The Nets waived veteran forward Haywood Highsmith ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, league sources confirmed to the Daily News. Highsmith never appeared in a game for Brooklyn, but according to his agent, Jerry Dianis, he was close. Dianis said Highsmith had progressed to full 5-on-5 work in pra ctice and was tentatively scheduled to make his season debut Feb. 11 at Barclays Center against the Indiana Pacers, just days before the All-Star break. Instead, he’s now headed to the waiver wire. Highsmith, 29, was still rehabbing from an August meniscus surgery when the Nets acquired him from the Miami Heat during an offseason built around salary-absorbing trades. Brooklyn also picked up an unprotected 2032 second-round pick from Miami in the deal while sending back a 2026 second-rounder protected from No. 31 through No. 55. The expectation at the time was patience. The Nets didn’t put a public timeline on his return and offered few updates during his brief tenure, even as Highsmith remained a consistent presence in individual workouts, film sessions and practices. Dianis said that patience had nearly paid off. Now, he said, several contending teams have already reached out with interest once Highsmith clears waivers. Brooklyn will carry the financial cost of the move. Highsmith was on a $5.6 million expiring contract, and the waiver pushes the Nets’ dead cap total to $14.1 million for the 2025-26 season. On paper, Highsmith checked every box the Nets value. He’s a switchable defender with 35 career playoff games on his résumé, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2023, and he shot 39% from 3-point range over his last two full seasons. A rotation wing shaped by Erik Spoelstra’s system and postseason demands, Highsmith appeared in 74 games and made 42 starts for Miami last season, earning a reputation as one of the league’s more dependable 3-and-D options. Before entering the NBA as an undrafted free agent, the Baltimore native starred at Wheeling University, earning First Team Division II All-America honors and Mountain East Conference Player of the Year in his senior season. But he never had the chance to translate any of that to the floor in Brooklyn. The timing of the waiver is also notable. On Wednesday, the Nets agreed to a multi-team deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors that sent Chris Paul to Toronto and brought Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 Raptors second-round pick and cash considerations to Brooklyn. The Nets also ruled Cam Thomas out for personal reasons ahead of Thursday’s game in Orlando. Those moves, coupled with the Highsmith waiver, suggest Brooklyn may not be finished reshaping its roster before the league’s 3 p.m. deadline. For Highsmith, the wait to play this season will continue elsewhere. For the Nets, it’s another sign that this deadline week is as much about flexibility and future assets as it is about the present roster. ...read more read less