Nets cut Drew Timme and Dariq Whitehead — though they still could return

The Nets waived power forward Drew Timme and guard Dariq Whitehead on Monday, easing their roster crunch and getting close to their mandated limit. 

The move ended the gamble the Nets had taken on local Newark native Whitehead, an injury-plagued prospect who’d been arguably the best schoolboy talent in the country just three years ago. 

It remains to be seen whether it ended Timme’s time as a Net, still eligible for their final open two-way spot. 

Whitehead was on a guaranteed $3.3 million deal — which the Nets must pay — though Timme’s deal wasn’t guaranteed.

It leaves the Nets $161,000 above the minimum salary floor according to ESPN Insider Bobby Marks, though they now have 19 players and still have to get down to 18 by Tuesday. 

Timme had inked a multiyear contract with the Nets near the end of last season, averaging a surprising 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in nine games, then backing that up with an impressive performance in Las Vegas summer league.

But the deal was not guaranteed, and he was made redundant when Danny Wolf fell to the Nets at the end of the first-round in June’s draft. 

While Wolf doesn’t have Timme’s array of post moves, he’s light years better as a passer and is four years younger. 

Still, the 25-year-old Timme could still be back, with a source calling it “undetermined” whether the Texan lands the Nets’ final two-way spot. 

Despite being just 21, Whitehead’s prospects seem dimmer. 

Originally seen as a viable gamble with the 22nd overall pick in 2023, Whitehead never could fully overcome a string of injuries and trio of surgeries: August 2022, June ’23 and January ’24.

He was on borrowed time that finally ran out on Monday. 

A fractured foot led to surgery on Whitehead’s right fifth metatarsal at Duke, and after it didn’t heal properly, he needed a second procedure with bone grafting.

Finally, a stress reaction in his left shin forced surgery to end his rookie campaign. 

Whitehead skipped summer league to work on his body, but never quite managed to fully recapture the explosion that made him the top-ranked high school recruit out of Montverde Academy (Fla.) by Rivals.

After the Nets spent three first-round picks on point guards and a fourth first-rounder on wing Drake Powell — a direct positional competitor — Whitehead ends his Nets career having averaged 5.3 points in 22 games over two seasons. 

The Nets still have to cut down to 18 players — 15 standard deals and three two-ways — and right now they have 17 standard deals and two two-ways.

Jalen Wilson is partially guaranteed for $88,000, while Tyrese Martin is non-guaranteed.

They are the logical choice for the last standard deal, with Fanbo Zeng on Exhibit 10.