Nets Notes: Offseason, MPJ, Clowney, Minott, Draft
After going 46-118 over the past two seasons, the Nets have some incentive to take a step forward in 2026/27. They won’t control their own first-rounder in the 2027 draft, so another year spent near the bottom of the standings won’t necessarily net them a lottery pick. Still, general manager Sean Marks was somewhat evasive when asked on Monday just how aggressively the Nets will try to accelerate their rebuild this offseason, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“It depends a little on what becomes available. You just never know,” Marks said. “We’ve put this Nets team and franchise in a place to be able to be opportunistic. Does that fit our timeline? Does this particular trade work for us right now?
“You can always add talent, but does that talent fit our approach and for the development of these young guys, fit in with the group we have? So, those are discussions I look forward to having with (head coach) Jordi (Fernandez) and the rest of the coaching staff, front office, mostly (team owner) Joe (Tsai) — when we want to add and how we want to add.”
Besides considering how vigorously to pursue outside talent, the Nets will also face a major decision on their leading scorer, with Michael Porter Jr. eligible for a contract extension as he enters the final year of his current deal. Porter will earn $40.8MM next season and would be come an unrestricted free agent in July 2027 if he’s not extended before then.
“This summer there’s going to be a lot of those discussions, whether it’s with Michael, there’s a variety of decisions we have to make with a variety of our players on the team,” Marks said, according to C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). “But in terms of a long-term build, short-term build, I think we’ve positioned ourselves over the last year or two to maintain flexibility and have optionality.”
Here are a few more notes on the Nets as their offseason gets underway:
- Speaking on Monday to reporters, including Holmes, Porter suggested he enjoyed his first year in Brooklyn despite the team’s poor record and would be very open to extending his stay with the Nets. “If it was up to me, I would love to sign an extension with this franchise,” he said. “I would love to spend many, many years in Brooklyn and make this my home and build and watch this franchise take off. … I think as a team we can really have something to build off of.”
- Nets forward Noah Clowney, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension beginning in July, said on Monday that he felt like his third NBA season was a mixed bag, as Lewis relays. The 21-year-old set new career highs with 12.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game but believes he’s capable of more defensively. “I progressed this year, maybe not as much as I wanted to, which I thought I would have,” Clowney said. “But I got better at some different things, and I got more experience. So I’m gonna take that for what it is. I got a lot better at getting to the rim. (My handle) can get a lot better, and that would prevent my turnovers. … Defensively, it’s just always been consistency. I can do it at times, and other times I just don’t.”
- The deal that sent Josh Minott from Boston to Brooklyn in February was essentially a salary dump from the Celtics’ perspective, but the fourth-year forward finished the season strong with the Nets, averaging 10.8 PPG on .491/.395/.800 shooting in 16 games despite battling an ankle injury. Could Minott, whose deal includes a $2.6MM team option for 2026/27, be part of the club’s young core going forward? “I think he’s the best young prospect on the Nets,” a league source told Lewis (subscription required). “He’s probably better than any of their first-round picks, and he’s damn near the same age.”
- After finishing with the NBA’s third-worst record, the Nets will enter the draft lottery tied for the best odds at the No. 1 pick (14.1%), but their single most likely draft slot is No. 6 (26.0%), as Lewis outlines.
Atlantic Notes: Poeltl, CMB, Alvarado, Clowney, MPJ
Jakob Poeltl doesn’t know the root cause of the back problems that caused him to miss 33 games this season, but the Raptors‘ starting center appears to be at full strength now and is grateful the issue seems to be behind him, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
Poeltl is averaging 13.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals while shooting 70.8% from the field in his last nine appearances (27.9 minutes per game). The 30-year-old logged a season-high 36 minutes in Sunday’s victory over Detroit, finishing with 21 points (on 9-of-12 shooting), 18 rebounds and five assists in a matchup against All-Star Jalen Duren.
“I felt fine, honestly,” said Poeltl, who hadn’t played 36 minutes in a game since Dec. 1, 2024. “Every game’s a little bit different, like you have different energy and stuff. I felt good on Sunday. Felt fine afterwards. Obviously, after a big game, you feel your body aching a little bit, but I think that’s normal for everybody, so I wasn’t too worried.”
Poeltl admits the uncertain nature of his back injury presented several challenges, Grange writes.
“I think the hardest part about it was that there wasn’t a steady timeline,” he said. “With most injuries, you kind of know how long it’s gonna take, and sometimes it takes a bit longer or sometimes it takes a little less time but, generally, you know what the recovery process is.
“But what the time was exactly in this scenario was a big question mark. Like, we almost made up some timelines, kind of hoping that this would be when I would feel better again but, realistically, it wasn’t something that time was just gonna fix. So, I think that was the hardest part.”
Poeltl being healthy has given Toronto a boost at both ends of the court, but he’ll face some difficult matchups over the next few weeks, starting with Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic on Friday in Denver, Grange notes.
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- Lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles won’t play Friday, but he should return from his left thumb sprain in the near future, Grange tweets. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said the rookie forward/center, who has been scrimmaging and doing reconditioning work, is “very close” to playing again. Friday will mark Murray-Boyles’ 10th consecutive absence due to the thumb, which he originally injured in January.
- Regardless of whether he’s playing or not, Jose Alvarado brings consistent energy to the Knicks, according to Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. Star point guard Jalen Brunson doesn’t take Alvarado’s impact for granted. “Absolutely, it helps the team no matter what,” Brunson said after practice Thursday. “You kind of wish he was on the court because he’s a little bit quieter than on the bench. He does so much for this team on and off the court. It’s constant energy. Kind of regardless of how he’s playing, he always has the energy. That’s a skill, that’s a skill that makes someone last in the league a long time. It’s great to have him.”
- Nets forward Noah Clowney, who suffered a right wrist sprain in Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City, was out for Friday’s matchup with New York and will likely miss Sunday’s contest at Sacramento as well, head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters, including Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). Fernandez added that Clowney would be reevaluated following Sunday’s game.
- When asked whether Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. could play again this season — he’s out at least two-to-three weeks after suffering a right hamstring strain — Fernandez essentially gave a non-answer, as Lewis relays (via Twitter). “So, two or three weeks and then obviously there’s a ramp up to go back to a competition level,” Fernandez said. “We cannot predict but it’ll be close. So we’re going to go through these two, three weeks, put the work in and then we’ll see where we are.”
Nets Notes: Dëmin, Thunder Loss, Clowney
Nets guard Egor Dëmin underwent a successful non-surgical procedure help with the plantar fasciitis in his left foot, though neither he nor head coach Jordi Fernandez specified what type of procedure it was, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“Everything went well, and now it’s just the process of rehab and getting back on the court as soon as the season ends, as we planned,” the Russian rookie said in his first comments since being shut down for the season. “Hopefully everything’s going to go in the right direction and I’ll be able to get back to work as soon as I can.”
Dëmin said the foot injury, which he originally sustained last offseason, had been bothering him more and more as 2025/26 went on, Lewis writes. The 2025 lottery pick is looking forward to being fully healthy ahead of summer league.
“Yeah, I’m taking this … I don’t want to say time off, but this time being off the court with a positive approach where I’ve really tried to take advantage of it, where I can have more time in the lifting room without worrying about being sore and not being able to play the same as I could,” Dëmin said. “So I’m just trying to kill as much as I can right now [since] it’s not going to affect my game because I’m not playing.
“So there’s a lot of advantage from not playing, even though I really like basketball and I’d prefer to be [playing]. But everything is happening for a reason and I believe in it, and I’m trying to be intentional with whatever I have in front of me.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- The Nets had a historically awful first half on Wednesday against the defending champion Thunder, per Lewis. They only managed 24 points, the lowest-scoring half in franchise history, and trailed by 36 at the break. “Obviously you feel embarrassed when you score 24 points in a half of basketball,” said Fernandez. “And I do believe, no doubt in my mind, our guys are better than this. But it’s not about what I believe; it’s about going out there and doing it.” Brooklyn had 68 points in the second half but still lost by 31.
- Third-year forward Noah Clowney was forced out of Wednesday’s game in the fourth quarter due to a right wrist issue, but he told Lewis the injury isn’t serious and he should be OK. “Yeah, we have to take a look and see what’s there, and obviously prioritize his body and his health,” Fernandez said. “That’s the most important thing, especially now with 13 games to go. And hopefully he’s fine.”
- In case you missed, leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. may have played his last game of 2025/26 after being diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. He’ll be reevaluated in two-to-three weeks.
Nets Notes: Fernandez, M. Smith, MPJ, Claxton, Clowney
Nets coach Jordi Fernandez is showing a commitment to tanking that he didn’t have earlier in the season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post, but all his players might not be on board. With Noah Clowney, Terance Mann and Ziaire Williams sitting out the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon, a makeshift lineup erased a 21-point deficit against Philadelphia and briefly took the lead before Brooklyn fell to its third straight loss.
Lewis notes that Fernandez rested Clowney and Nic Claxton during the fourth quarter of a close game Thursday in Atlanta, and the coach seems more focused on evaluating his young talent over the last month of the season than trying to win games.
“It was great. We have young guys, rookies playing in the fourth quarter and getting a lot of experience. We have these guys that we need to know what we’ve got, playing high level to win a game,” Fernandez said of Saturday’s rally. “Playing competitive minutes is way better than just playing minutes. And this was great.”
Rookie big man Danny Wolf, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, was the only rotation member to play more than three minutes in the final quarter. Most of the damage was done by Josh Minott and two-way players E.J. Liddell and Chaney Johnson, along with Malachi Smith, who signed a 10-day contract Saturday morning.
There’s more on the Nets:
- The game marked Smith’s NBA debut at age 26 after nearly three years in the G League, and he was thrilled that his mother and stepfather flew to Philadelphia to watch it, Lewis states in the same piece. “It was a dream come true,” he said. “Single parent, had me at 20, driving 12 hours for AAU trips and six hours to watch me play in college. So she was like, ‘I’m not going to miss this.’” Smith played 23 minutes and posted four points, three rebounds and one assist.
- Michael Porter Jr. sat out the game with an ankle sprain, and Fernandez indicated that playing without Porter might become a more frequent occurrence, Lewis adds. “By the rules, he’ll rest whatever he [needs to] rest. Now he’s out with that ankle sprain. So whenever it’s back, we’ll figure that out,” Fernandez said. “And if we have to give looks to these other guys because we want to see what’s going on — what we have and the plan we want to put in the future — this is going to be very important for us.”
- In a pregame session with reporters, Fernandez clarified that there were no injury issues involved in his decision to keep Claxton and Clowney on the bench for the final quarter in Atlanta, Lewis tweets. “They’re both good,” he said. “It goes back to seeing guys that haven’t had a chance to play those minutes, because it gives me a better sense of who they are as players and what can I see as they develop.”
Nets Notes: MPJ, Claxton, Traore, Fernandez, Losing Streak
Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. said a few days ago that he was still dealing with the lingering effects of an MCL sprain in his knee, which he suffered on January 7 against Orlando, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link). Porter, who has been a popular name in trade rumors this season, also acknowledged that opposing defenses are making things more difficult for him.
“Yeah, as the season has gone on, teams are more and more just glued to me and willing to bring a second and third defender on some of the actions, into the vicinity,” Porter said. “But I can do a better job of getting good setups and figuring out how to get easier looks; that’s really on me.
“And I actually was dealing with a MCL, a little sprain against Orlando. I got tangled up with Wendell Carter [Jr.] and my knee has been a little sore, so I feel like I haven’t been as explosive on some of my movements to get myself open. And that’s kind of getting better. So hopefully, as that heals up all the way, I can get back to creating some good separation.”
Porter has been rested twice over the past two-plus weeks on the front end of back-to-backs, Lewis observes, but head coach Jordi Fernandez downplayed the severity of the sprain, noting that the 27-year-old has been otherwise able to play through the knee issue. Like Porter, Fernandez said he’s working on ways to find the team’s leading scorer easier looks.
“Obviously teams game-plan for him,” said Fernandez. “I can help him a little bit more, set him up in different ways that he can free himself up a little bit.
“I’ve just got to keep helping him a little bit more with setups how defenses are guarding him; they’re switching out. He’s going to have to slip earlier screens and finish cuts and get the shot on the second side, instead of chasing all the time … [But] yeah, happy with him. He’s [been] impressive; and we need him, because he creates a lot of attention.”
Here’s more from Brooklyn:
- Starting center Nic Claxton underwent an MRI on his right pinkie finger on Saturday, but evidently the scans didn’t reveal anything serious, as he isn’t listed on the injury report ahead of Sunday’s game at the Clippers, as Dan Martin of The New York Post relays. While Claxton is expected to be active, fellow starter Noah Clowney is doubtful due to back soreness, and Cam Thomas (left ankle sprain) and Nolan Traore (illness) have been ruled out. Rookie Traore, still just 19, had the best game of his young NBA career in Friday’s double-overtime loss to Boston, Martin notes, finishing with career highs of 21 points and 37 minutes. “You can show him that he belongs here,” Claxton said of the French guard. “I remember when I first started getting those clutch-time minutes. It is a good feeling and being able to impact the game. … He did a lot of good things for us: Getting downhill and getting in the paint, spraying it out, making some good plays… Going forward, we’re definitely going to need that level of play from him.”
- The Nets were eviscerated by the Knicks on Wednesday, per Lewis, losing by 54 points while managing just 66 of their own, the lowest total in the league this season. While Fernandez took accountability for the team’s recent stretch of poor play — Brooklyn has lost nine of its past 10 games, including four straight — the players disagreed that the coaching staff was responsible for Wednesday’s drubbing, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “I mean, we’ve got to be better on our own, too,” Clowney said. “I’m not getting into the politics of what I think about this or that. As far as coaching goes, for me I felt like the little stuff that we said we wanted to do, we didn’t do.”
- There was speculation that the Nets might’ve been playing themselves out of a top pick in the 2026 draft after they went 6-4 in December, but they’ve been sliding down the standings ever since and things won’t get any easier during their five-game road trip, Martin writes. In addition to the surging Clippers, Brooklyn plays at Phoenix, Denver, Utah and Detroit, with four of those teams at least in play-in territory.
Nets Notes: Thomas, Porter, Fernandez, Traore
The Nets are pleased with Cam Thomas‘ performance off the bench since he returned from a hamstring injury roughly three weeks ago, but his role isn’t likely to expand, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Thomas was mainly a facilitator in Sunday’s loss to Chicago, contributing three points and 10 assists in 24 minutes.
“Yeah, right now we’re happy where he is, with the minutes he’s playing with the production, being that willing play-maker; because we know how good he is scoring the basketball, and taking those steps defensively,” coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters before the game. “Right now we’re happy where he is. We need him to stay in those minutes a little longer because I, we, just believe what’s most important right now is his body, and (how) his body reacts. And we’re gonna be cautious with that.”
Thomas was hoping for a strong season heading into free agency this summer, but he has continued to be hampered by the same hamstring issues that limited him to 25 games last season. He’s averaging 12 PPG since returning while shooting 40.8% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc, and Lewis notes that Brooklyn is just 4-16 in the games he’s played.
“He’s been sticking with it. He’s had a little bit of a stretch. But like you said just him staying engaged, staying sticking through it with us,” Nic Claxton said. “And if it’s his process as well, you know he’ll start knocking down those shots.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- The team remains winless without Michael Porter Jr., who was held out of Sunday’s game for rest, Lewis states in a separate story. The Nets are 0-8 without their leading scorer and have been outscored in those games by an average of 16.1 points. “Everything has to be done with purpose,” Fernandez said. “You cannot just run around crazy and that’s it. So, that’s very important. No matter who we have out there … I believe we can go out, compete and win. And (Sunday) we didn’t compete to the best of our ability. So, I’m the first one to blame. Watch film (Monday), try to compete better.”
- After watching his team give up 70 points in the first half, Fernandez tried to send a message by pulling four starters for the beginning of the third quarter, replacing Danny Wolf, Terance Mann, Egor Demin and Noah Clowney with Thomas, Nolan Traore, Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin, Lewis adds. The changes didn’t spark a rally as Chicago maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way. “Yeah, it can be rough, but it’s a part of the game. You’ve got to be able to adjust. That’s what we’re dealing with this year. You’ve got to be ready for whatever lineups and our energy needs to be consistent,” Claxton said.
- Traore finished with a career-high 16 points on Sunday after posting a career-best seven assists in Friday’s meeting between the two teams. The rookie point guard has been earning the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates throughout the season, notes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). “His superpower is obviously his speed, his foot speed,” Porter said. “And he’s been utilizing that, getting downhill, getting in the lane, finding guys, and he’s a great passer. So, he’s going to be really good … and I’m looking forward to seeing how he develops, him and Egor at that point guard position.”
Nets Notes: Clowney, Highsmith, First-Round Picks, Wolf
A change in attitude is leading Nets power forward Noah Clowney to a breakout season, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Clowney admits being disappointed in the way he started his third NBA campaign, believing he was “too conservative” in his approach. That changed over the last 16 games, as he’s averaging 16.6 PPG while shooting 45% from the field and nearly 40% from three-point range.
“I didn’t want to mess up, so it got to a point where I just stopped caring. I was like, I’m either going to look crazy or look good doing what I’m supposed to do,” Clowney said. “I think my problem was at a time where I would be too worried about how I looked from the outside. I don’t really care no more because I had to realize the only people whose opinion I really care about and how I’m playing is my teammates and coaching staff that have seen me the whole summer. So, they know what I’m capable of so they weren’t having an issue with what I was doing. Just a matter of doing it and not halfway doing it.”
Clowney has become a fixture in the starting lineup and is playing a career-high 28.1 minutes per night on a Brooklyn team has become surprisingly competitive after an 0-7 start. He’s seeing more time alongside Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, which is creating better scoring opportunities. That trio has a +4.0 net rating in the 304 minutes they’ve been on the court together.
“It’s always easier to play with Mike because of the gravity he brings,” Clowney said. “You gotta respect him. If Mike is playing, the best defender is probably guarding Mike. I think he’s a focal point, obviously. So, he’s the focal point and I’m not a focal point. It’s a lot easier to get in the flow of the game and I think I’ve been able to thrive.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- Haywood Highsmith was able to shoot free throws Tuesday at the team’s practice facility, but there’s no official update on when he might be able to return from offseason surgery to address a meniscus tear in his right knee, Reilly adds. Highsmith, who was acquired from Miami over the summer, suffered a setback in October and has yet to make his Nets debut. “We like how he’s progressing, we just don’t have any updates,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “But he’s doing very well.”
- The Nets have an organizational plan for what they expect from their five first-round picks this season, Reilly states in a separate story. Fernandez wants them all to play between 50 and 70 games — whether it’s in the NBA or with the G League affiliate in Long Island — and to concentrate on building certain skills. Only No. 8 pick Egor Demin hasn’t spent time in the G League so far. “There are no emotional decisions here,” Fernandez said. “We have a schedule for these guys based on if they’re accomplishing certain things and what the team needs here to compete.”
- Fernandez describes the relationship with Long Island as “two clubs, but one organization,” per C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). The biggest beneficiary so far has been rookie big man Danny Wolf, who barely got off the bench early in the season, but returned as a different player after a dominant stretch at Long Island. He’s averaging 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists over his last six games while shooting 44.4% from beyond the arc, and his versatility enables Fernandez to utilize taller lineups.
Nets Notes: Clowney, Williams, Traore, Martin
Nets forward Noah Clowney continues to show signs that his third season in the NBA could be a breakout year. In his 11th consecutive game as a starter on Monday, Clowney scored a career-high 31 points against New York, knocking down 7-of-13 three-pointers. Although Brooklyn lost the game by 13 points, the team was a +1 in Clowney’s 39 minutes on the floor.
Much of the focus in Brooklyn this season has been on the team’s five first-round picks, but Brian Lewis of The New York Post suggests no young player on the roster has developed more this fall than Clowney. According to Lewis, Clowney is playing with more confidence and attacking close-outs with more intent.
“Trying to be aggressive helps my teammates. Yeah, it’s really it,” Clowney said.
Clowney is still just 21 years old, making him younger than many members of the 2025 draft class, including rookie teammate Danny Wolf. He has averaged 16.5 points per game and shot 36.8% on three-pointers since entering the Nets’ starting five and will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason.
Here’s more on Brooklyn:
- Ziaire Williams, who re-signed with the Nets on a short-term deal over the summer, played a major role off the bench during the first month of the season, averaging 23.1 minutes per contest in 14 appearances. However, he was a DNP-CD on Monday, according to Lewis, who notes that head coach Jordi Fernandez provided an explanation after the game. “It was just my decision. I wanted to challenge him with his defense,” Fernandez said. “Last year, he was elite in a lot of the things that we care defensively, from ball pressure to deflections to pick-and-roll defense to defending isolations, and he was huge and I haven’t felt that energy. And then, I can go through the numbers, and they were not there. So I challenge him to do that.”
- Rookie guard Nolan Traore hasn’t seen much action at the NBA level yet, but he’s starting to turn in some promising performances in the G League, Lewis notes. In back-to-back games against the Greensboro Swarm, Traore racked up 43 points and 18 assists while making 50.0% of his three-pointers (9-of-18) and turning the ball over just four times. The Long Island Nets outscored Greensboro by 25 points during his 68 minutes across those two games. “We want to play a competitive and winning game of basketball. It starts with the habits,” Fernandez said. “I know he saw the ball go in, which are things you can’t always control, but you can control taking the right shots, make the right play. He had a very good assist-to-turnover ratio. So all those things are positive.”
- One of two Nets players on a non-guaranteed contract, Tyrese Martin is making a strong case to stick around for the rest of the season, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). Martin has been asked to take more on-ball responsibilities this fall and after struggling early in the season, he’s averaging 13.6 PPG and 3.6 APG on .500/.440/.786 shooting over the past five games. Fernandez referred to the third-year guard as a “star in his role” and said he’s someone who leads by example. “I think he’s just a mature, steady person,” the Nets’ coach said. “You see it in the day-to-day and it reflects on the court. All his teammates trust him. We trust him. And he’s been part of our success as far as competing every time we give ourselves a chance to compete.”
Atlantic Notes: Simons, Clowney, McCain, Raptors’ Start
Anfernee Simons is pumping up his trade value. The Celtics guard has posted back-to-back 23-point games. Playing time has been key — his minutes have fluctuated from 12 to 33 over the course of the season, and he’s averaging 24.9 MPG overall, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes.
“I think honestly just keeping it simple,” Simons said. “In previous years, that was kind of my thing — just ease into the game and see how they guarded me, and then I started being more aggressive in the second half. And so here, obviously I don’t have that much time to be able to ease into the games, so taking the opportunities as they are — just being myself, aggressive, and also making the right plays, as well. So I think simplifying that way has been easy for me for the past couple games.”
Simons has a $27.7MM expiring contract, which could make him a major name on the in-season trade market.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets forward Noah Clowney has perked up after a slow start but he took an ill-advised late three-pointer in a loss to the Raptors on Sunday, Brian Lewis of the New York Post points out. Clowney has thrived since moving into the lineup and contributed a season-high 22 points against Toronto. The third-year pro, who is averaging 15.1 PPG in a starting role, is eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason.
- Jared McCain delivered a season-high 15 points in 26 minutes in the Sixers’ loss to Miami on Sunday. McCain, who is working his way back into a groove after missing time with a thumb injury suffered in camp, had his rookie campaign short-circuited by a knee injury. “It definitely felt the best,” McCain told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer of Sunday’s game. “I think each game is just getting more reps on the knee and more reps of movement. But I felt really good (Sunday). Felt like I got a little burst for my first step, and yeah, just continue to build off each game. And the more minutes I play and the more time I’m in, I feel like I can get more reps up. And yeah, it felt really good.”
- The Raptors have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Is the hot start for real or a mirage? The Athletic’s Eric Koreen explores that topic, noting that Toronto has played just two games against the teams with the six best records — Detroit, Oklahoma City, Denver, the Lakers, San Antonio and Houston — and lost them both decisively.
Nets Notes: Sharpe, Powell, Rookies, Clowney
Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe experienced left hamstring tightness in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Knicks, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Sharpe exited the game at the conclusion of the third quarter and didn’t return, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds in 12 minutes.
“No, there’s not been any testing. It’s just tightness. So we’ll do our evaluation and whatever we have to do,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “So, we’ll see. But he played extremely hard.”
Sharpe, who re-signed with Brooklyn on a two-year, $12.5MM deal over the offseason, could hit free agency again next summer if the Nets decline the $6.25MM team option on his contract for 2026/27. The 24-year-old is questionable for Tuesday’s game against Toronto, Lewis tweets, so the injury appears to be relatively minor.
We have more from Brooklyn:
- Rookie Drake Powell had the best game of his young career on Sunday, notching 15 points (on 5-of-8 shooting), three assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block in 23 minutes, Lewis adds. The former North Carolina shooting guard has missed some time this fall due to a right ankle sprain, but he looks to be fully healthy now.
- While Powell and Egor Demin appeared in Sunday’s game, fellow first-round picks Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were playing in the G League with the Nets’ affiliate in Long Island, according to Lewis. “We’re very well connected with how we want to do things. I want to challenge these guys and develop these guys. There’s not just one avenue. There’s different ways that we can do it,” Fernandez said. “The most important thing is that they take advantage of those minutes, and from there, we’ll decide [where] all of them [play].”
- At 1-9, the Nets are currently tied for the worst record in the league, and they have largely been playing their veterans, not their rookies. Since they’re tanking anyway, C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News argues all five of Brooklyn’s first-rounders should be learning on the fly in the NBA, not playing in Long Island.
- Lewis takes a look at how third-year forward Noah Clowney can continue to improve his game. The 2023 first-round pick has had some solid outings lately, but Fernandez wants to see improvement on the defensive end. “Yeah, I mean Noah always takes positive steps,” Fernandez said. “I need him to be better defensively. And he knows it. His voice needs to grow, and embracing the contact. [Teams are] playing with the two bigs, and whether you’re the low man, whether your communication is on or off the ball, all those things. Because he’s really smart. He’s about the right things. He knows it. And like everybody else, needs to grow into that fast. And I know he will. So, I like his aggressiveness, how he shoots the ball. And you’ve gotta keep taking positive steps.”