Because the commerce deadline approaches, groups usually get distracted.
If something, the Nets appear decided.
Earlier than the Nets’ Wednesday night time’s debacle in opposition to the Wizards — their final earlier than the deadline — that they had received a season-high three consecutive video games.
However they ended up stumbling in opposition to the league’s sorriest staff and did not win a fourth straight, which might have been their longest streak since 2022-23, and got here up woefully quick.
And this in a season the place they’re tanking, the place they’ve already traded away Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith whereas Cam Johnson, Day’Ron Sharpe and Nic Claxton are all linked to commerce rumors.
However all three suited up Wednesday and have been out there hours earlier than the deadline, a telltale signal.
Sources have instructed The Submit that Brooklyn wasn’t and nonetheless isn’t buying Johnson.
Whereas all conditions are fluid across the deadline, one other staff was going to have to show the Nets’ head with a last-minute supply as a result of they weren’t making calls soliciting one.
However Johnson’s title had always come up in rumors because the season began, and so they solely acquired louder when Schroder and Finney-Smith have been shipped to the Warriors and Lakers, respectively.
At this level, blocking out the rumors has virtually turn out to be outdated hat for Johnson, Sharpe, Claxton and the remainder of the Nets. Schroder ended up with the Jazz as a part of Wednesday’s Jimmy Butler commerce.
Holmes in the course of the Nets’ 119-102 loss to the Wizards on Feb. 5, 2025. Jason Szenes for New York Submit
“I think our group has handled it great because if you think about it, our group has been involved in talks from the beginning, right?” coach Jordi Fernandez stated. “I feel that’s the rationale why they simply saved working and preserve competing. And these previous few days [are] not totally different than no matter weeks in the past when some trades occurred.
“So I think the fact we’ve been involved in things, it made [it] more like a normal thing for us. And you saw it [Tuesday]; guys played hard, and I’m expecting our guys to play hard. Obviously, if somebody needs to talk to anyone or has questions or whatever the case may be, we’re open to talk to them like we’ve always been. It’s part of the business and we have a few hours left here.”
The commerce deadline is 3 p.m. Thursday.
Although Nets basic supervisor Sean Marks likes to function in stealth mode, taking explicit pleasure in not letting the media or opposing entrance places of work guess his subsequent transfer, studying the room and the tea leaves can provide hints about which route he’s leaning.
Listening to sources across the league, and — extra importantly — watching what the Nets truly do suggests there’s nothing seismic imminent.
Johnson had missed six straight video games with an ankle damage whereas he was concurrently being linked in commerce rumors.
However after Johnson instructed The Submit that he’d been assured Marks would come to him if something was brewing, he performed for the primary time since Jan. 21.
That return was a positive signal of him not being moved.
“It’s great to have [Johnson],” Fernandez stated. “It is always great to have him whenever we’ve had the chance to have him in the lineup, for obvious reasons. Leadership in the right way, he creates attention, he makes everyone’s life easier; not just his teammates but also me. So it’s great to have him, great connector, great leader.”
If the Nets supposed to maneuver Johnson or have been critically contemplating a proposal, it’s unlikely they’d have performed him in opposition to the Wizards — particularly after he had missed 15 of the prior 18 video games and had a viable excuse to sit down.
Claxton even began Tuesday’s win over the Rockets regardless of a damaged nostril suffered within the earlier sport in Houston, and Sharpe was out there regardless of being questionable with a hamstring damage.
Claxton stated these Nets haven’t been distracted in any respect by the commerce discuss.
“If you look at it like a lot of people play right now, they have nothing to lose. So we’re just going out and just playing as hard as we can because we don’t have [anything] to lose,” Claxton stated. “It’s a golden opportunity for a lot of players and they’re doing a great job taking advantage of it. So that’s where we are with it.”
