The Brooklyn Nets started a rebuilding process a few months after pulling the plug on the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving experiment, but they do have some capable players that could get them to the playoffs this coming season.
Among them are Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges, both of whom they obtained from the Phoenix Suns in the Durant trade, and of course, they also have the talented but enigmatic Ben Simmons.
On Friday, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that Brooklyn signed free agent forward Darius Bazley to a one-year contract.
Free agent F Darius Bazley has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Brandon Cavanaugh tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 15, 2023
Bazley is a 6-foot-9, 216-pound big man who primarily plays the center position, and he is known as someone who can block shots and occasionally knock down 3-point shots.
Last season, he shot 37.7 percent from beyond the arc while averaging 0.8 blocked shots in 14.3 minutes a game.
Bazley, who was born in Boston, was originally the No. 23 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after skipping college and taking a year off after high school, even though he originally planned to spend a year in the G League.
The Nets, as presently constituted, are somewhat of a small team, and Bazley will give them a little more beef and defense up front.
The Eastern Conference is very deep and competitive, and it could become even deeper and more competitive by the end of the summer if the Miami Heat end up acquiring Damian Lillard, as many expect them to.
That may lead one to think the Nets won’t make the playoffs this coming season, but they have a young and hungry cast that could steal games in bunches from unsuspecting opponents.
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Nets Player Says A Healthy Ben Simmons Is An ‘All-Star, Max-level’ Guy
