Sharpe reportedly will sign two-year, $12-million deal with Nets

By R.L. Bynum

Former North Carolina center Day’Ron Sharpe will sign a two-year, $12-million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, according to a Monday afternoon report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.

This comes one day after the news that Brooklyn didn’t tender qualifying offers to Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, making both unrestricted free agents.

Earlier on Monday, Charania reported that Williams will also sign a two-year, $12-million deal with the Nets.

NBA free agent negotiations can began Monday evening and contracts can be signed at noon July 6.

The news means that Sharpe, who just finished his fourth season in Brooklyn, could play with fellow Tar Heels Drake Powell. Cameron Johnson, however, was reportedly traded Monday by the Nets to the Denver Nuggets for Michael Porter Jr.

Brooklyn, where Johnson has played the last 2½ seasons, got the rights to Powell after the Atlanta Hawks made him the 22nd overall pick Wednesday in the NBA draft.

Had the Nets made what would have been a one-year, $5.9 million qualifying offer to Sharpe, he would have been a restricted free agent. That would have given the Nets the right to match offers from any teams.

Sharpe may have been motivated to stay with Brooklyn since he had his best professional season during the first season under Coach Jordi Fernández.

Last season, Sharpe averaged 7.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 18.2 minutes. Per 36 minutes, Sharpe averaged 15.8 points and 13.1 rebounds per game, and he pulled down 16 rebounds (10 offensive) in 30½ minutes in a 115–113 loss to Boston on March 15.

Sharpe played behind center Nic Claxton, who has been the subject of trade rumors that have had him going to the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to Trevor William Marks, citing dataBallr, Brooklyn was about 10 points per 100 possessions better with Sharpe playing instead of Claxton in each of the past two seasons, Sharpe has the highest offensive rebounding percentage (19.4%) all-time for players who have played at least 1,000 minutes and his defensive metrics are impressive.

Photo via @BrooklynNets