The Nets know what the rating is — or more accurately, what the standings are. They haven’t been eliminated yet, but they’ve reached the purpose of this season where they need to start out planning for next season.
It’s time to play the youngsters.
It just so happens that within the Nets’ case, playing the youngsters doesn’t should equal raising the white flag. Or lowering expectations.
That didn’t mean benching all their starters in Wednesday’s 122-119 additional time win in Washington, and it won’t mean tanking in a yr they don’t even have their very own first-round draft pick. But it surely does mean a dose of teen Trendon Watford, and a sprinkling of rookies Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney.
And giving each the front office and interim coach Kevin Ollie — or whoever is in command of this team next season — a likelihood to see what they’ve.
Or don’t have.
“Our young guys, [we’ve] got a brilliant future with our young guys,” Ollie said before Wednesday’s win. “They’re coming up, stepping up and playing very, thoroughly with Noah and J-Will, and T-Wat played thoroughly the last game. And just execution down the stretch was great.
“So I’m just gonna continue learning about them they usually’re learning about me and the things that I need from this team and it’s at all times a learning evolution with anything, with life and in basketball. So, learning about them each and every single day.”
Sadly, this season has gone from winning to reconnoitering. But yes, the Nets — from Ollie to GM Sean Marks — absolutely have to study their youth.
The Nets are still 5 ½ games behind Atlanta for the last play-in spot with just nine dates left on their schedule, and a tragic number is right down to five. It’s clearly evaluation time, admit it or not.
Leading scorer Cam Thomas is just 22. Starting center Nic Claxton is 24, but an unrestricted free agent.
Day’Ron Sharpe, 22, has proven a viable backup. But what’s Clowney, at just 19?
Clowney was a plus-6 — second-best on the team — with 4 rebounds against the Wizards in only 10:36. And two nights earlier he’d logged nine minutes alongside Claxton in Toronto during which Brooklyn had a stellar 52.6 net rating. The pair shot 11 of 15, grabbed 11 boards and outscored the Raptors by 13.
“It was great that they trusted me with the minutes,” said Clowney, who has spent much of the season within the G-League. “My first goal is to protect. I don’t like when people rating and I’m on the ground and I feel like I could’ve helped it. So yeah, that was my first mindset, and offensively just playing confident, free, not being nervous or scared. Just hooping.
“I played the 4 in college, so I’m in familiar territory. Now, it has been some time since I’ve done that, like navigating screens, things like that; I ain’t done that in a protracted time. But so far as twiddling with them, it opened up numerous different opportunities for me. … So, just hooping.”
Wilson got just his second start Monday, with 12 points and five boards in half-hour (plus-8). In those starts he averaged double-digit scoring and .429 shooting from deep. But each rookies are under contract for next season; Watford isn’t.
Still just 23, Watford is intriguing. He backed up seasons-highs of 19 points and 7 boards in Toronto with a 12 points on 5 of seven shooting Wednesday.
In eight games logging no less than 20 minutes, he’s averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 boards and .520/.400/.852 splits. A free agent on a minimum deal, Watford’s playing time has waxed and waned. Now must be more of the previous.
“[I love] his energy. He’s at all times in attack mode. Very confident basketball player,” Ollie said. “He’s more like a degree forward. I can play on that time, I can play him all around the court which provides us numerous options.”
Options the Nets have to spend these final weeks weighing.
The Nets know what the rating is — or more accurately, what the standings are. They haven’t been eliminated yet, but they’ve reached the purpose of this season where they need to start out planning for next season.
It’s time to play the youngsters.
It just so happens that within the Nets’ case, playing the youngsters doesn’t should equal raising the white flag. Or lowering expectations.
That didn’t mean benching all their starters in Wednesday’s 122-119 additional time win in Washington, and it won’t mean tanking in a yr they don’t even have their very own first-round draft pick. But it surely does mean a dose of teen Trendon Watford, and a sprinkling of rookies Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney.
And giving each the front office and interim coach Kevin Ollie — or whoever is in command of this team next season — a likelihood to see what they’ve.
Or don’t have.
“Our young guys, [we’ve] got a brilliant future with our young guys,” Ollie said before Wednesday’s win. “They’re coming up, stepping up and playing very, thoroughly with Noah and J-Will, and T-Wat played thoroughly the last game. And just execution down the stretch was great.
“So I’m just gonna continue learning about them they usually’re learning about me and the things that I need from this team and it’s at all times a learning evolution with anything, with life and in basketball. So, learning about them each and every single day.”
Sadly, this season has gone from winning to reconnoitering. But yes, the Nets — from Ollie to GM Sean Marks — absolutely have to study their youth.
The Nets are still 5 ½ games behind Atlanta for the last play-in spot with just nine dates left on their schedule, and a tragic number is right down to five. It’s clearly evaluation time, admit it or not.
Leading scorer Cam Thomas is just 22. Starting center Nic Claxton is 24, but an unrestricted free agent.
Day’Ron Sharpe, 22, has proven a viable backup. But what’s Clowney, at just 19?
Clowney was a plus-6 — second-best on the team — with 4 rebounds against the Wizards in only 10:36. And two nights earlier he’d logged nine minutes alongside Claxton in Toronto during which Brooklyn had a stellar 52.6 net rating. The pair shot 11 of 15, grabbed 11 boards and outscored the Raptors by 13.
“It was great that they trusted me with the minutes,” said Clowney, who has spent much of the season within the G-League. “My first goal is to protect. I don’t like when people rating and I’m on the ground and I feel like I could’ve helped it. So yeah, that was my first mindset, and offensively just playing confident, free, not being nervous or scared. Just hooping.
“I played the 4 in college, so I’m in familiar territory. Now, it has been some time since I’ve done that, like navigating screens, things like that; I ain’t done that in a protracted time. But so far as twiddling with them, it opened up numerous different opportunities for me. … So, just hooping.”
Wilson got just his second start Monday, with 12 points and five boards in half-hour (plus-8). In those starts he averaged double-digit scoring and .429 shooting from deep. But each rookies are under contract for next season; Watford isn’t.
Still just 23, Watford is intriguing. He backed up seasons-highs of 19 points and 7 boards in Toronto with a 12 points on 5 of seven shooting Wednesday.
In eight games logging no less than 20 minutes, he’s averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 boards and .520/.400/.852 splits. A free agent on a minimum deal, Watford’s playing time has waxed and waned. Now must be more of the previous.
“[I love] his energy. He’s at all times in attack mode. Very confident basketball player,” Ollie said. “He’s more like a degree forward. I can play on that time, I can play him all around the court which provides us numerous options.”
Options the Nets have to spend these final weeks weighing.
