Brooklyn Nets Waive Dariq Whitehead and Drew Timme Ahead of Season

Brooklyn, NY — The Brooklyn Nets announced on Monday that they have waived guard Dariq Whitehead and forward Drew Timme. This decision comes just over a week before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.

Whitehead’s release is notable due to his fully guaranteed salary of $3,262,560 for the upcoming season, meaning the Nets will incur a dead-money cap hit. If he clears waivers, the team will also decline his $5,366,912 option for the 2026-27 season. The 21-year-old Whitehead, who was selected 22nd overall in the 2023 draft after a season at Duke, has struggled to stay on the court, playing only 22 games in two seasons. He averaged 5.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, waiving Whitehead allows the Nets to exceed the NBA’s salary cap threshold by $16,000, a necessary move before the deadline next Tuesday. Meanwhile, Timme, known for his impressive college career at Gonzaga, was undrafted in 2023 and spent much of his tenure in the G League. He signed a two-year standard contract late last season after a successful stint with the Long Island Nets, averaging 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in nine games with Brooklyn.

Timme’s contract was non-guaranteed, so the Nets will not face a cap hit by waiving him. Despite a productive NDA Summer League where he posted 25.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, Timme appeared to be the fourth option at center behind Nic Claxton, Day'Ron Sharpe, and rookie Danny Wolf. It is possible that Timme could return to the Nets on a two-way contract if he goes unclaimed.

The waiving of both players may indicate that the Nets are deciding between Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin for their final roster spot. Wilson has a partial guarantee of $88,000 that will increase to $382,000 if he makes the team, whereas Martin’s deal is non-guaranteed. Timme’s departure could open the door for Martin, who has been serving as the backup shooting guard.

As the team continues to finalize their roster ahead of the season opener on October 21, head coach and management are faced with tough decisions to shape their young core.