Nets Notes: Fernandez, Dëmin, Thomas, Carrino
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez was critical of his starters and a pair of young players after Tuesday’s lopsided loss at Miami, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. As Reilly writes, Tuesday was “easily” Michael Porter Jr.‘s worst game of 2025/26 — he finished with nine points on 3-of-17 shooting, including going 0-for-9 from long distance.
“I want Mike and the first group to play as hard as they can,” Fernandez said. “I want to challenge them to do it, because I’ve seen them doing it, especially on the defensive end. If that happens, I can live with whatever happens. If that is there, then you’re being selfless, you’re playing for the team, and just good things happen. I’m trying to just challenge every guy in different ways.”
Rookie Nolan Traore actually received two points of criticism, as he was part of the starting unit. He recorded six turnovers and zero assists, and fellow rookie Ben Saraf had six turnovers as well (he dished out four assists).
“(Traore and Saraf) need to grow. They need to grow and watch it and learn from it,” Fernandez said. “And I know they’re better. It’s not an excuse if they’re young. I’ve watched them play and they’re way better than 12 turnovers. How they organize the team, how vocal they are, all that, it’s important.”
The 19-year-old guards played better in Thursday’s rematch in Miami, combining for 11 assists (nine for Traore) and four turnovers (three for Traore), though Brooklyn still lost its 10th straight game.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Saraf has received backup point guard minutes in recent games because fellow first-round pick Egor Dëmin has been sidelined due to a left foot injury. Fernandez said the Russian guard, who missed most of training camp and the preseason while rehabilitating from a plantar fascia tear, has experienced more soreness of late, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “He’s struggled with plantar fasciitis, and the soreness has increased lately,” Fernandez said. “So we’re being cautious and trying to figure out what’s the best way for him moving forward.”
- Cam Thomas said last week that his departure from the Nets was “absolutely” because the team didn’t believe in him, adding that the lack of belief wasn’t exclusive to him. Fernandez responded to those comments prior to Thursday’s game, as Lewis relays (via Twitter). “No, I mean, I wish Cam the best. We loved him while he was here,” Fernandez said. “We hope he does very well where he is. I don’t know if he has a right to speak about others; but we’re happy with the guys we have here. I believe that everybody here can help us with what we have planned, and we wish nothing but the best for him.” Thomas signed with Milwaukee last month after being waived by Brooklyn following the trade deadline.
- Play-by-play announcer Chris Carrino has been named the recipient of the Curt Gowdy electronic media award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Friday (Twitter link).
Eastern Notes: Young, Ellis, Jackson, Nets, G League Awards
His Wizards debut won’t happen until Thursday, but Trae Young has already earned his first ejection as a member of his new team. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, Young was lobbying for referees in Monday’s game to make a call on Tari Eason after the Rockets forward shoved Wizards wing Jamir Watkins multiple times. Young was initially called for a technical foul before officials conferred and ejected him for walking onto the court.
Head coach Brian Keefe explained to reporters after the game why he didn’t mind the ejection.
“I think he was just sticking up for his teammates, which I thought was great,” Keefe said. “Obviously, the refs missed a call, (in) which our guy got knocked down, and I loved how our teammates stuck with him. So, whatever happened in that moment, I was actually proud of him, because he stuck up for us teammates, and I really care about that type of stuff.”
Young didn’t speak to reporters about the incident, but tweeted a laughing emoji accompanied by the message, “Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times, D.C. But I’m definitely bringing that energy and competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), Young isn’t expected to face any additional discipline from the league office for coming onto the court from the bench.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- While he was somewhat overshadowed at the deadline because the Cavaliers also acquired James Harden and Dennis Schröder, guard Keon Ellis has impressed his new teammates and head coach with his tenacity on defense, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). A potential 2026 unrestricted free agent who is currently eligible for a contract extension, Ellis had an incredible five blocks and three steals in Sunday’s win in Brooklyn. “He never gives up on a play,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I’ve never quite seen a player like him defensively. He’s not a massive guy but he plays way bigger than he looks. Length counts. Activity counts. He makes up for probably the strength deficit with his activity.”
- Quenton Jackson‘s new three-year deal with the Pacers will pay him $601,553 – his minimum – for the rest of the season and includes a partial guarantee of $275K on his minimum salary ($2,584,539) for 2026/27, Hoops Rumors has learned. Indiana used a portion of its mid-level exception to complete the signing, which includes a fully non-guaranteed third year.
- The Nets have lost eight straight games to drop to 15-45 on the season, but they’re seeing positive development from rookies like Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf. Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) takes a look at the strides Traore is making, while Peter Botte of The New York Post examines Wolf’s growth.
- Although MarJon Beauchamp has only appeared in two NBA games since signing a two-way contract with the Sixers in December, he’s putting up some big numbers for the Delaware Blue Coats. Beauchamp was named the G League’s latest Player of the Week for averaging 32.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in a pair of Blue Coats victories (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Bulls two-way guard Mac McClung was named the league’s Player of the Month for February after averaging 33.0 PPG and scoring no fewer than 24 points in any of his seven games last month for the Windy City Bulls (Twitter link).
Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper Named Rookies Of The Month
Hornets wing Kon Knueppel has won a fourth consecutive Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). No other Eastern rookie has earned the honor in 2025/26, as Knueppel has now claimed the award in October/November, December, January, and February.
Knueppel continued to solidify his case for Rookie of the Year recognition by leading Charlotte to an 8-3 record in 11 games in February. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 31.5 minutes per game while knocking down more than half of his field goal attempts (50.3%).
Perhaps most impressively, Knueppel made 49-of-101 three-pointers, averaging 4.5 makes per game at a 48.5% clip.
Knueppel had shared Rookie of the Month honors with his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg three times in a row, but with Flagg sidelined for much of February due to a foot injury, Spurs guard Dylan Harper became the first non-Blue Devil to break through this season, earning the Rookie of the Month award in the West.
Harper’s Spurs didn’t lose a single game in February, going 10-0 when he was active. The No. 2 overall pick registered 12.5 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 3.9 RPG in 25.1 MPG while shooting 55.4% from the floor. San Antonio had a +21.0 net rating during Harper’s 252 minutes on the court in February.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe, Wizards forward Will Riley, and Nets guard Nolan Traore were also nominated for Rookie of the Month in the Eastern Conference, while Jazz forward Ace Bailey, Grizzlies guard Javon Small, Kings big man Maxime Raynaud, and Mavericks forward Flagg were the other nominees in the West, per the league (Twitter link).
Nets Notes: Tanking, Rookies, Marks, Schedule
The NBA may be taking a harder stance on tanking but that can’t deter the Nets from getting the best possible position in the loaded lottery, Brian Lewis of the New York Post opines (subscription required).
Lewis notes the Nets are more talent-deficient than other teams who are elbowing for lottery positions. Getting one of those high picks is crucial to accelerating their rebuild. They come out of the All-Star break just a game out of the No. 2 lottery spot and need to keep the wins for the remainder of the season at a minimum, Lewis writes.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- In his evaluation of the team’s performance prior to the break, Lewis points out that most of their rookies remain question marks. In particular, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf still have a lot to prove, though lottery pick Egor Demin has shown that he can be a steady factor — he’s had 34 straight games with a three-pointer, an NBA rookie record. Nolan Traore has also developed into a more reliable threat, posting averages of 13.1 points and 5.6 assists since Jan. 23 on 51.1 percent shooting, including 39.3 percent from distance.
- In an in-depth subscriber-only story, Lewis takes a look at Sean Marks’ roller-coaster decade as GM. One anonymous assistant GM praised Marks for a couple of his biggest deals. “Yeah, he’s had some big wins. The (Kevin) Durant trade (to Phoenix) was a big win. The Mikal Bridges trade (to the Knicks) was a big win,” the assistant GM said. “Other executives that were less good negotiators than Sean might have accepted the deal at a lower price point and not gotten as much. And his willingness to stick to his guns on those got him some big wins.”
- The schedule after the break could facilitate the Nets’ desire to pile up the losses. Their next dozen games include a pair against Eastern Conference leader Detroit as well as two games apiece against Cleveland and Miami. They also have to play Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Boston during that stretch.
Atlantic Notes: Diawara, Tatum, Nets Guards, Hart
Mohamed Diawara‘s emergence as a rotation player has made his future with the Knicks an offseason priority, Stefan Bondy writes for the New York Post.
Diawara, who has become an unexpectedly reliable shooter off the bench for New York, is on a one-year, $1.3MM contract that makes him eligible for restricted free agency this summer. Since the Knicks signed him to that one-year deal, he has become perhaps the team’s best draft pick since Miles McBride was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft, Bondy writes in a separate piece.
“There’s just a lot of little things when you see Mo play that make you go, ‘Oh my gosh, wow,'” coach Mike Brown said. “And all those things, when you add them up to a possible opportunity, it gives you more confidence as a coaching staff to throw him out there and say, ‘OK, let’s see what’s going to happen.'”
While he has shown some interesting flashes of dribbling and passing at 6’9″, Diawara knows what he needs to focus on if he wants to succeed in the future.
“Three-point shooting and defense,” he said. “Those are things that are going to make me stay in the league for the longest.”
Bondy writes that the still-raw wing is not expected to command a large market as a restricted free agent but that his contract situation will be one of the more important ones for the team to resolve, after that of impending unrestricted free agent Mitchell Robinson.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- There’s still no timeline for Jayson Tatum‘s return from his Achilles tear, but there have been encouraging signs of late, including his recent 5-on-5 scrimmage with the Celtics‘ G League team. Teammate and co-star Jaylen Brown recently added his cautious endorsement, saying, “In terms of what I’ve seen, he looks pretty damn good,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (via Twitter).
- Nolan Traore knows the Nets are a work in progress, but he believes he and fellow rookie Egor Demin complement one another well and could become Brooklyn’s long-term backcourt, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “We complete each other, and we play great [together],” Traore said. “He is a good shooter, and it is always good for me to play with good shooters.” Head coach Jordi Fernandez says he likes what he’s seen from the two and challenges them to improve their physicality. Traore started the season in and out of Brooklyn’s rotation, but he has hit his stride of late, averaging 12.0 points and 4.8 assists on 43.2% shooting from deep in his last 12 games.
- Josh Hart is an identity-setter for the Knicks, but despite being an integral part of the team’s success, he knows he’s unlikely to ever get an All-Star nod, Steve Popper writes for Newsday (subscriber link). “I think you’d always like to be an All-Star,” Hart said. “Do I think a guy that’s my style of play is really going to be an All-Star? Probably not. If I was ever fortunate to be in that position, I would love it, but I just know the play style, it’s not the glitz and the glamour to it.” The Knicks have a record of 29-14 with Hart playing this season and have gone just 6-6 without him.
New York Notes: Knicks’ Mentality, Bitadze, Towns, Demin
The Knicks are embracing a “bunker mentality” as the trade deadline approaches, head coach Mike Brown said on Friday. New York has been mentioned prominently as a possible destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“We understand that we have no control over the noise out there, so we have to have a bunker mentality. Not just at the trade deadline but all the time because there is a lot of noise out there,” Brown said, per Ian Begley of SNY. “We’re all human and you try not to listen to it – you just try to stay together. You keep moving forward, trying to get better as the days go along and I think that’s what this group is trying to do.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- Goga Bitadze could be a potential trade target for the Knicks as a backup big, according to Begley. Bitadze has fallen out of the Magic‘s rotation and New York had strong interest in him last offseason, Begley notes. Second-year Pelicans center Yves Missi has also been rumored as a target for the Knicks.
- Karl-Anthony Towns , one of the players who might be on the move if the Knicks make a blockbuster trade, has done his best to block out the noise. He has pulled down 20-plus rebounds in back-to-back games. The Knicks blew out Portland for their fifth straight victory. “To me, that’s what great players do,” Brown said. “They impact the game in a lot of different ways and for him to have 22 against Toronto, and 20 tonight, double-double, it was huge. Six of those were offensive rebounds and we beat them 20-9 (on the offensive glass) and they’re a very, very good offensive rebounding team.” Jalen Brunson appreciates KAT’s hard work. “The rebounding, what he’s been doing these past couple of games has been great,” he said, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “We need that from him, that’s what he brings to the table. Offensively, when the ball’s not going in as much as it should be, he finds a way to impact the game. I think that’s really important for us. Big-time performance for him.”
- The Nets went with a very young lineup on Friday in Utah and it paid off. Egor Demin, who attended BYU, recorded 25 points and 10 rebounds, his first double-double, as the Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak by defeating the Jazz. “It means a lot,” Demin said in an on-court interview, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It’s the first second game of a back-to-back we’ve won, the first [win] without Mike. He’s a big, big, big part of our team, but we’ve got to be able to function without him, too. So that win means a lot, especially for me being back home I can say so. It’s pretty fun.” Fellow rookies Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf were also in the starting five.
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.”
Atlantic Notes: Shead, Nets Streak, Traore, Shamet
The Raptors‘ Jamal Shead has emerged as one of the top backup point guards in the league and he could be deserving of even more playing time, Michael Grange of Sportsnet writes. Shead finished with 15 points and a career-best 13 assists in a loss to the Clippers on Friday.
“He’s amazing, he wants everyone to succeed,” fellow guard Gradey Dick said. “And he has our backs. He has my back and I have his. And I feel like when you have a point guard like that, it’s super motivational … and I feel like what people don’t talk about enough is just the selflessness. He wants everyone to win. I had just missed a shot right there and he’s one of the first guys to come up and say, ‘Stay right there. The way they’re playing their defense, you’re going to be open for another one,’ and that was one of the next plays.”
Shead is also a bargain. The club holds a $2,296,271 option on his contract for next season, which will undoubtedly be exercised.
Here’s more on the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets snapped a five-game losing streak on Friday but it didn’t come easy. They blew a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead before a late Michael Porter Jr. basket put away the Bulls. “The lesson is that there’s no safe lead in the NBA. Teams will always punch back,” coach Jordi Fernandez said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Give them credit. But at the end of the day, responding is important because when things go against you and then the other team takes the lead, it may seem like a big mountain in front of you. And the guys kept composure, scored when we needed to. Mike with a big bucket and then the stop.”
- Fernandez made an interesting personnel decision on Friday, riding Nolan Traore instead of lottery pick Egor Demin at the point during crunch time, Lewis notes. Traore finished with seven assists. “I’m very happy with both. I’m very happy with how they play, how selfless they play, their intentions,” Fernandez said. “That’s how you learn and get better. I know (Demin’s) not happy if I take him out of the game. That’s what I hope. And then from there, I know he can bring that level of physicality to guard, to switch, to guard bigger guys, to get into the paint. And then everything else that his superpowers are shooting the ball and finding the 3-point line. I know that that’s there.”
- Landry Shamet returned from a 25-game absence and scored six points in 16 minutes for the Knicks in their loss to the Warriors on Thursday night. Shamet, who is on a one-year, minimum salary contract, was sidelined with a shoulder injury. “He worked his tail off. Landry, he’s a worker, man,” Knicks coach Mike Brown told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “He was getting after it. It means a lot for him to play. He was in a great rhythm before he (got hurt). He’s been out a while. It’s going to take some time for him to get back. But it’s exciting for him to be back and we’re going to be patient with him while he’s fighting to get back to where he was.”
Nets Notes: Thomas, Porter Jr., Claxton, Sharpe, Traore
When Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer with the Nets in early September, it guaranteed that he would become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Rockets star Kevin Durant believes whichever team signs him this offseason will get a superior talent, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
“I feel like Cam has a bright future. It just takes somebody to believe in his talent and his skill,” Durant said. “Scorers and guys that score the basketball at a high rate, they get taken for granted in this league a bit. We’re so used to loving defenders, play-makers, and guys that can be connectors. Sometimes scorers get taken for granted.
“Hopefully, somebody takes a chance on Cam and gives him what he deserves and puts the ball in his hands and builds around him and lets him grow into a player. What is he, 24? He’s still got a lot of time in this league to keep getting better. Hopefully a team puts some trust in him.”
Thomas, who was rested against the Wizards on Friday, is averaging 21.4 points per game in 11 appearances this season.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Brooklyn fell to 0-6 this season when Michael Porter Jr. doesn’t play. The Nets’ leading scorer sat out the second game of a back-to-back due to an illness as Washington blew them out by 20 points. They shot just 39.5% overall and 6-of-29 from three-point range while dropping their third straight. Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports takes a closer look at whether the Nets should deal Porter for assets prior to the trade deadline.
- Nic Claxton also didn’t suit up on Friday due to personal reasons and that led to expanded minutes for Day’Ron Sharpe. The latter was one of the few bright spots on Friday as he contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks in his first start this season. “One thing we know is Day’Ron is going to play extremely hard,” coach Jordi Fernandez said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “And going from the minutes he’s played to pretty much 30 minutes, your body has to adjust to that. So it’s a great opportunity for him… but also being careful with that.” The Nets hold a $6.25MM club option on Sharpe’s contract for next season.
- Fernandez wasn’t happy with rookie Nolan Traore‘s shot selection on Thursday against the Rockets. Traore took five three-pointers and made one. He finished 1-for-8 from the field. “I need him to use his superpowers and touch the paint. And it felt like he got caught shooting the unders. And a lot of times it didn’t go … because that’s what they want you to do,” Fernández said. “And if you keep shooting and missing, then sometimes, if you keep doing the same thing and seeing the same results, that’s the definition of insanity. And I know how good he is.” Traore didn’t attempt a three on Friday while scoring 12 points in 26 minutes.