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Brook Lopez Sidelined For Three Weeks

See our 2011-12 Nets Hub Page for all your Nets news

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27 Total Updates since February 1, 2012
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New Jersey Nets News: Gerald Green Signs 10-Day Contract

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent forward Gerald Green from the NBA D-League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders to a 10-day contract, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Green, who was named MVP of the 2012 D-League All Star Game, has played in 22 games for the D-Fenders this season, averaging 19.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game. The 6-foot-8 forward was selected in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft (18th overall) by the Boston Celtics, entering the draft out of high school. Green played two seasons for the Celtics, having his best year in 2006-07 with averages of 10.4 points and 2.6 rebounds over 81 games (26 starts), as well as winning the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Following his stint in Boston, Green appeared in a total of 30 games with Houston and Minnesota in 2007-08, and 28 games in 2008-09 with the Dallas Mavericks. In his four NBA seasons, Green holds career averages of 7.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 181 games played.

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Shawne Williams Injury Update: Foot Surgery Costs Williams Rest Of Season

New Jersey Nets forward Shawne Williams underwent successful left foot surgery today to repair an old fracture and remove two small bone fragments, Nets General Manager Billy King announced Wednesday. The surgery, performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan by foot specialist Dr. Martin O’Malley and Nets team orthopedist Dr. Riley Williams III, involved the insertion of three small screws to repair the fracture.

Williams will miss the remainder of the season and should make a full recovery in time for the beginning of training camp.

Williams was signed as a free agent prior to the 2011-12 season. He appeared in 25 games, averaging 4.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 20.6 minutes of action per contest. He last played on Feb. 11.

The Nets just got their best big man, Brook Lopez, back a few days ago. Lopez had missed the entire season after suffering a broken foot during the preseason.

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Nets Roster Moves: Andre Emmett Signed, Keith Bogans Waived

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent forward Andre Emmett from the NBA D-League’s Reno Bighorns to a 10-day contract, Nets General Manager Billy King announced Tuesday. To make room on the roster, the Nets have requested waivers on guard Keith Bogans.

Emmett is currently ranked second in the D-League in scoring, averaging 23.7 points per game, while appearing in 24 games for Reno. In four D-League seasons, the 6-foot-5 Emmett has career averages of 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 105 games played. The Texas Tech product was drafted by Seattle in the second round (35th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft. He played in eight games for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2004-5, scoring seven points in a total of 27 minutes of action.

Bogans, who signed with the Nets as a free agent on Feb. 1, 2012, played in five games this season, averaging, 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game. He had surgery to repair a torn deltoid ligament and a fractured left ankle on Feb. 13, 2012.

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Keith Bogans Injury Update: Nets' Guard Will Undergo Season-Ending Surgery Monday

New Jersey Nets shooting guard Keith Bogans suffered a torn deltoid ligament and fractured left ankle at the end of Wednesday night's loss against the Detroit Pistons and will undergo surgery on Monday, the team announced Thursday. The New York Post's Fred Kerber reports that the injury is season-ending.

Bogans had played just five games with the Nets, averaging 18.8 minutes, 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. The defensive-minded wing nonetheless provided a stable veteran presence, which was especially useful during the injury absence of rookie guard MarShon Brooks.

With 2:27 remaining in the fourth quarter of New Jersey's 99-92 loss on Wednesday, Bogans rotated to help on a driving Greg Monroe. But his help was ultimately futile; Monroe dunked the ball anyway and Bogans injured himself in the process.

Avery Johnson was furious about the injury after it occurred, noting that New Jersey's inability to follow the game plan resulted in the injury.

"My reaction is it's really tough when we're screaming like 50 times, ‘We don't want Monroe to go left. He's a left-handed player he has two left hands.' We're screaming, ‘We don't want him to go left,' but we still allow him to go left and dunk on us. And, as a result, Bogans gets tangled up inside and comes down wrong. It's just unfortunate that we didn't execute and defend somebody's individual strength, and Bogans gets hurt on the same play."

For more on the Nets, head over to the SB Nation blog NetsDaily.

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New Jersey Nets Roster Moves: Keith Bogans Signed, Larry Owens Released

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent guard Keith Bogans, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released. To make room on the roster the Nets have waived forward Larry Owens.

“Keith will give us defensive toughness and experience," said King. "He will add depth and versatility to our perimeter.”

Bogans, an eight-year NBA veteran, started in all 82 games for the Chicago Bulls in 2010-11, averaging 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.8 minutes per game. Originally drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 43rd overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the University of Kentucky product began his career in Orlando, before moving on to Charlotte, Houston, Orlando again, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Chicago. Overall, the 6-foot-5 guard has played in 586 career games with averages of 6.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He has appeared in 34 career playoff games, with averages of 4.7 points and 2.0 rebounds. Bogans started all 16 postseason contests for Chicago in 2011 and led the league in postseason three-point shooting, hitting on 42.4 percent of his shots from behind the arc.

Owens, who signed as a free agent on January 18, played in seven games with the Nets, averaging 1.9 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game.

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New Jersey Nets To Sign DeShawn Stevenson, Waive Stephen Graham

The New Jersey Nets appear to be nearing the completion of the roster they will open the 2011-12 NBA season with on Monday against the Washington Wizards.  According to multiple media reports, the team is set to sign guard DeShawn Stevenson to a one-year deal, a player that minority owner Jay-Z wrote a "diss" song about three years ago.

To make room for Stevenson on the roster, the Nets announced they have waived veteran forward Stephen Graham.  New Jersey had to waive Graham Thursday to prevent his $1.1 million contract from being guaranteed.  There's a good chance he is brought back to the team on a non-guaranteed deal after the season begins as he's a favorite of head coach Avery Johnson. 

Graham played 10 minutes in the Nets preseason finale against the New York Knicks Wednesday night.  He appeared in 59 games with the Nets last season, averaging 3.4 points and 2.1 rebounds.

Stevenson was on the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks last season, averaging 5.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in 72 games.  He scored nine points in the decisive Game 6 victory over the Miami Heat, but is still best known for his feud with LeBron James that has included verbal jabs through the media, dust ups on the court and a song from Jay-Z during the 2008 NBA playoffs when Stevenson was with the Wizards and James was still with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Though the Nets already have Anthony Morrow and MarShon Brooks at shooting guard, Stevenson brings a level of defensive intensity neither player can offer.  With a 66-game sprint of a season, teams will need to find as many players as possible that can help exploit the expected sloppy play thanks to crazy stretches like the six games in eight nights New Jersey opens the season facing.

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Kris Humphries To Sign With New Jersey Nets, According To Report

The New Jersey Nets are in the process of finalizing a one-year deal with free agent power forward Kris Humphries that will pay him between $7-8 million, reports Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

One of the most well-regarded free agents still on the market, Humphries averaged 10.0 points and 10.4 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game last year for the Nets. He notched at least 10 rebounds in 15 of New Jersey's final 16 games, achieving a double-double in 14 of those contests.

The 26-year-old Humphries is a seven-year NBA veteran who blossomed under coach Avery Johnson last season. Prior to averaging a double-double last year, he had never averaged more than 7.1 points or 6.4 rebounds per game. 

Humphries is expected to be available on Wednesday for New Jersey's final preseason game. He would instantly become the front runner for New Jersey's starting power forward position.

For more New Jersey Nets coverage, visit our team page or our blog, Nets Daily.

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Dwight Howard Rumors: Trade Request "Still Stands"

When the Orlando Magic pulled center Dwight Howard off the trading block, many believed it was because the All Star was waffling about if he really wanted to leave the only franchise he has ever known.

Not so, says Howard.

"It still stands," he told a group of reporters Thursday when he was asked about his desire to be traded. "There is no back-and-forth."

The Magic clearly are hoping Howard will reconsider, but it sounds as if he is still dead set on leaving Orlando.  If the center brings that sort of attitude to each meeting with Orlando GM Otis Smith and CEO Alex Martins, it's hard to imagine the team will take the chance they lose Howard for nothing at the end of the season.

For the Nets part, they will need to keep pressing the issue with Smith and making sure they realize the monster deal that would have delivered Brook Lopez and Portland Trail Blazers forward Gerald Wallace can always be improved with more future picks and current young players to rebuild the roster.

New Jersey GM Billy King, known for putting together complicated multi-team trades, will also continue burning up the lines working on other scenarios that might help twist the arm of the Magic ownership to cut their losses with Howard.  Sitting back and waiting for Orlando to come back to him would only give the Los Angeles Lakers a better chance to sneak in and bring the center West.

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Dwight Howard Rumors: New Jersey Nets Set Deadline

If the New Jersey Nets aren't able to come to terns on a trade for center Dwight Howard with the Orlando Magic by the end of this week, they will move on to their backup plans.  Plans, as in plural.  A source tells Colin Stephenson the Nets "have a Plan A, B, C and D".

It's clear signing free-agent center Nene to a four-year $64 million contract is the team's first choice if a Howard trade isn't possible. Thankfully the two players share an, agent, allowing the Nets to do all they can to try and wrap up the Howard situation without worrying about Nene bolting for a deal with the Denver Nuggets or Houston Rockets.

There's no way to know exactly what the next plans would include if they are unable to reel in Howard or Nene. Kris Humphries is still unsigned and while he is on the radar, the power forward hasn't seen the market develop the way many envisioned.

Josh Howard is still available and former Net Richard Jefferson could be if the San Antonio Spurs amnesty the small forward as expected. Bringing in either player would finally allow New Jersey to use their own amnesty on Travis Outlaw, but won't exactly make anyone forget about Howard.

Making things even more complicated is Howard's quick back track over the last couple of days. He has gone from one foot out the door to playing nice with Orlando management and media.

"If you're willing to change and you're willing to do what it takes to win then, you know, you got me," the center told a group of reporters on Monday.

Both teams could work on a deal right up until the March 15 trade deadline, but the Nets would not be able to include any free agents they sign until after March 1. Meaning if the deal isn't made this week, it is nearly impossible to get one done before the first week in March.

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Orlando Magic Confirm Dwight Howard Has Requested A Trade

After a crazy 48-hours that has seen rumors swirl about the future of Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, the team confirmed on Saturday that the cornerstone of the franchise has officially requested a trade.

Adrian Wojnarwoski tweeted Howard asked to be sent to the New Jersey Nets.

Magic GM Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel Howard has made the request twice since Monday.  Smith was quick to point out to the paper that the team still wanted to do everything in their power to keep the All-NBA center in Orlando long-term and that his representatives haven't said he definitely will not sign an extension after the season.

Smith also made it clear the Magic will not limit trade talks to the three teams that Howard's agent has permission to speak with: the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

"He can have his list of teams that he would like to go to, and we’ve probably got a few on our list of teams that we would like.  But at the end of the day, we want him here and we want him in a Magic uniform for his career.  With that said, we’re going to make the best possible deal that we can make if we have to trade him."

Howard has participated in the first two Magic training camp practices on Friday and Saturday.

The Nets were said to have offered center Brook Lopez and two-first round picks to the Magic in return for Howard.

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Dwight Howard Rumors: Magic Won't File Tampering Charges ... For Now

The Orlando Magic say they are not ready to file tampering charges with the NBA against the New Jersey Nets or any other team for illegally contacting Magic center Dwight Howard.

Magic CEO Alex Martins said the team will investigate reports that teams met with Howard Thursday night in Miami, but NBA.com said that as of now the Magic have no “concrete evidence” of tampering.

``There aren’t any tampering charges. Dwight is under contract with us and our rules in the league are very explicit about when a player is under contract with a team other teams aren’t allowed to contact that player or a representative about them,’’ said Martins, who was promoted from team president to CEO earlier in the week. ``If that’s been voided in any way we’ll deal with it to the fullest extent that the NBA’s Constitution allows. But at this stage there aren’t any tampering charges.’

Reports had surfaced that Howard was requesting a trade to the Nets, followed by reports that the Nets had met with the star center in violation of league rules.

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Dwight Howard To Ask For Trade To New Jersey Nets

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is ready to add more craziness to the beginning of the NBA season by asking for a trade to the New Jersey Nets.  According to a report by Chris Broussard, the star will inform the Magic as early as Friday he will not re-sign with them and he may choose to pass on the opening of training camp altogether.

The Magic said late Thursday they expected Howard to be there for the first day of camp.

The pending request isn't thought to be a surprise to the Nets.  Howard's representatives have reportedly already told New Jersey they are his "preferred destination".  In return for the All-Everything center, the Magic would receive the previously reported package of Brook Lopez and two first round picks.  Orlando would also be able to unload Hedo Turkoglu's terrible contract, with three year and $34 million left, on the Nets.

Having previously been burned by the Carmelo Anthony trade drama last year, the Nets aren't putting all their eggs in the Dwight Howard basket.  Instead they are reportedly still keeping in touch with Nene in case the trade falls apart.

Players, owners and fans were shocked Thursday by an agreement between the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets that would land point guard Chris Paul with the Lakers.  However, David Stern decided to step in and void the deal at the last minute after many small market owners objected to the move, sending even bigger shock waves across the sport.

That bold move by the league shouldn't have too much of an impact on any Howard trade.  Stern could only prevent the Paul deal because the NBA owns the Hornets.  Without any direct control over the Nets or Magic, the commissioner and his whining small market owners have no way to make decisions for any other franchises.

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