The Pacers couldn’t stay out of the drama this week, finding themselves in two heated clashes, with Brooklyn’s Trendon Watford playing a role in the chaos. It started Monday against the Timberwolves when Andrew Nembhard got tangled up with Mike Conley on a drive, catching him in the face. The refs let it slide, but Rudy Gobert didn’t—he leveled Nembhard with a shoulder to the head, earning a flagrant 2 and an ejection. Nembhard fired back, literally, by throwing the ball at Gobert. That technical, combined with an earlier one, got him tossed too.

Then on Thursday, things boiled over again, this time with the Brooklyn Nets‘ Watford. After Bennedict Mathurin’s layup, the Nets called a timeout, but Watford wasn’t done. He went after Nembhard with a forearm shove, setting off another scuffle. Myles Turner jumped in, and tensions spilled to the sideline before officials broke it up.

Even Jordi Fernandez the Nets head coach came running to separate Watford from Turner. But he also got pushed in amidst all the chaos.

The verdict? Watford got two technicals and an early exit. Turner and Nembhard picked up one each, but no free throws were taken. Just another fiery chapter in Indiana’s week of on-court chaos.

Watford had himself a solid game before things took a turn. In 27 minutes, he dropped 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, nailed his lone three-pointer, and added five rebounds, two assists, and a steal. But with 4:48 left in regulation, Brooklyn held a slim 84-79 lead when his night came to an abrupt end.

Nembhard didn’t last much longer, either. Less than a minute into overtime, he got whistled for a foul and wasn’t happy about it. He let referee Tony Brothers hear it, but that backfired fast. Brothers hit him with a technical—his second of the game—leading to an automatic ejection. He finished with nine points before getting sent to the locker room.

But the Pacers had the last laugh as they beat the Nets 105-99. Brooklyn may have taken the loss, but their bigger challenge lies ahead—figuring out their roster for next season. With several contracts set to expire, including Day’Ron Sharpe’s, the Nets will need to decide whether to keep him or look elsewhere for a backup center.

While Trendon Watford is a big man, the Nets could do with another one

The Brooklyn Nets have some big decisions ahead with seven contracts expiring this offseason. One name to watch? Day’Ron Sharpe. His rookie deal is up after two extensions, but with Nic Claxton locked in as the starting center, Brooklyn might look elsewhere for a backup.

If the Nets move on, a strong replacement could be Naz Reid. The Timberwolves big man has a player option for 2025-26, but if he declines it, teams will be lining up. Reid’s made a name for himself as one of the best bench players in the league. Despite starting only 74 of his 396 career games, he’s consistently produced, averaging 12 points on nearly 48% shooting—never dipping below 41% in any season.

His outside shot? A game-changer. Reid takes five threes a night and knocks them down at 40%, way above the 35% average for centers. That ability to stretch the floor helped him secure the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award, beating out Malik Monk, Bobby Portis, and Norman Powell.

But don’t sleep on his defense. With a 109 defensive rating and four boards per game, he holds his own on both ends.

A skilled, floor-spacing big who thrives off the bench? That’s exactly what Brooklyn needs if they part ways with Sharpe. Reid’s versatility and scoring punch would give the Nets a legit boost in their frontcourt rotation.