The Nets nab Patty Mills and retain Bruce Brown, lose Jeff Green and Spencer Dinwiddie

By Jake Samieske

The Brooklyn Nets re-signed fan favorites Blake Griffin and Bruce Brown to one year-deals while also acquiring veteran Australian point guard Patty Mills on a two-year, $12 million deal, according to ESPN.

The moves should serve to offset the loss of Jeff Green and the reported departure of Spencer Dinwiddie.

When the Nets exited the second round of the playoffs at the hands of eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks, there was of course disappointment that came with the realization that their star-studded roster was not invincible. Although James Harden was hobbled with a hamstring injury, and Kyrie Irving was unable to play entirely, the Kevin Durant-led Nets struggled to contain the size, strength, and perimeter shooting of the Bucks.

And so intuitively, General Manager Sean Marks re-signed Griffin, arguably the Nets’ grittiest players on the first night of free agency on Monday.

Griffin fit like a glove in his brief stint with the Nets, complementing the big-three with shooting, defensive toughness, and, of course, a lot of dunks. Brown was also a defensive specialist, often tasked with guarding the opponents’ best guard.

Patty Mills comes to the Nets after hitting a career high 161 three-pointers in 2020-2021 for the San Antonio Spurs, arguably the NBA’s most respected franchise. Mills has averaged more than 10.8 points for the last four seasons, showing he has the potential to lead the Nets from the bench and augment the big-three with precise shooting. Mills also was a point guard for the Spurs while Marks was an assistant coach.

The Australian-born Mills will lead his national team in the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics against his soon-to-be teammate Kevin Durant and Team USA.