Brooklyn Nets

Did the NBA coronavirus suspension just breathe life into a possible NBA return for Kevin Durant?!?!

Sorry, Brooklyn Nets fans ... it sounds like the answer to that question is a big, fat NOPE ... 'cause KD's right-hand man, Rich Kleiman, says a summer return from his Achilles injury is "not very realistic."

Of course, the 31-year-old superstar went down with the injury in the NBA Finals last June ... and KD hasn't played a minute of NBA basketball since.

With the entire Association coming to a screeching halt last week due to the coronavirus outbreak, many fans -- especially in BK -- speculated the suspension could be a blessing in disguise for Durant.

But, KD's longtime business partner, Rich Kleiman, put an end to the speculation on Monday ... telling ESPN the chances are slim he suits up in time for a potential playoff push for the 7th-seed Nets.

"Honestly, not very realistic from my standpoint, and not even spoken about," Kleiman told "Golic & Wingo."

At the time, KD was given a 12-month rehab timeline ... which would time up perfectly with the league's potential return date.

Regardless, Kleiman says don't hold your breath.

"It feels like (playing this season) clearly was not something that was in the cards prior to all this."

"And, now, I think just like the rest of the world, it's hard to take anything more than day by day."

Kleiman says the next step is figuring out the best place for KD to rehab while following the CDC's new recommendations ... which suggests no gatherings of more than 50 people.

Meek Mill and a few friends teamed up to give back to kids who are sadly impacted by a broken prison system -- giving them major cash to blow ... and a chance to meet a G.O.A.T.

It all went down Saturday morning in NYC, where Meek, 76ers partner Michael Rubin, Brooklyn Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai, Nets player Caris LeVert and DJ Khaled himself all gathered with dozens of children and their families at the NBA Store for the generous holiday giveaway.

Saturday's event was put together by the REFORM Alliance -- the criminal justice org Meek and co. created to get people out from behind bars when they don't belong there.

Check out the clip though ... Michael, Meek and an apparent NBA Store employee explain to the group that each kid and family will get a minimum of $500 to spend on anything they want inside. Some bigger fams were given more to spend. All on the house, of course.

Kyrie Irving was in a giving mood before the rest of the Brooklyn Nets played the Chicago Bulls -- and it looks like karma paid him and his team back a few hours later.

The Nets' superstar point guard was greeted by a group of fans Saturday in Chi-Town, where we're told Kyrie took some time to chop it up with a group of youngsters. He went even further than that though ... handing out cold hard cash to the kids too.

TMZ Sports got ahold of video showing KI handing out what appears to be hundred dollar bills to the group that had congregated around the team bus. It looks like he dishes out a few bills he's got on hand, and toward the end ... seems to give away a stack.

Check it out ... Kyrie asks who's in charge of the group of kids -- and it seems like an adult answers him off-camera. Kyrie hands that person what looks to be more than just one hundred dollar bill ... and tells them to take care of the kids with it. Super nice, right?!

Well, it looks like the universe paid it forward soon afterward ... 'cause Kyrie's Nets squeaked out a win against the hometown team WITHOUT him being on the court.

Michael Rapaport ain't taking too kindly to Kevin Durant's uncool assessment of his beloved NY Knicks ... and sent this message to the Brooklyn Nets star:

"You got a big task in front of you -- you and your flat-earth friend, Kyrie Irving -- don't worry about the New York Knicks right now."

KD set social media on fire last week when discussing his decision to sign with Brooklyn instead of the Knickerbockers ... saying "The cool thing right now is not the Knicks.”

Durant basically said the Knicks haven't been good in decades and young people see the organization as more of a joke (since that's all they know) than a legendary franchise.

Enter Rapaport -- who'll stop at nothing to defend his beloved hoops team. He tells TMZ Sports KD is DEAD WRONG about the Knicks ... even if they've had their recent struggles.

"The Knicks are always gonna be cool," Rapaport told us Monday. "Don't worry about us. We know our deficiencies."

Rapaport has some advice for Durant, who's recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered during the NBA Finals ... saying the Knicks should be the last thing on his mind.

"You should just be chilling in a hyperbolic chamber getting your blood spun so we can see you back on the court."

Rapaport ain't holding a grudge against the superstar baller, though ... telling us he hopes to see Durant 100% in no time.

Allen Crabbe just got hit with 2 DUI charges after getting popped by cops on the Sunset Strip this summer ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The NBA baller was busted back on June 25 after cops say the 27-year-old was "straddling lanes" around midnight on the popular Hollywood street.

You can see what happens next in the TMZ Sports video ... cops conducted a field sobriety test on the 6'6", 212-pound small forward.

While it didn't outwardly appear Crabbe bombed the test ... police arrested him on suspicion of drunk driving.

Now, we've learned the L.A. District Attorney has hit Crabbe with one count of DUI of an alcoholic beverage and one count of driving with a .08 BAC or higher -- both misdemeanors.

Crabbe could face time behind bars for the offenses -- and he'll have to fight the case in court. His arraignment hearing is slated for next week in L.A.

Carmelo Anthony is all in on joining forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn ... telling TMZ Sports he considers the 2 NBA superstars "family" ... and teaming up would be "bigger than basketball."

The 10-time All-Star has been jobless since November ... but has publicly made it clear he's NOT ready to ride off into the sunset just yet.

KD and Uncle Drew don't want that to happen either, with the new Nets ballers reportedly "pushing" for the team to sign the 35-year-old free agent.

We spoke with Melo out in NYC on Saturday night about being recruited by the pair of NBA champs ... and he seems more than ready to team up.

"That's family," Melo said. "So, that's bigger than basketball. If something happens, something's gonna happen."

Anthony also has a message for everybody campaigning to get him back in the league ... and says he's ready to get to work.

Kyrie Irving is getting a head start on building chemistry with his new teammates ... having a night out in L.A. with Caris LeVert and Taurean Prince ... and TMZ Sports has the vid!!!

The Brooklyn Nets trio hit up Wolfgang Puck's restaurant, Spago, in Beverly Hills on Monday night ... and everyone appeared to be in great spirits.

It should be encouraging to BK fans to see the NBA superstar hanging with his new guys, considering there were reports he wasn't getting along with his teammates in Boston ... and of course, there was a MAJOR falling out in Cleveland.

Kevin Durant wants to make it crystal clear his old team deserves ZERO blame for his NBA Finals injury ... saying the Warriors didn't mishandle his calf injury and no one forced him to play.

KD is finally addressing the ruptured Achilles he suffered during game 5 against the Toronto Raptors ... saying Golden State didn't pressure him to come back early from a calf strain he sustained earlier in the playoffs.

“Hell, no. How can you blame [the Warriors]? Hell, no,” Durant told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

"Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back ... Right when the series started, I targeted Game 5."

"Hell, nah. It just happened. It’s basketball. Sh*t happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. We just need to move on from that sh*t because I’m going to be back playing.”

There ya go, critics ... straight from KD's mouth.

Durant also addressed the claims that Raps fans were applauding his injury ... saying he was in a daze and didn't hear anything, but added, "It will probably be the last time they will be in the Finals."

Of course ... the 30-year-old is slowly recovering from the injury ... and TMZ Sports even spotted him walking without crutches last week.

As for his decision to leave the Dubs for Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets ... KD's reason is very simple.

Kevin Durant seems to be making great progress -- because the NBA superstar was out in Los Angeles on Wednesday ... cruisin' around the restaurant scene WITHOUT crutches!

Remember, Durant tore his right Achilles on June 10 during Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals ... but the recovery is expected to be so tough, he could miss the entire 2019-20 season.

Which is why we were so impressed when we saw KD walking out of Catch restaurant in L.A. -- sure, there was a little hitch in his giddy up ... but overall, he was moving pretty well.

Durant didn't have much to say when we asked him about his comeback, but his legs did all the talking for him.

Of course, the last time we saw Durant ... he was leaving an office building in NYC with his leg bandaged and a medical scooter in tow.

Despite the injury, 30-year-old Durant signed a MASSIVE new contract with the Brooklyn Nets ... 4 years, $164 million.

If he does make it back for next season, Durant will join Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan on a Brooklyn team that could be VERY dangerous.

Rap mogul Irv Gotti is a hardcore New York Knicks fan -- and he didn't hold back when we asked how he felt about the Knicks striking out in free agency ... 

"Man, F*ck Dolan!"

Yeah, he ain't happy. 

Gotti -- along with a bunch of other Knicks fans -- are furious with owner James Dolan for not signing any of the marquee free agents up for grabs over the past few days. 

He's especially upset about Kevin Durant -- who not only didn't sign with the Knicks, but inked a deal just down the way with the Brooklyn Nets. 

Ditto for Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan. 

"Yay for the Nets," Gotti told TMZ Sports sarcastically the other day ... "I feel like Stephen A. Smith. I'm disgusted."

Dolan has been having a rough 2019 -- back in March, he took a lot of heat after he was caught on video ejecting a Knicks fan from Madison Square Garden after the fan heckled Dolan to sell the team. 

Kevin Durant has had it with the Golden State Warriors ... 'cause he says he's taking his talents across the country to the Brooklyn Nets to play alongside Kyrie Irving.

KD just made the announcement Sunday evening via "The Boardroom" Instagram page -- the sports show he created, which is similar to LeBron's "The Shop." Speaking of Bron, Kevin's roll-out of his "decision" is very reminiscent of LBJ's take in 2010.

According to reports, Kevin is signing a 4-year, $164 million deal with the Nets, while Kyrie's going for 4 years at $141 million. DeAndre Jordan is also reportedly joining them.

This, of course, follows KD's horrific season-ending injury in the NBA Finals just a few weeks ago -- when he ruptured his Achilles tendon after coming back from a previous calf injury.

Kevin's leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table by not re-signing with the Warriors -- a team he just went to three straight Finals with, walking with two Finals MVP awards and two rings. Some reports suggested KD was unhappy with the way the team handled his injury.

That's all in the past now though, and even the 2019-2020 season is somewhat moot ... seeing how he's not expected to return to the court until the start of the 2020-21 season. 

No, this is not a shot from "Dirty Dancing" ... it's NBA star D'Angelo Russell lifting his new soccer friend, Riqui Puig, up for his first slam dunk ever!!!

DLo -- a huge FC Barcelona fan -- visited the team facility in Spain for a VIP tour ... and got to hang out with the 5'7" midfielder to shoot and kick some balls around.

Puig shows off his J, but admits he's too vertically challenged to ever graze the rim on his own ... so the 6'5" hooper gave him a hand for his first-ever dunk!!

DLo gets major props for his footwork during some keep-ups ... and even lands a goal in the back of the net when they tested his skills on the pitch.

Stephen Jackson is giving some solid advice to D'Angelo Russell following his weed bust earlier this week ... telling the NBA star to keep his head up and be SMARTER with his pot moving forward.

As we previously reported ... DLo was cited for marijuana possession Wednesday at LaGuardia airport after TSA found a fake can of Arizona iced tea in his checked bag ... with green stashed away in a secret compartment.

Stack is now going to bat for Russell ... essentially saying it's NBD because ganja's practically legal everywhere now, but laws are laws and the young hooper can't be getting in trouble.

"Thinking bout @dloading stay strong kid," Jackson says. "They rather u take man made stuff so they can benefit."

Jackson added, "Gotta be smarter DLo but remember it’s a 'PLANT' not a drug. Facts. Do your homework."

FYI -- Jackson is a big marijuana advocate ... and has teamed up with fellow ex-NBA great Al Harrington's Viola cannabis company to share the benefits of weed as an alternative to prescription pills for pain relief.

Stack says although it's on its way to being legal everywhere, it's still a crime ... "It’s only a prob having it if u successful and black. It’s dam near legal."

NBA star D'Angelo Russell was busted for marijuana at a New York City airport Wednesday night ... after TSA found weed stashed in his checked bag.

DLo's luggage was searched before his flight to Louisville took off from LaGuardia airport around 7 PM ... when a suspicious can of Arizona Iced Tea flagged the system.

As it turns out, it wasn't just an ordinary can of tea -- it was one of those "cans" that actually has a secret compartment people use to hide their drugs (y'all stoners know what we're talking about).

We're told there was more weed found in a grinder inside the fake can as well.

Law enforcement sources tell us Russell initially tried to say the weed belonged to his brother, but he was alone and in possession of the bag.

TMZ Sports has learned that Russell was cited for possession of marijuana (under 50 grams) ... and was allowed to leave. We're told the summons usually results in the defendant paying a fine.

The Brooklyn Nets released a statement Thursday afternoon, saying, "We have been made aware of the situation involving D’Angelo Russell and are in the process of gathering more information at this time."

It was a breakout season for Russell ... who averaged 21 points and 7 assists per game and made his 1st All-Star game.