Brooklyn Nets: Catching up with former Nets around pro basketball
By Phil Watson
Jorge Gutierrez
Departed Brooklyn: Traded to Philadelphia 76ers, Dec. 10, 2014
Jorge Gutierrez’s tenure with the Brooklyn Nets ended Dec. 10, 2014, when he was packaged with Andrei Kirilenko and second-round picks in 2018 and 2020 and sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Brandon Davies and a 2018 second-round pick originally belonging to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gutierrez was waived by the 76ers two days later and played in the NBA G League before playing a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks in February and March 2015. He returned to the G League before the Bucks re-signed him on April 7, 2015.
Waived by Milwaukee in October 2015, it was back to the G League for Gutierrez until he got a 10-day contract and eventually a full deal from the Charlotte Hornets in February 2016.
He actually returned to the Nets as an unrestricted free agent in September 2016, but was waived before the season began and spent the 2016-17 season n Turkey and played last season in Italy.
On Aug. 28, Gutierrez signed with Gipuzkoa Basket in Spain, but left the team on Jan. 30.
Per RealGM, the 30-year-old played 17 games with Gipuzkoa, starting four. He averaged 6.6 points and 2.5 assists in 17.1 minutes per game while shooting 36.0 percent overall and 17.6 percent on 2.0 3-point attempts per game.
Gutierrez came to Brooklyn on a 10-day contract on March 6, 2014, and signed a full deal on March 28, 2014. It was the first NBA contract for the free agent from the University of California. Undrafted in 2012, he played parts of two seasons in the G League and spent time in Mexico.
In parts of two seasons with the Nets, he played in 25 games and started two, averaging 3.1 points in 11.5 minutes per game on 47.1 percent shooting, hitting 3-of-13 from deep.
Marquis Teague, Jeonju KCC Egis
Departed Brooklyn: Traded to Philadelphia 76ers, Oct. 24, 2014
The Brooklyn Nets traded Marquis Teague and a 2019 second-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 24, 2014, just before the start of the regular season, in exchange for Casper Ware.
The 76ers waived Teague three days later and he’s been bouncing since, to the G League, Israel and Russia, returning to the G League in March 2017.
He’s been back in the NBA just once, getting a 10-day contract that turned into a full deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in March 2018 before he was waived on April 6.
On Aug. 30, Teague signed with Jeonju KCC Egis in South Korea.
Per RealGM, the 25-year-old has appeared in 44 games off the bench in the South Korean KBL, averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game, while shooting 44.4 percent overall and 37.1 percent on 2.1 3-point attempts per game.
The Nets acquired Teague from the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 21, 2014, in exchange for Tornike Shengelia.
In 21 games, including one start, with Brooklyn, he averaged 3.0 points in 9.6 minutes per game, shooting 41.5 percent overall and going 3-for-8 from deep.
Marcus Thornton, Grand Rapids Drive
Departed Brooklyn: Traded to Boston Celtics, July 10, 2014
The Brooklyn Nets traded Marcus Thornton to the Boston Celtics and the rights to second-round picks Edin Bavcic and Ilkan Karaman to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal on July 10, 2014, with Jarrett Jack and Sergey Karasev coming to the Nets from the Cavs, who also sent Tuler Zeller and a 2016 first-round pick to the Celtics.
He was later traded to the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 19, 2015, and has also spent time with the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards. Thornton was reacquired by the Nets in February 2017, but waived the day after the trade.
Since being cut loose by Brooklyn, he has been in the G League and spent time in China, returning to the Grand Rapids Drive on Dec. 11.
The 31-year-old has started 18 of the 22 games he’s played for the Drive, averaging 20.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.9 minutes per game on 45.6 percent shooting overall, hitting 37.3 percent on 7.0 3-point attempts per game.
Thornton came to the Nets initially on Feb. 19, 2014, from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Jason Terry and Reggie Evans.
In 26 games with Brooklyn, including one start, he averaged 12.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 23.8 minutes per game, shooting 41.4 percent overall and 38.0 percent on 5.3 deep tries a game.
Andray Blatche, Tianjin Gold Lions
Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2014
Andray Blatche has not been back in the NBA since his contract with the Brooklyn Nets expired after the 2013-14 season.
He’s played the last five seasons in China, joining the Tianjin Gold Lions on Dec. 20.
The 32-year-old has started 14 of the 15 games he’s played this season, averaging 19.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game while shooting 45.0 percent overall and hitting 40.8 percent on 8.7 3-point attempts a game, per RealGM.
Blatche signed as a free agent with the Nets on Sept. 12, 2012, after being waived via the amnesty clause by the Washington Wizards in July 2012. He re-signed with Brooklyn for one year on July 11, 2013.
In two seasons with the Nets, Blatche made 155 appearances and 15 starts, averaging 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 20.5 minutes a game, shooting 49,.4 percent overall and 23.7 percent on 0.7 deep attempt per game.
Shaun Livingston, Golden State Warriors
Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2014
Shaun Livingston played a single season with the Brooklyn Nets before signing a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent with the Golden State Warriors on July 11, 2014. He stayed with Golden State on another three-year contract signed on July 14, 2017.
The 33-year-old has come off the bench in 45 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game, shooting 49.1 percent overall and going 0-for-2 from 3-point range.
Livingston signed with the Nets on July 11, 2013, after playing the previous season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He started 54 of the 76 games he played in Brooklyn, averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting 48.3 percent overall and hitting 1-of-6 from deep.