Nets exercise options on Jarrett Allen, Dzanan Musa; waive Deng Adel, John Egbunu

In two moves that were expected, the Nets exercised rookie contract options on Jarrett Allen and Dzanan Musa and cut down their roster, waiving Deng Adel and John Egbunu.

Brooklyn will thus retain Allen’s rights for a fourth year and Musa for a third, enduring both will be paid according to their rookie deals through 2020-21. Allen will be eligible for an extension next summer; Musa the year after. Musa will earn $2 million and Allen $3.7 million.

Both players have looked good in preseason.

Allen, 21, appeared in 80 games (all starts) in the 2018-19 season, registering averages of 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. The Texas native was named a MTN DEW ICE Rising Star and participated in the Rising Stars game for Team USA during All-Star weekend in Charlotte. In the 2019 NBA Playoffs, Allen started five games for the Nets, averaging 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 22.0 minutes versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The 6’11” Center was taken with the 22nd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Musa, 20, appeared in nine games during his rookie season in 2018-19 and averaged 2.1 points in 4.4 minutes per contest. The 20-year-old also appeared in 36 games (34 starts) for Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, last season, averaging 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game. He played in the postseason for both teams as well, appearing in two games for Brooklyn and in five games (all starts) for Long Island.

The Nets will retain G League rights for Adel and Egbunu. They are expected to join the Long Island Nets training camp later this week.

Officially, Adel is a Returning Rights Player for the Long Island Nets, not an affiliate player. That will give the Nets the ability to assign up to four players as affiliate players. Egbunu is the 1st player waived who will be an affiliate player for Long Island.

Adel, 22, originally signed with Brooklyn as a free agent on July 30. The 6’7” swingman appeared in one preseason game for the Nets on October 12 versus the Los Angeles Lakers in Shenzhen, China. Egbunu , who turns 25 later this month, signed with the Nets on Sept. 25. The 6’11” center did not appear in preseason play for Brooklyn.

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at 18 players. In addition to the 15 guaranteed roster players, the Nets still have two-way Henry Ellenson and free agents Lance Thomas and C.J. Williams under contract. The Nets have to get down to 17, including two two-ways by Saturday.

The Nets also have decide whether they will extend Taurean Prince by next Monday. Otherwise, the 25-year-old will become a restricted free agent next July.

• Nets pick up contract options for Allen, Musa - Greg Logan - Newsday