Maxwell Lewis becomes Nets roster casualty with historic draft class coming in

The Nets waived forward Maxwell Lewis on Friday, clearing up roster space after taking the biggest crop of first-round draft picks in NBA history. 

Lewis had initially arrived in the Dec. 29 immediately fractured his left tibia making a 3-pointer seconds into his New Year’s Day debut.

The injury stunted his opportunity to show what he could do, in the end averaging 5.3 points in 14.2 minutes over just 21 appearances. 

But more importantly, Brooklyn had to make room for its huge incoming class of rookies.

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The Nets took five players in the first round of Wednesday’s NBA Draft, a league record. 

Those first-round picks — along with some other undrafted rookies — will be on display in a couple of weeks when the Nets head to Las Vegas for Summer League. 

The schedule was released Friday showing four games, though every team is guaranteed to play at least five tilts. The Nets open July 10 against the Thunder (5:30 p.m, ESPN2).

On July 13, they’ll face the Wizards (8:00 p.m, ESPN2), on July 15 take on the rival Knicks (6:00 p.m. ESPN2) and then play the Magic the next night (7:30 p.m, ESPN). 

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All times are Eastern, with the first two games at Thomas & Mack Center and the latter pair at smaller Cox Pavilion.

Then the Nets and other teams head into a tournament for the Summer League title. 

The Nets should contend for the Summer League tournament title with a team including first-round picks Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf. Drew Timme will play Summer League, per CBS Sports, while 2023 first-round pick Dariq Whitehead — who has seen his first two years slowed by injuries — presumably should be in the mix as well, along with several undrafted prospects. 

Former Alabama 6-foot-11 forward Grant Nelson and 6-5 Oregon wing TJ Bamba will join the Nets for Summer League. Nelson is in the mix for a two-way contract, per HoopsHype, while Bamba is a Bronx native who was on the Big Ten All-Defensive team. 

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Sunday is the deadline for Brooklyn to pick up team options on Timme, Keon Johnson, Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson, as well as make qualifying offers to Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams in order to make them restricted free agents.

Without qualifying offers, they’ll become unrestricted free agents. 

Timme can play with the Nets’ Summer League team even if Brooklyn doesn’t pick up his team option.