Nets’ Prince signs extension
Taurean Prince told The Post he wanted to stay in Brooklyn long term. The Nets gave the forward what he wanted, signing him to a two-year extension on Monday, the deadline to do so.
“I want to be here as long as I can. And whatever happens, happens, but I’m just happy to play good basketball,” Prince had told The Post. “One hundred percent, yeah. For sure. This is the best organization I’ve been in.”
he Nets inked Prince to a two-year, $29 million contract extension. CAA Sports’ Steve Heumann and Dave Spann negotiated the deal along with Richard Beda, according to ESPN. The move will keep Prince in Brooklyn through his prime until he turns 28.
Prince averaged 13.5 points and 3.6 rebounds last season for the Hawks. He was even better during this preseason.
With Kevin Durant out with a ruptured Achilles, Prince seems to have supplanted Rodions Kurucs as the starting power forward. He averaged a team-high 16.8 points in the preseason, shooting 63.2 percent overall and a white-hot 16 of 23 (69.6 percent) from deep.
The move is a statement from Nets owner Joe Tsai, who could very well be headed for luxury-tax territory. Brooklyn’s 2020-21 payroll projects to $135 million, not including re-signing Joe Harris, two potential firstround picks and the team options/non-guaranteed contracts of David Nwaba, Theo Pinson and Garrett Temple.
➤ Kurucs appeared in city court Monday morning for his domestic violence case. It was a brief cursory appearance, and he was ordered back to court on Nov. 19.
Kurucs was back at HSS Training Center in time for practice. He and the Nets have been mum about the legal situation and whether they expect him to be suspended. But Kenny Atkinson admitted he’s bracing for the possibility of being without last season’s starting power forward, the same way he’s dealing with Wilson Chandler’s PED suspension.
➤ Spencer Dinwiddie met with the NBA again Monday afternoon over his plans to use his contract as a digital investment vehicle.
The NBPA released a statement to The Post that read “At his request, we are assisting Spencer and his business associates in seeking to address the League’s concerns. Our hope is that a resolution satisfactory to all parties can be achieved.”