Springfield Armor Make a Pair of Trades

Coming on the heels of Friday's D-League Draft, the Springfield Armor, the Nets affiliate, made a pair of trades involving two of the nine players they selected in the Draft. The first move the Armor made was to trade their 1st-round pick, 6'11'' forward Tim Ohlbrecht from Germany, to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for point guard Ben Uzoh. Uzoh played 42 games for the Nets in the 2010-11 season, averaging 3.8 points and 1.6 assists per game in 10.4 minutes per.

The other deal Springfield made was to trade their 6th-round pick in the Draft, guard Stefan Bonneau out of C.W. Post, to the Austin Toros for forward Andrew Lovedale. Lovedale was picked in the 3rd round of the Draft and is best known for his four-year college career at Davidson University, where he played with college standout and current Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry.

Nets Cut Roster to 15 By Waiving Carleton Scott and James Mays

James Mays (pictured above) and Carleton Scott just didn't get enough of a chance with the Nets in preseason to warrant a roster spot. They probably will start the season with the team's D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor.

The Nets trimmed down their roster to the maximum size for the start of the regular season, 15 players in total, by waiving James Mays and Carleton Scott yesterday. Mays and Scott, who were brought into training camp by the Nets on unguaranteed deals, didn't get much of a chance to play with the Nets and will most likely start the year in the D-League, with the Armor.

Nets Release Stephen Dennis; Trim Roster to 17

Dennis, an undrafted rookie from Kutztown, was signed by the Nets over the summer on a training camp invite

In order to continue the eventual cutdown of their roster from 18 down to the necessary 15 for the regular season, the Nets have released one of their three undrafted rookie training camp invites earlier today. Stephen Dennis, a guard who is from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, was the first to hit the cutting block as he was cut by the team.

Dennis didn't have much of a shot to make the team in the first place and didn't really get that fair of a shake, playing only limited minutes in the preseason against other teams' deep reserves. Of course, that really isn't the optimal place for a lower level player on the depth chart to make a significant impression on a coach.

Hello Josh Childress, Goodbye Damion James

The Nets traded up to get James in with the 24th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He showed some promise with the team but just couldn't stay healthy long enough to make an impact. Yet another Nets draft pick to not turn out and another Nets player to head to Atlanta this offseason. On the bright side, he fit all the trends!

It looks like the Nets' roster for training camp might be actually filled out now. After some rumors that there was mutual interest and a potential workout was set up, veteran wingman Josh Childress has indeed signed a one-year, partially-guaranteed contract with the Nets and will be the 2nd player picked up by the Nets this offseason that had been amnestied by their old team. Of course, the other is former Wizard and current headcase, Andray Blatche.

As I said a few days ago, I don't really see the need for a player like Childress on the Nets but he's another low-risk, medium-reward signing by Billy King, who is becoming shockingly shrewd late in the off-season after saying "YOLO" with the first few moves he made after the 2011-12 season.

Another little tidbit of info regarding former Nets is that 2010 1st-rounder Damion James has signed with the Hawks after the Nets did not renew his rookie contract this offseason. As you all probably remember, we got James (24th overall) from, ironically, the Hawks for the 27th overall pick (Jordan Crawford) and the 31st overall pick (Tibor Pleiss).

James, a former standout at the University of Texas, played pretty well for the Nets in just 32 games over his two seasons with the team. However, constant injuries (32 games in two years is pretty bad) and the numbers game with this roster just left him with no place on this year's incarnation of your Brooklyn Nets.

Nets and Andray Blatche Agree to One-Year Minimum, Non-Guaranteed Deal

According to Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears, the Nets and Andray Blatche, a player that has been linked to the team for a few days now, have agreed in principle to a 1-year deal. The contract, which isn't guaranteed and is for the veteran's minimum, is nothing more than an invitation to training camp meaning that the signing doesn't make the Nets commit to anything with Blatche; if he plays well during camp and the preseason, then he'll stick with the team. If not, he'll be cut and the Nets won't be on the hook for major money owed to the veteran forward.

As I wrote on Monday night, Blatche is a nice, low-risk medium-reward replacement for Donte Green. Since it appears that the injury he suffered a few weeks back is more serious than previously believed, it looks like his deal with the Nets will probably not get done. Blatche is an apt-enough back-up 4 for Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez to rely on when they exit the game. While he may not have the best work ethic and/or drive, the former Wizard is really athletic and can score and rebound very well, as he was a starter for a few seasons in the nation's capital.

Nets Agree to Terms with F Donte Greene

For one of the last spots on their roster, the Brooklyn Nets have reportedly agreed to terms with forward Donte Greene, formerly of the Sacramento Kings, according to Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears. Greene, entering his fifth NBA season, is 24 years old and spent the first 4 years of his NBA career with the Kings after being drafted 28th overall in the 2008 by the Memphis Grizzlies, who in turn sent him to Houston who then traded him to Sacramento all before the 2008-09 season began.

Greene boasts career averages of 6.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.7 apg in 253 games played over his four seasons and has shot at a 41%/31%/70% (fg%/3fg%/ft%) clip during that span.

Recapping the Nets' Offseason, A Very Big One Indeed

Brooklyn's brand new backcourt. Watch out Eastern Conference, this duo means business.

So, I'm back. I returned from sleepaway camp two days ago and I'm slowly catching up and coming to grips with everything that has happened regarding the Nets' roster over the past eight or so weeks. Let's review each Nets' transaction (or non-transaction, you'll see what I mean) going back to Draft Night, which fell on June 27th this year:

Portland Trailblazers trade the 41st overall pick in 2012 Draft (G Tyshawn Taylor) to Nets for cash considerations
Entering this year's draft, the Nets only had one pick, the 57th overall pick in the 2nd-round. I guess Billy King liked Taylor, a point guard from the University of Kansas, so much that he didn't want to wait for him at 57 and instead used some of Mikhail Prokhorov's extra cash to nab Taylor with pick 41. Tyshawn, a Hoboken, NJ native, figures to be a part-time player for this year's Nets team who will share back-up PG duties with recent signee C.J. Watson.

Philadelphia 76ers trade the 54th overall pick in 2012 Draft (F Tornike Shengalia) to Nets for cash considerations
I don't follow European/foreign basketball very much so I have no first-hand experience in watching any of the Nets foreign acquisitions play but according to some scouting reports, Shengalia is a physical rebounding/defense type who won't be an offensive superstar but has some decent moves down in the post. His 6'9" frame is better suited for the 4 than the 3 as one of his major weaknesses is lack of a reliable jumper. My best guess is that he's a project who figures to not make much of an effect in the meantime.

2012 NBA Draft Nets' Preview

I'm writing this post on the 22nd as I won't be around on the 28th (when you're reading this) and scheduling it to be published around two hours before the Hornets officially draft Anthony Davis with the 1st-overall pick. Obviously, the Nets don't hold many picks in this year's draft (just the 57th overall pick from Miami obtained in the Chris Quinn trade from a few years ago) but they have been reported as looking to buy or trade into the late or even middle of the 1st-round to pick a prospect for this rebuilding team.

This draft class was viewed, basically up until the end of the regular season, as one of the deepest in memory but in recent months has been slowly torn down by draftniks and experts alike who just don't foresee many future NBA stars coming out of this draft, unless, of course, your name is Anthony Davis.

Nets Sign Armon Johnson to 10-Day Contract

To provide some depth at point guard after Jordan Farmar's season-ending groin injury, the Nets announced that they have signed former Trail Blazer point guard Armon Johnson to a 10-day contract. Johnson spent some with Portland last season and early this season after being called up from the Idaho Stampede of the D-League. In 38 games with the Trail Blazers last year, Johnson, a 23-year old who went to Nevada, scored 2.9 points per game on 40 percent shooting.

Nets Sign Dennis Horner to 10-Day Contract

In order to fill up the available roster spot left on the team after not renewing Jerry Smith's 10-day deal, the Nets have called up forward Dennis Horner, who started the season in New Jersey, to another 10-day contract. Horner didn't show much in the five games he played for the Nets towards the beginning of the season but without many other options left for healthy bodies, Horner got the call.

The signing comes on the news that Shelden Williams will probably be out until April 5th because of the eye injury he suffered on Wednesday against Indiana. Jordan Williams' concussion symptoms leave him day-to-day while Anthony Morrow is listed as probable. Jordan Farmar is also out until at least April 6th and might even miss the rest of the season with his groin injury. The Nets keep dropping like flies but they keep trying to patch up the holes of their roster with replacement-level guys. Who knows, maybe Horner, a rookie from NC State, turns into a stud like Gerald Green. The Nets could use the healthy bodies and talent.

Nets Sign Gerald Green For the Rest of the Season

Green, a crazy high-flyer, won the NBA Dunk Contest in 2007

The Nets have officially signed small forward Gerald Green for the rest of the 2011-12 season. This was basically a foregone conclusion as Green has been a revelation for the Nets at small forward since the team called him up from the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the D-League a few weeks ago. There was some talk that Gerald would be signed for next season as well but I guess the Nets are going to delay on that decision to keep as much cap space for the offseason as possible.

Nets Call Up Jerry Smith From D-League

To fill up the empty roster spot that they have from today's earlier trade, the Nets have called up Springfield Armor and former Louisville Cardinal shooting guard Jerry Smith, according to Smith's Twitter account. Smith is the Nets' 5th D-league call-up of the season and is leading the Armors in points (19.1) and steals (1.91) per game this season.

Dwight Howard Stays in Orlando Until End of 2012-13; Nets Rebound by Trading For Gerald Wallace

Nope, he won't be with the Nets this season

That's right. Dwight Howard did the seemingly unthinkable and waived the ETO (early termination option) on his current contract, meaning he has essentially opted-in to the final year of his deal with Orlando. Like everyone else, I was shocked to hear this news and was simply disappointed with the terrible way that Howard dealt with the whole situation. Last night, it was reported by a few writers that Dwight would be waiving his ETO but just hours later, the opposite was circulating around the internet and TV. Then, earlier this morning, the Magic center announced he would in fact sign the ETO and stay with the team that drafted him for at last another season.

Contrary to what most people believe, this is not the end of the Dwightmare and it isn't the end of the Nets' chances of going into the Barclays Center next year with a good team. The news with Howard simply means that this whole debacle of a "will he stay or go" situation is just pushed back to the trade deadline of next season until all the speculation starts again. On the other hand, Nets' GM Billy King wasted absolutely no time in making this team better right now by trading for the Portland Trailblazers' SF Gerald Wallace. In the deal, the Nets gave up the expiring contract of Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, and a 1st-round pick.

Of course Wallace is no even close to the talent level of Dwight Howard but he is a very suitable Plan B to appease Deron Williams, at least in the meantime. For those of you that aren't familiar with Wallace, he is a great defender and will really help the Nets' dreadful perimeter defense. His arrival also probably means that DeShawn Stevenson won't be starting anymore for this team and may be relegated to a reserve role. Wallace, a 12-year NBA vet who is only 30 years old, is averaging 13 points and six rebounds a game this season, numbers which are much down from earlier in his career, especially when he was with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Nets Sign Gerald Green from the D-League

Green is a complete player who can help the Nets in countless ways on the court

In order to replace Andre Emmett's roster spot after his 10-day contract ended, the Nets signed former NBA player Gerald Green, who won the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, from the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders. By signing Green, the Nets look to finally stabilize the low-performing small forward position which has plagued the team all season. Green has been tearing up the D-League in his relatively short stint with the D-Fenders and even was the MVP of the NBDL's All-Star game that took place on Saturday afternoon.

So far this season, the extremely athletic Green has averaged 19.1 PPG and 4.6 APG in addition to nearly lights-out shooting (48% FG, 46% 3PT, 84% FT). He provides the Nets with an athlete that can simply jump out of the arena and this skill can help dividends on offense as well as on defense. More than anything else, New Jersey just needs a player who can shake things up and hopefully push the incumbent members of the team to push themselves more to maintain their playing times.

Overall, I love the signing and I think that Green will be a great addition to this Nets squad. He already has substantial NBA experience so his learning, or developmental, curve won't be as steep as those of other D-League call-ups who only had minor cups of coffee in the NBA prior to being called-up by the Nets. Look for this guy to make a difference down the stretch of this season.

Nets to Sign Andre Emmett from D-League; Waive Keith Bogans

Emmett in action for his former D-League team, the Reno Bighorns

In order to bring in another healthy body into the roster mix for the injury-depleted team, the Nets have called up small forward Andre Emmett from the D-League according to ESPNNewYork.com. In order to make room on the team's roster for the 29-year old swingman, the Nets have waived injured shooting guard Keith Bogans, who is currently injured for the rest of this NBA season due to a fractured ankle and torn deltoid muscle in his leg. It is expected that Bogans will be ready for training camp in 2012 to start next season.

I don't know much about Emmett as a player but Scott Schroeder of the D-League blog Ridiculous Upside does. According to Schroeder, Emmett is an all-around solid player who can score (23.7 PPG this season and 53% FG), shoot long jumpers (46% 3PT), rebound (6 RPG), and even pass the ball a little bit (3.4 APG). I like the move because the Nets badly need a breath of fresh air and if Emmett can provide any sort of spark for the Nets, then that would be a major plus for a skidding, offensively-challenged team like they are right now.

The Nets Waive Larry Owens and Sign Keith Bogans

Bogans will be a nice defensive stopper for the Nets and can also shoot decently

Earlier today, the Nets announced that they have waived D-League call-up Larry Owens and have signed veteran shooting guard Keith Bogans to a one-year contract. Bogans started every game for the Chicago Bulls last season and provided them with toughness and the ability to guard the opposing team's best scorer. Throughout his career, Bogans has also shown the ability to hit three-pointers when left open.

I like the move but its always a little sad to see guys like Larry Owens released right when they were starting to get more playing time with the big-league club but Bogans is a much better all-around player than Owens is and he can help the Nets right away. It'll be interesting to see how much Bogans play tonight but don't expect much as he hasn't been with the team for much more than a few hours at the most.

Extension Unlikely For Brook Lopez: The Ramifications for Getting Dwight

According to Nets' general manager Billy King, the Nets are probably not going to give the injured Brook Lopez a contract extension before the deadline of January 25th. This is very bad news for Nets fans as it is appearing like the Nets are putting all of their eggs in the Dwight Howard-basket and if they don't acquire him via a trade or free agency by this offseason, then this franchise will be primed to be a bottom-dweller of the Eastern Conference for years to come.

As most Nets fans already know, Deron Williams is probably not going to re-sign with the team this offseason unless the Nets and Billy King get him some help, which in a perfect world, would be Dwight Howard. However, with the recent inclusion of the Clippers onto Dwight's preferred destinations list, it is looking less and less likely every day that Howard will be a New Jersey (basically Brooklyn) Net before the start of the next NBA season.