Brooklyn Nets: Catching up with former Nets around pro basketball

Markel Brown, Darussafaka Basketball Istanbul

Departed Brooklyn: Restricted free agnet, July 1, 2016

Markel Brown received a qualifying offer from the Brooklyn Nets to become a restricted free agent in 2016, but the Nets withdrew the QO on July 7, 2016, and allowed Brown to become unrestricted.

He signed on July 24 to play with Darussafaka Basketball Istanbul in Turkey after he played last season with the Houston Rockets on a two-way contract. After leaving Brooklyn, Brown got a look from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, but was waived before the season began.

From there he played a season in Russia before signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder for training camp last season.

Waived by the Thunder after the preseason, Brown, 27, was allocated to their NBA G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, before getting a two-way deal from Houston in January 2018.

The Rockets withdrew their qualifying offer to make Brown an unrestricted free agent on July 13 before he signed to play in Turkey.

Per RealGM, Brown has played in 23 games, starting 12, for Darussafaka in both Turkey’s domestic BSL circuit and in the Euroleague, averaging 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19.6 minutes per game and shooting 43.9 percent overall and 37.2 percent on 3.4 3-point attempts per game.

Brown was acquired by the Nets in exchange for cash considerations from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had taken him with the 44th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

In two seasons with Brooklyn, Brown played in 109 games, starting 35, and averaged 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in 16.2 minutes a game on 38.2 percent shooting overall and hit 29.7 percent on 1.7 deep attempts per game.

Wayne Ellington, Detroit Pistons

Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2016

Wayne Ellington left the Brooklyn Nets to sign as an unrestricted free agent with the Miami Heat on July 10, 2016. He re-signed with the Heat on a one-year deal on July 13, but ws traded to the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 6 and waived by Phoenix on Feb. 7.

Ellington didn’t stay on the market long, signing a deal for the remainder of the season with the Detroit Pistons as soon as he cleared waivers on Feb. 9.

Ellington, 31, has played in two games for Detroit, averaging 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 26.0 minutes per game, shooting 30 percent overall and hitting 3-of-17 from 3-point range.

In total this season, he’s been in 27 games, starting 12, with averages of 8.3 points and 1.0 steals in 21.7 minutes a night, shooting 36.8 percent overall and 34.9 percent on 6.4 attempts a night from deep.

He came to the Nets as a free agent, signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal on July 10, 2015, after playing out a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He started 41 of the 76 games he played for Brooklyn, averaging 7.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 21.3 minutes a game on 38.9 percent shooting overall, hitting 35.8 percent on 3.5 long-range attempts a game.

Sergey Karasev, Zenit Saint Petersburg

Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2016

The Brooklyn Nets did not extend a qualifying offer to Sergey Karasev before he became a free agent in July 2016, after not exercising the fourth-year option on his rookie deal the previous October.

Karasev left the NBA and signed on July 2, 2016, with Zenit Saint Petersburg in his native Russia, where he remains today.

Per RealGM, the 25-year-old has played in 20 games in the VTB United League and in Eurocup competition, starting 16, and averaging 14.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 25.7 minutes per game, shooting 45.8 percent overall and 42.0 percent on 4.1 3-point attempts per game.

Karasev came to the Nets along with Jarrett Jack from the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 10, 2014, as part of a three-way deal. Brooklyn sent Marcus Thornton to the Boston Celtics and the rights to 2006 second-round pick Edin Bavcic and 2012 second-rounder Ilkan Karaman to the Cavs.

Cleveland sent Tyler Zeller and a 2016 first-round pick to Boston as part of the exchange.

In two seasons in Brooklyn, Karasev played in 73 games, starting 21, and averaged 3.4 points in 13.1 minutes per game while shooting 40.4 percent overall and 29.7 percent on 1.2 deep attempts a game.

Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes

Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2016

Shane Larkin became an unrestricted free agent in July 2016 after the Brooklyn Nets declined his option for the following season.

Larkin played a season in Spain before signing in July 2017 with the Boston Celtics as an unrestricted free agent. On July 26, again a UFA, Larkin signed with Anadolu Efes in Turkey.

Per RealGM, the 26-year-old has played in 29 games, starting 15, in the Turkish BSL, the Turkish Cip and in Euroleague play, averaging 9.6 points and 3.5 assists in 21.8 minutes per game, while shooting 41.3 percent overall and 33.3 percent on 3.2 3-point attempts a game.

Larkin signed a veteran’s minimum deal with the Nets on July 9, 2015, after the New York Knicks had declined his third-year option and not extended a qualifying offer.

He appeared in 78 games, starting 17, in his one season in Brooklyn, averaging 7.3 points, 4.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 22.4 minutes per game, shooting 44.2 percent overall and 36.1 percent on 1.4 deep tries a game.

Willie Reed

Departed Brooklyn: Unrestricted free agent, July 1, 2016

Willie Reed became an unrestricted free agent when the Brooklyn Nets didn’t extend a qualifying offer in July 2016 and would sign a multiyear deal with the Miami heat on July 13, 2015.

Reed signed with the LA Clippers in July 2017 before he was traded to the Detroit Pistons in January 2018. Days later, in February 2018, Reed was traded to the Chicago Bulls and then waived.

He was with the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League this season before he was waived on Jan. 16, following a season-ending shoulder injury.

In 21 starts, Reed, 28, had averaged 19.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.6 blovks in 30.4 minutes per game, shooting 66.8 percent overall and going 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Reed signed with the Nets as a free agent on July 9, 2015, after failing to make their roster in training camp the previous season.

In his one season in Brooklyn, Reed appeared in 39 games, starting two, and averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game on 57.1 percent shooting, all inside the arc.