On February 22, Beijing time, according to the famous Shams report, the Nets will sign free agent Dragic until the end of the season. With the Nets currently on the roster full, they need to cut a player to make room for Dragic. According to The Famous Woj, the Nets will cut team guard Javin Carter. Carter's contract will expire in the summer of '23, with a salary of $3.925 million next season.
The 35-year-old Dragic has played five games for the Raptors this season, including two starts, averaging 8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1 steal in 18 minutes per game. In the previous trade deadline, he was sent to the Spurs by the Raptors in a 2-for-2 deal, and was subsequently bought out by the Spurs. During the buyout process, Dragic voluntarily gave up nearly 820,000 yuan in salary.
Dragic, who became a free agent, was greatly coaxed in the free market, and according to previous news reports, the Warriors, Bulls, Bucks and other championship-level teams expressed interest in him. That includes the Nets. Previously, it was reported that Nets coach Nash decided to take the initiative to lobby Dragic to join the team. In order to convince Dragic, Nash put a lot of effort into missing the 75 star party of All-Star Weekend and personally interviewed Dragic. Now it seems that Nash's efforts have paid off, and Dragic finally chose to join the Nets to chase the championship with the team.
Dragic and Nash used to be teammates in the Sun Array between 08 and 11, and the two had a close relationship. The two have played 183 games side-by-side, when Dragic was Nash's replacement. In the middle of the 2011 season, Dragic was traded to the Rockets. Although he returned to the Suns in 13 years, Nash by then had already moved to the Lakers. It was also the first time they had reunited after 11 years, and the two were fighting side by side again.
Because Irving consistently refused to be vaccinated, he was unable to play in home games for the Nets. Dragic may become an important rotation player for the team, serving as the team's main substitute on the road and as the starting point guard in the home game. According to the Nets' past games, the Nets need a player with good ball control ability, and Dragic, who was once selected for the All-Star team, may become the team's best answer. Not only can he complement the depth of the squad, but he can also use his experience to help the team keep moving forward.
(Text/Yuwen Basketball)