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NETS GET FIRST FOR D’ANGELO RUSSELL, SHABAZZ NAPIER, TREVEON GRAHAM IN WARRIORS S&T

By Net Income
NBA: Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania reported late Sunday that the Nets are trading D’Angelo Russell, Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham to the Warriors in a sign-and-trade. Napier and Graham were later moved to Minnesota in a cash deal.

The only thing missing from the reports was the Nets compensation. That turned out to be Kevin Durant and a protected first round pick, Woj reported late Monday.

Here’s the chronology...

At 8:30 a.m. Monday, Woj said the two sides were still working things out...

Then, at 1 p.m., he tweeted that the Nets will be getting a protected first rounder in the exchange...

Russell is getting a four-year, $117 million contract as part of the trade. Both Woj and Bobby Marks predicted the Nets return would be small, perhaps a second rounder. Bobby Marks told Greg Logan that the Nets “bent over backward” to facilitate the S&T and probably wouldn’t get much more than a top-55 protected pick.

Shams broke the news in a series of tweets...

Minutes later, Woj added another detail...

Indeed, that’s exactly what happened.

Russell, of course, had a career year this past season, averaging 21.1 points and 6.9 assists while breaking the Nets record for three pointers in a season with 235. The Nets, faced with a choice of DLo vs. Kyrie Irving, chose to pursue Irving at Russell’s expense.

While prepared to let him go without compensation, the Nets were willing to entertain sign-and-trade scenarios for the 23-year-old and the Warriors expressed interest.

Teammates offered congratulations to Russell ...

The Nets had been willing to sign Russell to a new deal if Irving had turned them down, but did not believe the two could play together.

“I definitely want to be here,” he told reporters. “But I also know it’s a business, too. So I’m not going to play that role like I don’t know what could possibly happen.”

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