slow news day – Michmutters
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Ben Simmons responds to Brooklyn Nets group chat report, Maya Jama break-up

Ben Simmons isn’t naive to the rumors running rampant about his status with the Brooklyn Nets and his relationship with fiancee Maya Jama.

The Nets guard returned to Twitter on Wednesday, following a two-month hiatus, and tweeted, “slow news day”, with a crying-laughing emoji, the new york post reports.

Simmons also re-posted a tweet by Jama, in which the British TV presenter and model wrote “Stop believing ‘sources’ in papers plz”.

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Jama’s tweet came Sunday, a day after reports emerged that she had allegedly called off the couple’s engagement and that the pair were “heartbroken” over the break-up.

Simmons’ tweet could have also been a response to a report from NBA insider Ric Bucher, who claimed the Aussie NBA star left a group chat without replying to Nets teammates who asked him to play in their must-win Game 4 of their playoff series against Boston last season. Brooklyn was swept by the Celtics in the first round.

“They’re having a team chat before Game 4, thinking he’s going to play against the Boston Celtics,” Bucher said on The Herd last week. “From what I’m told, Ben just left the chat.

“They asked him, ‘Are you going to play?’ Ben left the chat. Like he did n’t even answer the question, he just left the chat. And KD (Kevin Durant) is like, ‘This is what I signed up for? This is who I’m playing with?’”

on wednesday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania denied Bucher’s report during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

“This never happened… it’s an amazing story but it didn’t happen,” said Charania.

Simmons also re-tweeted a clip of that exchange, suggesting once again he was bemused by suggestions of his text message etiquette.

A three-time All-Star, Simmons is currently training in New York and continuing recovery from back surgery he underwent in May.

“He’s looking good,” Charania said. “There are high expectations (in Brooklyn) for Simmons. He’s supposed to be ready for training camp … and he’s doing more and more on the court.”

Simmons sat out the entire 2021-22 NBA season due to mental health issues and a lingering back injury, including the first half of the season with the Sixers, and then the remainder of the season after Philadelphia traded him to the Nets for James Harden in February.

Simmons’ latest tweet also came a day after The New York Post confirmed that Durant — who requested a trade out of Brooklyn in June — wants General Manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash gone.

On Monday, The Post confirmed Durant issued an ultimatum to Nets owner Joe Tsai at a face-to-face meeting in London, telling Tsai to choose between him or Marks and Nash.

This story first appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

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Kyrie Irving slams Brooklyn Nets coach and GM, Steve Nash, Sean Marks, Kevin Durant, trade rumors, whispers, latest

Kevin Durant doesn’t seem to be the only Nets player not enamored with the leadership stylings of GM Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash.

A source close to the Nets organization indicated Kyrie Irving is none too pleased with the pair, either.

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“Kyrie Irving hates these guys,” the source told The Post’s Josh Kosman. “He feels that Nash is terrible and Marks is bad.”

On Monday, The Post confirmed The Athletic’s report that Durant told Tsai that the Nets head honcho had to choose between the 12-time All-Star or his coach and GM.

The face-to-face meeting in London came after Durant requested a trade out of Brooklyn, a year after signing a four-year, $198 million contract extension.

Durant’s backflip on Nash’s position presents a marked change from how he viewed Nash after the Game Four loss to the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.

Will Durant and Irving still be with the Nets by the time the new season starts?  (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Will Durant and Irving still be with the Nets by the time the new season starts? (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

MORE COVERAGE

‘Slow news day’: Simmons rubbishes recent rumors as wild Nets group chat claims quashed

Kevin Durant’s demands leave the Nets looking like an NBA joke once again

‘Didn’t even answer, he just left the chat’: Shock Nets claims as Simmons saga takes another twist

“Steve’s been dealt a crazy hand the last two years,” Durant said.

“He’s had to deal with so much stuff as a head coach, a first-time coach. Trades, injuries, COVID and just a lot of stuff he had to deal with.

“I’m proud of how he’s focused and his passion for us. We all continue to keep developing over the summer and see what happens.”

Despite the stars making their feelings on Marks and Nash known, Tsai appeared to give his GM and coach a vote of confidence.

“Our front office and coaching staff have my support,” he wrote on Twitter Monday evening. “We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.”

The Nets effectively banned Irving from being around the team due to his COVID-19 vaccination status and local mandates until December of last season.

The mercurial guard’s murky status played a major role in derailing the season and caused James Harden to request a trade out of town.

Irving picked up his one-year, $36.5 million player option on June 29, with Durant requesting a trade a day later.

This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission

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