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The trade saga between the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant is officially over after nearly two months. Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement on August 23 that Durant and the Nets have mutually agreed to move forward with their partnership as Durant gets set to enter the first year of a 4-year, $198 million extension that he signed with the franchise last summer.
Now that the dust has settled, Marks and the Nets front office can switch gears to rounding out the roster before they kick off training camp in September in preparation for the 2022-23 season. Chris Milholen of NetsDaily says that the Nets and free agent big man Markieff Morris have mutual interest.
Sources tell @NetsDaily and I the Nets and free agent Markieff Morris have mutual interest.
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Nets Would Sign Morris for Vet’s Minimum
Morris was a key player for the Los Angeles Lakers when they won the NBA Finals in 2020. The 32-year-old forward has the tools to be a key reserve for the Nets with his defense and ability to space the floor with his three-point shooting. Per NetsDaily, Morris averaged 7.6 points on 47/33/89 shooting splits and 2.6 rebounds last season and averages 10.9 points on 44/35/78 splits for his career.
He would also fill a much-needed void in the front court as the Nets are pencil thin in that area with the loss of Andre Drummond. They also are not expected to bring back LaMarcus Aldridge or Blake Griffin, who fell out of head coach Steve Nash’s rotation at the end of last season.
Milholen adds that if the Nets do strike a deal with Morris, it will likely be for the veteran’s minimum, which bodes well for Brooklyn, who has Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving, and Durant on max contracts.
“Morris, a 32-year-old 6’8” power forward, is an unrestricted free agent and the Nets currently have two openings on their 15-man roster. Overall, the Nets have six openings on their 20-man training camp roster,” Milholen writes.
“With the Kevin Durant trade request rescinded and the Nets not need to keep roster spots open, Brooklyn is expected to move soon on signings. A Morris signing would presumably be for the vet’s minimum.”
Nets in Solid Position To Contend
Brooklyn has already made key offseason additions in TJ Warren, and Royce O’Neale. They have also brought back key role players such as Nic Claxton and Patty Mills, who were both restricted free agents heading into the offseason and could have chosen to go elsewhere.
For the most part, the Nets are coming into the season with the same players from last season, aside from the departures of key players in Drummond and Bruce Brown.
The Nets came into last season as the favorites to win the 2022 NBA title, and this year they find themselves in a solid position to make legit noise in the Eastern Conference with Durant and Kyrie returning. But the road won’t be any easier as they must do battle in the east, which is stacked with talented teams.
But the Nets are just as talented and will be looking for revenge after a disappointing exit to last year’s playoffs. It will be interesting to see how far they can go.
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Nets to Target Championship-Winning Big Man to Round Out Roster: Insider