James will become an unrestricted free agent Sunday after the Nets declined to extend him a qualifying offer, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
James was playing in Russia last season before he joined the Nets last April on a one-year deal. Brooklyn likely wasn't counting on James to become a regular member of the rotation, but he was needed to play meaningful minutes at times late in the regular season and during the postseason while James Harden and Kyrie Irving both missed time with injuries. All told, James made 22 appearances for Brooklyn, averaging 6.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 0.7 three-pointers in 15.4 minutes per contest. He was ultimately cut out of the rotation in Brooklyn's season-ending loss to the eventual champion Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, perhaps foreshadowing that the Nets weren't keen on bringing the 30-year-old back for 2021-22.
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Nets' Mike James: Struggles in 20 minutes off bench
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James finished Sunday's Game 4 against Milwaukee with five points (2-6 FG, 1-3 3Pt), three rebounds, one assist and one steal.
James provided a nice spark off the bench in Games 1 and 2 of the series, but he struggled in Game 3 (two points, 1-5 FG), and that carried over to Sunday's loss. With Kyrie Irving (ankle) exiting early, James had a chance to step up, but he took a few ill-advised shots and committed a pair of the Nets' 17 turnovers. In his 20 minutes, James finished as a minus-17 -- tied for the second-worst plus-minutes on the team. Nevertheless, with both Irving and James Harden (hamstring) very much questionable for Tuesday's Game 5, coach Steve Nash may have no choice but to again turn to James for increased minutes.
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Nets' Mike James: Steps up with inspired performance
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James tallied 12 points (5-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt), seven rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes during Saturday's 115-107 victory over Milwaukee.
James was forced into a much larger role after James Harden went down with a recurrence of his hamstring injury. Despite scoring just 12 points, James hit a number of key buckets for the Nets just when the Bucks were making a charge. If Harden is going to be sidelined with his injury, look for James to assume the primary backup role, something he has been able to do with some success already this year.
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Nets' Mike James: Logs 14 points from bench
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James totaed14 points (6-16 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 0-1 FT), eight assists, four rebounds and two steals across 28 minutes in Sunday's 123-109 win over the Cavaliers.
James is a solid addition to the backcourt corps and should provide excellent support for Kyrie Irving and James Harden in the playoffs. The Lamar product will likely see a good amount of cleanup work, as the trio of Harden, Irving and Kevin Durant should combine for some blowout victories in the first round.
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Nets' Mike James: Signed through end of season
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James is signing a deal to stick with the Nets for the rest of the season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
James has been productive over his two 10-day contracts, and the Nets have taken notice, rewarding him with a contract for the remainder of the season. The guard is averaging 6.6 points and 3.6 assists across 10 outings with the Nets.
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Nets' Mike James: Making first start for Brooklyn
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James will start Wednesday's game against San Antonio, Billy Reinhardt of NetsDaily.com reports.
The 30-year-old is making his first start for the Nets with Kyrie Irving (face) unavailable Wednesday. James Harden (hamstring) is returning from an 18-game absence and will have a minutes restriction off the bench, so James won't really be operating as Brooklyn's primary point guard.
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Nets' Mike James: Goes for 11-7-6 in win
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James recorded 11 points (1-7 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 8-8 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes during Tuesday's 115-107 win over the Bulls.
James set a season high with his seven rebounds Tuesday, and he saw extended run with Kyrie Irving (face) exiting early. While James was awful from the field, he was aggressive in getting to the free-throw line and ended up having a good night offensively.
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Nets' Mike James: Plans to sign second 10-day deal
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James plans to sign a second 10-day contract with the Nets on Monday, Mark Stein of The New York Times reports.
James joined Brooklyn on a 10-day pact April 20 and averaged 7.4 points, 4.2 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per contest across five games. He should continue to play a similar role for the Nets off the bench after he signs another 10-day agreement.
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Nets' Mike James: Scores 15 points off bench
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James registered 15 points (6-15 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three assists and a rebound across 24 minutes off the bench in Friday's loss against the Blazers.
James wasn't efficient by any means and needed 15 shots to score 15 points, but he's enjoying a solid scoring role off the bench for Brooklyn, especially in nights where Kevin Durant (who was rested Friday) and James Harden (hamstring) are sidelined. The veteran point guard has scored in double digits in two of his last three games.
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Nets' Mike James: Scores 11 points in win
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James scored 11 points (4-5 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT) with eight assists and three rebounds in a 116-103 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday.
James had a solid offensive performance off the bench in just his third game for Brooklyn this season. The guard recently signed a 10-day contract to provide the team with some needed backcourt depth. James has averaged 7.0 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds across his three games played.
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Nets' Mike James: Officially signs with Brooklyn
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James officially signed a 10-day contract with the Nets on Friday, and he'll be available to make his debut against the Celtics, Billy Reinhardt of NetsDaily.com reports.
The 30-year-old should provide some much-needed depth at point guard for a Brooklyn team that's currently without James Harden (hamstring), Tyler Johnson (knee), Chris Chiozza (hand) and Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) in the backcourt. James last appeared in the NBA with the Suns and Pelicans in the 2017-18 season. He averaged 9.3 points on 38.3 percent shooting from the field in 19.1 minutes per game.
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Nets' Mike James: Nearing deal with Brooklyn
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James is expected to sign a contract with Brooklyn once he satisfies the conditions of the NBA's health and safety protocols, Mark Stein of The New York Times reports.
Rumors circulated over the weekend that Brooklyn was targeting James to fill the spot on the roster that opened up after LaMarcus Aldridge's retirement, and it appears a deal between player and team is merely a formality at this point. Because James only recently returned to the United States after spending the 2020-21 campaign with Russian club CSKA Moscow, he could face more rigorous intake testings than most newly signed players. James' timeline for making his Nets debut is murky as a result, but once he's activated, the 30-year-old should provide some much-needed depth at point guard for a Brooklyn team that's currently without James Harden (hamstring), Tyler Johnson (knee), Chris Chiozza (hand) and Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) in the backcourt. James last appeared in the NBA with the Suns and Pelicans in the 2017-18 season, averaging 9.3 points on 38.3 percent shooting from the field in 19.1 minutes per game over his 36 appearances.
