• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 1, 2025

Will Nets’ $110M Trio Finally Play In Round 1?

  • The Nets have dedicated 63% of their $110M payroll to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons.
  • The three might play their first game together in a first-round matchup against Boston.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Nets formed a new Big Three at the trade deadline, but Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons have yet to play a game together.

Now, after clinching the 7-seed for a first-round series against Boston, there’s a good chance that Simmons (back) could make his season debut in Game 3 or 4 in Brooklyn.

That’s good news for the Nets, who have dedicated 63% of their payroll to the trio — with a $33 million cap hit for Simmons alone.

  • Durant, Irving, and Simmons account for $110M of Brooklyn’s $174.5M payroll.
  • Brooklyn’s 10th-worst defensive rating (112.3) would improve immensely with the two-time All-Defensive First Teamer.
  • Simmons’ 106.1 defensive rating in 2020-21 was tied for fourth in the NBA.
  • With Simmons on the court last year, the 76ers had a 107.4 defensive rating, which would’ve ranked second.

This season’s Nets have posed a conundrum for sportsbooks and bettors: Brooklyn is a star-studded team on paper whose stars have barely played together. 

Yet despite making the postseason as a 7-seed through the play-in, the Nets still have the third-best odds (+600) to win it all behind the Suns (+255) and Bucks (+475). 

Brooklyn also has a slight advantage (-120) to win its series with Boston (-110) — but at Caesars Sportsbook, 98% of bettors have put their money on the Celtics to win the series.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

breaking

Pacers-Thunder Is Lowest-Payroll NBA Finals in Years

Neither team is in the luxury tax, despite rosters with multiple All-Stars.

MSG Tickets for Potential Pacers-Knicks Game 7 Start at $1,100

The current get-in price for a potential Game 7 is $1,099.
Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson Accused of Rape and Abuse in Lawsuit

The woman says their relationship began when he was at Duke in 2018.

Featured Today

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.
May 30, 2025

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.

Steve Cohen Taps USTA’s Lew Sherr to Reshape Mets Off Field

The MLB club hires a top executive from the U.S. Tennis Association.
May 29, 2025

T-Wolves Face Roster-Building Questions After Another WCF Loss

The team has ownership stability entering this offseason.
Ovi
May 29, 2025

Capitals Say Ovechkin Retirement Email Was Sent in Error

Ovechkin is the NHL’s all-time scoring leader and has one Stanley Cup. 
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
SGA
May 29, 2025

Thunder Poised to Dominate for Years After Winning West

OKC has the NBA’s best shot at a dynasty with the new CBA.
May 28, 2025

Mets Casino Project Moves Forward As Cohen Shakes Up Front Office

Scott Havens will depart as team president of business operations.
May 28, 2025

Terry Bradshaw Calls Steelers Pursuit of Aaron Rodgers ‘a Joke’

The Pro Football Hall of Famer lambastes the courtship of the mercurial star.
Ted Leonsis
exclusive
May 27, 2025

Where Do the Mystics Fit in a Rapidly Evolving WNBA?

The WNBA is increasingly divided between the new- and old-guard owners.