Brooklyn Nets

Former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes has been waived by the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Hayes will join the Nets' G League affiliate while he continues to rehab a hip injury and pursue an NBA deal.

The Nets signed Hayes on Sept. 20 after being waived by the Detroit Pistons in February. General manager Sean Marks said the rationale behind the deal was to take a chance on a talented young player who has yet to hit his stride as a pro.

"I think for where we are, it's important to bring in several guys like that. Like Killian, who have, for whatever reason, they haven't stuck on several teams, and I think you've sort of seen that M.O. with us in the past," Marks explained.

Hayes didn't appear in any of Brooklyn's four preseason games due to a hip injury. Head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters on Wednesday the team didn't want to force him back onto the court before he was physically ready to go.

"I would love to [play him], but we'll assess him when we get back and see what we can do right there," said Fernandez. "We're not going to rush him because his health is our priority. … No need to risk. He's done a good job."

Hayes has dealt with hip injuries over the course of his career after tearing his right labrum in January 2021. He also missed two games in January 2022 due to a hip injury.

The Pistons selected Hayes with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. He played three seasons in France and Germany from 2017 to '20 prior to entering the NBA draft.

During his four seasons with the Pistons, Hayes averaged 8.1 points on 38.2 percent shooting and 5.2 assists per game in 210 appearances.

When Hayes is healthy enough to play, going to the G League will allow him to get reacclimated to playing in a low-pressure setting. The 23-year-old's most recent appearance in a game was on Feb. 7.

Given the current state of the Nets' roster, it's sensible for them to work with a recent lottery pick like Hayes to see if he can turn his career around. They aren't trying to win games this season anyway, so giving minutes to as many young players as possible is a sound strategy.

The Long Island Nets will open the G League season against the Maine Celtics on Nov. 8.

Coming off multiple injury-riddled seasons, Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is singularly focused on his performance during the upcoming season.

Simmons, who is entering the final season of a five-year, $177.2 million contract he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, told Brian Lewis of the New York Post this week that he isn't concerned about what the future holds for him as a free agent:

"So f–k what happens next year, and what contract I get, if I get a contract. I want to do my job while I'm here and be professional and help these guys in any way I can. So who knows? I want to play as long as my body will allow me. So if it's one year, five years, six years, I don't know what it is. But I just want to keep going until I can't anymore."

Since playing in 58 games for the Sixers in 2020-21, Simmons has missed a combined 189 games over the past three seasons.

Originally the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Simmons missed his entire rookie season due to injury before debuting with the 76ers in 2017-18 and winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

Simmons was then named an All-Star in each of the next three seasons due in large part to his defensive prowess, as he earned two NBA All-Defensive First Team selections and finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021.

After shooting 34.2 percent from the free-throw line during the 2021 playoffs, Simmons became something of a scapegoat for the 76ers' postseason shortcomings, and he decided to hold out until Philly traded him to Brooklyn as part of a package for James Harden.

He has failed to make much of an impact with the Nets, though, appearing in just 57 games for the franchise and averaging only 6.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.

His production in Brooklyn is a far cry from what he did in four seasons with the Sixers, as he averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals.

Simmons has always been somewhat one-dimensional offensively since he has only made a total of five three-point field goals in his career and is a 58.9 percent shooter from the charity stripe.

His 6'10" frame allows him to drive to the basket with explosiveness when he is healthy, though, plus he was among the better playmakers in the league with the 76ers.

Most notably, Simmons' length makes him an elite perimeter defender, which figures to appeal to at least some teams in free agency next offseason.

Simmons is coming off a season in which he only appeared in 15 games due to a back injury, though, and it is fair to wonder if durability is always going to be an issue with him.

The 28-year-old Aussie underwent a microscopic partial discectomy in March to help alleviate a pinched nerve in his lower back, and the hope is that he will be healthier this season than he has been in years as a result.

Last month, Simmons said that he hasn't suffered any setbacks, that he is healthy and feels "great and ready to go."

It seems unlikely that the Nets have a ton of interest in re-signing Simmons since they are rebuilding and going in a younger direction, but the 2024-25 season could be an audition of sorts for Simmons in terms of convincing other teams that he is worth a look in free agency.

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is firing back at critics who believe he's unworthy of his astronomical contract.

"People make comments saying I'm robbing. No. When I got that contract, I was playing at a super high level. Unfortunately, I had injuries," Simmons told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. "But for somebody to say that, it's disrespectful. [But] people can say what they want to say. They've got to live with it. At the end of the day it all catches up with you."

Simmons is set to make a whopping $40.3 million this season, the final year of the five-year, $177 million deal he signed while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. After being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, he's missed 189 of 246 regular-season games for the team due to mental health issues and two procedures on his back. He was limited to just 15 games during the 2023-24 campaign.

The 28-year-old told Lewis that he's been avoiding online trolls in hopes of silencing the noise as he prepares for the upcoming year.

"To me, being on a social media platform where you're just taking in what everybody's saying, I don't think that's healthy for anybody to just be reading things about themselves," Simmons said. "For me, I don't personally go on Twitter or X just because I don't find any use in it."

Despite his lack of availability in recent years, Simmons is one of the most experienced players on a young, rebuilding Brooklyn team and new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez is pleased with what he's seen from him so far.

"A healthy Ben Simmons is a very, very good player — that's what I focus on," Fernandez said. "I don't have social media. I know that at the end of the day, social media brings the worst out of people, because if you want to be heard you have to say something negative. And always one negative trumps 10 positives. [But] I'm happy with where Ben is, how he's showing up every day."

Simmons and the Nets will open the 2024-25 season on Oct. 23 against the Atlanta Hawks.

Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons confirmed that he hasn't experienced any setbacks in his recovery from the back surgery that ended his 2023-24 campaign.

"I'd have days where I'd have a tough day of playing," Simmons said on Monday, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. "The next day I'd be locked up in my back. I haven't had one of those setbacks since I've been back playing [over the summer]."

The 28-year-old was limited to just 15 appearances last season before undergoing back surgery for the second time in three years on March 14.

Simmons suited up in six of the Nets' first seven games last season, but he missed multiple months due to a nerve impingement in his lower back. He returned on Jan. 29, appearing in nine more contests before his season ultimately came to an end.

Ben Simmons has 5 AST in 4 minutes in his return!

Nets-Jazz | Live on NBA App
📲 https://t.co/Yz4mCW5eCt pic.twitter.com/S9ZjSEqQjr

— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2024

Nets general manager Sean Marks confirmed that Simmons would be a full participant in training camp.

"From what we've seen so far with Ben, Ben is a full go for camp, which for us, that's exciting to see," Marks said on Thursday, via Lewis. "And for him, he's champing at the bit to be able to get out there and contribute."

When healthy, the four-time All-Star has struggled to make an impact with Brooklyn compared to his previous tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers. He's averaging just 6.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game as a member of the Nets.

An improved year from Simmons could help his long-term future, as he's set to earn $40.3 million next season before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2025. If he's able to show that he can stay healthy and effective, it would obviously increase the value of his next contract.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft addressed his impending free agency on Monday, telling reporters that "the money is nice and all that, but I want to play healthy."

Ben Simmons on playing before free agency: “It’s important just to be healthy. I want to play basketball at a high level & get the most I can out of my body. That's the focus. Money is nice & all that, but I want to play healthy. At the end of the day, I love playing basketball.” pic.twitter.com/9CTzdkuOuU

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 30, 2024

Simmons will be back in action for the first time since Feb. 26 when the Nets open up the preseason with a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 8.

The Brooklyn Nets are preparing to have Ben Simmons be a full participant when they open training camp on Oct. 1.

Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters on Thursday that the three-time All-Star will be "a full go for camp" after he had back surgery in March.

Sean Marks on Ben Simmons: "From what we've seen so far with Ben, Ben is a full go for camp, which for us, that's exciting to see. And for him, he's champing at the bit to be able to get out there and contribute. So this is a big this is a big year for him." #Nets

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) September 26, 2024

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez echoed those words, praising Simmons for having a "very good summer" and seeming to be in a good place after three injury-plagued seasons.

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez with a Ben Simmons update: "Ben has been very good. Had successful surgery. Very good summer. He seems in a very good place. He’ll be full go to start camp."

Bojan Bogdanović will not be ready to start Nets training camp.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) September 26, 2024

Jordi Fernandez more concerned with Ben Simmons' availability than floor spacing. His attitude is a fit, healthy Simmons will compensate the spacing with pace and early offense. #Nets

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) September 26, 2024

Simmons has played a total of 57 games over the past three seasons due to injuries. He has undergone two different surgeries on his back during that span, including a microscopic partial discectomy on March 14 to alleviate a pinched nerve in his lower back.

There have been encouraging signs about his progress in recent weeks. His trainer has been posting videos of the veteran guard in the gym working on his shot and hyping up how healthy he looks.

🚨 BEN SIMMONS IN THE LAB 🚨

(🎥 @Cbrickley603 ) pic.twitter.com/dnb1kxofO3

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 17, 2024

https://twitter.com/Cbrickley603/status/1836301940784837078

It's become a running joke at this point to watch Simmons take jumpers in the gym during the offseason. He has yet to apply that skill in games, so there is no reason to take that part of his workout routine seriously.

The Nets being encouraged by his health is something entirely different. He is going to be counted on early in the season to lead a still-rebuilding roster. His upside is significant because he can pass and defend at a high level.

There is also the possibility that Simmons is auditioning for other teams, both this season and in the future. He is entering the final season of his contract with a $40.3 million salary. An expiring deal at that price point could have a lot of trade value to the Nets.

The 28-year-old making it through the season healthy will go a long way toward helping him secure a new contract from some team next summer.

The first chance to see Simmons play could come on Oct. 8 when the Nets play the Los Angeles Clippers in the preseason. They open the regular season against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Oct. 23.

Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons won't be limited in training camp ahead of the 2024-25 season, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.

Simmons' agent, Bernie Lee, confirmed that the 28-year-old won't face any restrictions after undergoing back surgery for the second time in three years on March 14.

"Ben is fully cleared and is a full participant for the start of camp," Lee said, per Haynes. "He is excited to get started."

Simmons appeared in just 15 games for the Nets during the 2023-24 season.

His tenure with the Nets has been defined by injuries, as he's suited up in a mere 57 total games with the team since he was acquired as part of a blockbuster trade involving James Harden in Sept. 2022.

After winning the 2018 Rookie of the Year award and making three straight All-Star appearances from 2019 through 2021, Simmons' production has dropped in Brooklyn. While he's experienced shooting struggles throughout his career, his willingness to attack the basket has declined following the trade.

His scoring average of 15.9 points on 11.6 field goal attempts per game with Philadelphia has dropped to 6.7 points on 5.4 shots per game as a member of the Nets.

A fully healthy training camp could help Simmons get his career back on track. He also has the added incentive of potentially securing his long-term future, as he's entering the final season of his current contract.

Expectations aren't high for the Nets after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in July, which may be a blessing in disguise for Simmons.

He'll likely earn opportunities with the ball in his hands that he wouldn't receiver elsewhere under new head coach Jordi Fernández, who could implement a fast-paced offense that benefits Simmons after spending the past two seasons with the Sacramento Kings.

Brooklyn's training camp is scheduled to begin on Oct. 1.

One of the great traditions in sports is back with Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons getting ready for the upcoming NBA season in an offseason workout video.

This time is different, though, because Simmons has the backing of trainer Chris Brickley. The veteran skills coach, in response to a fan comment on X, said "trust me on this one" when vouching for the three-time All-Star being better now than during his peak seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.

https://twitter.com/Cbrickley603/status/1836301940784837078

Brickley recently posted a video of himself working with Simmons to iron out his shooting form this summer going into the 2024-25 NBA season.

🚨 BEN SIMMONS IN THE LAB 🚨

(🎥 @Cbrickley603 ) pic.twitter.com/dnb1kxofO3

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 17, 2024

Brickley has been a go-to shooting coach for some of the best players in basketball. He has worked with LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.

There's no argument that Brickley has the resume to earn some trust, but Simmons has been such a hard player to figure out for a number of reasons.

The biggest factor for Simmons will be staying on the court. He has played a total of 57 games over the past three seasons during which time he has had back surgery two different times.

If we can assume that Simmons really is healthy and will be able to play most of the season for the Nets, the next step will be seeing him actually put to use the coaching he has received from Brickley into games.

It's very easy to be skeptical this will happen. Videos of Simmons taking jumpers have been a staple of virtually every offseason since he entered the NBA. Here is one from August 2019 that led to excitement he was going to expand his offensive game.

Ben Simmons is drilling 3’s now. 👀👀👀 (via @swishcultures_) https://t.co/IRKCfz3LCg

— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) August 22, 2019

Simmons had a very good 2019-20 season, earning an All-Star nod and a spot on the All-Defensive first team. But he took a grand total of seven three-pointers in 57 games and almost all of his made field goals came in the restricted area.

Playing for the Nets does allow Simmons to experiment with his game because their expectations are so low. They finished 32-50 last season and traded Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in July.

If ever there was a season for Simmons to show that he can be a capable jump-shooter in the NBA, it would be the 2024-25 campaign. He's going to become a free agent next summer and his long-term outlook in the NBA is uncertain due to his injury woes in recent years.

The Brooklyn Nets had some fun with the schedule release for the 2024-25 NBA season.

The franchise ventured to Coney Island to ask bystanders about NBA logos as part of the release and it's safe to say the responses made for some entertaining content.

Can confirm (again) that these are, in fact, real teams. pic.twitter.com/0MDDOD1kTA

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 15, 2024

Some comical answers included "Game of Thrones" (Denver Nuggets), "my landlord" (Memphis Grizzlies) and the "Cleveland Warriors" (Cleveland Cavaliers).

The Milwaukee Bucks responded to the video and the name they were referred to by.

can't wait for elks vs. nets

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 15, 2024

This is a sequel to last year's release, which also saw the team ask bystanders at Coney Island about logos. This trend of asking fans about logos began with the NFL's Tennessee Titans in 2023.

The Nets will hope the video can provide some positive momentum as they head into the new season. That could be wishful thinking, however, because the team dealt away Mikal Bridges and appears to be heading into a rebuild.

Brooklyn will open the 2024-25 season against the Atlanta Hawks. That game will take place Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

It's a new era in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Nets had qualified for the playoffs in five consecutive seasons heading into the 2023-24 season, but that streak did not continue as the team went 32-50 and finished 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets fired head coach Jacque Vaughn during the NBA All-Star break and opted not to retain interim head coach Kevin Ollie at the end of the season.

Instead, Jordi Fernández was hired to take over as the new head coach, and a core of assistants headlined by Juwan Howard will try to guide Brooklyn as it begins its next chapter.

That chapter will not include Mikal Bridges, who was dealt to the New York Knicks during the offseason.

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2024-25 Nets Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Atlanta Hawks Wed, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +100000 (bet $100 to win $100,000), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

Can confirm (again) that these are, in fact, real teams. pic.twitter.com/0MDDOD1kTA

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 15, 2024

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Top Matchups

New York Knicks

It's always contentious when the Knicks play the Nets. However, this year will be a little different.

The Bridges trade set the Knicks up to be a true contender, while the Nets will now presumably sink further toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference as they embark on a rebuild. Still, every matchup will provide a chance for the Nets to play spoiler and potentially improve the draft pick it received in the trade.

Brooklyn has New York's first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029, in addition to a pick swap in 2028. In all of those seasons, beating the Knicks as often as possible will be a goal for Brooklyn as it hopes to use those selections to sculpt a strong core.

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Boston Celtics

It's well-documented how vital a role the Nets played in the formation of the current Boston Celtics core.

The selections used to pick Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum only came to Boston as a result of the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade in 2013. These pieces, alongside the others the team acquired in recent seasons, led the Celtics to their 18th NBA Championship.

The Nets have never won an NBA Championship and have only reached the round twice. Boston is much closer to a 19th than the Nets are to their first, but earning some regular season success and being an obstacle in the Celtics' chase for a repeat could be a nice goal for Brooklyn.

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Season Forecast

If Ben Simmons is healthy and returns to his peak form, Brooklyn will have something to look forward to.

It likely won't be enough to force the Nets into the postseason, but it will probably keep the team out of the conference cellar. It also could give the Nets an interesting trade chip during the season, and possibly get the franchise some more assets for its ambitious rebuild.

Fans should hope for lottery luck and a player like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey suiting up for the franchise in 2025-26. Additionally, the Nets will gain $40 million in cap space when Simmons' contract expires, so the 2025 offseason will be the time for Nets fans to really heighten expectations.

Record Prediction: 25-57

Joe Harris is retiring from basketball after a 10-year NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Harris, 32, was No. 33 overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft out of Virginia, and he went on to become one of the league's best three-point marksmen.

In 504 career regular-season games, Harris averaged 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 three-pointers made and 1.6 assists, and he shot 47.9 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from beyond the arc.

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After having a limited role in his first two seasons with the Cavs, Harris was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2016 and then waived before signing with the Nets.

Over the next seven seasons, Harris would be a highly productive player in Brooklyn, averaging 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.3 three-pointers made and 1.7 assists. He was also among the most efficient shooters in the NBA, shooting 48.3 percent overall and 44.0 percent from deep.

His best campaigns came from 2018-19 through 2020-21 when he averaged between 13.7 and 14.5 points per game each season. He also led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage in 2018-19 (.474) and 2020-21 (.475).

Arguably the most notable accomplishment of Harris' career was winning the NBA Three-Point Contest in 2019. He beat Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry 26-24 in the final round and remains the only Nets player to ever win the event.

Harris experienced a significant downturn in usage and production over his final two seasons before reportedly deciding to retire.

In 2022-23, Harris appeared in 74 games for the Nets, but he played just 20.6 minutes per game after averaging 30 or more minutes in each of the previous four seasons. He also averaged only 7.6 points per game that season.

Brooklyn traded Harris to Detroit in a salary dump, and he would go on to play just 16 games for the Pistons last season, averaging 2.4 points in 10.6 minutes per contest.

Despite his struggles in his final two seasons, Harris retires as the fifth-most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history behind only Steve Kerr, Hubert Davis, Luke Kennard and Dražen Petrović.