The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent forward Dennis Horner from the D-League’s Springfield Armor to a 10-day contract.
Horner is the fourth player to sign a 10-day contract with the Nets this season. The 6-9 rookie from N.C. State signed with the Nets prior to training camp on December 9, 2011. He appeared in five games with New Jersey, scoring a total of four points in 16 minutes of action.
April 2012 New Jersey Nets Wiretap
The Nets have lost six of seven games in the 13 days since trading for Gerald Wallace.
Wallace met with Avery Johnson before Tuesday's practice to let him know he was at peace with where the Nets stand and is willing to help the younger players over the rest of the season.
“It was just understanding — trying to help the young guys understand where we are as a team and what we’ve got to do to get better,’’ Wallace. “And our main thing every night is to come out and try to improve, get better as a team, and move from there.’’
Johnson was very appreciative of Wallace's commitment.
“The team’s not winning, and obviously he wants to win, but he likes a lot of what we’re doing here and he just wants to know how he can be of more help with certain situations, in leadership with the team,’’ Johnson said. “And it was just a breath of fresh air when he came into my office this morning. So he’s been great.’’
Wallace has a $9.5 million player option for the 12-13 season.
“I’ll sit down and talk to my family, concentrate and see where I’m at in my career and what I plan on doing for my future and we’ll go from there,’’ he said.
Despite being suddenly traded a year ago February, Deron Williams still has a fondness for the Jazz.
Williams spent time after New Jersey's loss to the Jazz visiting with Tyrone Corbin and C.J. Miles.
"I've got a lot of friends on that team," Williams said. "I like to see how they're doing. I wish the best for Coach Corbin, so I definitely check on them a lot."
Williams is impressed with how the Jazz have played this year and expects them to reach the postseason.
"I feel like they're going to make the playoffs. They're playing solid basketball on both ends of the floor right now," Williams said. "I think Coach Corbin's doing a great job of leading the guys. They've got a good mix of veterans and youth, and I think it's working for them."
The Springfield Armor have re-acquired guard Jerry Smith.
To make room on the roster, the Armor waived Eugene Spates.
Smith (6-2, 190, Louisville) returns to the Armor after earning his first-career Call-Up with the Armor’s NBA affiliate, the New Jersey Nets.
Deron Williams has expressed frustration after the Nets squandered leads in each of the past two games.
“We’ve been making the same mistakes all year,” Williams said. “We’ve talked about it every day, it seems like it just doesn’t register. At some point, you hope it would, you know?
"(But) I’m not here to call anybody out. We’re all men. I make mistakes. I made mistakes (Monday). There’s nobody to call out."
According to a report from Peter Vecsey of the New York Post, the Nets offered Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks, Mehmet Okur's expiring contract and between two and three No. 1 picks in exchange for Dwight Howard.
Gerald Wallace would not have been included to the Magic as he was during the December trade talks.
The Nets, according to the report, also would not have had to take on the contract of Hedo Turkoglu.
The Nets have signed Gerald Green for the remainder of the 11-12 NBA season.
Green has played excellent basketball for the Nets during his two 10-day contracts.
The Nets had also talked about signing Green to a deal that would last through the 12-13 season.
The Nets and Gerald Green are in talks for a contract that will extend into the 12-13 season.
Green has been playing excellent basketball since joining the Nets from the D-League.
“This organization, man, has really blessed me,” Green said. “I’m just happy to even be a part of it. Obviously, I have to still talk to my agent, still talk with Billy (King). Nothing has been signed yet, but just to hear that from my agent, saying that the team wants me here, it’s just — it’s almost mind-blowing, for all I’ve been through. I’m just very excited, but I’ve still got to keep going, keep fighting, keep fighting to try to be better, to try to help better this team.”
The Nets are in discussions with Gerald Green's agent about a contract for the remainder of the season and also possibly for the 12-13 season.
Green has been an immediate factor for the Nets.
Green's second 10-day contract expires following Saturday's game.
Deron Williams said on Friday that he had no hard feelings toward Dwight Howard for choosing to remain with the Magic for the 12-13 season.
Williams had been hoping to become teammates with Howard, either with the Nets or possibly with the Mavericks.
"He made the decision that he thought was best for him,'' Williams said of Howard. "I can’t be mad about that.''
DeShawn Stevenson said Williams did seem to be bothered by the day's events on the Nets' flight down to Orlando.
"I think 'D-Will' was kind of disappointed,'' Stevenson said of Williams. "He probably said he wasn’t, but I saw it in his face. He was kind of disappointed with that whole ordeal.''
Williams said that unlike Howard, he hasn't struggled with considering his options.
"I’m not (struggling),'' he said. "You know why? Because I said the whole year, 'I’m going to play this year out and see what happens.' So I haven’t flip-flopped and gone back and forth. I'm just the same me. It’s not even close to being the same situation.''