With the beginning of the NBA’s moratorium period less than 24 hours away, the Brooklyn Nets have officially made decisions on all of their club options.
Chaney Johnson will be back on a two-way contract, and Malachi Smith will be on the team’s training camp roster. Josh Minott and Day’Ron Sharpe, respectively, earned extensions, and Ziaire Williams, Jalen Wilson, and Ochai Agbagi are now unrestricted free agents, the likelhood of their return to Brooklyn at least in question.
According to one league
source speaking with ND, the Nets have also declined to extend a QO — qualifying offer to Tyson Etienne, who spent the last two seasons with Brooklyn’s organization, played 24 NBA games last season, and became the Long Island Nets’ all-time leading scorer.
Etienne, set to turn 27 in December, appeared in 24 NBA games for Brooklyn last season (two starts), while averaging 7.9 points, 1.7 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes while shooting 40% from the field and knocking down 39.8% of his 3-point attempts.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that Etienne won’t be returning to Brooklyn, but they will not have his restricted rights.
Currently, the Nets have two of their three two-way spots occupied with Chaney Johnson and second-round rookie Tyler Bilodeau, both of whom will play in both summer leagues, the California Classic in Sacramento and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The California Classic begins Saturday at 5:00 p.m. ET. It will air on YES and the Gotham Sports Net.
Johnson, 24, played in 17 NBA games for Brooklyn last season (one start) and averaged 8.2 points, 1.4 stocks and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 54.3% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc in 20.5 minutes.
Bilodeau, on the other hand, earned a two-way deal right after being selected at No. 43 overall. Sean Marks & co. have already gathered eight players on rookie contracts and as they have in the recent past, Brooklyn has inked their second round picks to two way deals to save on roster spots and cap space. Two-ways can be active on NBA rosters for up to 50 games before their teams have to either convert them to standard deals or waive them.
While it isn’t yet certain, the expectation is that Grant Nelson, still rehabbing from patellar tendinitis, which cut his season short, will earn the Nets’ final two-way spot.
Before the injury, he thrived on a minutes restriction with the Long Island Nets, averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds per 36 minutes, prompting him to earn a 10-day contract with Brooklyn.
On a 10-day contract, he played 35 minutes, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three blocks. It was initially a surprise that he didn’t get a second 10-day before the news of his injury came out.
As he continues to rehab, he will not play in either Summer League; but he is on the Nets Summer League roster and will be with the team, unlike Nolan Traoré, who won’t after getting his knee scoped recently.
With one two-way still available, Nelson’s recovery process leading up to training camp will be something Nets fans should certainly monitor.
In addition to the three two-ways, the Nets had signed at least three undrafted players to Exhibit 10 deals which virtually assures they too will be spending time on Long Island after a stint in training camp come October. All three are also on the Summer League roster.
Brian Lewis reported that the Nets had signed Dion Brown a 6’3” guard who most recently played for St. Louis University and Jon Chepkevich of Draft Express reported Ben Humrichous, a 6’9” combo forward who came off the bench for Illinois last year. Finally, Dylan Johnson of The Villanovan, the student newspaper, reported Wildcat center Duke Brennan will be joining the Nets.
