News Nets Team Notes

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nolan Traore and E.J. Liddell combine for 47 as Long Island Nets win, 125-106

On the back of Nolan Traore’s best G League performance and a dominant debut from Brooklyn’s two-way, EJ Liddell, the Long Island Nets defeated the Delaware Blue Coats Friday night in Wilmington, 125-106.

Traore, the 6’5” French point guard taken at No. 19 in the Draft, finished with a career high in the G League with 30 points. It was his best game of the 10 he’s played for Long Island. He connected on 10 of his 13 shots, including dropping four of five from beyond the arc…

WHAT A NIGHT FOR TRAORE!! The @BrooklynNets first round pick notched a CAREER-HIGH 30 PTS to secure the @LongIslandNets W pic.twitter.com/XTvWbXWUSI

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 6, 2025

In the first half, Traore was perfect, 5-of-5, including 3-of 3 from long-range…

Perfect first quarter for Nolan
13 PTS
5-5 FG
3-3 3PT pic.twitter.com/d5gJkaheLr

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) December 6, 2025

Traore has also picked up his game in other departments, finishing Friday night’s game with six assists and four rebounds. He also made strides in his biggest issue: protecting the ball. Traore, who at times has looked like a turnover machine, had only two in this one, less than half the 4.3 he’s averaged in 10 G League games.

Traore plays very physically, relying on his speed. He’s quick, and oftentimes that can be a good thing; however, if you’re turnover-prone, it can be quite the opposite. In five of those 10 games, he registered five or more. So, overall, Friday’s game was a very positive step in his development.

The 30 points Traore registered Friday was his second big game in Long Island’s last six. On November 26, he had 28 points and nine assists. In the six games since, Traore has averaged 19.0 points and shot 47.5% from deep.

From one piece of this team’s future to another, EJ Liddell make his Long Island debut in this one. After spending more time than not on the bench in Brooklyn, the 6’6” wing who turns 25 next week, finally got his chance. For Liddell, this had to seen as a statement game.

The Ohio State product finished with 17 points, connecting on 5-of-10 shot attempts, including two of his four attempts from deep. He added 11 rebounds in his first game on Long Island, giving him a double-double in his first career G League game.

Double-Double Debut for E.J. Liddell pic.twitter.com/pUGZVnrPGu

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) December 6, 2025

One of the most fun things to watch about Liddell’s game is his ability to block the ball. He picked up a game-leading three blocks in this one, making a statement with every one. He even had a steal to his credit, showing his ability as ballhawk. This was a game that acts as a reminder for everyone watching Liddell, while is not one of the Flatbush 5, don’t sleep on him.

Tyson Etienne, the Nets other two-way, also made his debut with the Long Island Nets this season in this one. Like Liddell with 17 points, picking up five rebounds, and one assist. Knowing what we know about Etienne, he’s sure to turn it up the more games he gets under his belt playing real minutes, but this was a very solid showing.

Nate Williams had another stellar shooting performance, connecting on nine of his 14 shots for 22 points. He also had seven rebounds and four assists along with a steal and one block.

Finally, Trevon Scott also continued to play well, finishing with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Yuri Collins had eight assists. With this performance, Collins has now picked up at least four assists in 57 consecutive games,the fifth-longest such streak in NBA G League history…

Yuri Collins has recorded 4+ assists in 57 consecutive games

Collins passes JD Davison for the fifth-longest such streak in NBA G League history (combined Tip-Off Tournament and Regular Season) pic.twitter.com/ZsnsVl7fHA

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) December 6, 2025

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (4-6) waste little time as they return to the court tomorrow night, Saturday, for a rematch with the Delaware Blue Coats in Delaware. The game tips off at 6:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA G League and Long Island Nets respective websites, or Philly 57 if you’re local to Philadelphia.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 125, Delaware Blue Coats 109 – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ombine-for-47-as-long-island-nets-win-125-106

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets 119, Pelicans 101: Michael Porter Jr. ties career high, leads Brooklyn over New Orleans

Sometimes the best reminder that you are not sinking is watching someone else tread water.

Saturday’s 119-101 win over the New Orleans Pelicans served as a reminder for Nets fans that, as rough as things have looked at times this season, things can always be worse. You could be New Orleans Pelicans fans.

With both teams giving at least three rookies real minutes, the night quietly turned into a measuring stick between two recent draft classes.

Brooklyn’s rookies looked more in control and far more confident, with the newcomers combining for 25 points, 16 assists and ten rebounds while New Orleans’ group combined for 22 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds.

And with Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson out indefinitely due to a right abductor injury, New Orleans simply lacked the offensive punch to keep pace.

While Brooklyn’s rookies continue to show encouraging signs of growth, it was another newcomer, this one a veteran who stepped up to play the biggest role in sealing the win.

Michael Porter Jr. poured in a season high 35 points to go along with nine rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 60.8% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. It was his third straight 30-point game.

A Scorer Set Free​

While tying his career-high with 35 points, the former Denver Nugget continues to prove that he is capable of carrying the load of being a team’s top scorer.

While serving as a third option in Denver, Porter Jr.’s offensive role was primarily limited to corner threes and kick outs in transition. With Brooklyn, he’s been asked to take on a much more hands-on role, and has thrived since being expected to do so.

During the final possession of the first half, he took matters into his own hands, bullying his way past multiple defenders to gain position under the basket and drop in the buzzer-beater.

Michael Porter Jr. with a classical "the possession ends here" buzzer-beater to end the 1st half, off a close range fadeaway (with a replay)#NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/UZ8P9VEDne

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) December 6, 2025

Heading into Saturday’s game, Porter Jr. ranks 15th in the NBA in points per game averaging 25.3 points per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc.

Having coached Porter Jr. in Denver, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez praised his growth as a leader since his early NBA days.

“He always has a smile on his face. When I was in Denver he was the youngest. It’s a big change now. It’s not easy to find your voice, but he’s doing it,” Fernandez said. “He’s leading by example. It’s pretty impressive. He embraces his teammates and talks to them, especially the young guys. That means a lot. That’s very important for our identity.”

With Cam Thomas still out indefinitely and none of the rookies looking like a consistent primary scorer just yet, having a player like the Missouri product, who remains unfazed by the extra opportunity, has proved to be valuable at a time when Brooklyn is thin on scorers.

Claxton Showing New Dimensions​

The Nets’ also saw some encouraging production from Nic Claxton, who finished with the second triple-double of his career after totaling 14 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists.

This year, Claxton has taken on a more advanced on-ball role, with the offense even running through him at times as he dishes to teammates from the top of the key.

For a team that doesn’t have an established point guard, his combination of size, coordination and basketball IQ make him a serviceable distributor for the time being.

One example of his improved playmaking has been his connection with Porter Jr., as the two have developed chemistry on dribble hand-offs to create separation for open shots.

“We’re getting better at reading defenses. We’re learning each other’s games more. He’s looking for me more. We’re flowing better,” Porter Jr. said. “It’s all reads. These guys make it easy. We’re getting at reading the offense.”

While he’s shown flashes of his offensive potential over the past year, he’s embraced the increased role and seems to be thriving in it.

Now in his seventh season, the Georgia native is averaging a career high 13.5 points per game while maintaining his reputation as one of the league’s top defensive bigs by averaging 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

Supporting Cast Making An Impact​

Day’Ron Sharpe tied his second-highest scoring total of the season, finishing with 16 points on 87.5% shooting while leading all bench players in scoring.

Rookie Egor Dëmin tied his career high with seven assists, also adding eight points and four rebounds while shooting 60% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. While the BYU product no longer looks hesitant handling the ball like he did early in the season, his next leap will come when he develops the confidence to take over in isolation situations and use his unique skill set as a scorer.

Fresh off a 29-point outing against the Utah Jazz, third-year forward Noah Clowney continues to showcase his improvements last season, although his stats may not jump off the page this game. The Alabama product scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds while hitting a pair of three-pointers and also showing off his added muscle from the offseason while fighting through contact for a tough finish.

Noah Clowney’s offseason work has been evident early on. He looks more comfortable fighting through contact after packing on a few pounds.@NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/wxB1dzu5kB

— Tyler Carmona (@TylerCarmona) December 6, 2025

Final Score: Brooklyn Nets 119, New Orleans 101.

Cam Thomas Injury Update​

Prior to the game, the Brooklyn Nets provided an update on Cam Thomas’ medical status. The fifth-year guard has been out since November 5 with a left hamstring injury, the same problem that limited him to 25 appearances last season.

Per the team, Thomas received another MRI which “showed progress in the healing of the hamstring. Thomas has begun on-court work and will have his status updated in approximately two weeks.”

Jordi Fernández provided more detail: “He started to do some basketball workouts. It’s 1-on-0. It’s never been —it’s not going to be with teammates or opposition. So, we’re happy with how he’s progressing. And we have another timeline, which is in two weeks, we’ll let you guys know.”

Though a return is not imminent, it seems Fernández will soon have to figure out how to reintegrate Thomas into a team that’s been playing better (and differently) without him.

“The team continues to get better and play in a way where — obviously without him, we don’t have another Cam Thomas, so it would make no sense to use some of the teammates the same way,” explained Fernández. “Also, the skillset, he’s very unique and very good at what he does. But at the same time, now the group is taking positive steps and some players are taking positive steps. For the most part, I’m very happy with the whole group. And now when he comes back, it’s going to be on me to figure it out how we introduce him into the group … two weeks away, I usually don’t worry about having to think about those things until the situation is in front of me.”

Brooklyn has just three games over the next two weeks, so barring a trade, the Nets may not play many more games before CT’s return. And indeed, the unofficial trade season opens in nine days.

Milestone Watch​

• Nic Claxton finished with the second triple-double of his career after totaling 14 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists. He’s also just 33 blocks shy of passing Mike Gminski (599) for fourth-most in franchise history.
• Michael Porter Jr. tied his season-high with 35 points, also tied for the fourth-highest total of his career.

What’s Next?​

The Nets will face the Dallas Mavericks next Friday at the American Airlines Center.

It will be their first matchup of the season, but Brooklyn beat Dallas 113-109 during the last time the two teams faced off last season.

Dallas’ record sits at 8-16, and are coming off a 132-111 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Former No.1 overall pick Cooper Flagg has stepped it up as of late, and is currently averaging 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 119, New Orleans 101. – NBA

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...s-career-high-leads-brooklyn-over-new-orleans

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: New Orleans Pelicans at Brooklyn Nets, 5:00 PM ET

The Nets would’ve won a third straight… if there were only three quarters. They fell to the Utah Jazz in the second night of a back-to-back. Now, they’re up against the struggling Pelicans — who don’t have their own pick this year. So, don’t be fooled. It isn’t supposed to be a tankfest.

KEY INFO​

WHO: New Orleans Pelicans (3-17) at Brooklyn Nets (5-17)

WHEN: 5:00 PM ET

WATCH: YES NETWORK

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas or Haywood Highsmith. Noah Clowney is probable with back soreness. Michael Porter Jr is back after missing Thursday’s game. Nolan Traore, who scored 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting for Long Island Friday night, remains with the Nets affiliate who play the 76ers affiliate at 6:00 p.m. ET on the G League’s official website. No word on the availability of the Nets two two-ways, Tyson Etienne and E.J. Liddell. They also played for Long Island.

No Herb Jones, Jordan Poole, Dejounte Murray, or Zion Williamson. Vyes Missi is questionable.

***

Please be respectful with your comments. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...w-orleans-pelicans-at-brooklyn-nets-500-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nolan Traore continues hot streak in Long Island Nets OT thriller win

Off the backs of Nolan Traore’s 26 points, Tyson Etienne’s 34 points and crazy ending featuring E.J. Liddell, the Long Island Nets defeated the Delaware Blue Coats in a thriller, 137-134 at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington.

Traore’s development took a big step forward in this one, as he continued his strong play for Long Island while assuming a role as a leader on this Long Island team. He connected on nine of his 17 shots, including hitting four of his five shots from beyond the arc, showing a very good shooting performance. Traore told NetsDaily earlier this season that his shot was something he really wanted to develop, and he’s done just that.

In his 11-game G League stint, the No. 19 pick in the 2025 Draft is averaging 18.8 points on 50/43/79 shooting splits along with 5.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds. And in the seven games since he scored 28 points back on November 27, Traore is up to 21.4 points on 50/51/78 plus 6.6 assists. Drilling deeper, Traore’s weekend numbers are even more extraordinary. In back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, he averaged 28.0 points on 63/80/80 along with 8.5 assists.

Moreover, Traore only turned the ball over twice, his second straight with only two. That’s a far cry from a few games back, when he turned the ball over six times on three different occasions.

He’s the only one of the Flatbush 5 still in Long Island, but Jordi Fernandez took note of Traore’s progress during his post-game in Brooklyn.

“I watched the line, I texted him. Kyle Hines (Long Island’s assistant GM), I talked to him. He watched the game or was at the game,” said Fernandez. “And he said one of the best performances and probably the best so far.

“So very good. Very happy for him to find a game that plays well, helps the team win, all those things that now the challenge here is keep doing it, keep doing it over and over. And, you know, we can keep seeing the progress and think right now since the day he started playing with us up until now the amount of minutes (in Long Island) he’s gotten better and that’s the most important thing.“

Fernandez also took note of contributions by others, particularly the Nets two two-ways, Tyson Etienne and E.J. Liddell who combined for 55 points.

Indeed, Traore was one of three Long Island players to finish with a double-double as well as three who scored 20 or more. Liddell finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds while Yuri Collins had 10 points and 10 assists. The Etienne finished with a game-high 34 but more than that, he hit 10 of 15 from deep and made the winning shot in the game’s Elam Ending.

Etienne’s most important 3-pointer of the game came in overtime as Nate Williams found Etienne with a beautiful pass, culminating a dramatic ending. Down eight with 4:42 to go, Long Island rallied, tying the game at 129, forcing the Elam ending in which first team to get to a target score, in this game 136, wins.

The overtime went back and forth till the score was tied at 134 meaning next score would win. Then things got crazy.

ABSOLUTE MADNESS!

This wild sequence ended with a Tyson Etienne GAME-WINNER to give the @longislandnets a thrilling 137-135 OT victory over Delaware. pic.twitter.com/UF6pPwzj06

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 7, 2025

The Blue Coats Marcus Bagley stole the ball from Liddell and raced towards the basket but Liddell matched Bagley’s speed and blocked Bagley’s shot, his sixth block of the night. After Johni Broome missed a tip-in, Traore grabbed the rebound and passed it up court to Nate Williams who found Etienne for an open three. Game over.

Including those late-game heroics, Liddell played an outstanding game, his double double the second in two nights. . He also shot the ball very well in general, connecting on 10 of his 17 shots, but continued to struggle from deep, whiffing on all four of his attempts. The Ohio State product’s big stat line this weekend, however, was his blocks. In the back-to-back, he tallied nine, three on Friday, then six on Saturday.

Williams was a very big reason why Long Island won this one and not just because of the final assist. He had another outstanding shooting performance, finishing with 26 points, connecting on nine of his 17 shots, and hitting three of his five from deep. He also had five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block to his credit. Stacking more and more of these performances, Williams is making a case as to why he should be given the third Brooklyn two-way player.

Yuri Collins posted a milestone with his double-digit number of assists Saturday. This marked his 58th consecutive game with more than four assists. He now stands four games behind Antonio Daniels’ spot for the fourth-longest such streak in G League history. For those wondering, the longest streak we’ve seen is 80, which is held by Curtis Stinson.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (5-6) return to the court on Tuesday, December 9th, for a showdown with the College Park Skyhawks to try and bring their record for the Tip-Off Tournament back up to .500. The game tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET at the Nassau Coliseum. It’s their annual Education Day game which normally attracts 7,000 Long Island school children. It’ll be broadcast on YES and the Gotham Sports Network as well as the G League’s official site.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ot-streak-in-long-island-nets-ot-thriller-win

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Pelicans preview: Saturday evening hoops

Couldn’t make it three. The Brooklyn Nets led after three quarters on Thursday night against the Utah Jazz, but a terrible fourth quarter stopped them in their tracks as the Jazz won 123-113. It was the Nets’ fifth game in seven days, and it showed.

The opponent tonight has been mired in a deep slump. This season has not gone according to plan for the New Orleans Pelicans and they find themselves at the bottom of a hyper competitive Western Conference. Their losing streak hit five after a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 4.

Where to follow the game​

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 5:00 p.m ET.

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas or Haywood Highsmith. Noah Clowney is probable with back soreness. Michael Porter Jr is back after missing Thursday’s game. Nolan Traore, who scored 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting for Long Island Friday night, remains with the Nets affiliate who play the 76ers affiliate at 6:00 p.m. ET on the G League’s official website. No word on the availability of the Nets two two-ways, Tyson Etienne and E.J. Liddell. They also played for Long Island.

No Herb Jones, Jordan Poole, Dejounte Murray, or Zion Williamson. Vyes Missi is questionable.

The game​

As I’m sure you noticed, Zion Williamson is out once again. He’ll be out the next few weeks with an adductor strain. Even taking that into account, it might be time for the Pelicans to get out of the Zion Williamson business. As the amazing Shamit Dua wrote over at In the N.O.:

“This isn’t about injuries anymore. You cannot build a coherent team, develop chemistry, or install systems when your central piece is a perpetual question mark. Coaches can’t plan for him. Teammates can’t build trust with him. The entire organization is forced into a holding pattern, waiting on one man’s availability. Even when he plays, the results haven’t moved the needle—this isn’t a team on the cusp of contention. It’s a team stuck in a slow, steady squeeze that drains the life out of every season.

The environment has become toxic. There is a constant cycle of anticipation, absence, and drama that overshadows everything. At some point there has to be limit to which the Pelicans can stay in this pattern. Unfortunately, the Zion cycle has gotten to the point where toxicity now outweighs any remaining hope.“

When it’s time, it’s time. It also doesn’t help that ownership is not focused on the right things.

For the Nets, they’ll try to clean up their turnover woes. The team coughed it up 18 times, and most critically seven in the fourth quarter. It took what was a winnable game and made it out of reach. With Egor Dëmin feeling a bit better, that should help the Nets’ ballhandling immensely.

The game will also be the final one in Brooklyn’s grueling five games in seven days stretch. After the Pels game, they’ll have six days off till they face the Mavericks and Cooper Flagg next Friday.

Speaking of rookies, New Orleans’ rookies are giving the the fanbase plenty to feel good about. Jeremiah Fears has gotten more comfortable in each game and currently leads all rookies in drives per game. Fears has been a key part of interim coach James Borrego’s push to have the team play faster and get out more in transition. The Pels are laying down a good foundation, and Fears’ efforts are a big part of that.

The other rookie has shined as well. It cost a TON to bring Derik Queen in, but the kid has done well in his minutes. He fills up the stat sheet, but is most effective finishing at the rim. For the Nets, the duo of Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton will look to make things hard on Queen. Clowney was terrific on Thursday and did a tremendous job of drawing fouls and playing through contact. Considering how short handed New Orleans is, if Clowney can force the issue, he’ll make things even tougher on the road team.

Player to watch: Trey Murphy III​

The team is in need of a new franchise player, and maybe Murphy can be that player. He’s taken on more responsibility on offense in the past two seasons, and he’s done well considering the tough circumstances. He’s good for 20 points a night on quality efficiency and can make things happen for himself on an individual level. As Joe Dumars and the Pelicans try to figure out what the future holds, Murphy III will play a big role whether he stays or goes.

Michael Porter Jr. being back should help things out. MPJ is also good for 20+ points a night and unlocks so much of the Nets offense while he’s on the court. He can score on the move, he’s a solid catch and shoot player, and has been a source of encouragement for his younger teammates. This season is all about exploration and maybe the Nets have stumbled into something exciting for the future. Stranger things have happened!

From the Vault​

Ones in the air for Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Also, one more week before the GOAT hangs it up for good

More reading: In The N.O., SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• New Orleans Pelicans Game Notes – New Orleans Pelicans
• New Orleans faces Brooklyn on 5-game road skid – AP
• Nets’ grand tanking plan facing its most complicated hurdle yet with abysmal Pelicans – Howie Kussoy – New York Post
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. returning, Egor Demin playing through respiratory issue vs. Pelicans – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game-previews/102701/nets-vs-pelicans-preview-saturday-evening-hoops

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Michael Porter Jr.’s development reminiscent of another Nets success

Back in his first rebuild, Sean Marks found a couple of diamonds in the rough, guys like Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris, made a few smart draft picks after a few smart trades. Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Nic Claxton stand out. And he along with Kenny Atkinson rehabilitated one NBA player who had fallen on tough times: D’Angelo Russell, taking him from pariah to All-Star in two years.

This time around is different. First of all, this rebuild is coming off the disastrous Big Three era and the trade of Mikal Bridges. That level of failure can change strategies. On the other side of the coin, back then, the Nets had no picks for three years when Marks took up residence in 2016, This time, he has 32 picks over the next seven. The team hasn’t yet developed any free agents on the Dinwiddie/Harris scale at least as of yet. And of course, Atkinson is long gone, followed by two coaches for whom winning now compelled less focus on development.

However, as Steve Lichtenstein argues in his Steve’s Newsletter Friday, there is an interesting anology between D’Lo and MPJ: Michael Porter Jr. D’Lo’s brief, uneventful stretch in L.A. ended with him being accused of snitching on teammate Nick Young, leading to locker room isolation and a trade to Brooklyn. MPJ didn’t have anything like that in his past but his blogging has not been seen as positive. Moreover, the Nuggets wanted to move on from him and forge a new identity. He was tired, Cam Johnson with his all around game was wired.

So far, so good. Like Russell, Porter has been rejuvenated in Brooklyn. Unlike Russell, Porter hasn’t been invited to an NBA All-Star Game appearance but one may be coming soon. Again, the head coach has been key.

Porter’s overall numbers going into Saturday evening’s game vs. the New Orleans Pelicans are all career highs, and as Lichtenstein points out. they’ve gotten better since Cam Thomas went down with a hamstring sprain which many thought would cripple the offense.

Porter is averaging career highs in points (25.3), rebounds (7.5), and assists (3.2) per game. Since last season’s leading scorer Cam Thomas injured his hamstring a month ago, Porter has taken his production to another gear despite the constant focus from opponents, boosting his points to 27.2 per game on an exceptional 50/41.4/84.4 shooting split.

The Nets have made a point of it as well, noting Porter’s numbers since November 5, the game CamT went down, are “one of one” in the NBA.

MPJ has been 1-of-1 this past month pic.twitter.com/wPHUE3I3MN

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 5, 2025

Digging even deeper, Lichtenstein has found even more positives.

Porter’s playmaking is a relatively new and, given his preseason comments, most surprising acquisition to his bag. I’m particularly intrigued by his rapport with center Nic Claxton, who typically acts as the hub of Brooklyn’s offense from the top of the key. According to NBA.com’s tracking, Claxton was the teammate credited with the most assists (42) on Porter buckets this season. And vice versa (17 Porter assists to Claxton).

In the absence of anyone on the court who can use the dribble to force help and rotations that lead to ball swings for open looks, Fernandez has had to scheme plays to free his best offensive player. What he came up with was a way to leverage Porter’s gravity and cutting ability through an endless series of movements and dribble handoffs. Among the 355 players who have played more than 10 games this season, only 10 have run more miles per game on the offensive end than Porter, per NBA.com. (Emphasis added.)

And unlike Thomas, Lichtenstein notes that Porter does not hold on to the ball. Indeed, he writes, Porter has taken just 11 shots after a touch plus six seconds, or 26 fewer than Thomas has despite ten more games played, per NBA.com. Our Lucas Kaplan pointed out the same thing in his analysis of the Nets recent play, Thomas before he went down, averaged 4.14 seconds per touch, second-highest on the Nets while MPG is at 2.09 seconds per touch, third-lowest. Lucas also points out that the Nets average 27.6 assists per 100 possessions with him on the court, down to 22.8 without him.

Porter who worked with Fernandez for five years in the Denver organization recently credited the head coach’s strategy with a lot of his success, calling him a “genius,” particularly in developing offensive schemes. No more “standing in the corner,” as he described his time with Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray.

“Well, I think Jordi — he’s a genius of a coach,” MPJ said after the Nets beat the Hornets. “You know, we’re a young team, we’re going to keep growing, but he’s a genius in terms of the schemes that he puts out, especially offensively for me.

“The way teams are guarding me, really just face-guarding me and trying not to let me catch the ball, the different creative ways that Jordi has our team running plays to help me get touches and get looks off is really next level. He’s making it so easy for me to play my game. So I really have to thank just Jordi and the offensive coaching staff for how I’ve been able to produce.”

Carrying the analogy a bit further, D’Lo in his second stint with Brooklyn last season also called Fernandez a genius.

How long will Porter’s dominance go on? Will things change when Thomas returns (a timeframe likely to be measured in weeks) or will he be traded for more assets, his value never higher. Trade season begins in 10 days. And considering that MPJ is only 27, is there a chance that he might become a long-term piece in this Nets rebuild?

Fernandez has pushed Porter both publicly and privately. He even suggested that the Missouri product could be among the league scoring leaders this season, maybe even an All-Star, like D’Lo.

In that first rebuild, Russell, bolstered by Atkinson’s confidence-building, became a key piece, maybe even the key piece that brought the Nets to the brink of the Clean Sweep He led a young Brooklyn team to a 42-win season and a sixth seed in the 2019 playoffs, something virtually no one, including ownership and management, expected at the beginning of that season.

No one is expecting THAT from Porter, but the two rebuilds could bear resemblance in that good coaching — and development — are very often a deciding factor when free agents or unhappy stars are considering their next venue. Kevin Durant said that when he joined the Nets in 2019.

Too often, development is seen as something that applies only to young players, not veterans, but in the case of Porter and Russell before him, it can be the special sauce to advance a rebuild. Moreover, Lichtenstein argues that Fernandez’s work with MPJ, Noah Clowney and the Flatbush Five “has been reviving the organization’s reputation for development akin to the early days of the Sean Marks era with HC Kenny Atkinson.”

For fans, even those obsessed with tanking for the Draft’s big three or enthralled with the Flatbush 5, that should be of equal interest.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-anal...velopment-reminiscent-of-another-nets-success

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Danny Wolf arrives in Brooklyn Nets Rookie Report — No. 5

David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images

So much for not having enough to write about in this column. It’s December 5th, about one quarter of the way through the NBA season, and the Brooklyn Nets are regularly playing four of their five first-round draft picks, the other starting for their G League affiliate.

Tune into a Brooklyn game at any point and you’re guaranteed to catch a rook playing real minutes, maybe even two or three. Which means…these preambles have to get shorter.

Egor Dëmin​

Season stats: 20 GP, 22.9 MPG, 8.4/3.3/3.5 slash line, 37/35/86 shooting splits. 1.7 TO + 2.0 PF + 1.3 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks: 7 GP, 26.9 MPG, 10.1/3.7/3.7 slash line, 37/29.5/80 shooting splits. 1.6 TO + 2.4 PF + 1.6 stock (stl+blk) per game.

During Brooklyn’s depressing 0-7 start to the season, Egor Dëmin was averaging 2.1 deflections per 36 minutes. Since then, he’s up to 3.5 deflections, playing a heavier dose of minutes but upping his activity throughout; after playing both nights of a two-city back-to-back this week, it seems that his plantar fascia injury is becoming less of an active concern.

The defense is still not great, specifically guarding the ball, but I wouldn’t say it’s a total disaster either. Those 3.5 deflections per 36 minutes rank second among Nets in that span, and that combination of long arms and anticipation means Dëmin can also wall up at the rim and force tough shots (you can tell what Nic Claxton thinks of it)…

Deflections aren’t everything. Ziaire Williams was (and still is) leading Brooklyn in deflection per minute when he got justifiably benched for his efforts on that end. But for those that hoped Dëmin’s size and length would combat his lack of foot-speed on that end, it’s a point of evidence.

Offensively, Egor continues to be a fascinating prospect. So far, 50 of his 70 assists have gone to 3-point shooters; per this post, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only other player to have at least 70% of his assists go to 3-point shooters (min. 35 assists), perhaps Dëmin’s polar opposite in terms of rim pressure.

That’s not necessarily a positive or negative, and it shows that Dëmin clearly understands the game. He knows where defenses will help from when he drives, and he acts on that prior knowledge; this was true of his play at BYU as well. For now his reads are a bit prescriptive rather than reactive, missing some late-developing cuts or early lobs in the pick-and-roll. I’m real interested to see how his floor-processing develops over the course of this season and his career.

Growing as a driver will help him there. His best tool getting to the rim is his long strides, but occasionally, that can speed him up a little too much. I explain here, sound on…

This is all pretty granular, but Nets fans should be comforted by the fact that Dëmin has shot 29.5% from three over the past two weeks and hasn’t been unplayable offensively. Frankly, that’s a better outcome than most thought he could achieve as a 19-year-old rookie.

It’s far too early to rush to any judgements about Dëmin, other than him being — and I mean this affectionately — a weird-ass player. I’m glad he’s a Net.

Danny Wolf​

Season stats: N/A (garbage time skewing the samples)

Stats last two weeks: 5 GP, 23 MPG, 12.4/5.8/2.4 slash line. 20-of-44 FGA, 11-of-25 from three, 11-of-12 FT. Ten TO + nine fouls + one stock (stl + blk) total.

Well, if Danny Wolf is going to be a 44% 3-point shooter, he’s going to be good. That much is clear. Head Coach Jordi Fernández is undoubtedly pleased with Wolf’s willingness to shoot the three, even from far beyond the arc, and so far Wolf has been rewarded by catching something of a heater.

The defense has been as expected: He’s been pretty poor in space and has accumulated just one block, no deflections, and no steals over his first five games of real NBA action. That being said, he’s forced a couple misses at the rim, and as part of a jumbo lineup playing next to Noah Clowney and either Nic Claxton or Day’Ron Sharpe, opponents are shooting around 42% from two-point range. It’s a small sample size, but the Nets may be onto something here.

I like how Jordi Fernández is putting Wolf in positions to succeed early and often. Much as he did in Ann Arbor, where he played next to fellow 7-footer Vlad Goldin, Wolf has gotten a good run in Brooklyn. as the beneficiary of a good amount of 4-5 pick-and-roll with Wolf on the court, and it produced his best pass of the season so far…

Danny Wolf with the dime. pic.twitter.com/nCwAVkqxps

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 5, 2025

Not only is Danny Wolf going to play consistent minutes with the Brooklyn Nets going forward, but he’s going to be featured in the offense.

In Thursday’s home loss to the Utah Jazz, the visitors were switching all actions 1-through-4, as many teams do. Needing to change momentum, Fernández drew up the opening play of fourth quarter for Wolf, as he was designed to catch it on the block after a cross-screen from Ben Saraf, hopefully getting a small on him. Though the Nets didn’t score on the possession, the plan worked…

Saraf probably needs to swing it, but Utah — despite voluntarily switching Walter Clayton Jr. onto Wolf — recognizes the mismatch and helps heavy into the paint. There’s an advantage on the weak-side, and Wolf finds it. A few minutes later, he’s running the two-man game with Nic Claxton at the top of the key and creates a driving lane, baiting the big man…

Defenses may not know exactly what to do with Wolf, but the Nets sure do. There’s intent behind his opportunities, and for a rookie who spent the first month of the season in the G League, that speaks pretty well to how the Nets feel about him.

I don’t think he’s going to keep shooting 44% from three and 90% from the line; when those numbers regress, he’ll really have to cut down on the turnovers. But Wolf, the last of Brooklyn’s five first-round picks, has had a real fun start to his career, looking like quite the matchup problem.

Oh, and his obliteration of Miles Bridges of all people was the best moment of the Nets season so far.

Drake Powell​

Season stats: 15 GP, 19.1 MPG, 6.5/1.8/2.0 slash line. 49/37 shooting splits, 17-of-18 FT. 1.1 TO + 1.8 fouls + 1.0 stock (stl + blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks: 7 GP, 23 MPG, 7.4/1.4/2.1 slash line. 16-of-32 FGA, 6-of-17 from three, 14-of-15 FT. Six TO + ten fouls + seven stocks.

Here’s something that may tickle your fancy: Drake Powell has made 24 two-point shots this season, and only ten have them have been assisted on. Now, some of those unassisted buckets have come on pick-six plays, like this highlight against the Celtics where you can see the length, anticipation, and athleticism all fuse together…

Drake Powell gets the steal and dunks over Anfernee Simons. pic.twitter.com/rusT3QRADG

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 22, 2025

But Powell has a pretty odd offensive profile overall. For someone who doesn’t handle the ball a ton, he turns it over a bunch, but he’s shooting well from every spot on the floor, and Powell isn’t just being spoon-fed baskets either.

How do the Nets increase his usage? Dëmin, Wolf, and Ben Saraf all love to play the dribble-handoff game, those also feel like Powell’s best path to more touches, to figuring out where his spots on the floor really are. Powell needs to hesitate less on catch-and-shoot 3-point opportunities, but I do hope to see handoffs for him going forward. In the meantime, I’ll continue to enjoy sequences like this…

Been pretty intrigued by Drake Powell this season and think these 3 plays help capture why.

Sharp court awareness and spacing (37% from 3), handling comfort to create a bit and impressive defensive fluidity amplified by a 6-foot-5 frame and 7-foot wingspan. pic.twitter.com/VShHTMKbcF

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) December 4, 2025

Ben Saraf​

Season stats (NBA): 11 GP, 16.6 MPG, 5.3/1.6/2.7 slash line, 35/28/80 shooting splits. 2.0 TO + 1.4 PF + 1.0 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks (NBA): 4 GP, 26.9 MPG, 8.8/0.8/3.3 slash line. 12-of-27 FGA, 5-of-16 from three, 6-of-7 FTA. 13 TO + 2 PF + 9 stock (stl+blk) total.

Let’s keep the good vibes rolling. As preposterous as it now seems that Ben Saraf started the first five games of this Brooklyn Nets season at point guard, he was recalled from his G League stint on November 29 against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was his NBA stint outside of garbage time in nearly a month. They were his best minutes of the season, as he posted ten points and seven assists…

The outside shot is aways away — though Saraf has returned from Long Island with renewed confidence in taking them — and we haven’t seen much of a right hand. But since rejoining the rotation, the flashes have been steady enough to where he should probably be a mainstay with the big-league club, especially as it isn’t trying to win this year.

I’ve also liked his decisiveness off the ball, attacking closeouts quickly or even sprinting into handoffs. Here, he catches it against Jevon Carter and attacks immediately…

Ben Saraf with a sweet behind-the-back dribble to shake Jevon Carter and draw a foul at the rim. pic.twitter.com/rcIDycHxNK

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 4, 2025

The ball-handling and ability to use his body against defenders were Saraf’s primary sells pre-draft, but it doesn’t have to exclusively come in pick-and-roll.

Nolan Traore​

Season stats (G League): 9 GP, 28.8 MPG, 16.8/2.4/5.7 slash line, 42.5/35/75 shooting splits. 4.3 TO + 3.7 PF + 0.7 stock (stl+blk) per game.

Stats last two weeks (G League): 5 GP, 31.5 MPG, 18.8/3.4/6.4 slash line, 45/42.9/70 shooting splits. 4.2 TO + 3.4 PF + 1.0 stock (stl+blk) per game.

I haven’t watched a ton of the Long Island squad recently given that most of the rookies are playing big minutes in Brooklyn, but over the past fortnight, Nolan Traore did put up a 28-point game in which he hit six 3-pointers, both career-highs…

Big time stat line from 2025 NBA first round pick Nolan Traore! The 19-year-old dropped 28-5-9 as the @longislandnets cruised past the the Swarm. pic.twitter.com/OxpgBY6pBw

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 23, 2025

Traore still looks tiny among G League athletes, even more so than he did last season in France. Hence, the four turnovers a game and rough shooting splits on the season. However, his 3-point shot really doesn’t look that broken, and including all competitions, he’s right next to Egor Dëmin in terms of percentage.

Therefore, plays like these…

…have to end.

It’s not unfeasible that Traore becomes an above-average 3-point shooter, but it’s hard to imagine a world where Traore becomes a good NBA player while remaining hesitant from three. The good news: He posted three straight games taking nine 3-point attempts.

I feel a bit bad for Traore, watching his fellow four rookies have shining moments in the NBA while he has an up-and-down season in Long Island, but that’s certainly better for him than riding the bench in Brooklyn. A few more 28-point performances and better defensive engagement, and he may earn himself some NBA minutes in the spring. We’ll see.

---

The Nets, 5-10 since their dreadful 0-7 start to the season, have not gotten worse once Dëmin, Wolf, Powell, and Saraf all entered the rotation. They all have rookie moments, but none of them are capable of truly tanking this season simply by touching the floor.

Their next opportunity to flash their skillsets and perhaps get another win comes on Saturday evening, when the Brooklyn Nets host the 3-20 (yes, 3-20) New Orleans Pelicans. Rookies Jeremiah Fears (whom Brooklyn was linked to) and Derik Queen (whom Brooklyn was not) are expected to suit up. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-anal...gor-demin-in-brooklyn-nets-rookie-report-no-5

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Long Island Nets, with three Brooklyn rookies, lose to Skyhawks

Marcus Stevens/NBAE via Getty Images

The Long Island Nets tipped off at 11:00 a.m. ET in front of 5,700 fans for “Education Day,” traditionally their biggest crowd of the season. Alas, they weren’t able to bring home the win, losing 114-107 in overtime.

Nolan Traore continued his string of positive performances with another very good all-around game today that fans can be proud of. Despite missing both his attempts from beyond the arc, Traore finished the game connecting on nine of his 14 shot attempts for a total of 19 points.

Traore even flirted with a triple-double in this one, bringing in seven rebounds and dishing seven assists, also leading all players with four steals. Additionally, today’s game was another very positive game in Traore’s development when it comes to ball protection, as he had only had two turnovers. While the perfect number would be zero, two is much less than the six he had a few games ago.

Overall, this was a positive game for Traore, shooting the ball, rebounding the ball, and getting the ball to his teammates for good looks. On top of that, it was a decent game for Traore in ball protection, too. This is yet another game under Traore’s belt that fans can look at and see a huge positive step in his young development. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the other rookies.

Something clear in this one is the connection Traore has to his fellow rookie, Ben Saraf. Traore and Saraf have found each other with ease in some of these games. NetsDaily asked Saraf what it’s been like playing with Traore after the game and his impression of him…

Ben Saraf on Education Day, Jordi Fernandez, Nolan Traore, and his goals.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/s0Nw2VonxZ

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) December 9, 2025

“It’s great,” Saraf tells ND. “I really love to play with Nolan. He’s so fast, pushing the place, and that’s exactly how I want to play. He had a great game today, and a great last couple of games, and I think we all enjoyed it.”

Saraf was assigned to the Long Island squad by Brooklyn yesterday to get him some minutes while Brooklyn goes without a game for five days. This was a game that Saraf would like to forget in more ways than one. Looking at the stat sheet, it doesn’t look like an awful game for Saraf; he finished with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, and even had a steal and a block.

After the game, ND had the chance to speak with Ben Saraf about his performance and performing in front of close to 6,000 fans in attendance. “It was cool today,” Saraf says. “Playing in front of so many kids. The gym was loud, I love it.”

ND also had the chance to ask Saraf about working with the Brooklyn head coach, Jordi Fernandez, and being assigned to the Long Island team again.

“It’s great,” Saraf tells ND. “I think each one there is like some details for me that they’d like me to apply. But, I think in general the system is the same system. So, it’s easy to go down and play with the guys. The teammates are great here. So, it’s great so far.”

However, this may have been Saraf’s worst shooting performance of his young career. He connected on two of his 10 shots, with the two shots he made being two of his three shots from deep. His game from beyond the arc and from the foul line was fine. But some of his decisions on his shots inside the arc were questionable. If you’re looking strictly at the numbers, Saraf went hit zero of his seven attempts from inside the arc.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Saraf has a goal in mind. “Just to play as much as I can,” Saraf says. Whether it’s on Long Island or with Brooklyn, Saraf wants to stack days. Saraf also wants to “affect the game” as much as he can, and overall just “keep getting better.”

The good news is that Saraf is young. He has the potential to be a great player, but he’s not quite there yet. Some more time on Long Island may do him good, as he hopes to get to the level Wolf is already at. Wolf is a perfect example. He started his time on Long Island with one of the worst halves we’ve seen, but he became one of the best players on the team so quickly. So quickly that he’s already on the big club with no signs of being sent to Long Island again any time soon… Then, there was Drake Powell.

Powell made his Long Island debut in this game after spending the whole season so far with the big club. Powell quickly exceeded expectations in his time in the NBA, showing Brooklyn exactly why they drafted him. Similar to Saraf, Powell had a very weird game. Not bad, not good, just very weird.

Powell whiffed on all three of his shot attempts, but excelled at the foul line, hitting five of his six shots from the stripe. Powell’s final stat sheet reads eight points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one block. Not bad numbers by any means, but the three shot attempts he mustered up, and not hitting a single one, was a bit odd to see, especially from someone as high as Powell in team expectations.

The two two-way players – EJ Liddell and Tyson Etienne – remained with Long Island for this one. This marked both men’s third game with the team of the season. Liddell had a double-double in each of his first two games with the team in Delaware. Would lightning strike a third time? So close, but no, it would not.

Liddell finished the game connecting on three of his nine shots, including hitting three of his six attempts from beyond the arc. He finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. He came awfully close to his third straight double-double but was one rebound off. Liddell also had one assist and two blocks. He remains a blocking machine for Long Island, off to one of the best starts blocking the ball that we may have ever seen at the G League level.

Tyson Etienne on his season goal, learning under Jordi Fernandez, his career high game, and his upcoming goals.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/fwMVfMRERu

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) December 9, 2025

As for Etienne, he finished with 14 points, connecting on six of his 16 shot attempts, including going 2-for-11 from beyond the arc. This was a far cry from Etienne’s career-high game, hitting 10 three-pointers, which he had the last time he was on the court on Saturday in Wilmington against the Delaware Blue Coats. Etienne was also credited with one rebound, two assists, and one steal.

When asked after the game about his mindset heading into his second season under the Brooklyn umbrella, Etienne told ND his mindset is simple: “win.” He continued, “My mindset is always to win. Whatever it takes for us to win, that’s just my mentality every single time, ‘how am I going to impact winning today?’ It’s the same mentality as always.”

Etienne spoke about his career night on Saturday, draining 10 three-pointers, the most of his professional career. “My mindset was just to go out there and win,” Etienne tells ND. “I knew it was the second of a back-to-back, so those games can go either way. I just wanted to be a leader for my team, bring the energy, and be someone they can rely on. Being on the road, the second of a back-to-back, I just wanted to make sure I was out there, helping my team. I wasn’t going out there trying to make 10 three’s or anything, I just went out there hooping.”

When asked about learning under Jordi and what the whole experience has been like for him and learning under Jordi, Etienne says it’s been “amazing.” He continues, “It’s nothing short of amazing. Playing for Jordi, everything that he’s about, his principles, what he values, those are things I kind of had to hold onto in my career just to get here. So to be playing for a coach and a coaching staff who come from the same mentality that I do is super gratifying. I know every day we focus on getting better, just a little bit better, and just seeing how that can compound over time. So, it’s been nothing short of amazing. I enjoy every single moment I’m able to put on a jersey, whether it be a Brooklyn jersey or Long Island jersey, I just want to represent the organization in the highest way.”

Looking ahead for Etienne, he said his goal for the organization is to continue to help them win games and grow personally. “Just continue to sharpen my ability,” Etienne tells ND. “Continue to be consistent with what I know I’m able to bring to a team, and continue to get better in my role, and continue to expand my skillset. My focus is just being the best basketball player I can be and being the best member I can be for this team and group.”

Etienne played a huge part in even getting this game to overtime, taking the ball to the rim for a lay-up with five seconds left to tie the game at 107. This was a very tough lay-up, which led to a very hard fall, causing Etienne to be on the ground for a bit, but he got up under his own power and stood in the game.

Tyson Etienne ties it up!@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/R9VeFLTiWO

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) December 9, 2025

Nate Williams finished the game leading the team in scoring with 25 points. Williams connected on 10 of his 19 attempts, including shooting the ball very well from deep, connecting on four of his five attempts. He also had seven rebounds, two steals, and one block to his credit.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (5-7) return to the court tomorrow night, Wednesday, for a showdown with the Westchester Knicks. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST in Westchester. It can be watched on ESPN+ and locally on MSGSN.

• Box Score: Long Island Nets vs. College Park Skyhawks, 114-107

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ollege-park-114-107-nolan-traore-drake-powell

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Long Forecast: Peterson dominates, Yessoufou rebounds, and Amet slips

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Week 1 of The Long Forecast felt like dipping our toes into draft season. Now, one week later, it already feels like we’re in full swing. The college season is progressing, freshman roles are taking shape, and the 2026 draft board is becoming clearer day by day.

Where do the Nets’ picks sit?​

Brooklyn enters this cycle with its own first-rounder and a pair of second-round picks, one locked in, the other tied to how the standings shake out.

If the Clippers continue to lose games and a few other bounces go the right way, that extra second-round pick could climb as high as No. 36. In that scenario, the Nets would be looking at three selections inside the top 36, a rare amount of early draft capital for a team that made five first-round selections last year.

Currently, Brooklyn, who doesn’t play again until Friday, holds the sixth-worst record in the league at 6-17.

Risers​

Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

To open his second season at Iowa State, Jefferson has come out scorching.

The Nevada native is averaging 17.6 points on 56.6% shooting, along with 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, while hitting an eye-catching 45% from three.

At 6’8” and 22 years old, he’s an experienced, versatile wing who has a complete skillset. The 22-year-old is an elite playmaker with a high basketball IQ who would benefit significantly from improving his jump shot consistency.

Even as an older prospect, his blend of shooting and size makes him an easy fit as a young three-and-D piece within any NBA team’s system.

Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor

Last week, Yessoufou landed in the fallers section after struggling to generate any real offensive rhythm. One week later, he’s taken a noticeable step forward.

In each of his last two games, the 19-year-old has topped 20 points, and he went four-of-eight from three against Memphis, an encouraging sign in an area that had been an apparent concern to open up his freshman campaign

He’s still far from a finished product, and as I noted last week, his trajectory mirrors that of V.J. Edgecombe. Edgecombe, a top-five pick last year, also battled inconsistency as a college scorer but thrived defensively and saw his offensive game come together quickly at the NBA level.

Yessoufou profiles similarly: raw, but with the tools to grow.

Fallers​

Boogie Fland, Florida

After transferring from Arkansas to Florida rather than entering the 2025 NBA draft, Fland has sputtered through the first eight games of his sophomore season.

In 30.8 minutes per game, he’s averaging 12.5 points, 2.1 steals, and 2.3 assists, while shooting just 39.3% from the field and 25% from three.

As a second-year guard, he needed a statistical jump to build a legitimate lottery case. Instead, his size at 6’2” limits him defensively, and his struggles to create clean looks show up in both his efficiency and his modest assist numbers.

The good news: there’s still plenty of season left. It’s early, and Fland has more than enough time to turn things around.

Nate Ament, Tennesse

Yes, the early hype around Amet is cooling. He entered his freshman year viewed as a blue-chip prospect, and the expectations for the Virginia native were high — expectations he hasn’t quite met yet.

Over his last five games, Amet has averaged 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, but he’s doing it on rough 31.1/33.3/82.8 shooting splits. At 6’10” and only 18 years old, his game is extremely raw. The tools and upside are apparent; the question now is whether he can translate them into consistent production on tape.

Still, there’s plenty of reason to believe his stock will trend back up. Raw, athletic freshmen often take time to adjust, and Amet fits that mold.

Spotlight of the week​

Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson entered the season with legitimate No. 1 overall buzz, and through the early stretch of his college career, he’s lived up to that label and then some. The 6’5” guard arrived as one of the top recruits in the country, and his game has translated immediately against high-major competition.

Darryn Peterson | SG | #Kansas | 6-6, 205, FR

Strong scoring display from Peterson in his first game for Kansas since missing 7 games with a hamstring injury — silk off-the-dribble shotmaking + driving prowess. Active hands defensively.

17 PTS + 3 REB (23 mins) vs Missouri. pic.twitter.com/E0P1eNCEnl

— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) December 7, 2025

Granted, he has only appeared in three games this season, but his hot start must garner attention as a freshman. Throughout 24.7 minutes, Peterson has put up 20 points per game on a blistering 53.8% from the field and 42.8% from three, coupled with 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks.

The 18-year-old is known for his relentless work ethic while being an elite three-point shooter with elite playmaking tools.

17 points in 23 minutes for Darryn Peterson in his return from injury vs Missouri. Mature shotmaking, pace & poise on display. Demeanor of the 18-year-old is a major separator.

Rarely sped up. Has a rhythmic way of dissecting a defense in the half-court. pic.twitter.com/l8h5uE3XeQ

— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) December 7, 2025

Don’t be surprised if you hear Peterson’s name called first in June… That is how special he is.

Sleepers​

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

A freshman at Illinois, Wagler couldn’t have scripted a stronger start to his college career. He’s averaging 13.8 points on 42.2% shooting and 34.1% from three, along with 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

What really stands out is his control of the game. Wagler is committing just 1.1 turnovers per contest and has gone turnover-free in three of his last five outings, which is a rare level of poise for an 18-year-old.

One the most underrated freshman in the country.

Keaton Wagler has been spectacular for Illinois all season long.

A big guard with great feel and poise. He will be playing in the NBA one day.

: @League_Him
pic.twitter.com/CGKIqtnIM2

— College Basketball Headquarters (@CBBheadquarters) December 8, 2025

At 6’6”, he profiles as an ideal sleeper in a loaded draft class due to his blend of size, strong decision-making, and efficiency. Those are three key traits NBA teams highly value within a prospect, and his age certainly helps that trend as well.

Taylor Bol-Bowen, Alabama

Bol-Bowen, now in his third college season and first under Nate Oats at Alabama, still profiles as a long-term developmental swing for NBA teams. Even with multiple years in the NCAA, his game remains raw, but the tools are undeniable.

Taylor Bol Bowen vs #8 Illinois

12 PTS
3 REB
2 BLK
FG: 4-8 (50%)
FT: 2-2 (100%)
25 MIN
+8pic.twitter.com/SRzEGSDETc

— (@UARoundballGuy) November 21, 2025

At 6’10”, he brings length, athleticism, and intriguing touch, shooting an efficient 53.8% from the field. There’s always a market for size, shooting, and defensive versatility, which is why he remains on the radar as a potential second-round option.

Marginally encouraging to see this type of passing flash from Alabama's Taylor Bol Bowen.

I don't expect him to lead the break in the NBA/as a pro or anything, but it's about him showing that he can make connective reads to any extent

Even then, this pass *is* a bit inaccurate https://t.co/bRjTdCh1uA pic.twitter.com/d9GpiGgN7b

— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) November 27, 2025

To solidify that case, he’ll need to add strength, as he’s still just 195 pounds, and boost his overall production. The outlines of an NBA role player are there; however, the next step for him is to turn his upside into consistent production at the collegiate level.

This week’s watch guide​

Here is a list of games fans should tune into this week:

• Clemson vs. BYU: December 9, 6:30 p.m. tip-off. Look out for BYU’s AJ Dybantsa.
• Illinois vs. Ohio State: December 9, 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Illinois’ Keaton Wagler.
• Texas Tech vs. Arkansas: December 13, 12 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas.
• Kansas vs. NC State: December 13, 5:30 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Kansas’ Darryn Peterson.
• Arizona vs. Alabama: December 13, 9:30 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Alabama’s Taylor Bol-Bowen.
• Eastern Illinois vs. Ohio State: December 14, 1 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...n-dominates-yessoufou-rebounds-and-amet-slips

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Shams: Brooklyn Nets eyeing salary dumps, Cam Thomas trade

In ESPN’s “Inside Pass” for Tuesday, Shams Charania focuses mainly on trade prospects for big names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, but also discusses potential moves for the Brooklyn Nets and other teams as Monday’s unofficial start of the NBA’s trade season approaches.

Although Shams does not lay out specifics — he makes no mention of Michael Porter Jr. or Nic Claxton for example — his reporting on Brooklyn has Sean Mark & co. preparing for even more salary dumps … and perhaps a Cam Thomas trade.

Re: salary dumps, Shams says the Nets cap space has led to “increased talks” involving Brooklyn, even suggesting the team could add to its league-leading number.

The Nets have $15 million in cap space and can create more, which has led to increased trade talks about using their room to absorb salary while receiving assets, sources said. The Nets, Pistons ($14.1 million trade exception) and Utah Jazz ($18.4 million trade exception) are the only teams with significant room that can take in larger deals and not be impacted by the apron.

Brooklyn engaged in four salary dumps over the summer, using $40 million in cap space to acquire Michael Porter Jr., two first rounders one of which became Drake Powell; Terrance Mann; Haywood Highsmith: Kobe Bufkin and a second rounder. Bufkin was later waived.

The ESPN insider’s most specific comment re the Nets relates to Cam Thomas’ situation. The 6’4” shooting guard hasn’t played November 5 due to recurring hamstring issues. He’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, after December 15 when most players signed or traded during the summer become eligible to be moved.

Brooklyn could also work with Cam Thomas’ agents at Octagon to navigate his future, potentially via trade, as he plays the remainder of the season on the qualifying offer and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Thomas is averaging 21.4 points but hasn’t played since Nov. 5 after injuring his hamstring.

Suddenly it doesn’t seem far fetched. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez didn’t seem enthralled about Thomas’ return.

“Before Cam got hurt, obviously, his superpower was the ability he had to score,” said Fernandez. “At the same time, we always want to see playmaking efficiency and improvement on defense. So all those things were important at the time. Now, he’s been out, the team continues to get better and play in a [good] way… The skillset, he’s very unique and very good at what he does. But at the same time, now the group is taking positive steps.

For the most part, I’m very happy with the whole group. And now when he comes back, it’s going to be on me to figure out how we introduce him into the group, and thinking that the most important thing, it’s always the group. And then from there, it’s [that] you’re willing to do whatever it takes to help the group and obviously improve yourself. That’s how this works: Team success will bring your own success as well.”

Although Shams didn’t mention it, Thomas and Antetokounmpo share an agent in Alex Saratsis, perhaps increasing the possibility that Thomas might be moved in a multi-team trade facilitated by Brooklyn. Thomas must approve any trade.

Join the conversation!​

Sign up for a user account and get:

• Fewer ads
• Create community posts
• Comment on articles, community posts
• Rec comments, community posts
• New, improved notifications system!

Shams also writes that the Nets have “seen progress” from its five first rounders and Noah Clowney.

The Nets, who made five first-round picks in June’s draft, have seen rookies progress in their development, including Egor Demin and Danny Wolf. Third-year forward Noah Clowney is also having a career season so far, averaging 13.3 points, 3.8 assists and 36.1% from 3.averaging 13.3 points, 3.8 assists and 36.1% from 3.

As for the big question that will likely dominate the trade season – whether Antetokounmpo gets moved – Shams had this to report:

As reported last week, Antetokounmpo, who is out for several weeks because of a right calf strain, and his agent, Alex Saratsis, have opened discussions with the Bucks about the future and whether the best path forward is to stay in Milwaukee or be traded. The Bucks are 10-15 after losing 10 of their past 12 games and have spent most of the past few weeks at No. 10 or No. 11 in the Eastern Conference standings. Should the Bucks’ slide continue, sources said discussions between Antetokounmpo’s representation and the franchise will escalate and lead to a resolution before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

In addition to Monday’s increase in the number of players available to trade — 82 — the NBA’s upcoming calendar includes the G League Showcase in Orlando from December 19-22, serving as the NBA’s version of MLB’s winter meetings.

• NBA rumors: How Nets could be a major player at 2026 trade deadline – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-rumo...lyn-nets-eyeing-salary-dumps-cam-thomas-trade

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nolan Traore gets call-up after strong game in front of Jordi Fernandez

Even if all eyes are on Brooklyn — Nolan Traore is making strides with Long Island, so many in fact that the 19-year-old Frenchmen’s next home game will be at Barclays Center, not Nassau Coliseum. After a strong two weeks with the Nets G League affiliate, Traore was called up Thursday just as the Nets head to Dallas for Friday’s game vs. the Mavericks.

The 19th pick and youngest of the Flatbush 5 — who many fans had dismissed after lackluster performances in preseason , had attacked his time in the G League with gusto…

Nolan Traore's three-point shooting improvement has been jarring.

Over his four preseason games and first four G League games:

18.2% (4/22) on 2.2 attempts per 36 minutes

Over his last nine G League games:

53.2% (25/47) on 5.6 attempts per 36 minutes

He's found a rhythm. https://t.co/lhQQoiqJdq

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 11, 2025

The big change shouldn’t have been that surprising. Traore after all is the sixth youngest player in the NBA and as our Tyler Carmona wrote last week, Traore has a history of slow starts.

Wednesday, on the back of a typical Traore game, the Long Island Nets had defeated the Westchester Knicks, 115-95, at the Westchester County Center. While this marked a regular Tip-Off Tournament game, Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez was on hand to undoubtedly keep an eye on the rookies with Traore prominent among them. (he didn’t speak to media post-game.).

Traore continued to shoot the ball very well in the Battle of the ’Burbs, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including both attempts from deep. He has been taking a lot of smart shots, and one of the highlights of the nights was a connection with Drake Powell. Powell will also be traveling to Dallas, having been called up as well.

This was alson arguably Traore’s best game protecting the ball. For the first time in his G League career, Traore finished the game with zero turnovers. Things have very much been trending in the right direction for Traore in this aspect, with the best showing yet taking place on Wednesday.

The game against the lowly Knicks, the G League’s worst team, was a blowout early…

Long Island leads Westchester by 30 at the break, matching the second-largest halftime advantage in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/k0cd3aXv76

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) December 11, 2025

Indeed, the Nets held a double-digit lead throughout the second quarter with Westchester getting no closer than 14.

Powell played his second game with Long Island in this one. Coming off an eight-point performance on Tuesday, would Powell play more of a bigger factor on the stat sheet? Unfortunately, no. Powell connected on two of his seven shots, struggling mightily from deep, only hitting one of his six shot attempts. In total, Powell finished with six points.

Powell also finished with three rebounds and two assists. However, what Powell lacked in shooting the ball, he made up for in being the best ballhawk of the game. Powell finished with a game-best five steals. This led to a lot of unanswered points for Long Island and played a big part in getting them their double-digit lead, which they maintained the whole second half.

The third and final rookie on Long Island right now is Ben Saraf, who will remain in Long Island. Saraf made his return to Long Island on Tuesday, where he struggled to shoot the ball. Unfortunately, things wouldn’t fare much better for Saraf in this one. Saraf connected on just two of his seven shots, but if there’s any silver lining, it’s that Saraf has yet to miss from deep in his first two games back with Long Island. He went two-for-two on Tuesday and followed that up by connecting on his only attempt from deep on Wednesday.

In total, Saraf picked up five points. He also hauled in six rebounds while tallying five assists. Saraf’s big downside to his game on Wednesday was, unfortunately, in the turnover department. He finished second on the team in turnovers with four. However, these are all somewhat expected growing pains. The potential is most certainly still there for Saraf and Powell, for that matter.

Brooklyn Nets two-way player, Tyson Etienne, also remains in Uniondale. Etienne finished with 13 points, connecting on four of his nine attempts from deep. He went three-for-six from deep, having a much better shooting performance on Wednesday than he did the day before. He also had one assist and one steal to his credit. EJ Liddell was inactive dealing with a left ankle sprain. This injury comes at an inopportune time, as he’s been playing lights out with Long Island.

Tre Scott, the 6’8” Long Island’s 28-year-old big, led the team in scoring with 20 points. Scott finished the game connecting on eight of his 16 shot attempts, but only connecting on two of his seven shots from deep. He also had five rebounds, five assists, and two steals. However, Scott’s downfall in this one came in the turnover department as he tallied five. With all the attention on the rookies and the two-ways, Scott is still a name to keep an eye on.

Nate Williams the 6’6” wing, is similarly situated. another player who’s a bit older at 26. He hit seven of his 15 shots, including shooting 50% from deep. He also had five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. Yuri Collins had 13 points of his own, as well as six rebounds and six assists. He shot almost lights out, connecting on six of his seven attempts.

Also, 24-year-old David Muoka is getting a second chance at minutes. The 6’11” Hong Kongese center played arguably his best game in a Nets uniform, tallying 10 points, three rebounds, and three blocks.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (6-7) return to the court on Friday in Westchester, as they once again battle the Westchester Knicks, as their Tip-Off Tournament comes to an end. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the Gotham Sports app, as well as the NBA G League website.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets at Westchester Knicks: Box Score – NBA.com
• Nolan Traore’s play in G League impressing Nets’ Jordi Fernandez – Dan Martin – New York Post
• Nets recall rookie Nolan Traore as path to point guard minutes opens ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Two clubs, one organization: Inside the Nets’ developmental pipeline with Long Island ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets recall rookie Nolan Traore after performing well in G League – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY
• Nets rookie in line for first extended NBA audition after G League breakout – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...ormance-this-time-in-front-of-jordi-fernandez

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Lewis: Michael Porter Jr. hoping to stay a Net

In talking with Brian Lewis, Michael Porter Jr. cleared up any mystery about where he’d like to be playing for the rest of the season and perhaps beyond. Brooklyn, says MPJ, is his home and he’d like to keep it that way despite any rumors that might emerge between Monday, the unofficial start of trade season, and February 5, the NBA’s trade deadline.

“Yeah, I love it here,” Porter said when asked by The Post if he sees himself in Brooklyn long term. “I love the staff, I love the energy of practice. Everyone gets along and has great vibes and great energy around the facility. So whatever team wants and appreciates what I bring to the table, then that’s where I want to be. And I feel like they do here.

“I don’t know their long-term plans; that’s above my pay grade. But any good, successful team, you need a mix of young, developing guys with unlimited energy, and you need some older guys that have been there and done that and can hand it down and teach the young guys. So any team that thinks they’re going to win at a high level with only young players, it doesn’t really happen. But like I said, if they want me here, I’d love to be here.”

No doubt there and after arriving in Brooklyn the result of a summer salary dump, Porter, only 27, has more than filled his promise. He’s averaging 25.8 points and 7.6 rebounds on 50/39/82 shooting splits. And since Cam Thomas went down with his hamstring issue at the beginning of November, those numbers have jumped. in the last 13 starts, he’s put up 28.2 points on 51/43/83, All-Star worthy numbers.

Not only is doing well, but the Nets wound up with a 2032 unprotected first round pick from Denver. Cam Johnson, who the Nets sent to the Nuggets is playing well for the first time this year. While most pundits, most notably Bill Simmons of The Ringer denounced the trade, it’s now seen as at least neutral, depending of course on how the Nugs do in the post-season.

However …

The Nets are rebuilding and MPJ is a valuable trade asset even with tw0 years and $78.1 million left on his deal. He could garner more trade assets and sending him away would also help the Nets tank harder. Some fans would rather lose games to get better lottery odds than end the season with another disappointing draft slot. Porter says he’s aware of what could happen, but says the ultimate decision is above his pay grade.

“Yeah, I definitely use everything I can as motivation,” Porter said. “It was just so much noise about me as a player. I just felt like a lot of stuff was discredited because of the fact that it was a rough ending to my time there.

Indeed, troubled by a shoulder issue, MPJ had a tough time last May in the Nuggets seven-game Western Conference semis vs. the Thunder. OKC sneaked by Denver and ultimately won it all. It was the second straight year the Nuggets didn’t make to the conference finals after winning it all with Porter as key piece in 2023.

“I knew I wasn’t myself in the last playoffs, so I just took the summer to get my shoulder healthy. I knew if it was healthy coming here, I’d be able to change the narrative around me. As a player, using everything you can as motivation is very important … but if you can use things that keep pushing yourself, that’s a big thing.”

The narrative certainly changed on the court. He and Nic Claxton, also rumored to be a trade candidate, have formed a solid bond, playing off each other’s strengths. Off the court, the more Mike stays off the mic, the better. His summer time blogs, with misogynist claptrap, required the Nets to have at least one sitdown with him. Of late, he seems to have understood that discretion is the better part of valor. How much that will affect either his status in Brooklyn or trade value remains to be seen.

He’s also won praise from his coach with whom he worked for five years in Denver.

“You see the efficiency, the way he does it with cutting, catch-and-shooting, off-ball, rebounding, getting to the free-throw line. … He’s playing at an All-Star level,” Jordi Fernández said. “He’s helping the group being competitive and growing.”

But even Fernandez uses the present tense when talking Porter.

“We have him here because we believe in him,” Fernández said. “We know how good he is. We believe we can develop him. And he’s part of our club right now, so every guy that’s here is going to be treated with the same amount of accountability, but also is going to be treated in their own way because they’re a different person.

“The fair way to put it, Mike [can] keep getting better, I think his ceiling is even higher. And I’m not going to say that right now what he’s doing is just enough. He’s got to maintain what he’s doing, and can get even better.”

When the Nets traded for Porter, the punditry was that the Nets would hope for the best and move him this summer when his deal becomes expiring at $40 million. Moreover, that’s when Sean Marks does his big deals. In the 10 years he’s been GM, Marks has made at least one move within 48 hours of the NBA Draft.

Now, with fans and likely the front office wanting a high pick in a great draft, the temptation to move MPJ sooner might be too hard to resist.

• Michael Porter Jr. hopes to convince Nets he’s worth keeping amid tanking season ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-rumors/102971/lewis-michael-porter-jr-hoping-to-stay-a-net

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Mavericks 119,Nets 111: Porter Jr.’s 34 Points Not Enough

Winning matters, but so does learning how not to lose.

For a young Nets team still figuring out how to close games, Friday’s 119-111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks felt familiar. The flashes, however, continue to feel real.

“I liked their fight all the way through,” said Jordi Fernandez. “I think the team competed well.”

Even in a loss, Brooklyn continues to play with a level of energy and competitiveness that separates them from most teams buried in the league’s bottom tier.

They didn’t lack fight, they just lacked polish.

The game slipped away in moments where their inexperience showed, both physically and mentally, but it’s not enough to take away the sense that something exciting is taking shape.

Twenty-four games into the season, Michael Porter Jr. has already exceeded expectations, leading both teams with 34 points.

Once the No. 1 prospect in the country, Porter spent his Denver years as a spacing weapon, asked to punish defenses with his outside shooting as a third option. Injuries reshaped his trajectory, but in Brooklyn, he’s emerged as a primary scorer who also leans on craft and timing to generate offense.

Porter Continues To Step Forward​

When the Nets traded for Porter, the expectation was simple: provide offense for a roster short on proven, consistent scorers.

He’s already exceeded expectations. Porter currently ranks among the league’s top 15 scorers (25.8) , and among that list, only Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic average more rebounds than him (7.6).

It wasn’t the kind of shot-chucking often seen from veterans on rebuilding teams. the 27-year-old picked his spots and scored from all three levels which kept the defense honest, shooting 60% from the field and 60% from three.

Michael Porter Jr. with a nice bucket off the dribble. He isn’t just a catch-and-shoot guy anymore. Defenders have to stay honest, and that hesitation is getting them blown by.@NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/lsbSXbCFj0

— Tyler Carmona (@TylerCarmona) December 13, 2025

Late in the game, Porter felt the weight of responsibility after a miscommunication from Noah Clowney led to a late-game turnover.

On the next possession he took matters into his own hands, forcing a tough shot and giving the ball back before turning it over less than a minute later.

“We kept looking at Mike instead of using him, and others taking the shot,” Fernandez said.

Still, Porter has consistently shown a willingness to trust teammates rather than hunt numbers, and that should be more effective once Brooklyn’s young core becomes more reliable.

Mistakes Tell The Story​

As Fernandez stated, the game came down to being out-rebounded in the fourth quarter, when Dallas finished with 10 second-chance points.

“That’s how you lose games,” Fernandez stated.

The Nets also finished with 17 turnovers, compared to 14 for Dallas and passing their season average of 14.8 turnovers.

Turning promising possessions into empty ones was the difference in a close game

Even while shooting better from three and the free-throw line and staying close in overall field-goal percentage, Brooklyn saw its margin for error disappear with every turnover.

Growing Pains​

Rookie point guard Egor Demin was the only starter who didn’t reach double figures, finishing with one of his toughest outings of the season.

He forced a few difficult attempts in traffic, appearing to search for contact over clean looks.

Still, there was some progress beneath the struggles. Early in the year, Demin avoided the paint altogether. Now he’s attacking it.

Noah Clowney continued to show clearly physical and offensive development, scoring 13 points and finishing through contact multiple times.

But several decision-making lapses led to three turnovers, and his confidence wavered late as the mistakes built up.

Neither Clowney nor Demin is over 21 years old, and both have shown enough promise to earn patience through nights like this.

After flashing signs of momentum with a 23-point performance against Utah last week, Ziaire Williams was held to three points in 25 minutes, shooting 25 percent from the field.

Fernandez also seemed to send off a wake-up call to rookie Drake Powell, who played just three minutes. When asked him Powell’s lack of minutes were due to Nolan Traore taking them, he promptly confirmed it.

“These young guys need to understand how important every minute you play is,” Fernandez said. “If the intentions are there, I’m completely fine. But if the mistakes are from easing into the game, that’s not how we do it here.”

And for Demin, a warning.

“He’s gotta be better, otherwise the minutes are gonna go down, and somebody else will take advantage of them.”

A steady presence off the bench​

Danny Wolf once again made the most of his opportunity.

Wolf led Brooklyn’s bench with 17 points and seven rebounds, shooting 60 percent from the floor and also playing reliable defense. His impact didn’t go unnoticed, earning praise throughout the broadcast.

"A Wolf Among Sheep"

"I think they are going to need more Wolf jerseys at the team shop"

Danny Wolf getting some love on tonight's broadcast@NetsDaily

— Tyler Carmona (@TylerCarmona) December 13, 2025

At this stage of the season, Wolf is making a strong case as one of the draft’s better value selections. The No. 27 overall pick has scored at least 15 points in three of his last six games and is averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

For a Nets team auditioning its rookies, Wolf continues to separate himself.

Nice sequence from Danny Wolf here. Fights through contact for the tough finish, then has quick hands in traffic for the steal to set up a two-for-one for the Nets@NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/099hhn1BaQ

— Tyler Carmona (@TylerCarmona) December 13, 2025

Milestone Watch​

• This was Porter Jr.’s fourth consecutive game with at least 30 points, the longest streak of his career.
• Nic Claxton still sits at No.5 on the Nets’ all-time blocks list, but is just 33 blocks away from sliding into Mike Gminski’s No.4 slot

What’s Next?​

Sunday, the Nets will return to Barclays Center to face the Milwaukee Bucks at 6:00 p.m. ET.

The two team’s last played on November 29, when Brooklyn fell to Milwaukee 116-99. Will we hear more on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors? The day before the unofficial opening of trade season? Bet on it.

Milwaukee has gotten off to a slow start this season, currently sitting at 9-12, but won their most recent game against the Boston Celtics 116-101.

• Boxscore: Dallas Mavericks 119, Brooklyn Nets 111 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Dallas Mavericks 119, Brooklyn Nets 111 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández on dropping back and forth game (Video) – YES Network
• Michael Porter Jr.: ‘There are a lot of positives’ (Video) – YES Network
• Michael Porter Jr. on his 21-point first half (Video) – YES Network
• Nolan Traoré on his development in the G League (Video) – YES Network
• Anthony Davis has 24 points and 14 rebounds to lead Mavericks past Nets 119-111 – AP
• Nets collapse down stretch in loss to Mavericks to spoil another big Michael Porter Jr. effort – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Danny Wolf continues to impress Nets in more ways than one: ‘Plays like he belongs’ – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets drop thriller to Mavericks despite Michael Porter Jr.’s 34 and Danny Wolf’s spark off the bench ($) – C.J. Shivers – New York Daily News
• A way-too-early look at who the Nets could target in the 2026 NBA Draft ($) – C.J. Shivers – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 34 in loss to Mavericks – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...avericks-119-porter-jr-s-34-points-not-enough

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Battle of the ‘Burbsespite slim pickin’s due to injury, illness, Long Island beats Westchester

Despite missing seven players to injury and illness, the very short-handed Long Island Nets beat their G League rivals Westchester Knicks, 110-107, to end the first part of the NBA G League season with a .500 record. Although the Nets were short-handed, the cast they put on the court started strong and finished with just enough fuel on the tank for their seventh win.

The day started with Nolan Traore, who has been the headliner for Long Island, called up to Brooklyn for a longer audition for the big club. Then, one by one, the young Nets fell, leaving them without almost all of its best players. EJ Liddell was out for the second game, as he still is dealing with a left ankle sprain. However, on top of that, rookie Ben Saraf and high scoring wing, Nate Williams, were both out dealing with an illness. And top of that, David Muoka, the starting center the last game, was declared out with a left ankle sprain.

Grant Nelson also remained out, dealing with left knee soreness. This is the injury which sidelined Nelson for a good portion of the Tip-Off Tournament, the first part of the G League schedule. The silver lining here is that all of these players now have some time to get better and regroup. All 31 G League teams

as the “regular season” doesn’t kick off for Long Island until Sunday, December 28th. Also, the Nets opponent Friday night was the G League’s worst team, the Westchester Knicks who went into the game 1-11.

For Long Island, the losses on the injury report didn’t seem to affect things on the court. By the end of the first, the young Nets had piled it on, leading 46-15. Things got closer as the game went on but Long Island wound up with a rare wire-to-wire win.

So, with all of these names out, who picked up the slack? Well, for one, Brooklyn two-way, Tyson Etienne. Along with veteran wings Jay Scrubb and Malachi Smith, Etienne led Long Island with 20 points. The 26-year-old 6’0” shooting guard connected on six of his 15 shots from the field, all six coming from beyond the arc. So far this season, he’s averaging 19.0 points one shooting splits of 43/420/60 along with 2.4 assists and 2.0 rebounds.

Etienne also finished a steal and a block. Etienne was an on-ball and off-ball pest all game. Etienne stepped up in a big way to keep his team winning games, and was a large part of the reason that Long Island came out of Westchester with the win.

The first of two players Etienne was tied with in scoring was Scrubb. Scrubb arguably played his best game as a Net in this one. Scrubb is no slouch in his own right. He’s previously earned an NBA G League call-up, signing a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic in March 2023. The Louisville, KY native has appeared in 24 career NBA games with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Orlando Magic. At the NBA level, he averaged 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per contest.

He was selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft and traded to the Clippers as a part of a multi-team deal. Now, he finds himself back with the same organization which drafted him.

Like Etienne, Scrubb finished with 20 points, connecting on eight of his 15 shot attempts. He also had six rebounds and four assists to his credit. Much like Etienne, the 6’4” 25-year-old Scrubb was also a bit of a ball hawk in this one, picking up two steals and one block.

Smith rounded out the three-way tie for the top scorer. Smith arguably had the best shooting game on the team, connecting on seven of his 11 shots, including going three-of-four from deep. He also had four rebounds, one assist, and even had a steal.

Rookie Dre Davis picked up a new career-high in this game, tallying 15 points while Tre Scott had a fairly quiet game by his standards, finishing with 13 points, only finding the net on five of his 13 attempts. However, his seven rebounds and six assists brought him close to a triple-double.

As for Yuri Collins, while he only picked up nine points, he excelled as a playmaker, tallying 10 assists. Collins flirted with a double-double in this one, but was just shy of it. He also had two rebounds and two steals.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (7-7) wrapped up their Tip-Off Tournament in this one, and now await their Winter Showcase fate which starts next weekend in Orlando. As of now, the next time they take the court is in over two weeks when they travel to Atlanta to take on the College Park Skyhawks on Sunday, December 28th. The game tips off at 3:00 p.m. EST and can be viewed on NBA TV.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 110, Westchester Knicks 107 – G League
• Full Game Video: Long Island Nets 110, Westchester Knicks 107 – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...-injury-illness-long-island-beats-westchester

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 PM ET

It’s been a full six days since the Nets last played basketball. For those who forgot where we left off: Brooklyn’s won three out of four entering tonight. Egor Demin enjoyed a night out for the Jimmy V Classic at MSG, watching his BYU Cougars pull off a thrilling buzzer beater victory off the hands of Robert Wright III. AJ Dybantsa went for 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Just saying.

Egor Mic’d Up

View this post on Instagram

In the off time, Brooklyn elevated in the standings — they’re now just the sixth-worst-team in the league. Cam Thomas’ name was brought up in a Shams trade rumor report, too. Moving onto tonight… this one features No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.

KEY INFO​

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (6-17) at Dallas Mavericks (9-16)

WHEN: 8:30 PM ET

WATCH: YES NETWORK / GOTHAM SPORTS APP

INJURY REPORT​

• Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Strain
• Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
• Liddell: OUT – G League Two Way
• Etienne: OUT – G League Two Way
• Saraf: OUT –G League Assignment

***

Please be respectful with your comments. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...n-brooklyn-nets-at-dallas-mavericks-830-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Trade season arrives Monday … or maybe earlier

The unofficial start of trade season is upon us. Starting Monday morning, all but 17 of the NBA’s 540 players will be eligible to be dealt. The 82 players signed in the earlier part of the summer will be added to the pool of players GMs can move around the board. (The remaining 17 free agents signed later in the summer become eligible on January 15.)

Reports of impending trades could come even earlier. Last year, Shams Charania tweeted out news of the trade of Dennis Schroder and a future second rounder for three other future seconds at 4:36 p.m. nearly eight hours before the deadline. At that point, the Nets wanted to improve their chances for a top pick, the same situation they find themselves So don’t be surprised if there’s early word.

Moreover, according to various reports, the Nets have been trolling the NBA for salary dumps, trading players for even more draft assets beyond the 13 first rounders, two first round swaps and 19 second rounders already on the big board at HSS Training Center. With their $15.3 million in cap space left over from the summer, they could be involved in dumps or as a facilitator in other, multi-team deals.

As Shams noted last week, they have flexibility … and little competition.

The Nets have $15 million in cap space and can create more, which has led to increased trade talks about using their room to absorb salary while receiving assets, sources said. The Nets, Pistons ($14.1 million trade exception) and Utah Jazz ($18.4 million trade exception) are the only teams with significant room that can take in larger deals and not be impacted by the apron.

Cap space offers more flexibility than trade exceptions.

Since then, Jake Fischer of The SteinLine and Brian Lewis of the Post have confirmed the aggressive stance Sean Marks & co. are taking. Wrote Fischer:

My best read on Brooklyn at the moment is that it has mostly abandoned its ambitions for jumping straight back into the star market in the wake of the Kevin Durant/James Harden/Kyrie Irving Era. It was two summers ago that the Nets, who once viewed Mikal Bridges as their in-house No. 2 with the ability to help attract a true alpha to Barclays Center, dealt Bridges to the Knicks. I’m told Brooklyn has since set its sights on the upper reaches of the forthcoming draft in hopes of adding a potential rookie superstar to the five first-round selections it made this past June.

As for Lewis, he reported this weekend that despite a fan debate between the pro- and anti-tank corps, there appears no indication of any change of mind by ownership or the front office on the original plan to get as high a pick as possible in the May lottery, noting Joe Tsai’s comment back in September, “We have one pick in 2026 and we hope to get a good pick, so you can predict what kind of strategy we’ll use for this season.” Lewis wrote:

Teams are leery about trading away huge quantities of first-round picks for stars on the wrong side of 30, and instead hoarding draft assets. That’s still very much what the Nets plan to use their league-high $15.3 million in cap space for, to absorb yet more salary dumps in order to garner other team’s draft picks.

League sources have consistently told The Post that Brooklyn’s plans remain the same.

And while there’s been a lot of speculation about who the Nets might move, with the leading candidates being Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, Lewis hints at a specific scenario that had some currency in the summer: a deal with Boston. In it, the Nets would take on Anfernee Simons expiring $27.7 million contract in return for trade assets. Simons, 26, averaged better than 20 points a game over his last four years in Portland, but has had reduced role in Boston this season after being sent to the Celtics by the Blazers for Jrue Holiday in the off-season, itself a salary dump.

Brooklyn’s reported asking price to take on Simons and help Boston avoid CBA sanctions — a first round pick — was deemed too steep for Brad Stevens. In addition, Boston has made subsequent moves that made their situation less onerous.

Then, there’s the issue of Cam Thomas whose recurring hamstring issue won’t be re-evaluated for another week. His situation is tricky. Having exercised his $6.0 million qualifying offer, Thomas would have to approve any trade and lose his Bird Rights with his new team. He appears to have already made one contract mistake with the QO, turning down a one-year, $9.5 million contract and a two-year, $30 million deal with the second year a team option. Would he be willing to take another chance, stick around and try his hand at unrestricted free agency in the summer?

Jordi Fernandez seemed to hint that when Thomas does return this season, his role will be different, considering how well the team has played in his absence.

“That’s a good question,” Fernandez said when asked about Thomas’ role. “The context is different [now]. Before Cam got hurt, obviously, his superpower was the ability he had to score. At the same time, we always want to see playmaking efficiency and improvement on defense. So all those things were important at the time. Now, he’s been out, the team continues to get better and play in a [good] way… The skillset, he’s very unique and very good at what he does. But at the same time, now the group is taking positive steps.

“For the most part, I’m very happy with the whole group. And now when he comes back, it’s going to be on me to figure out how we introduce him into the group, and thinking that the most important thing, it’s always the group.”

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

During the summer, the Nets used $40 million in cap space plus $1.1 million in cash to acquire two first round picks, one in 2025, another in 2032, a second rounder also in 2032 while also taking on the contracts of MPJ, Haywood Highsmith, Terance Mann and Kobe Bufkin (who they later waived.)

It seems quite obvious they are not done.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-rumors/103085/trade-season-arrives-monday-or-maybe-earlier

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

NY Liberty in love with Chris DeMarco as their new head coach

The New York Liberty are entering a new era. Following a disappointing and at times frustrating 2025 season, the 2024 WNBA champions decided to shake things up by moving on from Sandy Brondello. It took a few months and a lot of research, but they finally found the candidate they were looking for. And on December 10, the tenth head coach in Liberty history met the media and fans.

Chris DeMarco joins the Liberty after spending over a decade as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors. In that time, DeMarco won four NBA championships with the team and has worked as head coach for the men’s Bahamian National Team. As the Liberty continue evaluating what went wrong for the team in 2025, making the most out of the roster will be a top priority.

“We needed an industry leader when it comes to player development,“ Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said. ”We have to be an organization where our star players are routinely adding layers to their game, but also where our role players are developing and turning into starters. And we need to plan our flag as the home of development where players around the league know that this is where you come if you want to be at your very best.“

With an unknown world awaiting us if/when a Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached, it’s hard to predict what the next iteration of the Liberty roster will look like. However, one person who’s certainly going to play a big part of their present and future plans is Sabrina Ionescu.

Sab was on hand with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Isabelle Harrison, and Nyara Sabally to greet DeMarco on his first day with the team.

“The comps are interesting,” DeMarco said at the brand new Brooklyn Basketball Training Center comparing Ionescu to the star he left behind in San Francisco, Steph Curry. “I get it. She can shoot the heck out of the ball. She’s a very smart playmaker. Where I compare them is just their focus. I’d say what makes them most alike is just their focus on the game of basketball. And it really is elite.

It’s a high level of “every day I’m working on my game and making sure I’m in shape. I want to be the best.” So there’s obviously parallels there. As far as, like the comps go, it’s hard sometimes. I know with the Warriors, we were always trying to find maybe the next Andre Iguodala, Shawn Livingston, and you know those people are one of one of a kind, so we’re lucky to have one in Sabrina.

“And yeah, there’s some parallels to Steph, but overall, she’s her own player. There’s some things that I think she’s done great, and there’s some things I think she could do better, as well as the rest of our players. That’s part of our job as a coaching staff, to get everyone there.“

It’ll be interesting to see how DeMarco utilizes Ionescu and the rest of the Liberty once the season begins. Sab has improved her field goal percentage inside the restricted area each year she’s been in the league. However, her 3-point shooting hasn’t been as good as you would expect considering the caliber of shooter she is. DeMarco will be tasked with making the most out of the team’s spacing in order to get the best shots on every possession. Will that come with using Ionescu in different roles than Brondello did and having his superstar bigs working more frequently as hubs on offense at the elbows? Who knows. Once we get to training camp, we should have an idea as to how he wants to do things.

A learning experience​

During the presser, DeMarco was asked about how’s he prepared himself to coach women’s basketball players for the first time. He mentioned that he’s ordered just about every book he could find on the Liberty to help prepare for this new adventure. That response was the subject of Discourse on social media, but the full answer put that into its proper context

Full quote from DeMarco….

“We had three games in four nights, so I still am doing my assistant coaching role with the Golden State Warriors. But any free time I have, I'm pouring into this. I've probably ordered every book on the New York Liberty like you can find online. I've…

— Geoff Magliocchetti (@GeoffJMags) December 10, 2025

“In my free time I have, pouring into this, probably ordered every book on the New York Liberty,” DeMarco said. “I always watched as a fan. So now I have to shift my focus and watch as a coach. So there’s a lot to go back and watch. … To learn about the history of the WNBA.”

He also mentioned that he’s spoken to people who have also made the jump from the NBA to WNBA in Nick U’Ren, Nate Tibbets, and Natalie Nakase. He also acknowledged he has a lot to learn and will continue to spend his time learning the ins and outs of the league while continue to grow as well. Kolb and the Liberty will help with that process as DeMarco and the Liberty team will be taking trips to Unrivaled, Athletes Unlimited, and other basketball leagues around the world starting in January.

With the hire of DeMarco, the Liberty continue a trend of hiring coaches with NBA and FIBA men’s experience for the W. There have been questions as to who gets left behind when things like that, and the Liberty were able to point to their successful track record in hiring, supporting, and uplifting candidates and staffers of all backgrounds.

On the court, the new hire fits in to a league that’s going to be even more fascinating going forward. The Liberty have prided themselves on being a top tier organization in the WNBA and one that looks to stay ahead of the curve. At the presser, I asked Jonathan Kolb how the DeMarco hire fits into that and what it means in a continually evolving landscape:

“In terms of the game itself,” Kolb said, “I think one of the biggest qualities that drew us to Chris is his willingness to adapt and his tendency to adapt. And I think you saw it on the international level. Why is that important? Our league is fascinating right now.

When you look at the head coaches and the styles of play, this isn’t the NBA where you have similar styles throughout. This is a place where we’ve got collegiate minds. You’ve got European influence when you look at Connecticut’s setup. You’ve got WNBA minds, and now you’ve got NBA minds.

“It’s a different game night to night. So what that means to me, in order to stay ahead is you have to be willing to adapt. You can’t be married to certain things. You have to be willing to experiment and go with what works, so that by the time the regular season concludes, we know who we are as a team. We know we’ve got multiple triggers to pull, and we’re at our best come September, October.“

To be effective at your job, you have to acknowledge what you don’t know and work to turn a weakness into a strength. No one walks in knowing everything and you have to do the work to be the best version of yourself. What DeMarco lacks in direct experience coaching women’s basketball players he makes up in experience coaching in a variety of roles over a long time period with one of the NBA’s marquee franchises. That experience is what the Liberty are banking on to guide them back to the top of the WNBA.

There’s a lot to dig in to with the DeMarco hire, which I did on the latest episode of Gotta Get Up!

As the Liberty enter their new era, DeMarco’s hire will go a long way in charting their new direction. In the race to be the best franchise in the league, the Liberty are facing stiff competition all across the league. They hope that their combination of ownership, players, and coaching keeps them ahead of their peers and a step ahead of the next evolution in basketball. Now that DeMarco is officially on board, let the games begin.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty...ris-demarco-jonathan-kolb-analysis-head-coach

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets crush Bucks without Jordi Fernández, winning 127-82

Even without Jordi Fernández, the Nets put up a high score in Big Buck Hunter tonight.

Returning home for their second game of alternate programming to NBA Cup, Brooklyn secured their most dominant win of the season. Correction! Their most dominant win in franchise history! It was also the first career head coaching win for Steve Hetzel, who had to fill in for Fernández, who sat out with the flu.

Before the game, Hetzel explained that he wanted to embody an extension of what Fernández preaches above all else. On a night where the Nets dominated from deep, pressured the ball, and won when they probably shouldn’t have, he couldn’t have done a better job.

“The main message is just an extending message of what Jordi always talks about: being competitive, selfless, and connected out on the basketball floor,” he said pregame. “In this five-game series, we’re 2-2 with the opportunity to go 3-2 after tonight. It would be our first time to win a five-game series, so that’s our goal.”

Fernández’s phantasmic spirit could be felt from the jump. After a poor performance on Friday, the coach publicly criticized Egor Dëmin and challenged fellow rookie Drake Powell. Dëmin, even with Fernández unable to see it in person, was ready to show his coach he could do better. The eighth overall pick last June made all four of his opening period shots, including a triple off a screen which got the scoring started for Brooklyn. Even with Myles Turner lurking, he also managed to put some pressure on the rim…

Egor finishes around Myles Turner in the drop pic.twitter.com/Oz5Qo1GNWP

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 14, 2025

“Very, very proud of him,” Hetzel said of Dëmin’s response. “You know, [Fernandez] challenged Egor, he challenged Drake, and they both responded beautifully with an edge…You got to be quick to forget about the last one. Move on and play better.”

“I mean, I didn’t have much lost games in my life,” Dëmin said. “You know, coming from Moscow to Spain, there were a couple of big ones, but in general, I’ve been in a really winning team. It’s always been kind of hurting when we’re losing some big games, or whatever it is. In Spain, in three years, I lost probably three games, and all of them were big. There were two Finals, the national championship, so it’s obviously been always hurting a lot.

“In college, I had to really learn how to go over those bad games, or even sometimes when we win, but I’m not good with my performance, or when we lost. But again, it’s so many games. College was when I started learning about it, and coaches, obviously KY [Kevin Young, the BYU head coach], he’s like, ‘Man, you got to go on to the next one.’ You can’t really just stay with whatever happened yesterday.”

So as Dëmin aimed to turn things around, Michael Porter Jr. looked to maintain course. The Nets’ latest forward flourishing in an expanded opportunity here in Brooklyn gave us five first period points along with three assists. He only finished with 12 points tonight, but his teammates had his back, which became a defining theme for the game.

“Normally, Mike has been carrying us offensively, and then you see how spread out the points are amongst the group,” Hetzel said. “I don’t think anybody that stepped on the court played poorly. Complete team effort, totally focused.”

For the whole contest, but especially in the first, Day’Ron Sharpe had both arms extended to help carry the offensive load. He led everyone with nine points in the opening quarter, finding ample success in the pick-and roll-whether being set up by Powell or Tyrese Martin off the bench.

Between those three, the Nets put up 37 first period points and established a double digit lead going into the second. They posted 63/50 splits in the quarter and their 15 made field goals represented a first-quarter season high. The frame wasn’t without a few sloppy sequences, which were to be expected from a young team missing its skipper, but Brooklyn found a way to turn enough of them in their favor.

Nets got the points…eventually pic.twitter.com/8ofAT9ODqb

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 14, 2025

The Nets inflated their lead to 18 early in the second and got it as large as 19. While continuing to shoot well, they also forced six Buck turnovers in the frame which gave them eight extra points.

But despite all those buckets, the Nets were five seconds away from going into halftime without a single player in double digit figures, as Nic Claxton only got 10 right before the buzzer. The balanced attack saw six Nets contribute with eight or more points in the first half. It was the first time they did that since February 2024 in Memphis. It put the Nets in front by a 65-48 score.

Milwaukee, playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo tonight (and perhaps forever) looked like a team missing its best player. Aside from their loose grip on the rock, they struggled to create out of their offensive sets, often relying on Kyle Kuzma or Kevin Porter Jr. to create in isolation. Kuz led all scorers at the break with 13 points after shooting 6-10 from the field. He and Ryan Rollins were the only Bucks with more than two made field goals in the half.

But against tall odds, the Bucks were even worse at the other end. I’d say their wing defenders were like turnstiles, but even those occasionally don’t pick up your card and keep you from passing through.

MPJ goes right past Kyle Kuzma, around Myles Turner.

Whether it's attacking a closeouts or finding open teammates, he's done a great job leveraging the defensive attention he's got so far. pic.twitter.com/WaaH7gx5R5

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 15, 2025

So, after seeing these deer-in-their-headlights in the first half, the Nets floored it in the next period, going up by as many as 29. They got 10 more points off turnovers in the third and canned four triples in the frame’s first five minutes as Clowney and Dëmin took turns spraying Milwaukee from deep. Brooklyn went on to shoot 7-of-14 from three in the quarter. In doing so, they matched Milwaukee’s total number of made threes for the game by that point.

Egor Dëmin steps back on Kyle Kuzma and had something to say pic.twitter.com/vKgQY7VgQZ

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 15, 2025

By the time we reached the fourth, the Nets were up 99-71, and the game had lost its competitive appeal. However, what it lacked in entertainment was made up for by rookie intrigue. Perhaps the best part about Brooklyn’s massive lead was that it allowed us to see Nolan Traoré at length for the first time all season.

The second pick of the Flatbush Five has spent most of the year on Long Island, but came in tonight with nine minutes to go. He never got into the scoring column, but helped others do so, tallying three assists in those nine minutes.

“I just like his confidence,” Hetzel said of Traore. “When he was assigned to Long Island, he spent some time down there, and he did really, really well. His numbers were great. The team played well, and you can see a different player. So just that game experience, playing against NBA style basketball with Long Island, we have a great staff down in Long Island that coaches in the same as we do here, and you could just see his confidence at a much different level than last time he played.”

Nolan Traore elevates to fake and find Jalen Wilson. pic.twitter.com/ATGqzgi55U

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 15, 2025

In the process, Brooklyn’s lead boiled into the 40s. What looked like an old fashioned blowout eventually turned into an embarrassment to basketball on Milwaukee’s behalf. At one point, The Nets were up 125-82 with 2:26 to play and Jericho Sims thought it’d be a good idea to try and dribble the ball through his defender’s legs. He ended up just tossing it out of bounds. The ball nicked Jalen Wilson’s calf, so he managed to avoid committing what would have been his team’s 21st turnover of the evening, but couldn’t escape the moment’s awkwardness.

Dëmin ended up leading the Nets with 17 points after shooting 6-of-8 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep. He also came up with two steals. Clowney followed with 16 points after going 4-8 from deep. Martin added 14 points, going 5-of-8 from the field and 4-of-8 from deep. Between their scoring contributions and those of and Sharpe (13), Powell (13), Mann (12), Williams (10), Claxton (10), and Wolf (10), the Nets had nine guys to reach double figures. Indeed, much of fourth saw four rookies, everyone but the bed-ridden Saraf, on the floor. For the game, they put up 50 points.

Hetzel? He got an ice bath post game…

update: we had fun tn https://t.co/so2jQI1fnv pic.twitter.com/QbAWohvEZ8

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 15, 2025

But he still gave all the credit to Fernández and his fellow assistant coaches.

“It feels good, but it’s really, you know, we’re all an extension of Jordi, and everything that he’s done,” he said. “The way they played in his absence just shows how much they care about playing for him. And then the entire staff, you know, Jay Hernandez was in the huddle, drawing up ATOs. He works the offensive side of the ball. Juwan, helping with the subs, Dutch on the bench, and everybody behind. We have a tremendous, tremendous staff. And the best thing about everyone that works here is that everybody’s got an ego in terms of their confidence, but they have zero ego to rock the boat in a negative way.”

For anyone on tank watch and upset with the win, just know it could always be worse. The guys the Nets played tonight can’t be feeling better. They’re really trying to win, and in the process, convince the only guy keeping them relevant that he shouldn’t jump ship. They did a horrible job at it tonight, too.

Kyle Kuzma on Bucks loss to Nets: “It’s 45 points to a team trying to lose. They got 4 or 5 wins or whatever it is now. No disrespect at all because that’s the beauty of this league, right? There’s so much talent and if you’re not ready you can get your butt whooped by any team.” pic.twitter.com/ouGVKB8Kjq

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 15, 2025

While it’s five years too late, and not in the way we all want, the Nets might’ve finally defeated the entity that is “Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.”

“It’s awesome just just to be a part of this group,” Hetzel concluded. “Jordi and I are like brothers, or I view him like a brother. When he asked me to come work for him, I said absolutely. But this win is more of a reflection of everything that everybody on the staff does, and it’s fun to win. It’s fun to play well. I’m glad that we got it for Jordi.”

Final: Brooklyn Nets 127, Milwaukee Bucks 82

Injury Report​

As mentioned, Jordi Fernández missed tonight’s game with an illness which we later learned to be the flu. Despite his absence, Hetzel made it seem like the coach is doing as well as you could under those circumstance.

“He’s doing well,” Hetzel said pregame. “He calls himself a specimen. He tested positive for the flu, but he has no fever. So he feels good. I talked to him this morning. I saw him, he was in here. He was in good spirits, but I think it was best for him to just get some rest.”

Ben Saraf also missed tonight with and undisclosed illness.

Milestone Watch​

• The Nets had nine players score at least 10 points in tonight’s win — tied for the most in franchise history (happened three times prior: 12/21/22 vs. GSW, 1/29/21 at OKC, 4/8/84 vs. CLE).
• In the win, Brooklyn had six players record at least a +20 or better: Drake Powell (+31), Ziaire Williams (+28), Danny Wolf (+26), Tyrese Martin (+25), Nic Claxton (+23) and Egor Dëmin (+20). It was the fourth time in franchise history that at least six players have done so and the first time since their franchise-record seven on 3/15/22 at ORL in a 150-108 victory.
• Brooklyn tied their largest win in franchise history tonight with a 45-point (127-82) victory over Milwaukee (124-79 win over Washington on 1/9/93). It was their second most points of the season and fewest points allowed since November 2018 at Phoenix.
• The Nets shot 52.9% (45-85) FG, a season-high 44.2% (19-43) 3PT and 18-19 (94.7%) FT. It is their first time shooting 50-40-90 as a team in a win since 11/27/24 at Phoenix.
• Brooklyn’s 37 points in the first quarter tonight against Milwaukee tied their most in an opening frame this season (11/2 vs PHI)

Whew!

Next Up​

The Nets will get their first crack at the Miami Heat this year on Thursday evening after three days off. At the time of writing, Miami holds the east’s eighth best record at 14-11, having lost four straight. He won’t suit up, but it’ll be Haywood Highsmith’s first game against his former team.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 127, Milwaukee Bucks 82 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 127, Milwaukee Bucks 82 (Video) – NBA
• Steve Hetzel on Nets’ 127-82 victory (Video) – YES Network
• Egor Dёmin on being aggressive in Nets’ win (Video) – YES Network
• Tyrese Martin on Nets’ blowout win over Milwaukee (Video) – YES Network
• Nets rout Bucks 127-82 to match franchise record for margin of victory – Adry Torres – AP
• Nets tie franchise record with 45-point rout of Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Egor Dëmin, Drake Powell have perfect response after being called out by Nets coach – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Egor Demin answers the call as Nets roll past Bucks and tie largest margin of victory in franchise history ($) – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades: Egor Demin drops 17 in 127-81 win over Bucks ($) – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scores-results/103101/nets-vs-bucks-127-82-egor-demin-nic-claxton

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Long Forecast: Burries, Colvin rise as Peat headlines Week 3

Welcome to Week 3 of The Long Forecast on NetsDaily.

As each week goes by, more tape on these prospects for the 2026 NBA draft class continues to surface, and they could go down as one of the most talented classes over the past decade.

Where do the Nets’ picks sit?​

Since last week’s column, Brooklyn has gone 1-1 and still owns the league’s sixth-worst record at 7–18, remaining in the same draft slot as a week ago.

As things stand, the Nets’ own second-round pick projects at No. 36 overall, while their additional second-round selection, acquired from the Atlanta Hawks, sits at No. 47.

Risers​

Bradyen Burries, Arizona

In 34 minutes against Alabama on Saturday, Burries poured in 28 points with seven rebounds and two assists, shooting 66.7% from the field and knocking down half of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Arizona Freshman Brayden Burries has ARRIVED!

28 PTS | 11-19 FG | 5-10 3PT | 7 REB pic.twitter.com/nsg7u8o9sq

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) December 14, 2025

On the season, the 6’4”, 205-pound guard is averaging 13.5 points in 27.2 minutes per game, though efficiency has been the swing factor in his evaluation. The 20-year-old is shooting 46.2% from the floor and 35% from three, numbers he’ll look to push upward.

Brayden Burries has been ELITE for @ArizonaMBB over his last four games pic.twitter.com/RAVXIXFp4C

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 14, 2025

Saturday’s performance against the Crimson Tide was a clear step in the right direction, showcasing the scoring profile and physical traits NBA teams covet at the shooting guard position.

Myles Colvin, Wake Forest

Colvin exploded for 33 points Sunday night, leading Wake Forest to a 111-73 win over Queens University Charlotte. He also finished with eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the lopsided victory.

HISTORIC HALF IN WINSTON-SALEM

Myles Colvin shattered his career high with 33 PTS, including a perfect First half: 26 PTS | 8-8 FG | 6-6 3PT

Colvin set a Wake Forest record with 11-straight made shots. @WakeMBB | @DemonDeacons | #GoDeacs pic.twitter.com/iVvZXDtu8V

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) December 15, 2025

A 6’8” athletic guard/wing, Colvin’s biggest knock a season ago was his inconsistency from beyond the arc. He has addressed that area early this year, shooting 40.7% from three through nine games.

His value extends beyond scoring. Colvin has established himself as a stingy perimeter defender, a trait NBA teams continue to prioritize in the modern game.

Insanity from Myles Colvin pic.twitter.com/yJDHOFA14w

— Cam Lemons Debro (@CamLemons_) November 4, 2025

As a riser in this class, he’s still making noticeable strides, and there remains plenty left for him to unlock, which only adds to his intrigue moving forward.

Fallers​

Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky

Quaintance came into the season with real buzz, but the early returns have been discouraging. The tools are apparent, yet the production hasn’t been consistent, especially offensively, where he’s struggled to make a consistent impact.

There’s no long-term panic here; he’s still young, and there is plenty of room for growth, but right now, he needs to build consistency on both ends of the floor.

The 18-year-old is currently averaging 9.4 points per game and 7.9 rebounds throughout 29.5 minutes, while shooting 52.5% from the field and converting just 18.8% of his three-point chances.

It is also essential to keep in mind that he suffered a torn ACL less than one year ago.

Sleepers​

Amani Hansberry, Virginia Tech

Hansberry has taken a noticeable leap from his sophomore season into his junior campaign, emerging as a legitimate second-round sleeper.

Virginia Tech big Amani Hansberry has quietly been having a breakout year for the Hokies.

The former four-star has shown off his well-rounded skillset alongside Neoklis Avdalas through 8 games:

16.1 PTS
8.0 REB (2.8 ORB)
3.0 AST
1.0 BLK
1.2 STL
48.2 FG%
71.1 FT% pic.twitter.com/S8WVztvKGY

— Draftstack (@TheDraftstack) December 12, 2025

The 6’8”, 240-pound wing checks many of the boxes NBA teams look for in a diamond-in-the-rough prospect, starting with his feel for the game. He’s a smart, low-mistake player, averaging just 1.5 turnovers in 30.6 minutes per game this season.

Hokies race to the finish

Virginia Tech rolls past Western Carolina, 96–74, behind a huge night from Neoklis Avdalas — 30 PTS (10–17 FG, 4–8 3PT). Amani Hansberry stuffed the stat sheet with 18 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL.@HokiesMBB | @HokieSports | #GoHokies pic.twitter.com/Tu4ATNDmGI

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) December 12, 2025

Hansberry is producing at a high level, averaging 15.9 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 50.4% from the field.

At the next level, he projects as an interior scorer who can defend on the wing, a skill set that continues to grow in value across the league.

Spotlight of the week​

Koa Peat, Arizona

As the NCAA season progresses, Peat’s play continues to stand out.

KOA PEAT ARE YOU SERIOUS

GET TO TNT NOW pic.twitter.com/Mogf5s2uE4

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 4, 2025

In nine games this season, Peat has averaged 14.8 points per game, coupled with five rebounds across 26.8 minutes on 55.4% shooting from the field.

Standing at 6’9”, Peat scores effectively down low, is a solid rebounder, and is able to defend multiple positions.

He has also emerged as one of the more effective playmaking wings in the college game, ranking in the 84th percentile in assists per 40 minutes.

Arizona freshmen Koa Peat was unreal vs the defending National Champs in Florida:

30 points
7rebounds
5 assists
3 steals
1 block
11/18 FG

Absolutely dominated Florida on both ends was quite unbelievable to watch in real time. pic.twitter.com/YlnX802oDt

— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) November 4, 2025

Peat offers the two-way impact that NBA talent evaluators want to see, and it’s why his name will continue to come up more and more as the draft approaches.

This week’s watch guide​

Here is a list of games fans should tune into this week:

• Lipscomb vs. Duke: December 16, 6 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Duke’s Dame Sarr.
• Louisville vs. Tennessee: December 16, 7 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Tennessee’s Nate Ammet and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr.
• Butler vs. UConn: December 16, 8:30 p.m. tip-off: Look out for UConn’s Braylon Mullins.
• South Florida vs. Alabama: December 17, 8 p.m. tip-off: Look out for Alabama’s Taylor Bol-Bowen.
• UNC vs. Ohio State: December 20, 3 p.m. tip-off. Look out for UNC’s Caleb Wilson.
• Colgate vs. Florida: December 21, 12 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Florida’s Boogie Fland.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...-burries-colvin-rise-as-peat-headlines-week-3

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets, 6:00 PM ET

The Nets are back after a week off. They’ll face an 11-15 Bucks team that sorely needs wins.

KEY INFO​

WHO: Milwaukee Bucks (11-15) at Brooklyn Nets (6-18)

WHEN: 6 PM ET

WATCH: YES Network

INJURY REPORT​

• Saraf: OUT – Illness
• Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Strain
• Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery

Head coach Jordi Fernandez is also OUT with an illness.

***

Please be respectful with your comments. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...on-milwaukee-bucks-at-brooklyn-nets-600-pm-et