Danny Wolf

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Powell, Wolf, Oubre, Watford, Robinson

The members of the Nets‘ organization who are prioritizing a “good pick” in the 2026 draft likely aren’t overly upset about the team’s 0-4 start, but head coach Jordi Fernandez wasn’t pleased with the compete level he saw from his club in a blowout loss to Houston on Monday, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“I need consistency and urgency. And that’s got to be like something that we cannot decide if we’re doing it or not,” Fernandez said. “It’s a matter of who we want to be, right? Giving up 42 (first-quarter points) to start, it’s not great. It’s just unacceptable to take an NBA game for granted. And our guys are trying. They just don’t know how much harder and focused they can do things. And I believe they’ll keep taking those steps. A lot of it is just lack of experience.”

Only two of the Nets’ five 2025 first-round picks were active in Houston, with Egor Demin (plantar fascia) ruled out and Drake Powell and Danny Wolf assigned to the G League. Still, seven of the 12 players who saw the floor for Brooklyn are under 25 years old, and three others are just 26.

As Lewis writes, the challenge for the Nets as an organization this season will be to lose enough games to get that high draft pick coveted by management and ownership while not establishing the sort of hard-to-break habits that will negatively impact the team’s culture going forward.

“A lot of these teams that try to bottom out by tanking like Brooklyn is doing, they think there’s no consequences,” one player agent told Lewis. “You risk eroding the environment you’re trying to create.”

We have more from around the Atlantic:

  • Powell played just two minutes in the Nets‘ opener, while Wolf has yet to make his regular season debut. Both players have been dealing with ankle injuries, but Fernandez suggested on Monday that they’ll likely get a look in the NBA after they spend some time with Long Island in the G League and get healthy. “We have a plan for everybody. Sometimes, those plans have to be made on the go because we didn’t know they’d sprain their ankles,” Fernandez said, per Lewis. “They did. Now, they’re ready to practice. Now, they can get real practices. That’s very good that they can do that, so when we need them, they’re ready to go. I’m very happy with the resources we have, how we use them, and it’s good that they have this practice and then they can help us soon.”
  • While the backcourt duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has deservedly gotten much of the credit for the Sixers‘ hot start head coach Nick Nurse was effusive in his praise for the team’s third-leading scorer, Kelly Oubre Jr., after the forward racked up 25 points and 10 rebounds in Monday’s win over Orlando. As Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports tweets, Nurse raved about Oubre’s defensive versatility and effort on the boards. “Kelly was awesome,” Nurse said. “That was one of Kelly’s best games, if not his best game, as a Sixer. He was awesome from the beginning.” The 29-year-old is on an expiring $8.38MM contract and was considered a possible trade candidate during the offseason.
  • Forward Trendon Watford will make his Sixers debut on Tuesday in Washington, reports Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Watford, who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent over the summer, has been sidelined since training camp due to a right hamstring injury.
  • The Knicks have ruled out center Mitchell Robinson for a fourth straight game to open the season due to left ankle injury maintenance, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Robinson has yet to play this season despite no indication from the team that he suffered a new injury or a setback this month.

Atlantic Notes: Z. Williams, Thomas, Demin, Edgecombe, Gonzalez

Injuries continue to pile up for the Nets, who dropped their third straight game Sunday in San Antonio and saw Ziaire Williams leave with a lower back contusion, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Williams landed hard on the court after a collision, and his status for tonight’s game in Houston is uncertain.

“Yeah, it definitely hurt. I would never leave the game if I could play,” Williams said. “It just got real tight. I couldn’t really move out there. So I’ve just got to go over it with the medical staff. They’re already going over a game plan for me. I’ve already iced and started my recovery now. So hopefully, with this early game and some recovery and I get back to hotel, hopefully, I’ll bounce back.”

Brooklyn was already without Haywood Highsmith, who is recovering from right knee surgery, along with rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf, who are day-to-day with sprained ankles. Cam Thomas is dealing with a nasal fracture, but he’s opting to play without a mask.

“Just gotta keep playing, keep pushing. If I’m good enough to play, I’ll be out there playing, so no worries. Just basketball,” Thomas said. “Yeah, I considered it, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t that bad. … If I wanted to wear a mask, I could. But at the end of the day, I’ll just take my chances.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Nets guard Egor Demin is showing promise early in his NBA career, but he understands that he has to drive into the lane more often to be fully effective, Lewis adds in a separate story. Demin is answering doubters about his outside shot, but he needs to break down defenses to create opportunities for teammates. “We have a lot of shooters, and for me getting to the paint is an opportunity to make their lives easier and create something good for them,” he said. “So that’s something I’m really having in focus. And I’m really planning to work on it even more and trying to adjust myself so I can be able to do that more.”
  • Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe has already won over Joel Embiid, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). After scoring 34 points on opening night, Edgecombe has found multiple ways to help the team, posting 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals in Saturday’s win over Charlotte. “You’ve got to keep being aggressive, but also letting the game come to you,” Embiid said. “And that’s what he did tonight. Every night, I said it after the first game, every night — it might be Tyrese (Maxey). It might be me. It might be him. It might be someone else, but you’ve still got to play the right way. Some nights, you’re not going to score. How else are you going to contribute? He’s doing it defensively and sharing the ball.”
  • Guarding Cade Cunningham was part of the assignment on Sunday as Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez made his first NBA start, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Gonzalez got plenty of recognition from teammates after holding the Pistons star to three points on 1-of-5 shooting as his primary defender. “I like Hugo’s mentality. I like how he comes out; he’s ready to go,” Jaylen Brown said. “He knows his role. And he can play. So, we’re gonna need more of that. He’s gonna continue to learn as he gets better, as he grows, but that’s what we need.”

Nets Notes: Porter, Clowney, Powell, Wolf, Rotation

Projected to be the NBA’s very worst team a year ago, the Nets defied expectations in the season’s opening weeks, winning nine of their first 19 games. If they hope to repeat that feat this fall, Wednesday’s season opener in Charlotte didn’t represent a step in the right direction.

As Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, Brooklyn looked very much like a tanking team in a blowout 136-117 loss to a Hornets club that won just 19 games last season.

“We weren’t good on defense at all, especially in transition,” forward Michael Porter Jr. said after the game. “Offensively we got some good looks, but we’ve got to be more organized and together as a team. We definitely need to have a sense of urgency and figure out our identity. We’ve got to figure that out as a team. It’s the first game; can’t overreact. But at the same time we saw some glaring problems, individually and collectively.”

As Porter observes, the Nets struggled badly on the defensive end in Wednesday’s loss, allowing the Hornets to make 53.3% of their shots from the field, including 47.2% of their three-pointers. Charlotte also outscored Brooklyn 23-5 in fast-break points.

“We just got to execute better from top to bottom — all five guys on the court, the bench. Our energy. We just all have to be better, for real,” starting center Nic Claxton said. “It starts on a defensive end … our energy just has to be better. And when we face adversity, we all have to be better. Everybody.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

  • It was a forgettable Nets regular season debut for Porter, who struggled on both ends of the court and was a team-worst -19 in 25 minutes, Lewis writes in a separate New York Post story. While Porter has never been a lockdown defender, he’s usually a reliable source of offense. However, his shot wasn’t falling against Charlotte, as he knocked down just 5-of-15 attempts from the floor. “I just didn’t feel like I was as fresh as I needed to be,” he said. “I feel like a lot of the guys were probably a little bit more sluggish, a second too slow.”
  • Nets forward/center Noah Clowney was happy that the team decided to exercise its fourth-year option on his rookie scale contract this week, guaranteeing his $5.41MM salary for 2026/27. “It feels good to know that they believe in me to do that,” Clowney told Lewis. “So for them to do that means they believe in me being some form of long-term piece. So, it feels good to know that.”
  • A pair of the Nets’ first-round picks are sideliend with early-season injuries, per Lewis. Drake Powell sustained a right ankle sprain in Wednesday’s loss in Charlotte, while Danny Wolf sprained his left ankle at the team’s shootaround earlier in the day. Both rookies have been ruled out for at least the club’s Friday home opener vs. Cleveland.
  • In the wake of Jordi Fernandez‘s comments about his plan to use a 10-man rotation, Lewis (subscription required) explores what the Nets’ rotation might look like, suggesting that rookies Nolan Traore and Powell could probably benefit from some time in the G League during the first half of the season.

Nets Notes: Coley, Higgins, Wolf, Rookie Point Guards

The Nets have hired Josh Coley and Cory Higgins as scouts, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link).

Coley was recently the athletic director and head coach of Christ School in Asheville, North Carolina. Higgins played for the Charlotte Bobcats for two seasons and also had stints with EuroLeague powerhouses CSKA Moscow and Barcelona.

We have more on the Nets:

  • Danny Wolf‘s cerebral approach to the game can both be an asset and a weakness. The New York Daily News’ C.J. Holmes interviewed Michigan head coach Dusty May and Wolf’s mother, among others, regarding Wolf’s mental approach. Wolf, one of a handful of Brooklyn first-round picks, transferred from Yale to play for the Wolverines last season. “Because of his intelligence, he was able to fix things that needed to be fixed, and just his growth throughout the year, when you look at where he was in November to where he was in March, it was a tribute to his work,” May said.
  • In a separate story, Holmes notes that the head coach Jordi Fernandez and his staff are taking on a bold experiment, trying to develop five rookies at once. That will be the litmus test for the coaches.
  • Among that group, which first-year player will be the primary point guard and who will run the second unit? Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf are the candidates, but Fernandez has yet to tip his hand, Zach Braziller of the New York Post notes. The latter two split the starting duties in the team’s four preseason games while Demin worked his way back from a plantar fascia tear. “I’m very happy with all three,” Fernández said. “All three have played in preseason, all three have done good things, and all three have things to work on. If they can take advantage of their minutes, they’re going to survive with their roles, whether they are starting or at backup. If somebody cannot sustain production or what we’re asking [from them], then [it will create an] opportunity for another one, and that’s why I want that healthy competition to work on our team, where they’re all pushing each other and they all have minutes and experience and they can grow.”

Atlantic Notes: Wolf, Nets, China, Tatum, Gordon, Edgecombe

Danny Wolf, the former University of Michigan big man, is already showing off his play-making ability, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post writes. During the Nets’ first preseason game, the 27th overall pick of the draft dished out five assists in 15 minutes.

“I mean, when the coaches trust me with the ball in my hands, it’s up to me to make a play,” Wolf said. “I think a few times, I got a little too sped up and made a few — I made an errant pass and kinda lost the ball on a ball screen. But when coach Jordi [Fernandez] draws me up or tells us to run a play and it breaks off, it’s up to you to make a play, and I tried doing that to the best of my ability.”

Wolf’s 4.2 assists per game with the Wolverines last season represented the second-best average ever for a college player listed at seven feet or taller, according to Reilly.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Nets are playing the Suns in preseason games at China on Friday and Sunday, the first NBA games in that country in six years. The Nets began their 17-hour journey to China on Monday afternoon. “When you get there, I think it’s a complete time difference overall, so for the first few days you’re on the opposite schedule,” Michael Porter Jr. told C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News. “That’s a challenge when you go that far, but other than that, I’m excited to bring the NBA to China. I know there’s so many fans, so it’ll be fun. It’ll be fun to get our first taste against another NBA team in the Phoenix Suns, so we’ll really get to see where we’re at.”
  • While he mends from a torn Achilles, Celtics star Jayson Tatum will have added duties at the collegiate ranks. He’s been named Duke’s Chief Basketball Officer, according to GoDuke.com. In the newly created position, Tatum will volunteer his time as a special advisor to head coach Jon Scheyer and the Duke program, bringing his insights and professional basketball experience to player development, leadership, and life as an elite athlete. “I am ecstatic about the opportunity to be Duke’s first Chief Basketball Officer,” Tatum said in a statement. “This program means so much to me, and I had an unbelievable time here. I already watch every game, come back whenever I can, and connect with Coach Scheyer often. To have the chance to formalize my relationship with the program and broaden my ability to impact the players and culture means the world to me.”
  • Eric Gordon has played with VJ Edgecombe on the Bahamas national team. Gordon, entering his 18th season, is eager to embrace a mentorship role with the Sixers’ lottery pick, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays (subscription required). “At my age, in my phase of my career, you have to mentor,” Gordon said. “That’s without a doubt. I’ve been around VJ the most. I’ve known him for quite a while. Of course, I will be looking forward to not just helping him, but also all the young guys. … But when I’m in the game, I’m going to have to do my part: Knock down shots, spread the floor, let guys operate the length [of the court] on their own.”

Nets Could Have Youngest Roster In NBA History

After making history by becoming the first team ever to select five players in the first round of a draft, the Nets will begin the challenge of integrating all those new faces into the program when training camp opens this week, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf provide a young infusion of talent that offers hope to a rebuilding franchise.

“This is great. It was a unique opportunity for us, to be quite frank,” general Sean Marks said this summer. “We’ve never had five picks in one draft. To be able to draft all of them in a draft class we just saw, that was unique. That was something we want to take advantage of, especially in our build, where we see these young men fitting into our group and into our roster. So, it was about us capitalizing on the hand we were dealt.” 

The top prospect in that group is Demin, a 6’9″ guard out of BYU who was chosen with the No. 8 pick. The 19-year-old Russian native provided a pleasant surprise with his shooting during Summer League, but his play-making was limited because he wasn’t featured exclusively in an on-ball role due to the number of lead guards on Brooklyn’s team in Las Vegas.

Traoré, Powell, Saraf and Wolf may see limited minutes as rookies, and it’s possible that all of them could spend time with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island.

“The preseason with the team, getting to know everyone and making sure to know (everyone) basketball-wise (is huge),” Traoré said. “As a point guard, I’d say that it’s important to know these guys and know what they like and just start to build the team right way.” 

Depending on how the final roster shakes out, Lewis notes that the Nets have a chance to eclipse the 2022/23 Rockets as the youngest team in NBA history. In addition to the five first-rounders, Brooklyn recently traded for 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin, who turns 22 today. Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney are both 21, while Fanbo Zeng, who is expected to sign soon, is 22.

It presents another challenge for second-year head coach Jordi Fernandez, who had the third-youngest team in the league last season.

“That’s definitely on me. Player development is going to be important. We’ve been very diligent,” Fernandez said. “The coaching staff has done a great job making our guys work, and those guys have improved. And we believe (the rookies) will do the same thing.” 

New York Notes: Towns, Thibodeau, Brown, Wolf, Highsmith

Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (subscriber link) finds it curious that there hasn’t been more talk about an extension for Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns this summer. Towns has until October 20 to add two more years to his current deal, which runs through 2026/27 with a $61MM player option for the following season.

Bondy states that he hasn’t been able to get any information about possible extension talks. Towns’ agent didn’t respond to a text regarding the subject, and team president Leon Rose almost never communicates with the media.

Bondy expects Towns to play out the remainder of his contract, possibly including the player option, before getting a new deal. His max extension would be $150MM over two years, and even though Towns is a perennial All-Star, Bondy doesn’t view him as being worth $75MM per year as teams maneuver to stay below the second apron.

Bondy also brings up several questions the Knicks might want to have answered before they consider committing that kind of money to Towns. Can he stay healthier than he did in Minnesota, will he and Jalen Brunson develop better chemistry in the offense, can he improve his pick-and-roll defense, and does he fit better as a center or a power forward?

There’s more from New York City:

  • Knicks fans are expecting a trip to the NBA Finals this season and would consider anything less to be a disappointment, a survey taken by James L. Edwards of The Athletic reveals. More than 3,000 fans responded, and most are cautiously optimistic that New York will be the No. 1 seed in the East, but they’re split on the firing of Tom Thibodeau. A plurality of 37.7% agree with the move, while 29.6% oppose it and 32.7% are indifferent. Nearly 70% are withholding judgment on new head coach Mike Brown.
  • Danny Wolf, the last of the Nets‘ five first-round picks this year, brings a lot of versatility to the roster, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). He’s a big man who can orchestrate the offense and shoot from the outside, and he has the potential to see time at power forward and center. “He’s just so unique. I don’t want to compare him to certain players,” Summer League coach Steve Hetzel said. “He’s very unique because he can handle, he can play pick-and-roll … at Michigan, he was a primary ball-handler in pick-and-rolls. So he has a ton of skill and he can shoot the three.”
  • The Nets are acquiring Haywood Highsmith from Miami, but he seems to be more of a trade chip than a long-term investment, Bondy observes in another story. Brooklyn is emphasizing the development of its young players, and there might be interest around the league in the 28-year-old Highsmith, who has a $5.6MM expiring contract, once he recovers from knee surgery.

Nets Notes: Demin, Summer League, Irving, Porter

There are mixed reviews about Nets lottery pick Egor Demin after he shot the ball better than expected during Summer League, but didn’t get to show off his play-making skills in a mostly off-the-ball role, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Following his first taste of competition against NBA-level players, the 19-year-old rookie’s takeaway is that he needs to get stronger.

“For me there was a lot of physicality these past couple of weeks, probably even more in the practices with my own teammates where the level of competitiveness is super high — probably even higher than in the games, because everybody wants to make each other better on the practices,” Demin said.

There were questions about Demin’s outside shot following his lone season at BYU, but he connected at 43.5% in Las Vegas on 7.7 attempts per game. However, he was barely used in the pick-and-roll and collected just four assists in Summer League along with nine turnovers. Lewis cites concerns about his lack of athleticism to separate from defenders and weaknesses with his dribble that allow smaller opponents to bother him.

Summer League coach Steve Hetzel also mentioned Demin’s issues with “physicality,” but expressed confidence that he’ll eventually overcome them.

 “As a 19-year-old, there’s still a lot of room for his body to just fill out and grow,” Hetzel said. “And you’re going to see a massive change from Year 1 to Year 2 in his strength and how he plays. He has such a good frame, he’s 6-foot-9. So there’s no worry. It’s just everybody has a level of patience for allowing him to grow.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

  • The Nets’ other first-round picks had flashes of success in Las Vegas, Lewis adds in a separate story. Nolan Traore displayed a strong first step and an ability to get by defenders, but he didn’t finish well at the rim. Ben Saraf showed a good understanding of the game and has the size to fit in at the wing, but he didn’t ease any of the concerns about his jumper. Danny Wolf got off to a rough start, but eventually showed off his passing skills and his ability to stretch defenses. Drake Powell, the team’s other first-round pick, didn’t participate in Summer League due to a knee injury.
  • Kyrie Irving shared his thoughts on the failed experiment in Brooklyn during a recent appearance on the Mind the Game podcast (Twitter link), Lewis relays in another piece. Irving said he regrets not doing more research on the Nets before signing with them in 2019. “I wish I would’ve handled the business better and got a chance to know them first, ask them questions, ‘Hey, what’s the future like?’ Instead of just committing blindly,” he said. “I didn’t have much power going in there. I couldn’t say who we could get and who we could not get. I couldn’t hire the coach. You guys knew my opinion on the head coach at the time.”
  • After being acquired in a trade with Denver, Michael Porter Jr. compiled a video blog of his first experiences with the Nets. It includes his impressions of the practice facility and a workout with team trainers.

New York Notes: Mann, Kolek, Demin, Wolf, Saraf

Veteran guard Terance Mann was acquired by the Nets from the Hawks in the three-team trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis from Boston to Atlanta. The main motivation for the Nets to take part in the deal was to acquire another first-rounder, which they used on Drake Powell.

Mann still has three years and $47MM remaining on his contract. He appeared in a combined 67 games with the Clippers and Hawks last season and is embracing a leadership role on a team filled with rookies and other young players.

“For sure. I’m the oldest on the team. Yeah, so definitely,” Mann told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It’s definitely new for me coming from the Clippers, where guys were a lot older than me. So, it’s an adjustment for me, for sure. But I’m excited to embrace the journey, taking these guys under my wing, showing them how to be professionals.”

We have more on the New York teams:

  • Heading into his second NBA season, Knicks guard Tyler Kolek bounced back from two subpar outings in Summer League play and lit up the Nets for 25 points, four steals and four assists on Tuesday. Kolek felt he was putting too much pressure on himself prior to Tuesday’s outburst. “When I’m playing at my best,” Kolek told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post (subscription required), “I got that swagger, I got that s— to me.”
  • The Nets collected their first Summer League win on Wednesday and Egor Demin and Danny Wolf were a big part of that success. Demin hit three key three-pointers in the late going and Wolf supplied 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. “I was just a little bit too sped up,” Wolf told Lewis. “I just went into this game with just a more relaxed mindset, just let the game come to me a little bit better and do what I do best and just play a little bit slower. And I think I did that to the best of my ability.”
  • Nets first-round pick Ben Saraf is struggling to adjust to the NBA style so far, Lewis writes (subscription required). The Israeli guard played in Germany last season and has found out quickly he has a lot to learn to be an effective player at this level. “I think the spacing, the pace and the athleticism are the most different things,” Saraf said. He has shown some hesitance to shoot and has not made a three-pointer in four attempts. “In Germany we had a lot of threes, but it’s different. Yeah, we need to make adjustments. Me and all the other guys, and we will do it,” Saraf said.

Nets Notes: MPJ, Demin, Wolf, Summer League

In addition to his on-court talents, the Nets are hoping Michael Porter Jr. can provide an example of how to win at the highest level, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Porter, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Nuggets, is the only player on Brooklyn’s roster with a championship ring, winning it with Denver in 2023.

“He’s excited to be here. I’m excited to reunite with him,” said head coach Jori Fernandez, who previously worked with Porter as a Nuggets assistant. “We have history together. I loved my time with Michael. And I know he’s going to bring a lot. His work ethic is very good. He’s a pro, works really hard, so that’s going to be good for the young guys to see a guy like him that won a championship, and why.” 

As a 6’10” jump shooter, Porter can handle either forward position, but the question of where he’ll play most often hasn’t been decided yet. Fernández envisions a “positionless” approach outside of his center and said it’s really not important who Porter is on the court with. He also addressed the need for Porter to establish his own identity now that he’s no longer playing alongside Nikola Jokic.

“I don’t want him to be out of character. I just want him to be himself,” Fernández added. “And that’s why I’m very comfortable, because I’ve seen him get where he got, his career year and how he scores the ball and the work he puts in every day. The only thing we need to do is get him adjusted to his new teammates … but I know who he is and how good he is going to be. And I want him to lead being Michael Porter. He doesn’t need to be anybody else.”

There’s more on the Nets:

  • Egor Demin views himself as more of a “play-maker” than a point guard, Lewis states in a separate story. During the Summer League opener, the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft shared the backcourt with fellow first-rounder Nolan Traore, who fits the traditional point guard mold better than the 6’9″ Demin. “It’s one ball, and we can’t both be on it,” Demin said. “We can alternate, we can switch. And for me, obviously I can make this role look like a point guard, too, if I get the rebound and I just push it. It’s just about the game plan and looking for something we can accomplish with this combination. … How can I be playing different roles, doing whatever it takes to be efficient, being able to adjust myself and my game?”
  • Rookie center Danny Wolf blamed first-game nerves for his bad stat line Thursday against Oklahoma City, Lewis adds in another piece. Wolf finished with four points while missing all five of his shots from the field, and despite his proven passing skills he wound up with two assists and four turnovers. “It’s my first experience in the NBA, and obviously it’s Summer League, but it’s different,” Wolf said. “Definitely some jitters and again, just got to put this in the rear-view and learn from it. Just get better from this.” 
  • Ben Saraf also made his Summer League debut on Thursday as the Nets followed through with their draft strategy of having several ball-handlers on the court at the same time, observes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. “This is the way our roster is constructed,” Summer League head coach Steve Hetzel said. “The league is now multiple ball-handlers, multiple attackers. If you look at the team that just won the championship, they’ve got Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can both put the ball in the paint. We feel like the more people that we can have attacking and making plays, the better we are.” Drake Powell, Brooklyn’s other first-round pick, is sitting out Summer League as a precaution after hurting his knee during the pre-draft process.