Netlinked 1/20/15: Deron Williams out for Kings game and Kenyon Martin’s role on Jason Kidd’s Bucks

Following a split in their home-and-home series against the Washington Wizards this past weekend, the Nets have exactly half of their 2014-15 season slate (41 games) left to play. They begin their second half of the year on the West Coast, with three games in four days in Sacramento, Los Angeles (Clippers) and Utah, needing some wins desperately.

First off in this edition of Netlinked we have some Nets injury news. Deron Williams, who has been out since January 7th with a fractured rib, will make the trip with Brooklyn but has been ruled out for the Kings game. The Nets have been 1-5 without him and considering he played just four minutes in that loss to the Celtics on the 7th before leaving due to injury, and missed the Mavericks loss two days before, Deron’s absence has been partly responsible for Brooklyn winning just once in its last eight tries.

He hasn’t had the best season–13.9 points and 6.3 assists per game on .396/.389/.862 shooting–but clearly is someone the Nets need on the floor if they’re going to be successful. Jarrett Jack has been pretty good in filling in as the starter but there is a huge drop-off when reserve point Darius Morris gets in games to spell Jack. With a Deron return, which could be soon, Morris no longer is in the rotation.

Another interesting Nets-related note is that the Milwaukee Bucks–now coached by former Nets coach and All-Star Jason Kidd–have signed former Net, and Kidd’s New Jersey teammate for the back-to-back Finals losses, Kenyon Martin to a second 10-day contract.

Milwaukee signed the 37-year-old Martin, who played 50 games with the Knicks over the past two seasons, off the scrap heap over a week ago and he’s expected to provide some sort of veteran presence for a Bucks team loaded with youth. He’s probably also around at Kidd’s behest, as the two experienced great success with each other in New Jersey and are close friends. The closest thing to nepotism–besides what Doc Rivers is doing with the Clippers–you’re going to see in the NBA these days.