RSS Nets Team Notes

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nets vs. Bucks preview: Milwaukee seeks to avoid historic loss

Still nothing at home. The Brooklyn Nets are still the only team to not win a home game yet this season after they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers last night.

The opponent tonight is battling through some things, but they remain a threat to capture the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks are under .500 at 8-12, but that can be explained due to injuries. They’re closer to full strength, but lost to the New York Knicks at MSG last night, their seventh straight. One more and they tie a franchise record. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo play?

Where to follow the game​

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 8:00 p.m. ET.

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas or Haywood Highsmith. As far as when Cam will be back, check back in week four. Night two of a back-to-back, so we’ll see if anyone else is out. Nolan Traore remains with Long Island who play tonight as well vs. the Raptors 905.

No Kevin Porter Jr or Taurean Prince. And similar to the Nets, this is night two of a back-to-back so we’ll keep an eye out to see if there are any late additions to the injury report. Giannis said after the Bucks loss to the Knicks that he “knows what the protocol is,” coming off a groin injury, but he added, “I know one thing for sure: Tomorrow, I will play more minutes, and I’m going to try to help the team win.”

The game​

As long as the Bucks have one of the five best players in the NBA, they’ll always have a chance. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to play at a Hall of Fame level and is the key to their season. As he’s just getting back to action, he won’t have a heavy workload on his shoulders. Even at less than strength, he’s still good for 30/15/8 a game while being hell on wheels going to the basket. Assuming he plays tonight, I’m almost certain his minutes will be around the upper 20s. Night two of a traveling back-to-back and a game with lower stakes than the Cup should equal to a lighter workload tonight. However, if the game is within reach and Giannis feels fine, I’d let him rock out a bit longer.

Indeed, the Bucks are in a shocking, near historic slump, their loss to the Knicks their seventh straight defeat. Giannis is not been pleased with the team’s “competitive spirit.”

“Nobody should have a personal agenda. Nobody should worry about what they want from themselves,” said Antetokounmpo, who sat the previous four games with a groin strain. “Worry only about winning mentality. Winning mindset. The more we can win the games, the more everything takes care of itself.”

If the Nets beat the Bucks? It would tie the franchise’s longest losing streak … ever. Would that spur another round of trade rumors? “I want to win,” he said post-game. “I don’t remember the last time I lost seven in a row.”

All that said, if the league isn’t gonna call flagrant fouls when the big guy gets hacked and yanked, Giannis’ teammates are ready to pick up and handle things

Bobby Portis got heated with Mikal Bridges after he fouled Giannis hard.

BP pic.twitter.com/kK9MENe4E2

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) November 29, 2025

Good teamwork there.

Where will the scoring come from with Thomas and likely Porter out? Off the bench, that will come from Tyrese Martin. He scored 16 points off the bench last night, and he’s really found his game after a slow start. He recently spoke about that, saying:

“I know I didn’t start the first 10 games how I wanted to and to help this team, and mentally I was messed up, but then I kind of got out of that like five games ago and let myself play free mentally and not think about how I’ve been playing, just how I’m going to play going forward and it’s been working for me.”

If he can keep this pace up, he’ll carve out a nice role for himself in this league.

Gotta admit, seeing Myles Turner outside of Pacers colors is a bit of a mind trip. I’m gonna have to accept that as he’ll be on the Bucks for the foreseeable future. Turner hasn’t had the best start to the season, but he’s always a threat to make defenses pay from deep. Nic Claxton will have the dual tasks of chasing Turner off of the three point line while also providing enough rim protection to make things hard in the paint. The Bucks are eighth in the NBA in field goal percentage inside the restricted area while the Nets are sixth worst in opponent’s field goal percentage in the restricted area. Seems like a bad mix, especially on a back-to-back.

Player to watch: Ryan Rollins​

It’s always fun to watch a young player start putting things together. Rollins has been terrific in his role and has been able to take on more responsibility. He’s got career highs across the board and is someone Doc Rivers trusts late. At just 23 years old, he’s a key part of their future and someone that can hopefully continue to get better.

He’s also someone that’s looking to be a positive in the community, and spent the holidays giving back

Ryan Rollins attended a Friendsgiving at the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center and shared photos and a message on his instagram today.

“We all deserve second chances and I hope the young people felt that importance and sincerity from us.” pic.twitter.com/2bMKa2aDNC

— Ti Windisch (@TiWindisch) November 28, 2025

Salute to that young brother.

Egor Dëmin scored a career high 23 points last night, but he couldn’t fully enjoy it as the game wasn’t all that competitive. Either way, he’ll try to put a good b2b outing together tonight. Without Porter Jr and Thomas, scoring becomes even harder for this Brooklyn group. Will he have to take 18 shots again tonight? Probably, but that’s what the situation calls for right now. The experience for him is what’s going to help down the line if/when the Nets return to competitive play. Treat every day like a lesson and when the real basketball returns, you can apply everything you’ve learned.

From the Vault​

It’s Survivor Series Saturday!

Also, Monday is World AIDS Day. Ones in the air for everyone we’ve lost

More reading: Brew Hoop, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Milwaukee Bucks Game Notes – Milwaukee Bucks
• Bucks take on the Nets on 7-game skid – AP
• Giannis urges Bucks to fix ‘mindset’ after 7th straight loss – Tim Bontemps – ESPN

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-game...review-milwaukee-seeks-to-avoid-historic-loss

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Danny Wolf shines through the chaos in Nets’ ugly 116-99 loss to Bucks

Even in the middle of a mess, something positive can find a way to shine through.

The Brooklyn Nets entered the night looking to capitalize on the struggles of a Milwaukee Bucks team that had dropped seven straight games, but instead found themselves on the wrong end of yet another lopsided loss, falling to Milwaukee 116-99.

They were outmatched from deep, outmuscled in the paint, and undone by their own mental mistakes, finishing with their third-highest turnover total of the season.

The offense was just as stagnant, aside from a few surprise sparks off the bench. Not a single starter reached double figures.

When asked about his team’s defensive struggles, Jordi Fernández pointed to turnovers as a major factor in giving up easy transition points

“We look at the fast-break points and a lot of it is from our turnovers. We knew that they were a very good three-point shooting team,” Fernandez said. “We probably lost the possession game by a lot. It’s impossible to win in the NBA when you give up 16 three’s, 19 second-chance points, 24 off turnovers and 18 fast-break points.”

But despite all the chaos, rookie Danny Wolf gave Brooklyn one of its brightest moments of the season.

Wolf’s Breakout Moment​

The Michigan product knocked down two three-pointers in the first quarter to score the first two field goals of his career and didn’t look back, finishing with a career-high 22 points to go along with four assists and four rebounds. He shot 8-of-16 overall and 5-of-9 from deep.

Wolf made his first four triples of the night and entered the halftime with 17 points as Brooklyn’s leading scorer.

His start from beyond the arc was impressive, but he was also willing to venture into the paint, working through contact and throwing down a dunk over Kyle Kuzma despite the foul.

It’s pretty clear the G League helped his development. The confidence is there, and so is the willingness to trust his unique skill set, even this early in his NBA career. Through seven games on Long Island, Wolf had averaged 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 48.1% from the field.

“It comes down to being ready for when your name is called and taking advantage of the opportunity. Coach Jordi and the staff have been preaching to shoot when you’re open, just letting it fly,” Wolf said after the game. “It’s just trusting my work and trusting the confidence that the coaching staff has in me.”

It was the most points scored in a half by a Nets rookie off the bench since Cam Thomas in 2022. Wolf went 4-for-5 from three, tied for the second-most made triples by a Nets rookie off the bench in franchise history. It was that kind of a night.

“He looked comfortable. His shot looked really good. I’m really proud of him for being ready and performing at at this level,” Fernandez said. “He was one of the reasons why that group came and punched back. It’s good to see because it can never be given to you. He’s been working and he’s been ready. He really took advantage of his minutes and I’m very happy for him.”

He also flashed the playmaking and mobility that made him such an intriguing prospect as a seven-footer, blowing past Giannis Antetokounmpo on the perimeter before finishing over Myles Turner at the rim.

Danny Wolf shakes Giannis and finishes at the rim over Myles Turner.

Yeah, I'm gonna say he's ready for consistent minutes in this Nets rotation. pic.twitter.com/lcvcZcWofe

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 30, 2025

Young Players Stepping Up​

Wolf wasn’t the only rookie to turn heads. Ben Saraf logged a career-high 29 minutes and made the most of them. In just his eighth NBA game, the 19-year-old set new highs in both scoring and passing, finishing with 10 points and seven assists.

“He does a great job at touching the paint and finding his teammates,” said Fernandez, a big proponent of Saraf before the draft. “Seven assists to three turnovers is a pretty good ratio. I still think he can get even better, but that’s what he does. I’m proud of him.”

Noah Clowney also continued to prove that he has expanded his outside shooting ability, knocking down both of his 3-point attempts in the first half. One came curling around a screen set by Tyrese Martin. The Nets are designing plays for him to get open looks, which says a lot about their trust in his shooting development.

After attempting just 1.4 threes per game as a rookie, Clowney quadrupled that number to 5.7 attempts per game last season. Now, he’s ramped it up again to 6.6 attempts per game while maintaining efficiency, shooting 32.2% after shooting 33.3% a year ago.

While Clowney is now in his third NBA season, it’s worth remembering that he’s just 21 years old, and 70 days younger than Wolf.

Reality Of the Night​

Despite the individual flashes, Brooklyn was overwhelmed by Milwaukee’s outside shooting and Antetokounmpo’s dominance in the paint.

The Bucks knocked down 16 three-pointers, tying for the fourth-highest total the Nets have allowed this season.

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo did whatever he wanted inside, finishing with 29 points on 80 percent shooting. Nic Claxton can at least give him resistance, but he spent most of the night guarding Turner, leaving Brooklyn without another real answer at the rim.

Ziaire Williams struggled to find any rhythm, confidently letting shots go but seeing very few connect. He finished 1-for-5 from three and scored just five points.

Brooklyn’s bench accounted for nine made threes, but against a Bucks team that controlled nearly every other phase of the game, even that burst of shooting was never enough to change the result.

Injury Report​

Michael Porter Jr. missed his second straight game of the season with low back tightness, and is currently listed as day-to-day.

Jordi Fernandez said Michael Porter Jr. is day-to-day. He did not travel with team to Milwaukee and is receiving proper treatment.

Jordi said the injury is not concerning and when the team feels like he is “guaranteed to play and there’s no risk, he’ll be on the court.”

— Meghan Triplett (@Meghan_Triplett) November 29, 2025

After scoring a career-high 23 points on Friday, rookie Egor Demin was inactive against Milwaukee as he manages a plantar fascia injury that limited him throughout the summer.

Milestone Watch​

• Nic Claxton’s streak of 14 straight games with a block—the longest in the NBA this season and tied for the second-longest of his career—came to an end vs. Philadelphia. He’s now just one block shy of tying Derrick Coleman for fifth-most blocks in Nets history (559).
• Danny Wolf scored the first two field goals of his NBA career and finished with a career-high 22 points, adding four assists and four rebounds.
• Ben Saraf set career highs in scoring and assists with 10 points and seven dimes in 29 minutes, just his eighth NBA game.

Overall, the last three games, all losses, have given fans some exciting looks at what the future may hold. Two games back vs. the Knicks, Clowney, 21, scored 31 points and hit seven 3-pointers while 20-year-old Drake Powell had 15 points. Then on Friday, Egor Demin, all of 19, registered 23 points, all in the second half, to go along with nine rebounds. Tonight, it was 21-year-old Danny Wolf and 19-year-old Ben Saraf. Suddenly, the Flatbush 5 looks pretty, pretty good.

Up Next​

The Nets will face the Charlotte Hornets for the second time this season Monday evening at Barclays Center. During their first matchup of the season, the Hornets beat Brooklyn 136-117.

Charlotte sits at 6-14, but are on a two-game win streak. LaMelo Ball has been playing through a minor ankle tweak that limited him to 22 minutes during their recent win against the Raptors.

The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: Milwaukee Bucks 116, Brooklyn Nets 99 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Milwaukee Bucks 116, Brooklyn Nets 99 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández discuses the Nets’ loss (Video) – YES Network
• Danny Wolf on his career night against Milwaukee (Video) – YES Network
• Antetokounmpo scores 29, surpasses 21,000 career points in Bucks’ 116-99 win over Nets – Jim Hoehn – AP
• Behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks top Nets, end losing streak – Reuters
• Nets thrashed by Bucks as they get a sobering Giannis Antetokounmpo reminder – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• In Bucks loss, Nets found proof their kids can play ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Jordi Fernandez provides Michael Porter Jr. injury update amid surprise absences – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Danny Wolf drops 22 in 116-99 loss at Bucks – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...-through-the-chaos-in-nets-ugly-loss-to-bucks

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Nolan Traore’s 16 points not enough as Long Island falls to undefeated Raptors 905

The Long Island Nets returned to their home court on Saturday night as they faced off with the undefeated Toronto Raptors 905. This time, though, the Long Island team would be without Danny Wolf as he was recalled to the big club in Brooklyn and Ben Saraf who’s coming off an ankle injury. This left Nolan Traore as the only member of the Flatbush 5 on Brooklyn’s NBA G League team. And as there often is with development, there were positives and negatives in his performance.

Final Score: Raptors 905, 130 Long Island Nets 102.

Traore shot the ball quite well, connecting on five of his 10 field goals, including hitting one of his two attempts from beyond the arc, finishing with a total of 16 points. Traore was perfect from the foul line as well, hitting all four of his attempts, which was a big plus. Traore has now scored in double figures in each of his first eight NBA G League games. NetsDaily spoke to Traore following the game, and he spoke on working on his shot and continuing to develop at the NBA G League level.

Nolan Traore on tonight’s loss, Jordi’s recent comments, his first month coming to an end in the G League, and how he’s feeling.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/TLXO3FKhJO

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) November 30, 2025

“We have a game in two days, so we’re just going to keep going and try to get the next one,” Traore told ND about his mindset coming out of this loss. “I think it’s good to play. I’m happy to play, and I work a lot also in practice, so I think my game has evolved, the shooting too got better, and I hope it’s going to continue.”

Recently, following Traore’s explosive 28-point performance, the big club’s head coach took notice and gave Traore some well-deserved praise. “I’m happy for sure,” Traore tells ND about Brooklyn’s head coach, Jordi Fernandez, noticing his 28-point, nine-assist performance. “It’s good that he watched that, and he knows that I’m here to play and show what I can do, so I’m happy.”

When asked how he was feeling about a recent injury scare Traore had in a game, Traore responded with: “I’m good, that’s the G League.”

All that said, with the good, comes the bad, and while Traore is shooting the ball well, he’s been up and down in another aspect of his game: ball protection.

After starting off with four, five, and six-turnover games, Traore seemed to be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, things took a big step back on Saturday as he tied his season-high in turnovers, with six. This is where development comes in, so don’t fret, Nets fans, Traore’s recent miscues are as advertised. Fingers crossed, he can fix this issue sooner rather than later.

With Wolf now in Brooklyn, the team knew it would be time for other players to step up. Wolf’s call-up from Long Island left a big void in the Long Island. However, 6’8” 26-year-old big Tre Scott has come in ready to help mitigate the loss. On Saturday, Scott did just that Saturday as he picked up a career-high in points with 27. Scott connected on 10 of his 17 shots, including hitting four of his eight from beyond the arc.

Scott’s four three-pointers matched a career-high in the NBA G League. He also knocked down at least three shots from deep for the fourth straight game, marking the longest streak of his career. He also finished with five rebounds, two steals, and one block to add to his impressive stat sheet.

Malachi Smith, the 6’4” 25-year-old shooting guard, is coming off a stellar performance, scoring 24 points off the bench. Smith spoke to ND about his impressive team-leading 24-point performance:

Malachi Smith on his recent high offensive performances, his game, and his first month with Long Island.@NetsDaily #StrongIsland #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/rYzyuR7YZ1

— Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) November 30, 2025

“I know the skillset I have,” Smith said on his recent 24-point showing. “I think it was just taking advantage of an opportunity. It’s early in the season, I’ve only played like five games. This isn’t anything new or something I’ve never done before, so just staying confident and obviously being more aggressive. But it feels good being able to make shows. But I really focus on being able to impact the game more, impacting winning. So, if I don’t score a lot but do things to impact winning, I care about that more.”

Coming into this game, Smith said they had one thing on their mind: “stacking wins.” “We just came off a win,” Smith told ND. “We’re kind of trying to stack some wins. We’re not trying to win one, lose one. We want to be more consistent. We knew we had a good team coming in. We were in it for most of it, but we kind of let it slip away in the fourth. We have to bounce back Monday and play a full 48 to beat this team.”

Smith finished with 17 points. Smith shot the ball very well, connecting on eight of his 13 shots. However, he was only able to drain one of his four attempts from beyond the arc.

Overall, Smith said he’s pleased with his first month with the Long Island team. “I feel like it’s going good, but obviously it could be better,” Smith says about his first month with Long Island. “Obviously, I care about the wins. It’s a long season, but we just want to try and stack wins and continue to build on that. Being here so far, the coaching staff has really been with me in my player development. I feel like I’m staying more efficient, my shot being right, but also making the right play every time. Drawing two defenders, making the right pass, so I think overall those things.”

Long Island got off to a strong start against the undefeated Raptors with a 10-2 run from 3:38 to 2:09 in the first quarter. After a tightly contested opening frame in which both teams scored at least 12 bench points, the game was tied at 32-32. After the 905 went on a 15-2 run from 10:39 to 6:56 in the second, the Nets responded with an 11-0 spurt of their own from 6:19 to 4:00 in the second and trailed by two, 62-60, at the break.

The 905 started the second half on a 15-2 run, but Long Island fought back behind 12 third-quarter points from Scott, the highest-scoring quarter of his NBA G League career, to make it a 12-point game going into the final quarter, 93-81. The Nets went on a 9-0 run from 9:28 to 8:11 in the fourth, but the 905 held on for the 130-102 win.

Long Island is now 3-5, the Raptors 7-0.

Next Up​

The Long Island Nets (3-5) return to the court on Monday at 7:00 p.m. EST for a rematch with AJ Lawson and the undefeated Toronto Raptors 905. The game can be viewed on the NBA G League and Long Island Nets respective websites, as well as the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Raptors 905, 130 Long Island Nets 102 – G League

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/longislan...s-long-island-falls-to-undefeated-raptors-905

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Milwaukee Bucks, 8:00 PM ET

Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Nets haven’t been good this year, but at least their losses aren’t top headlines. For now. The Bucks enter Saturday having lost seven straight games, tying their worst losing streak in franchise history. A loss to the lowly Nets would make it their longest.

KEY INFO​

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (3-15) at Milwaukee (8-12)

WHEN: 8:00 PM ET

WATCH: YES Network/Gotham Sports App

The Game​

“As long as the Bucks have one of the five best players in the NBA, they’ll always have a chance. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to play at a Hall of Fame level and is the key to their season. As he’s just getting back to action, he won’t have a heavy workload on his shoulders. Even at less than strength, he’s still good for 30/15/8 a game while being hell on wheels going to the basket. Assuming he plays tonight, I’m almost certain his minutes will be around the upper 20s.”

– Brian Fleurantin

***

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Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-disc...on-brooklyn-nets-at-milwaukee-bucks-800-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Deadlines and Commitments – Trade season approaches

The Nets are nearing the quarter pole in the season. Twenty games in, teams understand what they need to do to reach their goals, whether it’s contending for a title, finding final pieces or accelerating a rebuild. And two weeks from Monday, can start trading players signed in the summer. So, it’s trade time!

It’s also crunchtime for the WNBA’s contract talks.

—December 1: For first time in the 2025-26 season, the NBA’s waiver wire matches this season’s standings, not last season’s. So Nets now get to claim a player at No. 3 rather than No. 6.

—December 10: Jontay Porter sentencing at U.S. Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn on sports gambling charges. Expect Michael Porter Jr. to attend. Also, expect other news from the burgeoning basketball betting and poker scandals to be revealed. The courthouse is about a mile away from Barclays Center.

—December 15: Unofficial beginning of trade season. Players signed early in the off-season are eligible to be traded for first time. Last season, Nets traded Dennis Schroder to Golden State at their first opportunity then traded Dorian Finney-Smith two weeks later, both for second round picks.

—December 16: Emirates Cup Championship, Las Vegas.

—December 19-22: NBA G League Winter Showcase in Orlando, FL. All 31 G-League teams gather for a tournament. It’s heavily scouted by NBA and international teams.

—December 21: World Basketball Day.

—December 27: NBA G League 36-game regular season begins.

—January 1: Kevin Durant returns to Barclays Center with the Houston Rockets.

—January 5: 10-day contracts may now be signed if there’s a roster opening.

—January 8: Long Island Nets play first game as Les Nets vs. Wisconsin Herd in Laval, Quebec.

—January 9: Les Nets vs. Wisconsin Herd.

—January 10: All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season. For Nets, this applies to Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson.

—January 15: Seventeen players who re-signed with their previous teams under specific offseason conditions became trade-eligible. These players, including Nic Claxton, had their contracts restricted until this date to prevent teams from immediately trading them after re-signing them for a raise of 20% or more.

—January 16: Nets second national TV game, vs. the Chicago Bulls on ESPN.

—January 20-24: NBA Rivals Week.

—January 29: Michael Porter Jr. returns to Denver, the only team he played with before being traded to the Nets.

—January 30: Egor Demin returns to Utah where he played college ball at BYU.

—February 5: NBA Trade Deadline (3:00 pm ET) Nets currently have around $15.5 million in cap space, most in the NBA.

—February 8: Les Nets are back in Quebec vs. Noblesville Boom, the Pacers affiliate.

—February 10: Les Nets play Noblesville Boom in Quebec.

—February 13-15: 2026 NBA All-Star Break in Los Angeles, CA

—March 1: Playoff eligibility waiver deadline.

—March 1: Jalen Wilson becomes eligible for a multi-year deal.

—March 4: Last day to sign two-way contracts. Nets currently have the only open two-way contract.

—March 28: G League Regular Season ends

—March 31: NBA G League Playoffs begin

—April 12: NBA regular season ends (All 30 teams play)

—April 13: Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3:00 p.m. ET)

—April 13: WNBA Draft. Liberty have only one pick at No. 41 in the third round, having previously traded away their first and second round picks. Draft is also big for trades.

—April 14-17: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament

—April 18: NBA Playoffs begin

—Mid-May: NBA Draft Lottery. Big day but official date hasn’t been set.

—Mid-May: New York Liberty open WNBA season

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...lines-and-commitments-trade-season-approaches

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets dunk all over Charlotte Hornets, win 116-103

The NBA knew what it was doing when it penciled in the Charlotte Hornets vs the Brooklyn Nets on a Monday night. You’d never want to ruin a Friday, Saturday, or even a Thursday evening with the vibes of what some fans might call a “tank-off.” But when it’s on a Monday, one after a long weekend, you’re at least bundling the bad with the bad.

The Hornets might not be revving their tank’s engine as loud as Brooklyn has this year. They’ve drafted with high picks for years and likely want to see some progress this season rather than improved pick positioning. Still, they brought a 6-14 record in the Barclays Center this evening, and that stunted the game’s competitive spirit leading up to tipoff.

Indeed, it looked like a battle between two basement dwellers seconds into the game. And no, that’s not an exaggeration. Kon Knueppel buried a three almost immediately after the tip when nobody thought to follow the 41% 3-point shooter over to the corner…

Nowhere to go but up for the Nets after their first defensive possession of the game pic.twitter.com/Jvs0iNOWne

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 2, 2025

With nowhere to go but up after that, Brooklyn did so, but then nosedived over, and over again in a true rollercoaster first period. A few sequences after that opening debacle, Egor Dëmin had about as resilient a 30 second stretch as you’ll see. LaMelo Ball rejected one of his jumpers, but he darted toward the rim to find his own rebound and finish it. Then at the other end, he poked away a pass in the halfcourt before going coast to coast for a modest slam…

Egor Demin follows his blocked jumper for a layup then jumps the passing lane for a steal and transition bucket. pic.twitter.com/7IFIMItrMt

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 2, 2025

Much of Brooklyn’s early offense ran through Dëmin with Terance Mann out tonight, but Ben Saraf and Drake Powell got reps off the bench too. Danny Wolf then followed them into the game at the 4:46 mark of the first, giving us our first opening quarter all season with four rookies logging minutes. Nolan Traore remains with Long Island…

High level transition pass from Drake Powell here to Ziaire for three pic.twitter.com/EmFrrEwa7n

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 2, 2025

Michael Porter Jr. switched spots tonight with Mann as one of the lone grown-ups at the kids table, coming off the injury report to play for the first time since the Knick game. MPJ was aggressive looking for his shot early, but lacked his usual touch, beginning the game 2-of-7 from the field. So, Nic Claxton, the other adult in the room, handled most of the scoring load, leading everyone after one with eight points. Those efforts, paired with Brooklyn’s +8 advantage in points off turnovers, were enough to keep Brooklyn within one after the first, despite Charlotte shooting better from the field and three.

Then in the second, Porter Jr. shook off the rust, and just about every defender thrown his way. He added 11 points in the period while going 3-of-3 on triples, only beginning what would become a career night for him from deep. However, Brooklyn’s defense contrarily stiffened up in the frame’s top half, as their closeouts proved too slow for the Hornets buzzing around the 3-point line after drive and kick sequences.

Charlotte led by as many as 11 in the second, but right when it looked like they might fly away with the game, the young guns provided enough backup to help Brooklyn pull even. Powell and Clowney combined for 15 points in the second after going 3-5 from deep. Powell’s best moment of the half might’ve come at the other end, leading to zero points as well, but allow this troubled New York Giants fan a moment here…

Powell channels his inner OBJ with this snag — but him getting an accurate pass out to Dëmin mid-fall so he can immediately start the break might be even more impressive here.

Unfortunately they can't finish the play but still encouraging. pic.twitter.com/qp2zWojNO3

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 2, 2025

Despite that missed opportunity, the Nets maintained a 17-8 halftime advantage in points off turnovers and entered the break tied 59-59. They also grabbed 14 second chance points despite being down overall on the glass. Porter Jr. led all scorers with 17 points after totaling five made threes at that point.

“He started a little slow, you know, especially on defensive end, but you guys know, Mike is a threat offensively the whole time, and it’s not just his three point shooting, but also his cutting, and he’s doing a good job finishing his cuts and not over dribbling,” Fernández said of MPJ. “And like I said, our spacing was better, and credit to him. I like when he starts talking to his teammates and tells them what to run. He’s been in this situation before, I think that we benefit from it.”

Big fans of that steal-and-score formula, the Nets kept it going in the second half, snatching 10 points off turnovers. Powell poked away his fourth steal for the game in the process. Those are the most by a Nets rookie since David Duke Jr. in February 2022. The last Brooklyn rookie with five steals in a game was Chris McCullough on six years earlier…

Drake Powell makin' an IMPACT on both ends

the rooks got 4 steals! pic.twitter.com/yN4zaBrT72

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 2, 2025

“I thought our ball pressure was much better, and I thought that Zaire and Drake were outstanding with our ball pressure,” Fernández said. “In that second half, I think that the point of the attack, the ball, was handled way better, and I think those two guys did a great job. And then everybody else behind, you know, it was not just one guy that guarded the ball. It was fighting down a string. The communication was there. The multiple efforts were there, so at the end of the day, those are the minutes and possessions that we want to see.”

However, Charlotte copied and pasted another page of Brooklyn’s first half blueprint, beating the Nets in second chance points 12-2 in the third to keep things relatively even. Dëmin picked up his fourth personal foul for the game with 5:38 to go in the third after whacking Ryan Kalkbrenner on a second-chance lay-in, but Nets were able to hang onto a six-point lead at the start of the fourth.

It was there that the Nets started with Powell, Saraf, Wolf, Williams, and Day’Ron Sharpe, giving every concerned tank commander what they were asking for. But even with LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges opposing them on the floor, the payoff never hit. Brooklyn’s lead never budged and even inflated to eight at one point…

Super slick feed from Day'Ron Sharpe here. He's +6 off the bench so far tonight. pic.twitter.com/DbaNDnVOU4

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 2, 2025

Porter Jr., Claxton, and Dëmin checked in with seven to go. Clowney followed about 60 second later, yet Wolf remained on the floor with the usual starters. But by that point, it was time to let the main five drive the train, and they wasted little time hitting the gas. Porter Jr. splashed his sixth three of the night to make Brooklyn’s lead eight with about five to play. Clowney then pushed it to double digits and Kalkbrenner into the upside down 30 seconds later…

Noah Clowney just obliterated Ryan Kalkbrenner.

For anyone wondering, Clowney is two years younger than him. pic.twitter.com/9wG6Y4OL58

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 2, 2025

Danny Wolf added a quick encore a few seconds later, plus a foul, giving the Nets their largest lead of the ballgame…

Miles Bridges…also obliterated via Danny Wolf. pic.twitter.com/qpe9SUgRKd

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 2, 2025

“Felt great,” Wolf said of the dunk. “You know, against Milwaukee, there was another opportunity for that, and I laid the ball up and before the game, I said I was gonna try to catch a body or try to dunk on somebody, and I was kind of saying that as a joke, but kind of just looking at that as an opportunity, and just kind of trying to find the room, and I did it.”

Between the two dunks, Claxton said he liked Wolf’s a bit better, and also confirmed the Michigan product’s pregame comments.

“I’m gonna say Danny, just because it was his first one and the way he did it,” Claxton said. “He did, he manifested it before the game. He told me and Day’Ron, he was like, ‘I’m gonna catch me one too,’ and he went out and did it. So you gotta tip that off to him sure.”

Although surprised by it for candid reasons, Porter Jr. also enjoyed the play…

Michael Porter Jr. on his shocked reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk:

“White boy.”

https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5 pic.twitter.com/HnGhEOPitm

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 2, 2025

Post-game, Porter also paid tribute to his head coach.

“I think Jordi is a genius of a coach,” said MPJ. “He’s a genius in terms of the schemes he puts out, especially offensively for me. The way teams are 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 gets touches and looks off is really next level. He’s making is so easy for me to play my game.”

With the Hornets looking as defeated as they had all night following that jam, their fans began leaking out of the lower bowl. When that happened, I spotted a Brooklyn one sitting baseline with “DRAFT PICKS” and the no. 15 stitched on the back of a custom Nets jersey. Initially, I expected he felt frustrated with what just unfolded in front of him. The Nets beat a team only a few games ahead them in the standings and consequentially jeopardized their favorable lottery odds.

However, the jersey didn’t specify what picks he was rooting for. The word “future” wasn’t on there, and Brooklyn’s first batch of selections since they pivoted directly toward a rebuild looked pretty damn good tonight.

On the evening that the Nets got their first home win of the season, let’s just pretend he was rooting for them, not a loss.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 116, Charlotte Hornets 103

Injury Update​

It’s been all quite on the Cam Thomas front for a few weeks now, but Jordi Fernández said pregame he’d have an MRI at the end of the week and Brooklyn would provide an update after. Thomas last played on November 5.

Milestone Watch​

• Michael Porter Jr. finished with a season-high 35 points tonight against Charlotte on 13-of-24 overall, 7-of-11 from 3-point land and 2-of-4 from the line with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Those are the fifth-most points of his career and his most field goals he’s ever attempted in a game.
• Brooklyn set a season high with 33 assists tonight against the Hornets. They also tied their second most 3-pointers (17, high is 19 on 10/24/25 vs CLE) and steals (10, season high is 12 on November 18 vs. Boston).
• Nic Claxton had 13 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block against Charlotte. That gives him the 81st double-double of his career, passing Keith Van Horn (80) for the ninth-most in Nets history. His one block moves him to a tie with Derrick Coleman (559 career blocks) for the fifth-most in franchise history.
• With his seventh 3-pointer of the night (tied as the second most in his career), Porter became the 28th player in league history to make at least 900 career 3PM with a career 3-point percentage over 40.0%. He is one of nine active with such minimums (Steph Curry, Seth Curry, Klay Thompson, Norman Powell, Doug McDermott, Joe Ingles, Luke Kennard, Grayson Allen).
• Porter. also surpassed 6,000 career points tonight, becoming one of five active NBA players with at least 6,000 points and a career 3-point percentage over 40.0%, joining Stephen Curry, Doug McDermott, Klay Thompson and Norman Powell.
• The crowd of 16,443 was, ironically, the smallest home crowd of the season for the first win.

Next Up​

The Chicago Bulls have gone 3-9 after starting the season 6-1 and will face the Brooklyn Nets next on Wednesday evening. The Nets haven’t beat the Bulls since 2023 in a game that featured Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Royce O’Neale. The contest tips off at 8:00 p.m. at the United Center.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 116, Charlotte Hornets 103 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 116, Charlotte Hornets 103 (Video) – NBA
• Highlights: Michael Porter Jr. scores 35 points (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernández on the Nets’ 116-103 win over Charlotte (Video) – YES Network
• Danny Wolf discusses the Nets’ win over Hornets (Video) – YES Network
• Nic Claxton on the Nets’ win over the Hornets (Video) – YES Network
• Porter scores 35 points as the Nets beat the Hornets 116-103 – AP
• Nets put away Hornets for elusive first home victory – Reuters
• Nets win battle of NBA tankers with late run enough to top woeful Hornets – Bridget Reilly – New York Post
• Michael Porter Jr.’s 35 points power Nets past Hornets for first home victory ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets expect Cam Thomas MRI update later this week ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 35 in win vs. Hornets – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...-vs-hornets-116-103-michael-porter-danny-wolf

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Long Forecast: Flemings rises, Dybantsa shines as 2026 NBA draft board takes shape

Yes, the calendar has only just flipped to December. But in Nets World, it’s never too early to talk about the NBA draft!

After Brooklyn made history last June by becoming the first team ever to select five rookies in the first round, fans have already turned their attention back to Tankathon and the top prospects in the 2026 class. In addition to their own pick in the first round, Brooklyn has its own pick in the second round plus another pick. It remains uncertain where that pick could fall and whose pick the Nets have the right to use. Currently, those seconds would be the 34th and 51st picks in the Draft.

So, as the pre-draft scouting cycle ramps up, we’ll be diving into everything each week here in “The Long Forecast” on NetsDaily, including the biggest risers and fallers, a full breakdown of one blue-chip prospect, a sleeper section highlighting under-the-radar names who could fit Brooklyn’s timeline, links to the latest mock drafts and a weekly watch guide with the exact matchups, tipoff times, and players Nets fans should be locked in on for the upcoming slate of games.

Now let’s get into it, shall we?

Risers​

Kingston Flemings, Houston

To open his first season at the University of Houston, Flemings has put up numbers that are video game-esque.

Through eight games, the Texas native is averaging 15.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals in 30.6 minutes per game. He’s shooting a blistering 60.8% from the field and an eye-popping 52.4% from three, the kind of efficiency you usually only see when someone forgets to raise the difficulty slider in NBA 2K.

He’s a smooth mover with a natural knack for getting to the rim, but what makes Flemings pop on film is how effortlessly he sets up everyone around him. At 6’4” and 190 pounds, he’s explosive and shifty enough to blow by defenders, yet he plays with a controlled pace that makes him look very poised in a collegiate-level offense.

While he was projected at No. 19 overall by the Miami Heat in Jeremy Woo’s latest mock draft for ESPN, if he continues to play at this rate, coupled with the fact that he is set to turn only 19 years old in January, he could certainly make his way into lottery consideration.

Dame Sarr, Duke

Sarr’s early numbers don’t tell the full story of his freshman impact at Duke.

Through eight games, his stat line isn’t striking: 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and one assist in 20.9 minutes off the bench, shooting 44.4% from the field and 35.7% from three. But those numbers barely reflect the defensive impact and upside he has brought to Jon Scheyer’s rotation.

Sarr’s blend of shot creation and stingy defense, paired with the fact that he’s only 19, makes him one of the most intriguing high-upside three-and-D wings in this draft class.

Sarr’s offense is still a work in progress, but that part of his game can be developed at the NBA level. What makes him so appealing now is his defense, which is NBA-ready, and that tends to push prospects up draft boards. He profiles similarly to Illinois’ Carter Bryant, who went No. 14 to the San Antonio Spurs in June’s draft.

Fallers​

Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor

Yessoufou, a 6’5” wing, has struggled to find his footing early this season, especially when it comes to scoring with any real ease or efficiency.

Entering his first year at Baylor, he was billed as a big-bodied, downhill wing who could overwhelm defenders at the rim. The tools are still there, such as his burst and open-court speed, but translating that athleticism into consistent production remains his next step.

Over six games at Baylor, he has averaged 15.5 points on 40.7% shooting from the field, while knocking down 27.3% of his 3-pointers, alongside 6.0 rebounds, one assist, and two steals throughout 30 minutes.

It is easy to become enamored with Yessoufou’s upside, and there is certainly time to turn his slow start around, similar to what V.J. Edgecombe accomplished last season. Still, the early returns of his freshman campaign are not very promising.

Meelek Thomas, Arkansas

While Thomas, another 6’5” shooter, has flashed plenty of upside to open the season, he’ll need to tighten his shot selection and boost his overall efficiency to build a convincing lottery resume.

His decision-making and passing have trended in the right direction, but the early portion of his freshman campaign has been anything but spotless for the Pittsburgh native.

Through seven games, including just two starts, Thomas is averaging 17.6 points on 41.6% shooting and 34.5% from three, along with 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals.

Spotlight of the week​

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Dybantsa has wasted no time establishing himself as one of the most impactful freshmen in the country. Through the opening stretch of his first season at BYU, the 6’9” wing is averaging 19.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 30.7 minutes, shooting an efficient 52.3% from the field and 37.5% from three.

AJ Dybantsa is baby Paul George

High level talent, 6’8, can shoot dribble and pass, scores from anywhere on the court

pic.twitter.com/ybDeqEYD0z

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) November 29, 2025

Those numbers alone put him in rare company for a first-year player, but the way he produces them is what jumps off the page.

Dybantsa scores from every level, which makes him so valuable. He has powerful downhill drives, smooth mid-range pull-ups, and accurate spot-up threes. The 18-year-old has already become a mismatch almost every trip down the floor at the NCAA level.

The bottom line: Dybansta has looked every part of a generational talent, and if he continues to play at this rate, he could go No. 1 overall in June.

AJ Dybantsa is better than Cooper Flagg.
Might’ve even been the reason Flagg reclassed to be in the 2025 draft.

6’8” two-way monster with elite athleticism, smoother handle, and a deeper offensive bag.
pic.twitter.com/L0xPyEgWsq

— NetsKingdom (@NetsKingdomAJ) June 21, 2025

Sleepers​

Richie Saunders, BYU

Standing 6’5” and 200 pounds, Saunders has steadily grown his game throughout his BYU career.

After earning the Big 12’s Most Improved Player award last season and securing first-team All–Big 12 honors, he’s taken another leap this year. Playing alongside star prospect AJ Dybantsa, Saunders is off to a terrific start.

Through seven games, the Utah native is averaging 20.1 points on 51.1% shooting from the field, while also knocking down 43.1% of his attempts from three-point range, along with 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and two steals in 32 minutes per game.

Been saying it all offseason…

Richie Saunders is the GUY.

29 points on 6/10 shooting from 3 is ridiculous!

: @brhoops pic.twitter.com/9MceT724Mw

— College Basketball Headquarters (@CBBheadquarters) November 29, 2025

He’s known for relentless work habits, leadership, and consistently representing BYU’s program the right way both on and off the floor, while also possessing an extremely high basketball IQ.

One of the main reasons he hasn’t appeared on many draft boards is his age; Saunders is already 24, a noticeable contrast to the 18 and 19-year-old headliners who typically dominate early draft conversations.

plenty will fade richie saunders for his age and lack of eye popping athleticism, but he's accrued sage-like instincts defending passing lanes. career-high 3.6% steal rate this year

he's a deflection machine, none better than him stabbing the ball straight up just after falling pic.twitter.com/2FyBjWiPel

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 29, 2025

Even so, if he continues at this pace, he could absolutely play his way into second-round consideration for Brooklyn. He fits the Nets’ pattern of targeting high-character prospects, and his production makes him hard to ignore.

Tucker DeVries, Indiana

DeVries is the kind of prospect who slips past the usual draft talk but always seems to win over scouts as it pertains to a second-round pick. The 6’7” Indiana wing is having his most complete season yet, averaging 17.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while hitting 44.1% from three.

He’s not an explosive athlete, but he is a very wise decision-maker. DeVries can shoot off movement while also guarding multiple positions on defense.

Tucker DeVries has been taking some very deep and ridiculously tough movement threes for Indiana.

Has looked like one of the best players in college basketball from exhibitions through the early season.

Want to see more on ball P&R reps to leverage his gravity to make plays… pic.twitter.com/3QxxmR8pru

— NBA Draft Dude (@CoreyTulaba) November 10, 2025

For Brooklyn, he’s the definition of second-round value: a big wing who can really shoot, won’t force bad shots, and understands team basketball.

This week’s watch guide​

Here is a list of games fans should tune in to this week.

• Tennessee vs. Syracuse: December 2, 7 p.m. tip-off. Look out for Tennessee’s Nate Ament.
• UNC vs. Kentucky: December 2, 9:30 p.m. EST tip-off. Look out for UNC’s Caleb Wilson.
• BYU vs. CA Baptist: December 3, 9 p.m. EST tip-off. Look out for BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders
• Indiana vs. Louisville: December 6, 2:30 p.m. EST tip-off. Look out for Indiana’s Tucker DeVries.
• Auburn vs. Arizona: December 6, 10:30 p.m. EST tip-off. Look out for Arizona’s Koa Peat.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-draf...sa-shines-as-2026-nba-draft-board-takes-shape

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Takeaways from a pretty fun stretch of Brooklyn Nets basketball

Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets are 4-16, good for only the fourth-worst record in the grotesquely crowded bottom of the league. But over this past weekend’s back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, Egor Dëmin, Danny Wolf, and Ben Saraf each had his best NBA game yet. And Monday night’s win over the Charlotte Hornets was the most fun home game this season, likely longer. That’s enough to outshine their terrible record, and while we’ll discuss the rookies intensively in this week’s Rookie Report, it’s part of a larger trend: Things ain’t so bad.

The first-round picks are playing more and more. That’s a more convincing reason to tune into a game than nearly anything the Nets gave us last season, not to mention 21-year-old Noah Clowney showing signs of a leap as opposed to missing chunks of the season with injury. And depending on your mileage, you might enjoy watching Tyrese Martin, Nic Claxton, and Michael Porter Jr. show previously unseen flashes in their mid-20s, all of whom are less obvious trade bait than Cam Johnson and Dennis Schröder were last year.

never thought i'd say these words but

Nic Claxton triple-double baby, favorite Nets game I've watched in a while: pic.twitter.com/h936l0M23l

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) November 23, 2025

They also haven’t been that bad lately. Following their 0-7 start, they are 4-9 with a -6.2 net rating, better than eight other teams over that span. That’s quite a mundane level of bad, a far cry from going winless with a 130 defensive rating.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Cam Thomas got hurt at the start of their first win, and the Nets have been better without him. Correlation doesn’t imply causation, but with CT, Brooklyn is averaging 21.9 assists per 100 possessions, a mark that would easily rank last in the league. Without CT, Brooklyn averages ??? 26.8 assists per 100 possessions, which would tie for 11th in the league. More assists don’t necessarily mean better offense (though the front office has made clear their desire for more ball-movement), but Brooklyn’s offensive rating thus far is virtually the same with or without Thomas. It’s probably more fun to watch, too.

The Nets’ defensive rating is also a whopping 7.66 points better without Thomas on-court, far less hopeless on that end as they were in October. Some of that is addition by subtraction; he’s not a positive defender even when the effort is there, and this season, well…

Cam Thomas' effort on the defensive boards last night was… not good. pic.twitter.com/bdZe1GRW0y

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 4, 2025

But Michael Porter Jr. has since raised his energy level on defense. Egor Dëmin is getting deflections left and right, Nic Claxton has been up and down instead of just down, and Noah Clowney has 23 stocks (steals + blocks) in his last 11 games after having just four in his first nine appearances. CT is a corrosive defender, but is his absence responsible for their individual improvements? Do his ball-pounding tendencies just suck the life out of his teammates? I can’t go quite that far.

In any case, the Nets are now giving enough defensive effort to flash the future they want. They play some huge lineups. Often, it’s Terance Mann or Tyrese Martin plus four guys that are at least 6’9”. They closed Monday’s win out with the 6’8” Egor Dëmin as the smallest guy out there. With Jordi Fernandez upping the switching recently, you’ll see opposing ball-handlers cycle through screeners, searching in vain for a size advantage…

“This is the Nets, their physicality and their size is overwhelming the Celtics right now,” said Brian Scalabrine on the Boston broadcast during their November 21st showdown.

It’s not just more switching, to be clear. We’re seeing more activity, forcing opposing offenses to make four or five passes before Brooklyn’s defense completely breaks down. No, that’s not the highest bar — opponents are shooting a stable 70% at the rim against BKN, the fourth-worst mark in the league (Cleaning the Glass) — but they at least pop their head above water from time to time. Throw in more ball-movement on the other end, and you can see what they’re aiming for.

Saraf kick, Wolf nice connective pass

glimpse of the future BKN wants pic.twitter.com/UOIfd37Qk5

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) December 1, 2025

Suddenly, 4-16 doesn’t taste too bad. Not when Danny Wolf is baptizing (or perhaps Bar Mitzvah’ing) Miles Bridges with nearly every game close in the second half. Here are a few more (non-rookie) takeaways from Brooklyn’s recent stretch of play.

Go-to guy Michael Porter Jr.​

Before the season, many poked fun at the idea of Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. on the same bad team, set to be the Keystone Cops of shot-chucking. And yes, MPJ has taken some laughable shots and short-circuited on defense here and there, but as a high-usage offensive player, he functions much differently than CT.

• Thomas: averages 4.14 seconds per touch, second-highest on the Nets
• MPJ: 2.09 seconds per touch, third-lowest on the Nets

Preposterous it may seem, but MPJ as a primary option actually helps Brooklyn facilitate ball-movement: They average 27.6 assists per 100 possessions with him on the court, down to 22.8 without him. Porter Jr. doesn’t create for himself from a standstill, needing plenty of off-ball screens and dribble-handoffs to get to his 18 shots a night.

This can rear an ugly head, particularly in crunch-time. However, Fernández has done a wonderful job designing an offense around MPJ’s skillset, and the others are nailing down the spacing principles…

In turn, Porter Jr. has made the basic reads when required, whether that’s back-cutting at the right times, or throwing a lob to his screener, as we see above.

This is the best-case scenario for MPJ’s offense in his first year as a Net and his first year as a go-to option in the NBA. He’s averaging 24.9 points and 3.1 assists per game, both career-highs, on 60.7% true shooting, right in line with his 61.7% career average despite scaling way up in usage.

When asked how he’s been able to adjust so cleanly, Porter Jr. did not mince words: “Well, I think Jordi — he’s a genius of a coach. 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.”

He ain’t lying.

Ziaire Williams gets benched​

Ziaire Williams did not play in a November 24 loss to the New York Knicks, after which Jordi Fernandez said, “I wanted to challenge him with his defense.”

Before Monday’s game, Fernández simply said: “He can do better.”

Finally, after Monday’s win, Fernández praised Williams’ defensive activity and energy as a key to securing the win. There’s something! Williams, who was brought to Brooklyn on the wrong end of a salary dump in the summer of 2024, was/is Sean Marks’ first attempt at a true reclamation project in this rebuild. In the summer of 2025, he inked a 2-year, $12.5 million contract with a team option on the second year. Why not? He played hard enough last year while shooting 34.1% from deep on over nine attempts per 100 possessions, both career-highs at just 23 years old.

Through one-quarter of the season, he hasn’t given Brooklyn much reason to pick up the team option next offseason. His $6.25 million for next season is no great burden, but he’s a fairly a known commodity at this point: a 3-and-D wing who doesn’t excel at either the 3 or the D.

Now in his fifth year in the NBA, Williams’ teams have been better with him off the floor in each season. This year has been particularly rough, with Brooklyn nearly 12 points per 100 possessions better with him sitting on the bench, per Cleaning the Glass. That will normalize to a less frightening number, but I’m not sure where he theoretically helps this team, even if he does match his career-high 34% from deep, as he did last year.

There’s no on-ball creation to speak of, little passing ability evidenced in his nearly one-to-one assist:turnover ratio as a Brooklyn Net, and the defense is far too inconsistent to label him as a positive on that end. This season, it’s just been bad…

In theory, Williams could be a nice building block for the iteration of this team that wants to win a little bit. Maybe even next season, when they owe a pick-swap to Houston. He’s a spark-plug, 6’9” wing off the bench who can do a little of everything and fit in most lineups, a cheerful guy who just wants to win and smile, in that order.

But in practice, I just don’t see it. Same with Jalen Wilson, to be honest.

---

Last week, time caught up to me and I didn’t get to write the Rookie Report. Then three of the rooks had their best NBA game, while another one had his best G League game. Hopefully this column isn’t a jinx, but we’re about to find out.

In the meantime, the Nets have an upcoming back-to-back, starting a visit to the Second City to face the Chicago Bulls. Tip-off is schedule for Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-anal...retty-fun-stretch-of-brooklyn-nets-basketball

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Too Fast to Fail: Why Nolan Traore’s growth signals bright future

Some lessons only show up after you hit a wall.

From the moment Brooklyn Nets rookie Nolan Traore saw his first professional action, it became clear that he was the rawest of the Nets’ five first-round picks.

He was also the youngest, just 19 when his name was called on draft night. He’s currently the sixth youngest player in the NBA and the fifth youngest in Nets franchise history.

Whether he was firing passes into the seats or barreling into the paint without a plan, the Frenchman showed he needed some polish before becoming a steady contributor.

But his relentless effort hints at real growth down the line.

When Traore messes up, he does it at full throttle. After turning the ball over, he doesn’t sulk, he sprints back and makes life difficult for the ball-handler on the other end.

Those traits don’t guarantee success, but they show that he has the kind of drive and resiliency that can help iron out whatever rough edges remain.

Finding His Rhythm​

He’s still nowhere near a finished product, but his recent progress in the G League shows he’s already started to address some of his weaknesses.

Because Brooklyn has six players on rookie contracts, management doesn’t need to rush any of them. They can afford to be patient with development and minutes.

After a slow start, he had his best G League performance in Long Island’s win over Greensboro, finishing with 28 points, nine assists and three turnovers on 11-of-20 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from three.

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

Nets head coach Jordi Fernández took notice, emphasizing how strong performances can carry over and build confidence.

“Very good performance,’’ Fernandez said. “I texted him. I watched the game. We want to play a competitive and winning game of basketball. It starts with the habits. I know he saw the ball go in [offensively], which [is something] you can’t always control. But you can control taking the right shots, making the right play.”

Jordi Fernandez on Nolan Traore's 28-point performance in Long Island on Saturday:

"Very good performance. I'm very happy. I texted him. I watched the game. We want to play a competitive and winning brand of basketball. It starts with the habits. I know he saw the ball go in,… pic.twitter.com/FiGhzTo9UO

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 24, 2025

Turning Quickness Into Control​

Traore’s most obvious strength can also work to his own detriment at times.

Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, he was considered one of the fastest, if not the fastest, prospects available.

In an episode of the Nets’ SCOUT YouTube series, Nets scout Akbar Waheed is shown raving about Traore’s speed.

“His ability to just get by guys, it stood out to me. Elite first step. He touched the paint whenever he wanted, and he had vision,” the scouts said. “His ability to attack the rim, with NBA space, that’s going to be better for him.

He’s already shown some of it, particularly in the open court.

Nolan Traore is speed pic.twitter.com/yq0VM7RILX

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 10, 2025

He’s fast, but sometimes he’s too fast.

He plays recklessly at times, forcing penetration and ultimately putting his teammates in tough spots with wild passes.

Part of that can be attributed to the adjustment process of adapting to the pace of American basketball.

He was much more efficient in Paris, and shortly after turning 18, his speed and feel for the game began to attract NBA attention.

Nolan Traore is a projected Top 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Recently averaged 24.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG in 4 GP in the ANGT Tournament. Had a 45 PT + 9 AST game as well.

The 6’3 PG out of France is a skilled PnR operator who does a great job putting pressure on the rim… pic.twitter.com/E6chIazJKb

— Lucas Skinner (@redcooteay) July 23, 2024

He quickly moved up the French pro ladder, playing with Saint-Quentin in France’s top league, where he ultimately led the team in assists while averaging just 2.5 turnovers per game, a far cry from his current G League average of 4.3 turnovers.

His time at Saint-Quentin wasn’t all smooth, however.

In fact, he got off to an even worse start there than he did with the Nets. In his first game, he scored just two points on 1-of-9 shooting while committing multiple turnovers. It was messy.

By the end of the season, he had acclimated well enough to be named the FIBA Champions League Best Young Player.

According to his former head coach, Julien Mahé, Traore is a quick learner, which should be encouraging to Nets fans.

“We knew he would have had some tough moments adapting to the team, the level and physicality of the league. But he was superb in the learning process: game by game, he was getting to know fast what he could and could not do.”

Progress, Not Perfection​

The improvements aren’t jumping off the page just yet, but they’re coming along steadily.

Over the past four games, he has posted a 5.5-to-4.25 assist-to-turnover ratio, compared to a 4.25-to-4.75 ratio through the first four games of the season. On such small samples, progress is measured.

There’s no rush for him to make the jump to Brooklyn anytime soon.

After his 28-point performance against Greensboro, Traore told ND’s Scott Mitchell that it’s been encouraging to finally see the results of his hard work

“I’m happy, and I work a lot also in practice, so I think my game has evolved, the shooting too got better, and I hope it’s going to continue,” Traore said. “I work on it every day, and I’m happy to see it paying off, and I’ll just keep going,”

The Nets still view Traoré as a promising prospect, not a sunk cost. Both the team and the rookie can afford to be patient as he continues to develop.

In the meantime, he’ll keep cutting his teeth in the G League while learning how to tame his speed.

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-feat...hy-nolan-traores-growth-signals-bright-future

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

Brooklyn Nets run over, not with, the Bulls to win 113-103

The Brooklyn Nets are on a winning streak. I know we’re barely making quota for a statement like that, but who knows how often we’ll get to say it this year. Let’s all just soak it in.

They’ll eventually make up for it (and then some), but our boys took their time getting started offensively tonight. The Nets began game No. 21 shooting 1-of-6 from the field, either missing short, or sometimes just everything.

But then, Michael Porter Jr. started carrying that weight. You’d never know this guy has a bad back with how he’s been able to do that for the Nets offense so often this year. In the first, he put in 14 points while shooting 5-of-9 from the field.

However, all offense outside of him remained a struggle, for a while…

Not sure what Ziaire is going here. Gotta go to the corner with Claxton driving. pic.twitter.com/YfoYpNLVzJ

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 4, 2025

Nets not named Porter Jr. shot 5-of-14 from the field in the first. Ben Saraf did nail a rather deep triple though, which felt like it should count extra.

That was enough to give the Nets a five point lead after one. Chicago’s offense not being much better than Brooklyn’s helped out there. The Bulls picked on Egor Dëmin a few times during the game’s opening minutes, even forcing him into some early foul trouble, struggles to finish off plays, fumbles of fast break sequences and misses of open looks.

Dëmin’s two personals less than four minutes into the contest gave us an earlier introduction than usual to Saraf, but also Day’Ron Sharpe, Danny Wolf, Drake Powell, and Ziaire Williams who followed soon after as the Nets conducted hockey-style line changes often, Jordi Fernandez likely intent on spreading the minutes evenly in this back-to-back opener. That five stayed on the floor to begin the second, where Sharpe seemed to take offense any time Chicago tried to retake the lead. He rejected two shots in less than two minutes.

That rim defense had to be disheartening for the home fans watching, as just getting shots became a struggle for Chicago. They committed four turnovers just over four minutes into the period, bringing their total for the game to eight at the 7:39 mark of the second. That made it easy for the Nets to get out and run, give their young guns confidence, and get firing…

Danny Wolf x Drake Powell leveraging each other's space. pic.twitter.com/yv24XtWyln

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 4, 2025

It was a big first half for the guys on Brooklyn’s roster synonymous with that term. Even with Wolf doing things that might’ve gotten him accused of witchcraft 20 years ago and Sharpe hosting his block party, no one looked better than Nic Claxton, who seemed to finish every other possession in the second by running past Nikola Vučević for lay-ins.

Behind Porter, who had 17, Clax led the Nets into the half with seven points, a steal, and a block while shooting 3-of-4 from the field. He also got involved as a facilitator as the Nets once more took turns running the offense through different players minus Terance Man….

Nice feed from Claxton. Nice hang from Egor. Nice screen from MPJ… pic.twitter.com/gqnPfTujcX

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) December 4, 2025

The committee more than covered for Mann, as the Nets ended up tallying 30 assists for the night. After having only three games with that many or more all year, they now have two in each of their last two games.

Dëmin also came off the bench to grab seven first half points, all coming in the second frame. He got nearly half of them on a pull-up three in Josh Giddey’s grill. However, the very next time down the floor, Giddey bulldozed him en route to an and-one finish. That capped a partially good, partially bad, and entirely “rookie” kind of first half for the eighth overall pick.

Outside of Giddey, Chicago’s play, particularly their offense, was just the latter, offensive. You’d have to go to a dark place to imagine what they would have looked like in the first half without the do-it-all guard. He added 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in the first half. At the break, he was a +2, while other starters Julian Phillips and Ayo Dosunmu were both -7. Matas Bazelis was a -9. The Bulls scored only 44 points to Brooklyn’s 54, giving them their lowest scoring first half all season.

“We was guarding,” Clowney said. “First half, 44 points? We’ve had games where we allowed 70 in the first half, so, we was guarding, that was the main thing for us. We knew what we wanted to do and we did it, especially in the first half.”

As any seasoned NBA fan will tell you, there are two kinds of “bad” teams: those that simply lack talent, but never effort or focus, and those that don’t have any of the three. Not being the latter is what Brooklyn has prided itself on so far in the Jordi Fernández era, and the Bulls gave us a quick view of what the other side looks like to begin the third…

After Chicago quickly cut it to five to begin the quarter, the Nets swung back with their own 5-0 run, which eventually boiled into a 17-point Brooklyn lead. In that stretch, we saw Chicago commit an over-and-back violation, close out late on threes, commit additional turnovers and omit from hustling back on defense…

But that’s the thing about energy and focus, it’s all on you, and therefore easy to fix. The Bulls eventually did so, going on an 11-2 run in the heart of the period.

Brooklyn’s lack of talent then started to show too. As Chicago’s defensive intensity picked up, Brooklyn’s offense stalled, lacking shot creation outside of Porter Jr. Drake Powell dribbled into a turnover with about three minutes to go in the third, which queued up an easy Bazelis layup, which made it only a six point game.

Powell redeemed himself with a triple a few sequences later, which helped the Nets stay afloat and enter the fourth with an 83-75 lead. He only finished the game with five points, two assists, and a rebound, embodying the quietest rookie on the floor tonight, but there ended what would be Chicago’s last serious threat at a comeback.

In the fourth, the Nets opened up with a five including Wolf, Williams, Porter Jr., Clowney, and Claxton, betting again on the ultra-big lineup which helped Brooklyn seal the deal last time out…

good morning pic.twitter.com/qeKcUxIVWK

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 2, 2025

The coach cashed in again, as the Nets began the period on an 11-3 run. Clowney put on a PR clinic for he and his coach in the process. After going 0-4 from deep in the first half, he went 6-7 in the second half, splashing three in the final frame to finish with 20 points, seven rebounds, and two dimes.

“To be honest, my looks in the first half was probably better,” Clowney said. “I just ain’t make them. I don’t know if they gonna end on continuing to let me shoot or if they just missed communications, but it’s rare that I’m gonna miss the whole night. I’ll make some of them.”

Brooklyn led by as many as 19 in the final period, continuing to get contributions from Porter Jr. as well, who by that point had notched his seventh 30-point game of the season. In Denver, he never had more than six in a season. He reached the finish line with 33 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block while shooting 5-of-12 from deep.

“I think right now it’s less dancing, more finishing cuts, more keeping it simple,” Fernández said of MPJ. “Five assists, I know the turnovers right there, but the line is incredible. Led us in rebounding…He’s chasing drives, he’s rebounding, he’s engaged. I’m very happy to see the growth that I see. I believe he’ll still keep growing, because he’s having fun and he’s engaged.”

Fernández also saluted Porter’s leadership postgame.

“Right now, as you see, our team is so young, and they look up to him,” he said. “Obviously, because he was the young one when we were together, he had to look at others, and I think that step just takes time. Sometimes you think you know, but you don’t know until you know. Michael is a selfless person. He always talks about his teammates and I think that’s a positive.”

For reference, Porter took the time to shout out all five of Brooklyn’s rookie postgame for what they’ve been able to bring to the table this year while speaking with Meghan Triplett, including Nolan Traore, who was over 700 miles away this evening on Long Island.

The Bulls cut it to 11 with around six to play, but then Clowney passed the sniper rifle onto Wolf, who then handed it to Williams, who then gave it to Dëmin. Each hit big triples one after the other, and that was enough to stabilize the Brooklyn lead in the windy city. It also got them to a 19-46 3-point shooting night, tying a season-high for total made in a contest this year.

“Everybody contributed,” Fernández said. “That’s big. That’s how we want to play. We want to keep growing. It’s not going to be perfect, but if we keep getting 1% better every day, that’s the key.”

Indeed, it was.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 113, Chicago Bulls 103

Milestone Watch​

• Porter Jr. recorded his second 30-point double-double of the season and ninth of his career. He is the first Net with multiple 30-point double-doubles in a season since Kyrie Irving in 2022-23.
• Along with made threes (19) the Nets also tied their record for the season for highest 3P% in a game at 42.2%, as they also went 19-45 vs Cleveland in October.

Next Up​

Brooklyn will complete a back-to-back sequence tomorrow night, returning home to host the Utah Jazz for the first time this season. The Jazz don’t appear to be a strong tank competitors to the Nets as they were last year, posting a 7-13 record at the time of writing, but you can never be too safe with Danny Ainge’s crew. Utah beat Brooklyn both times last year.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 113, Chicago Bulls 103 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 113, Chicago Bulls 103 (Video) – NBA
• Michael Porter Jr. on the Nets’ win over the Bulls (Video) – Meghan Triplett – YES Network
• Jordi Fernández discusses the Nets’ win in Chicago (Video) – YES Network
• Noah Clowney on 20-point game vs. Bulls (Video) – YES Network
• Nancy and Frank look back at the Nets’ win in Chicago (Video) – Frank Isola & Meghan Triplett – YES Network
• Porter scores 33 points to lead Nets past Bulls 113-103 for their 2nd straight win – Matt Carlson – AP
• Nets topple depleted Bulls for first win streak of season – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Could Giannis Antetokounmpo fit with Nets? It’s more complicated now ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Nets win back-to-back for first time this season behind Michael Porter Jr.’s 33 points ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• The Nets went big — really big — and found a lineup worth exploring ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Jordi Fernandez non-committal on whether Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf will remain in rotation – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
• Nets player grades: Michael Porter Jr. drops 33 in solid win at Bulls – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-scor...-vs-bulls-113-103-michael-porter-noah-clowney

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 PM ET

First home win of the year. Sigh (Tsai?) of relief. The Nets go for two when they play host to the Bulls, the first of a back-to-back for Brooklyn. Chicago started off hot but they’ve lost four straight entering tonight. We’ll see if the good vibes remain in Kings County.

KEY INFO​

• WHO: Brooklyn Nets (4-16) vs. Chicago Bulls (9-11)
• WHEN: 8:00 PM ET
• WATCH: YES Network (TV) & Gotham Sports App

THE GAME​

“Josh Giddey has upped his game even with more ballhandling responsibilities. The scoring is up, but the most impressive thing is he’s cut his turnover rate down compared to last season. At only 23 years old, he still has room to grow and improve as a player. For Bulls fans, they hope he can take another step forward and be someone that can possibly get them back to actual contention one of these days.”

– Brian Fleurantin

INJURY REPORT​

• Nets (out): Cam Thomas, Terrance Mann, Haywood Highsmith=
• Bulls out / questionable: Noa Essengue, Isaac Okoro, Kevin Huerter, Coby White (out).
  Questionable: Zach Collins, Jalen Smith, Dalen Terry. Probable: Patrick Williams, Julian Phillips, Lachlan Olbrich.

***

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...sion-brooklyn-nets-at-chicago-bulls-800-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

LIVE DISCUSSION: Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Dare I say, the Brooklyn Nets are on a win streak! And 4-6 in the last 10. Not bad for a tanking team. Tonight’s opponent has been slightly better than expected entering the season. We’ll see how it goes….

KEY INFO​

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (5-16) at Utah Jazz (7-13)

WHEN: 7:30 PM ET

WATCH: YES NETWORK / GOTHAM SPORTS APP

Injuries​

No Cam Thomas, Haywood Highsmith, or Terrance Mann. Night two of a back-to-back so we’ll see if anyone else sits. Nolan Traore remains in G League but is making progress.

***

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...scussion-utah-jazz-at-brooklyn-nets-730-pm-et

 

[Brooklyn Nets]

The Brooklyn Podcast: The December Nets with Sharif Phillips-Keaton

The Nets might not be a good team, but they’ve looked better after every game and even won two in a row this past week. Brooklyn looks like that gritty, smart squad that might just spoil another tank. So, where does Cam Thomas, MPJ, and maybe even Giannis Antetokounmpo fit into all that? Sharif Phillips-Keaton of NetsWire (USA Today) joins the show to break it all down!

You can also check out the latest episode on Apple or Spotify.

Programming Note​

@thebrooklynpod pic.twitter.com/iKYn850iDf

— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) December 4, 2025

Source: https://www.netsdaily.com/nets-podc...the-december-nets-with-sharif-phillips-keaton

 

[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.

***

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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