LAS VEGAS — Nets teammates Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith have been in Dallas figuring out after they discovered they weren’t teammates anymore.
The Nets traded away Bridges — and their final vestiges of competitiveness — late final month. And people offseason exercises went from two Nets speaking concerning the upcoming season to 2 crosstown rivals, which modified the dialog.
“He got here on the market to get some work in with me,” Finney-Smith mentioned. “We nonetheless ended up working collectively, however we began speaking trash to one another a little bit bit as a result of now we’re going to be taking part in in opposition to one another. However that’s my man, we constructed some lifelong connections. Good luck to him.”
Bridges — traded to the Knicks primarily for 5 first-round picks and a choose swap — had truly been hanging out with Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane when the information broke. They have been assembly up in a Dallas health club when Bridges went from coaching along with his Nets teammate to being reunited with three former Villanova teammates on the Backyard.
“Really, we nonetheless stored coaching collectively that entire the following two days after the commerce occurred,” Finney-Smith mentioned. “So we went from what we’re going to do subsequent yr, to we’re about to kick y’all [butt]. You understand I’m going to speak [crap]. We obtained to interrupt that Villanova [crap] up.”
The commerce basically modified the route of the Nets. Now they’re getting into a deep rebuild, making veterans like Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson luxuries.
Finney-Smith will make $14.9 million subsequent season and has a $15.4 million participant possibility for 2025-26. The 31-year-old appears more likely to decide out subsequent summer season aiming for one final payday. Which means Nets basic supervisor Sean Marks is all of the extra incentivized to deal him both now or on the commerce deadline.
Does Finney-Smith hear all of the noise? After all.
“I imply, I’m human,” Finney-Smith mentioned. “I’m human. So after all. I’ve obtained household and stuff all the time asking me what’s happening and s–t like that. However you understand, I’m simply sincere. So, I’m human, so I’m going to concentrate a little bit bit. However I can say I’m wherever my toes are at.
“I nonetheless get to do what I really like. I might be in a harder scenario the place I’m searching for a job. I do know I’m gonna be good regardless. If I’m right here, I’m right here. If I’m not, I’m not. So I simply attempt to be wherever my toes are at. So I’m a Brooklyn Web proper now, and I’m wanting ahead to competing.”
The Nets wilted underneath defensive stress from the Clippers in an 87-78 loss, taking pictures simply .389 total and .316 from deep.
Keon Johnson scored 27 factors and hit 4 of 8 from 3. Noah Clowney had 13 factors and 7 rebounds on his twentieth birthday however struggled with Los Angeles’ physicality.
Dariq Whitehead, 1-for-12 in Friday’s summer season league debut, missed his first eight Sunday earlier than hitting three of his final 4.
“Clearly, each participant has to discover a rhythm and making these sort of pictures will make it easier to discover the rhythm,” Whitehead mentioned. “Simply seeing the ball go within the basket in that fourth quarter hopefully that leads into me popping out from the beginning.”
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