us a much-needed spark.”

Though Irving’s return would likely lead to overall roster improvement, the star’s presence before his suspension did little to improve Brooklyn’s results on the floor. The team went 2-5 in games where Irving appeared and have gone 4-4 without him.

Following his team-issued suspension Thursday, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving issued an apology for promoting an antisemitic film on social media. Nets General Manager Sean Marks said Friday that he expects more, however, and will require Irving to meet with Jewish leaders and the team before he can step back on the floor.

The most recent controversy surrounding Irving first began last week, when the Nets guard praised “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” a film with antisemitic themes and messages. In subsequent interviews and press conferences, Irving repeatedly evaded questions about his beliefs and refused to apologize, only doing so after he was suspended indefinitely by the team Thursday.

“To all Jewish families and communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize,” Irving wrote on Instagram. “I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled antisemitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish brothers and sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the documentary.”

The apology seems to have come too late for some, including NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Nets owner Joe Tsai and Marks, who described it as a “step in the right direction.”

““There is going to be some remedial steps and measures that have been put in place for him to, obviously, seek some counseling designated by the team,” Marks said. “We’ll evaluate and see if this is the right opportunity to bring him back.”

Attempts earlier this week within the organization seemed to involve an effort to discuss the matter with Irving and come to an understanding. Both he and the organization pledged to donate $500,000 each to anti-hate causes. Marks said that this approach “obviously did not work.”

On the floor, the Nets were struggling before Irving’s suspension and haven’t recovered since, losing seven of their last eight games. Teammate and fellow star player Kevin Durant did not support or condemn Irving when asked to comment on his behavior.

“I ain’t here to judge nobody or talk down on the life or how they feel, their views or anything,” Durant said. “I just didn’t like anything that went on. I felt like it was all unnecessary. I felt like we could have just kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization. I just don’t like none of it.”

After receiving criticism for his original comments, Durant later clarified that he condemns hate speech and anti-semitism.

The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to part ways with Steve Nash after a disappointing start to the season.

While there is no decision made yet on who will replace, the organization said it plans on making one in the “near future.”

“Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

“Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time.

In 2020, the Nets signed Nash to a four-year agreement to coach the team.

It was hoped that the Canadian Hall of Fame basketball point guard would help the team win a championship.

The best shot was in 2021 right after the Nets acquired James Harden – who joined the talents of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

But Irving and Harden suffered injuries during the playoff run and the Nets haven’t been the same since.

Now, the Nets find themselves with just a 2-5 hole to start the year and are making a change out of desperation.

Another issue for the Nets is the Irving dilemma.

He recently promoted a book that has been documented for containing misleading antisemitic information.

In addition, he’s had other off-the-court issues.

This includes his refusal to take the vaccine and miss home games, as well as staying out of the lineup due to “family and personal stuff.”

Meanwhile, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, who has been suspended by the team is the most likely option to succeed Nash as the new Nets coach.

In fact, it’s could get done within the next two days, he said.

The Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire season for allegedly making inappropriate comments toward a team staffer.

The team cited that he committed “violations of team policies.”

Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn will serve as the interim coach for tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

Problems off the court continue with Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving.

The seven-time Allstar tweeted out a book called Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, which has been documented for containing misleading antisemitic information.

https://twitter.com/KyrieIrving/status/1585704113433677829

Many fans and the team took offense to his promotion of the book.

“I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation,” Joe Tasi, governor of the Nets and founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, said in response to Irving’s action.

“I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion. This is bigger than basketball.”

While the Nets have spoken out against it, the team allowed him to play hours after he sent out the tweet.

On Thursday night, Irving played 42 minutes and tallied 39 points in a 129-125 loss against the Dallas Mavericks.

Additionally, Irving has had other issues off the court over the past few years.

In 2021, he missed multiple games due to “family and personal stuff.”

He reportedly teared up in a Zoom call with reporters during his absence.

And in the following season, he wasn’t allowed to appear in multiple home games because of his refusal to get vaccinated.

New York City at the time had a mandate in place for the vaccine – but new Mayor Eric Adams has lifted it.

In addition, Irving claimed that he turned down a four-year contract worth more than $100 million because of his vaccination status.

But perhaps now, given the 30-year-old’s most troubling recent action – the Nets might be relived that the extension wasn’t inked.

Irving is in the final season of his four-year $136 million-plus contract.

It’s unclear if the Nets will re-sign him, but earlier this month ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said that this will be Irving’s last season with the team and that he is “trying to go to Los Angeles.”

Ben Simmons inept shooting ability has become a radioactive topic of conversation around the NBA in recent years, but Brooklyn Nets Coach Steve Nash doesn’t seem fazed. In fact, his recent praise of Simmons is a significant departure from typical discourse about the oft-maligned player.

In an interview with ESPN, Nash said that his team stood to benefit from Simmons’ play, with or without a jump shot.

With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on the floor, Simmons’ defensive ability and paint presence seem to be enough for Nash.

“That’s why I don’t care if he ever shoots a jump shot for the Brooklyn Nets. He’s welcome to, but that is not what makes him special and not what we need,” Nash said. “He’s a great complement to our team, and he’s an incredible basketball player because of his versatility.”

Nash’s comments come after a tumultuous season for Simmons, in which he refused to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, was traded to the Nets and missed more time with a back injury. His holdout for the 76ers and subsequent absence with Brooklyn received widespread criticism throughout the league.

Despite accusations of being soft or entitled, Simmons’ qualifications as a potential contributor for the Nets is undeniable. Before trouble began in Philadelphia, Simmons played exceptionally well in his early career and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2018. His skills as a defender often outweighed his inability to shoot well for a time, as he and teammate Joel Embiid led the team to multiple postseason runs.

In Brooklyn, Simmons is on a roster with even more star power, which could allow him to become a role player for Irving and Durant. This could benefit him for a number of reasons, as his time in the spotlight and obvious weaknesses on offense have both been subjects of intense criticism. Nash’s plan seems to be to find a position for Simmons to thrive.

The Nets are coming off a profoundly underwhelming season, as the team underperformed during the regular season and lost to the Boston Celtics in four games in the first round of the playoffs. Simmons hasn’t appeared in a game since the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals, when Embiid blamed the team’s loss on his poor performance against the Atlanta Hawks.

A former NBA player who has played with Kevin Durant did not have kind words to say about Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry.

This is Mike James, who currently plays in the EuroLeague, previously played with Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans.

In an appearance on the Players Choice podcast, James couldn’t get himself to put Curry in his top five list of current active players.  

“Steph, how he plays and how he gets stuff off, it’s just kinda one-dimensional at times,” James said. “He’s not the primary ball-handler a lot, and for a point guard that kinda bothers me.”

Included in Jame’s top five players is LeBron James, Durant, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He could not name a fifth player. 

But some fans agreed with Jame’s “one-dimensional” remarks, while others strongly disagreed.

“He’s right, tell me what else Steph does at an elite level except shoot 3s,” a fan tweeted. 

Meanwhile, one user responded and said: “His ball-handling, ability to finish, quickness, his off-ball movement (!!!)…Steph is one of the greatest PG of all time. You don’t get to that level by being one-dimensional.” 

“James [is] not necessarily wrong. You’d normally want a bigger, more physically dominant team to build around, and Steph was in the perfect situation with coaches and personnel to accomplish what he has,” another said. 

And others don’t consider James relevant enough to have an opinion. 

“Mike James’ opinion of Steph Curry is no more relevant to me [than Donald] Trump’s opinion of Barack Obama. I don’t understand why his opinion is newsworthy,” a skeptical fan said.

“Sh**t, I have League Pass and watch upwards of 300 games a season and I’ve literally never heard of this guy,” another fan tweeted. 

James last played in the NBA for the Nets 2020-2021, mostly coming off the bench. 

In his four-season NBA career, he averaged a .370 field goal percentage with 8.9 points per game. 

As for Curry, he finished eighth in the MVP voting in his previous season, averaging 25.5 points per game. 

He did, however, win the NBA Final’s MVP award after adding another ring to his collection during the postseason. 

The 34-year-old has won the MVP twice in his career and many consider him to be the best three-point shooter of all time. 

James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a two-year, $68.6 million deal, finally settling weeks of negotiations. The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski via Twitter on Wednesday night. Harden reportedly has a player option for the second year that would allow him to enter free agency following the 2022-23 season.

Following a year in which the All-Star guard was traded to the 76ers from the Brooklyn Nets, Harden declined his $47 million option last month in order to give his new team more space to acquire other players. This new deal seems to benefit both the team and the player. This offseason, the 76ers have signed three free agents and two undrafted rookies, and also traded for shooting guard De’Anthony Melton. Meanwhile, Harden has accepted a temporary pay cut but also retains the right to enter free agency after the season.

In the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the 76ers were eliminated in six games by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Star center Joel Embiid’s initial absence due to an injury in the previous round and lackluster performances from Harden were considered the primary causes for the team’s early exit. In an interview with Yahoo! Sports, Harden said that he accepted less money so that his team could be more competitive.

“This is how bad I want to win. I want to compete for a championship,” Harden said. “That’s all that matters to me at this stage. I’m willing to take less to put us in position to accomplish that.”

Harden’s latest contract negotiations are sure to encourage the 76ers organization and fanbase alike, but it’s doubtful that it will sway skeptics. Harden’s postseason viability has been a topic of discussion for years, and the guard has gained a reputation as an underachiever.

Despite playing for championship-contending teams for nearly a decade, Harden has only appeared in the NBA Finals once, when the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games in 2012. After being traded to the Houston Rockets, he had multiple MVP-caliber seasons but could never lift the team past the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. A disastrous turn of events in Brooklyn, in which the big three of Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant accomplished very little in two seasons together, is just the most recent item in a growing resume of Harden’s shortcomings.

Just as they did last season, Harden and his new team appear to be contenders going into the 2022-23 season, and surrounding him and Embiid with strong supporting characters appears to be a formula for success. But for a talented player with a notorious lack of historical team success, agents and contract negotiations will never tell the story as well as events to come on the court.

Relatively new Brooklyn Nets acquisition Ben Simmons is close to making his season debut, as he was recently cleared for contact in practice and even participated in four-on-four drills Monday.

The guard was ruled out for Wednesday’s Game 2 against Boston, but Game 3 hasn’t been ixnayed. Rumor has it he’s aiming for a Game 4 return.

Simmons has been on the mend recently from his back injury—ramping up his workload over the past few weeks.

“It’s up to Ben’s back,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “It’s not up to me or any of us other than his back. And how we can help that resolve, great. But, you know, there’s a chance Ben comes back; there’s a chance he doesn’t come back. So I think for us, we gotta focus on the group, support Ben in his journey to get back on the floor but at the same time we don’t have time to lose focus on the group that’s playing.

“And Ben’s a franchise cornerstone, but right now it’s about supporting him physically and mentally to get back on the floor and coaching the group to put its best foot forward in the first few games of the series at least … Internally we’re not sitting here saying, ‘Ben’s returning in this series.’ We’ll see what happens.”

Simmons demanded a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers after last postseason’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks. A deadline blockbuster deal for James Harden ensued, but Simmons still hasn’t seen the floor.

“We all know what type of player Ben is,” the Nets’ Kevin Durant said. “You can put together scenarios in your mind on your own on what it would look like, but I’m not going to go there because we’re just taking it a game at a time.”

After Sunday’s 115–114 Game 1 loss to the Celtics, the Nets’ Kyrie Irving addressed numerous fan interactions he had during the game.

Irving was caught multiple times giving fans the middle finger and could be seen telling a fan to “suck my d— b—-.” The point guard, of course, played for Boston from 2017 to 2019 before leaving in free agency.

“I’mma have the same energy for them,” he said. “And it’s not every fan, I don’t wanna attack every fan, every Boston fan. When people start yelling p—- or b—- and f— you and all this stuff, there’s just so much you can take.”

Game 2 isn’t until Wednesday evening, so hopefully, tempers subside by then.

Oft-criticized-but-now-vindicated Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving made his New York debut Sunday in a 119-110 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

“I was just trying to ground myself as much as possible today,” Irving said. “And just prepare for the warm reception from a lot of supporters of the organization, of me, just the journey thus far. So I don’t take it for granted what happened tonight; it was historic. I’m grateful I got a chance to be out there with my brothers and just leave it all out there.”

Irving, of course, made news this season when he refused to get the Covid-19 vaccination—which led to him being unable to play at home at the Barclays Center due to New York City’s mandate. Last week, Mayor Eric Adams ixnayed the mandate last week for athletes and performers.

The 30-year-old received an ovation from the sold-out crowd (18,166) during introductions.

“Tonight, my presence out there was just bigger than the basketball game,” Irving said. “I was just representing a lot of individuals that are out there in a similar situation as me. And now that I can play, I think we should be opened up for everybody.”

Irving ended the night 6-for-22 (16 points, 11 assists, 1-for-9 from three-point land) in 40-plus minutes on the business end of a back-to-back.

“It was great to see him out there,” the Nets’ Kevin Durant said. “Good to see the fans excited for him. Unfortunately, we took the L, though. But we move forward knowing that we have him here. Build on what we have and try to get a win next game.”

“I made it very clear it was never just about me,” Irving said. “I think for my own legacy, that’s to be written by all those that I impact and all those that impact me, and it’s far bigger than just a basketball game. But when I’m in this locker room, I get a chance to perform with a bunch of guys that are selfless and are sacrificing just as much as I am. It makes it worthwhile.

“The point of this season for me was never to just take a stand. It was really to make sure that I’m standing on what I believe in, in freedom. Freedom. I don’t think that’s a word that gets defined enough in our society. About the freedom to make choices with your life without someone telling you what the f— to do.”

Irving was originally told to sit out the season, but a Covid-19 outbreak forced him into the lineup for road games only. He made his season debut on January 5, and Sunday was his first as an active player in the Barclays Center since June 7, 2001’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks.

“I’ve been discriminated against,” Irving said. “People have said things that have been biased. They’ve gone against their own morals. And where we’re living today, I have such a strong moral code of just being honest, being truthful, following God’s guidance and just living with the results. But in terms of that, I’m a servant. I’m comfortable being in that position.”

The loss dropped Brooklyn to 39-36 and into ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

Kyrie Irving is going to get one helluva birthday present: Returning as a full-time player for the Brooklyn Nets, as Mayor Eric Adams (D) is expected to announce that unvaccinated athletes—such as Irving—will be allowed to compete in New York City under a major policy change.

Irving, who turned 30 on Wednesday, has played in only 20 games this season due to New York City’s Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The shift in policy is good news for MLB’s two New York teams, the Yankees and Mets, whose season begins in a couple of weeks.

“Until anything is official please do not ask me any questions about that y’all,” Irving said. “You didn’t hear my statement when I walked in. Don’t put me in a position until anything’s official.”

Teammate Kevin Durant shared a similar sentiment.

“Yeah I don’t think it’s official,” he said. “Just been hearing rumors and stuff. So once it’s official, I can speak on it.”

“It just turns our whole team around when he’s out there. Hope we get some good news,” he added.

The change is expected to take effect quickly enough so as to allow Irving to lace ‘em up as early as Sunday against the Hornets at Barclays Center.

Sans the policy shift, Irving would’ve only been eligible for two of the team’s remaining nine regular-season tilts.

There’s still no set timetable when it comes to Ben Simmons’ return to action for the Brooklyn Nets.

Simmons, who recently had his request for a trade from the 76ers fulfilled, has yet to play a game this season. He was dealing with mental health issues in Philadelphia, then, following the deal, he’s endured back issues.

Nets coach Steve Nash spoke to reporters Sunday and said that the player is not currently doing any basketball activities. However, he “fully expects” Simmons to see time this season.

“The physical therapist just works on his rehabilitation,” Nash said. “I wasn’t on [the table] working on him. They do what they do in a clinical setting and try to improve his condition … A lot of bio-mechanical work, manual therapy, all sorts of stuff to get him in a position to start to move in the right sequence and fashion.”

ESPN reports:

Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons has remained sidelined with an irritation of the L-4 disc of the lower spine, but there’s hope he can return for a “couple” of regular games prior to the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Nets are hopeful that Simmons can return to play in regular-season games prior to a postseason likely to begin in the play-in tournament in mid-April. The Nets play the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers in their two final regular season games on April 8 and 10, respectively, prior to the start of the play-in tournament that week.

“Although there’s no real timetable, we’ve got to take it day by day and see how he responds,” Nets GM Sean Marks said. “And hopefully sooner the better. We need to get this group together and get minutes together on the court.”