Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets might not be where they expected to be at 12-11, but Kevin Durant looks beyond the team's record for signs of progress.

Durant told reporters following Wednesday's 113-107 win over the Washington Wizards that "we have high expectations for our team, but the process is more important than the end result." He added that has been a philosophy emphasized by head coach Jacque Vaughn.

Kevin Durant: We have high expectations for our team, but the process is more important than the results. pic.twitter.com/7gl86l4XpH

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 1, 2022

The 2021-22 Nets saw firsthand how important it is to lay some sort of cohesive foundation on the court.

They were without Kyrie Irving for most of the season because he declined to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and the James Harden trade was a massive midseason disruption.

Late into the year, Andre Drummond summed up how Brooklyn had to hope its talent alone would carry the day.

"Got to treat this s--t like pickup," he told reporters in March. "Just take the best five and try to make it work. And try to build chemistry while we're out there."

The Nets went 7-4 to close out the regular season only to get swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Brooklyn has already experienced its fair share of drama. Head coach Steve Nash was fired. Irving served a suspension for promoting an antisemitic film and refusing to disavow its problematic content. Ben Simmons has battled injuries and reportedly some scrutiny from his own teammates.

Still, the team is only one game out of the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets' penchant for turmoil and Simmons' struggles don't bode well for their championship hopes. But Vaughn and his staff have time to forge some sort of identity on the court that allows the whole to be greater than the sum of its parts.

Even though Kevin Durant could swing championship odds if the Brooklyn Nets traded him, at least one member of the Toronto Raptors wouldn't want his team to make a play for the 12-time All-Star if it meant giving up Scottie Barnes.

Appearing on the How Hungry Are You? show with Serge Ibaka (h/t Wenzell Ortiz of Yahoo Sports), Fred VanVleet explained why he wouldn't want to trade Barnes for Durant if the scenario presented itself.

"I wouldn’t do it," he said. "I told you, I’m a loyal guy; I’m not a trade guy."

VanVleet did smile when Ibaka asked him if there were any teammates he would trade to get Durant, so he isn't completely opposed to the idea of adding one of the best players in NBA history.

Despite his trade request over the summer, there has been no indication during the season that Durant is looking to leave Brooklyn. The Nets have played better of late, winning five of their past seven games to get to .500 (11-11) for the first time since the second game of the season.

The Raptors were among the teams reportedly interested in acquiring Durant, but Barnes seemed like a potential breaking point in trade negotiations.

Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported in July the Raptors were "fixed" on not putting Barnes into any trade package for a potential superstar player.

It's not hard to understand why Toronto's front office would want to keep Barnes, even if it meant not being able to get Durant. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year is only 21 and has already established himself as one of the best young two-way players in the league.

Barnes' overall shooting efficiency has declined so far this season (49.2 percent as a rookie to 43.7 percent), but he's been more effective shooting the three (34.8 percent, up from 30.1) and is averaging 5.2 assists per game.

Durant is capable of transforming almost any franchise into a title contender, but he's also 34 and has missed significant time due to injuries over the previous three seasons.

The Raptors are still trying to put all of the pieces together to start this season. They are sixth in the Eastern Conference with an 11-9 record. Their defense ranks in the top 10 in points allowed (108.5) and defensive rating (111.1).

Toronto is building around the terrific quartet of VanVleet, Barnes, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Head coach Nick Nurse has an excellent track record and should be able to figure things out with this group as the Raptors look to get back to the playoffs.

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant was showered with MVP chants throughout his 45-point performance in Monday's 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic at Barclays Center.

After the game, the 2014 NBA MVP was asked if he was hoping to win the award for a second time, but he said he's not focused on individual achievements this season.

"Not really. I've been there, done that, to be honest, and I know it's gonna take a lot for me to be in that conversation," he said. "I just want the respect from our fan base, and I want them to have a good time when they come to the game, so if that's what strikes chants up is how I play from the fans, as long as they're having a good time. But I'm not too worried about accolades at this point in my career."

Kevin Durant on MVP consideration: "I've been there, done that, to be honest." pic.twitter.com/CkC3mucTqQ

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 29, 2022

Durant was dominant and efficient, shooting 19-of-24 from the field on Monday. It was his third straight game scoring over 30 points.

The scoring outburst by Durant helped the Nets get back to .500 at 11-11. Brooklyn will look to continue its turnaround when it hosts the Washington Wizards (11-10) on Wednesday.

After overcoming some early-season tumult, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is playing at a level that is reminiscent of his 2014 MVP campaign.

The 12-time All-Star dropped 45 points to help lead the Nets to a 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic at Barclays Center on Monday night. Durant shot an efficient 19-of-24 from the field and added seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Nets had gotten off to a 1-5 start and eventually parted ways with head coach Steve Nash. Now that the team has found some stability under new head coach Jacque Vaughn, Durant is playing with a freedom and joy that hasn't been seen from him in recent years. He toyed with Magic defenders and dictated the offensive flow for Brooklyn.

NBA Twitter lit up with excitement over Durant's vintage performance on Monday:

KD is better than he’s ever been!

— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) November 29, 2022

KD laughing in his defender's face before scoring 😳 https://t.co/12LbACwWGA

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2022

KD NOT NICE!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. SHEESH

— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 29, 2022

one of those KD games that i find myself just giggling at everything.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) November 29, 2022

MVP KEVIN DURANT CAME TO PLAY TONIGHT

— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) November 29, 2022

Not sure how much longer we’ll get to see it… but watching Kevin Durant play basketball nightly is special

— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) November 29, 2022

Kevin Durant is putting on an absolute clinic tonight. He's got 41 with just under seven left.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) November 29, 2022

Kevin Durant has taken 22 shots so far tonight and missed only five of them.

Kevin Durant remains excellent at basketball.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) November 29, 2022

Kevin Durant is in another world right now even by Kevin Durant standards.

— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) November 29, 2022

Kevin Durant. Quite good at this sport

— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) November 29, 2022

A Kevin Durant Masterclass is taking place right now

— Dre🐍 (@WaveyForever) November 29, 2022

Watching Kevin Durant tonight https://t.co/jm6JpeEkTo

— Reed Wallach (@ReedWallach) November 29, 2022

Yeah… Kevin Durant is still the best player in the NBA 😮‍💨

— Thunder Run The West (@DubsThunder) November 29, 2022

Kevin Durant is the 14th-oldest player to score 45.

39: Michael Jordan, Jamal Crawford
38: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
37: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James
36: Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone
35: Larry Bird, Alex English
34: Stephen Curry, Pau Gasol, Bernard King, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Durant

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) November 29, 2022

Durant entered Monday ranked seventh in the league with 29.3 points per game. He has now dropped over 30 points in each of his last three games, showing he's still capable of scoring explosions at any time.

The Nets (11-11) will continue to ride Durant's shoulders when they host the Washington Wizards (11-10) on Wednesday.

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is day-to-day after exiting Monday's 109-102 victory over the Orlando Magic with left knee soreness.

"We'll check him day by day, see how he responds with a little treatment, see what it looks like [Tuesday]," Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters, via ESPN's Nick Friedell.

Vaughn also said he doesn't believe Simmons' back surgery over the summer played a role in this situation:

No. I think more so than anything [it's] the accumulation of games. He hasn't had this amount of accumulation of games over a period of a long time. Talked to the performance team about that. We were warned about that just as these games start to add up.

Simmons played 11 minutes and finished 0-of-3 with four rebounds and three assists.

The 26-year-old has missed five games this season with knee soreness, and he struggled to find his rhythm at the beginning of the year.

In 16 appearances entering Monday, Simmons was averaging just 8.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists. His production is a far cry from the level he played at prior to missing last year as he addressed his mental health and back injury.

He seemed to find a groove in recent weeks, however, scoring in double figures in six straight games.

On Nov. 16, The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick reported that frustration around the Australian had "been building in recent weeks" and that coaches and teammates were "concerned about his availability and level of play, with some questioning his passion for the game."

Prior to his lost 2021-22 season, Simmons was a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive first-team selection. He was an exceptional playmaker and wreaked havoc on opposing offenses with his versatility on defense. The Nets are still hopeful he will return to that form.

If Simmons misses time, there will be more minutes available in the backcourt for Seth Curry, Edmond Sumner, Cam Thomas and Patty Mills.

Despite previously expressing unhappiness with the terms of Kyrie Irving's suspension for promoting an antisemitic film on social media, the National Basketball Players Association won't file a grievance against the NBA.

Tamika Tremaglio, executive director of the NBPA, told The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov the union decided not to file a grievance.

The Nets announced on Nov. 3 they were suspending Irving for at least five games for his promotion of the film and his subsequent refusals to say he has no antisemitic beliefs.

After the suspension was announced, Irving issued an apology on his Instagram page:

"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. I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary. I want to clarify any confusion on where I stand fighting against Anti- semticism by apologizing for posting the documentary without context and a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the Documentary I agreed with and disagreed with. I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate. I am learning from this unfortunate event and hope we can find understanding between us all. I am no different than any other human being. I am a seeker of truth and knowledge, and I know who I Am."

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Nets laid out six items Irving had to complete before he would be reinstated:

Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:

- Apologize/condemn movie
- $500K donation to anti-hate causes
- Sensitivity training
- Antisemitic training
- Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
- Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 6, 2022

Multiple players spoke out against the number of conditions Irving was being asked to complete.

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who is also an NBPA vice president, told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that a lot of union members "didn’t agree with the terms" set up by the Nets.

LeBron James tweeted Irving " apologized and he should be able to play."

NBA reporter Marc Stein noted on Nov. 14 there had been rumblings the NBPA was considering a grievance filing on Irving's behalf "if the various parties involved can’t reach a resolution on a return timetable."

After meeting with Irving during his suspension, NBA commissioner Adam Silver told Sopan Deb of the New York Times he had a "direct and candid conversation" with Irving and had "no doubt" the Nets guard isn't antisemitic.

The Nets reinstated Irving before Sunday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies after he missed the previous eight games. He scored 14 points in 26 minutes in his first game since Nov. 1.

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to reinstate suspended point guard Kyrie Irving in time for Sunday's home matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

On Nov. 3, the Nets announced that they suspended Irving for at least five games without pay because of numerous concerns that began with the seven-time All-Star promoting an antisemitic movie on social media.

Statement from the Brooklyn Nets pic.twitter.com/699px8XYpx

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 4, 2022

Irving refused to unequivocally say that he did not hold antisemitic beliefs in ensuing conversations with the media, and he did not directly apologize for the posts, which have since been deleted.

In addition, Irving refused to respond to multiple queries from Nets governor Joe Tsai to speak about the situation, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.

The Nets decided to levy a suspension and issued six mandatory steps Irving needed to take prior to his return, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium:

Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:

- Apologize/condemn movie
- $500K donation to anti-hate causes
- Sensitivity training
- Antisemitic training
- Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
- Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 6, 2022

Following the Nets' announcement of the suspension, Irving apologized on Instagram for promoting the movie and for his initial response to the criticism he faced:

Kyrie Irving posts on Instagram that he’s “deeply sorry” pic.twitter.com/j6XVYp3i4m

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 4, 2022

Tsai tweeted on Nov. 11 that he and his wife, Clara, had a productive meeting with Irving and came away from the sitdown believing Irving did not harbor any feelings of hate toward Jewish people.

The Nets and Kyrie, together with the NBA and NBPA, are working constructively toward a process of forgiveness, healing and education.

— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) November 11, 2022

Irving also met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who said at the Sports Business Journal Dealmakers Conference in Washington (h/t Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press) that he did not believe the Nets star is antisemitic.

"I personally, based on what he said directly to me, have no doubt that he's not antisemitic,” Silver said. But I think there's a process that he’s going to now need to go through."

However, Silver also noted, "Whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content."

On Nov. 16, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Irving was nearing completion of the process needed for him to return to the court, to the point where he could make his comeback Sunday against the Grizzlies.

National Basketball Players Association executive director Tamika Tremaglio issued the following statement to ESPN:

"Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education. 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."

Now Irving will be back after missing eight games. He's already sat seven contests, and his final matchup away from the 6-9 Nets will take place Thursday evening at the Portland Trail Blazers.

Irving has averaged 26.9 points, 5.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds this season.

Brooklyn Nets power forward Markieff Morris disputed a report from Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic regarding comments during a players-only meeting last month.

Here's a portion of the report released Wednesday:

Sources with direct knowledge of the meeting, but who were granted anonymity so that they could speak freely, say that in that meeting Markieff Morris—a veteran leader on these Nets—spoke up in front of all of his teammates about how they need Simmons to succeed and that he has to respond when he deals with adversity on the court. Those sources all described a meeting where Simmons appeared to take Morris' words in stride and was responsive and attentive throughout.

Morris responded on social media:

Who’s the source? Y’all gotta chill with these false stories man! Let me and my guys hoop! https://t.co/zjh68dEZ09

— Keef Morris (@Keefmorris) November 16, 2022

The 33-year-old forward signed with the Nets in September to provide frontcourt depth. He played a similar role for the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat in recent years, and he won his first ring with L.A. in 2020.

Simmons has missed five of the team's first 15 games because of left knee soreness. The Nets own a 6-9 record.

His production when on the floor has also been modest at best. He's averaged 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists while playing 26.6 minutes per contest. He's made only eight of his 17 free-throw attempts (47.1 percent).

The Nets were betting on better performance at both ends of the floor when they acquired the three-time All-Star from the Philadelphia 76ers in February.

He sat out the start of last season with the Sixers to focus on his mental health. Following the trade, he was diagnosed with a back injury that caused him to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Brooklyn's front office decided against a full-scale roster reconstruction during the offseason. But there have been few signs so far that the team is ready to turn things around and emerge as a serious title contender.

Getting Simmons back into top form would be a major step in the right direction. That begins with keeping him on the floor for an extended period, which is far from guaranteed given the lingering nature of his knee injury.

Simmons is not listed on the injury report ahead of Thursday night's road clash with the Portland Trail Blazers as Brooklyn attempts to snap a two-game losing skid.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, who is currently suspended for promoting an antisemitic film on social media and failing to denounce antisemitism when given multiple chances to do so, may return to the team for Sunday's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Per that report, Irving will miss Thursday's road contest against the Portland Trail Blazers, which will be his eighth consecutive game on the sidelines. He was initially suspended for at least five games, but Wojnarowski reported the point guard is "nearing completion" of the requirements set for his return.

Wojnarowski explained that Irving eventually apologized with a message on his Instagram account after he was suspended, but it "came in the wake of two news conferences and a public statement issued with the Nets that didn't include an apology or a condemnation."

Brooklyn released a list of tasks for the Duke product to accomplish before any return:

Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:

- Apologize/condemn movie
- $500K donation to anti-hate causes
- Sensitivity training
- Antisemitic training
- Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
- Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 6, 2022

National Basketball Players Association executive director Tamika Tremaglio suggested that Irving is nearing the completion of the process:

"Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education. 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."

Wojnarowski noted NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Nets governor Joe Tsai each recently said they do not believe the point guard holds antisemitic beliefs after meeting with him, however, Silver also said, "Whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content."

While Marc Stein reported the NBPA may look to file a grievance at some point if a return date for Irving cannot be finalized, it seems like he will rejoin the Nets after their four-game road trip ends Thursday.

The team is 2-6 with him and 4-3 without him this season, although it struggled mightily the last time out during an ugly 153-121 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

The defense looked lost throughout the game against the Kings, and the Nets appeared to be nowhere close to being a true contender. Their position in the standings suggests that as well considering they are 6-9 and sitting in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.

It seems like Brooklyn will have one of its key pieces back in the near future, though, as it looks to turn its season around.

The Ben Simmons experiment with the Brooklyn Nets is off to a dreadful start, with members of the organization starting to get frustrated with the three-time All-Star.

Per The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick, frustration around Simmons has "been building in recent weeks" with coaches and teammates "concerned about his availability and level of play, with some questioning his passion for the game."

Simmons was reportedly a key subject during a players-only meeting following the Nets' 125-116 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 29:

"Sources with direct knowledge of the meeting, but who were granted anonymity so that they could speak freely say that in that meeting, Markieff Morris—a veteran leader on these Nets—spoke up in front of all of his teammates about how they need Simmons to succeed and that he has to respond when he deals with adversity on the court. Those sources all described a meeting where Simmons appeared to take Morris’ words in stride and was responsive and attentive throughout."

Charania and Amick noted Nets team officials and teammates are "in regular contact with Simmons about how to make him comfortable."

Things have been a mess in Brooklyn going back to the offseason, when Kevin Durant wanted to be traded if general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash weren't fired.

Even though neither one was let go at that time, Nash parted ways with the Nets on Nov. 1 following a 2-5 start this season.

Kyrie Irving is still serving a suspension after promoting a film containing antisemitic tropes and misinformation and refusing to condemn antisemitism in subsequent press conferences. He did issue an apology to all "Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post" on Nov. 3.

On the court, Simmons has been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA thus far. The 26-year-old is only averaging 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 26.6 minutes per game. All of those are on pace to be career-low totals for him.

Simmons missed four consecutive games from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5 with left knee soreness. He has come off the bench in each of his past four games since returning to the lineup Nov. 7.

Tuesday's 153-121 loss to the Sacramento Kings marked the first time all season Simmons has scored at least 10 points in a game (11). He's only attempted 17 free throws in 10 appearances.

It was reasonable to expect some level of rust from Simmons to start this season. He missed the entire 2021-22 campaign because of mental health issues and back injuries that required microdiscectomy surgery in May.

The Nets acquired Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a package for James Harden on Feb. 10. He was expected to add playmaking to their offense and boost their defensive presence.

Instead, the Nets find themselves in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 6-9 record. They rank in the bottom half of the NBA in offensive and defensive rating, per Basketball Reference.