Brooklyn Nets: Catching up with former Nets around pro basketball
By Phil Watson
Gerald Green, Houston Rockets
Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2012
Gerald Green left the Brooklyn Nets on the first official day the club took residence in the borough, becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2012.
He signed with the Indiana Pacers and was later with the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics before being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2017-18 season.
He signed with the Houston Rockets on Dec. 28, 2017, and remains in Houston.
Green, who turned 33 last month, has played in 53 games off the bench for the Rockets this season, averaging 9.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game, shooting 41.8 percent overall and 36.1 percent on 6.2 3-point attempts per game.
He came to the Nets on two 10-day contracts, beginning Feb. 27, 2012, and signed for the remainder of the season after being in the NBA G League following two seasons in Russia.
In 31 games, including two starts, with New Jersey, he averaged 12.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per game, shooting 48.1 percent overall and 39.1 percent on 3.5 deep tries a game.
Jerry Smith, Ifaistos Limnou
Departed New Jersey: 10-day contract expired, March 26, 2012
Jerry Smith‘s short stint with the New Jersey Nets ended when his 10-day contract expired on March 26, 2012.
Smith has been an international journeyman since, with stints in the NBA G League, Italy, Israel, Germany, Turkey and France before signing with Ifaistos Limnou in Greece on Aug. 6.
Per RealGM, the 31-year-old has played in 16 games, starting three, in the Greek HEBA-A1, averaging 12.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 24.4 minutes per game, shooting 42.4 percent overall and 32.8 percent on 3.8 3-point attempts per game.
Smith signed a 10-day deal with the Nets on March 16, 2012, while playing in the G League after failing to make the Nets in 2011 as an undrafted free agent from the University of Louisville.
In five games with New Jersey, Smith averaged 1.4 points in 9.2 minutes per game, shooting 3-for-14 overall and 1-for-6 from deep.
Shawne Williams, Al-Riffa
Departed New Jersey: Traded to Portland Trail Blazers, March 15, 2012
Shawne Williams was part of a big trade deadline deal on March 15, 2012, when the New Jersey Nets sent Williams, Mehmet Okur and a 2012 first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Gerald Wallace.
Williams bounced around the NBA after being waived by Porland in July 2012, spending time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons.
He was cut in training camp by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2015 and the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017 and also played stints in the NBA G League.
On Jan. 21, Williams signed with Al-Riffa in Bahrain after playing last season in the G League. There are no stats available for Williams, who turned 33 on Saturday.
He came to the Nets as an unrestricted free agent on Dec. 15, 2011, after a season with the New York Knicks.
Williams played 25 games, starting six, for New Jersey, averaging 4.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game, shooting 28.6 percent overall and 24.1 percent on 3.5 3-point attempts per game.
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz
Departed New Jersey: Traded to Utah Jazz, Feb. 23, 2011
The New Jersey nets rolled the dice on a superstar on Feb. 23, 2011, trading Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, cash and first-round picks in 2011 and 2013 to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Deron Williams.
Favors remains with the Jazz, agreeing to a rookie-scale extension in 2012 and re-signing as an unrestricted free agent on July 6 for two years and $37.6 million.
The 27-year-old has started 50 of 56 games this season, averaging 11.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game, shooting 56.9 percent overall and 22.6 percent on 1.1 3-point attempts per game.
The Nets selected the Atlanta native from Georgia Tech with the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Before being traded, Favors played 56 games and started 23 as a rookie with New Jersey, averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game on 51.1 percent shooting.
Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks
Departed New Jersey: Traded to Utah Jazz, Feb. 23, 2011
The New Jersey Nets traded former All-Star Devin Harris along with rookie Derrick Favors, cash and 2011 and 2013 first-round picks to the Utah Jazz on Feb. 23, 2011, getting back Deron Williams in return.
Harris has since been with the Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets with two stints with the Dallas Mavericks. The second one launched when he signed with Dallas as an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 8.
Harris, who turns 36 later this month, has come off the bench in 45 games this season, averaging 6.3 points in 15.0 minutes per game, shooting 40.6 percent overall and 31.0 percent on 2.9 3-point attempts per game.
He came to the Nets in a blockbuster deal on Feb. 19, 2008, along with Maurice Ager, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Keith Van Horn and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 from the Mavericks in exchange for Jason Kidd, Malik Allen and Antoine Wright.
In two full seasons and parts of two others in New Jersey, Harris played in 212 games, starting 206, and averaging 17.7 points, 6.9 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 34.3 minutes per game, shooting 42.4 percent overall and 29.2 percent on 3.0 deep tries a game.