Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Brooklyn Nets have signed center Patrick Gardner to an Exhibit 10 contract.
The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Patrick Gardner, his agent George S. Langberg (@GeorgeLangberg) of GSL Sports Group told @hoopshype. Gardner is also a member of the Egyptian National Team. pic.twitter.com/UN8t1uq9rk
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 20, 2024
Gardner, born in Merrick, New York, began his NBA career with the Long Island Nets as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Last season, Gardner appeared in 18 games in the G League. In those games, he averaged 7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds. Gardner also shot 53.8% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc.
The Nets’ signing of Gardner comes a day after the team signed Amari Bailey to an Exhibit 10 contract as well.
Brooklyn Nets Sign New York Native to Training Camp Deal
Where the Nets Stand After Signing Patrick Gardner
Last season, the Nets finished with a 32-50 record and earned the No. 11 seed in the East. This was their worst record since the 2017-18 season, which also happened to be the last time they missed the playoffs before last season. As the team approaches the 2024-25 season, there is not much optimism they will return to the playoffs just yet. This sentiment, most notably, comes off the heels of the team trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks this summer.
However, despite the team’s roster status, they are not considering next season a rebuilding year. In July, Nets wing Cam Thomas spoke about maintaining high expectations for the team next season.
“We’re not going to treat this as a rebuild as people say we’re doing. We’re going to go out there and compete and try to win every game. If we lose, we lose. We’re not going to throw games. We’re going to compete hard. It’s going to be entertaining and exciting with good, young Nets basketball. I can’t wait to see it,” Thomas said.
Regardless, it will be difficult for the Nets to make a postseason run next year. They finished 11th in the conference last season and got worse on paper. There is a lot to look forward to in Brooklyn. However, a playoff appearance seems like a pipe dream at this point.
The Nets’ Offseason Recap
Brooklyn’s biggest move of the offseason was moving on from Bridges. However, it is far from the only move they made. The team acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Shake Milton as part of the trade. Additionally, they acquired Ziaire Williams from the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason as well. Furthermore, the team re-signed Nic Claxton and Keon Johnson in the offseason. On the flip side, they lost free agent Lonnie Walker IV, who recently signed with the Boston Celtics.
The team still has some free agents on the market, such as Dennis Smith Jr. and Jacob Gilyard. At this stage, there are no updates regarding the status of those players. However, with training camp set to begin in less than two weeks, it would not be a surprise to see either of them on a roster soon.
