It’s getting more difficult to come up with enough information, gossip, etc. to fill this weekly feature. We can recite the roster math like it’s a third grade times table but let’s leave it at this: the Nets have roughly $16.5 million in cap space left, more than any other team and by moving some chess pieces around, they could get to $24.5 million. Bottom line: they anticipating getting right up the CBA floor and not go one penny over it, as one pundit told us recently.
We could once again revisit Cam Thomas decision to exercise his qualifying option, but that’s been doue and redone. The reality is, whether the team acquires a player via the Draft, a free agency signing or a trade, there’s no guarantee, they’ll be around for very long. Thomas is now the fifth straight player with a 20 point scoring average in Brooklyn to, in one way or another, decide he’d prefer another venue. In order, that would be James Harden (Philadelphia,) Kyrie Irving (Dallas,) Kevin Durant (Phoenix,) Mikal Bridges (New York) and now Cam Thomas (final destination TBA.) Do with that what you will.
There is a bit of news (not great): Drake Powell remains somewhat troubled by the left knee tendinopathy that kept the 22nd pick out of Summer League. There doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of concern at HSS Training Center — and it’s not uncommon players need some more rehab/rest this time of year. Something to watch and no, there’s no timeline for when he will be ready. The other four are, we are told, are “grinding.“
And of course, there are fun facts floating about. Bobby Marks of ESPN noted this week that of Brooklyn’s 13 first round picks, 10 — by far the most in the league — can be traded at any point this season. Or that despite using five first round picks in the June Draft, they currently have the same number of draft picks — 32 — that they had that night. Or that Fanbo Zeng, whenever he signs, will likely wear No. 12, the uniform he wore for G League Ignite for nine games in 2021-22 when he was 19 before he returned to China.
We still have another OSR left. Next Sunday is September 21. Two days later is Media Day, which is likely to include interviews not just with the player but Sean Marks and Jordi Fernandez. So we’ll hold off on any grades or commentary on the off-season till then. Who knows, there may be some news by then! A final salary dump
In the meantime, let’s speculate! Wildly if you prefer.
Final moves … nothing confirmed but interesting.
There’s been some reporting, some discussion of how Philly wants to move on from Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr, who are on expiring deals worth $5.5 million and $8.4 million. Dumping them, per Jake Fischer, would give the 76ers Of the two, Oubre seems like the more likely. His contract is bigger and his position is well covered.
Here’s what Fischer wrote two days ago on the Philly situation for Marc Stein’s substack, TheSteinLine:
As I covered on a recent Bleacher Report video stream, Philadelphia has explored the potential trade landscape at various points this summer for Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr. to theoretically create some additional financial flexibility to make the re-signing of Grimes more comfortable. Maybe a move does materialize for one of those veterans at some point, but I must stress that the Sixers do not appear to be operating with some sort of clear-cut directive to trade either player at the moment.
No mention of the Brooklyn Nets as either a possible landing spot for either nor any deadline. Could be true and the Nets still retain that monopoly on cap space which no doubt they’d like to carry into the season and up to the trade deadline in February. More flexibility.
What might the Nets want from Philly? Another second? The Sixers have nothing in the 2026 Draft, not a first nor a second. They have two seconds in 2027 and three in 2028, one in 2029 plus two in 2030 and one each in 2031 and and 2032. Forget first rounders. Daryl Morey isn’t giving up a first rounder so he can sign Grimes. A possibility and we are wildly speculating is that the Nets might want a reduction on the protections Philly retains on the 2028 first rounder, the final piece left from the Harden trade. It’s currently protected 1-8. Also, if the protections on that pick prevent it from transferring to Brooklyn, the Nets would get a second rounder in that draft and cash. Could that be a talking point? Nets really don’t need a 20th second rounder, do they?
Is there any urgency? Philly certainly would like to Grimes done and Oubre seemed to telegraph that he wants out of Philly.
If you’re wondering if the 76ers could simple buyout and stretch Oubre like the Cavs recently did with Olivier Maxience Prosper, no can do. The stretch deadline has passed. It was August 29.
Mike Scotto spoke earlier in the week on Nets Kingdom’s Twitter spaces about the possibility of Jett Howard, who turned 22 today, being part of another salary dump, this one with the Orlando Magic. The 6’6” wing was taken with the 11th pick in the 2023 Draft but now Magic would like to move on from him. He played 60 games last season for Orlando and averaged only 4.5 points on shooting splits of 37/30/70 along with 1.8 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. Of course, his father is Juwan Howard, who also coached him at Michigan. Might some fatherly love get him on the right track in the NBA? But at this point, there seems, again, no push, no urgency. It may also be that Orlando would like to see him gone. Who wants to be reminded of a lottery failure? Nets did get former No. 10 pick Ziaire Williams a year go in a similar move.
Or maybe nothing happens. One hint that things are finally done is when Brooklyn officially signs Fanbo Zeng and Ricky Council IV both of whom have agreements with the Nets but no signed documents. Another hint? If the Nets waive one or more of their four players on non or partially guaranteed deals.
September’s end
As we close up shop next weekend on the OSR, there will be lot going on. First of all, the New York Liberty are trying to repeat as WNBA champions. They played their first post-season game this afternoon in Phoenix and beat the Mercury 76-69 (but Breanna Stewart hurt her knee again.) As for the Nets, here are upcoming dates:
September 21: Long Island Nets open tryouts at Queens College
September 23: Media Day at HSS. Interviews with players and Sean Marks/Jordi Fernandez
September 25: Opening Day of Practice at HSS
September 25: Opening of the Brooklyn Basketball Community Center across from Barclays
September 27: Practice in the Park at the Potomac Playground in Bed-Stuy
October 4: Opening of preseason at Barclays Center vs. Hapoel Jerusalem.
That’s a lot, of course. We plan to cover all of it. Also, we expect to soon see a press release on front office moves. The performance team is going to be one area of interest. The Nets dumped both the head of high performance, Ben Williams, and director of rehabilitation services, Stefania Rizzo. Whoever replaces Williams — likely the No. 2 Dan Meehan — will be the fourth performance team head in four years.
Final Note
Two of the Nets point guards last year were in the news this weekend.
Dennis Schroder once again was MVP of a FIBA event. In 2026, he led an undefeated German national team to the FIBA World Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, and on Sunday, he led another German national team to the FIBA Euro Cup title in Riga, Latvia. He was named MVP in both.
Meanwhile, Ben Simmons is making noises that he could retire. He has returned to Australia and his agent, Bernie Lee, has filed paperwork to end his relationship with Simmons.
Simmons has been fishing off Australia at this point, there appears no interest from any NBA team, and the 29-year-old is repping himself…
Good luck to both and congratulations to Dennis! Tim Bontemps has argued Schroder’s international accomplishments could earn him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame …. despite playing for 10 NBA teams. It’s not the NBA Hall of Fame, after all.
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