‘Very important summer’ looms for Nets

Brooklyn closes homestand vs. Atlanta Thursday

April 10, 2025 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Nets coach Jordi Fernández has three more regular-season games to evaluate players like forward Trendon Watford for Brooklyn's ongoing rebuild. AP Photo by Darren Abate

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By Monday, the Brooklyn Nets’ brain trust won’t be evaluating talent on the court.

They’ll instead busy themselves figuring out whom from their current crop of players will be a part of this ongoing rebuild, as well as delving into the NBA Draft, free agency and potential trades.

But with three games to go, including Thursday’s home tilt with Atlanta, in their second straight non-playoff season, the youthful Nets are still trying to impress general manager Sean Marks and coach Jordi Fernández.

“For obvious reasons, we’re getting into a very important summer,” said Fernández following Tuesday night’s encouraging 119-114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center.

“This is a good beginning. These guys are driving it. They’re doing it on their own,” he added.

Brooklyn (26-53) had lost eight of its previous 10 contests, but found a way to snap a five-game home losing streak behind a balanced effort that saw seven players finish in double figures in scoring, including all five reserves.

“Five guys off the bench with double digits,” gushed the rookie coach after watching former G-League standout Drew Timme lead the “Bench Mob” with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Dariq Whitehead poured in 14, Tosan Evbuomwan added 13, Maxwell Lewis had 12 and Tyson Etienne finished with 11 for the Nets, who also earned praise from Fernández by hoisting up 40 3-balls and making 17 while going 20-of-24 at the free-throw line.

“Just trust the shot, keep shooting take the right shot,” Fernández insisted. “That’s how we want to play, shooting almost 43 percent from 3.”

Drew Timme put up 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the Nets’ home win over New Orleans Tuesday at Downtown’s Barclays Center. AP Photo by Kena Betancur

The slightly more experienced Nets, like Jalen Wilson and Trendon Watford, complemented veterans Nic Claxton and Ziaire Williams in Brooklyn’s latest starting five.

As did rookie Reece Beekman, acquired from Golden State in the deal that sent point guard Dennis Schröder to the Warriors in December. The 6-foot-3 point man didn’t score a single point, but filled in more than admirably for injured playmaker D’Angelo Russell.

Beekman dished out a career-high 10 assists, committed only one turnover and picked up three steals.

“Better with our turnovers in the second half, we had nine in the first half, seven in the second,” noted Fernández.

Even proven vets like Cam Johnson and Russell, both of whom sat out Tuesday’s rousing win, are contributing when they are shelved.

“I think you can see the chemistry,” added Fernández. “They support each other from the bench. They play hard for 48 minutes.”

Marks has accumulated 30 draft picks over the next seven years via all the deals he’s swung since sending Kevin Durant to Phoenix and Kyrie Irving to Dallas in 2023.

Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith and Schröder have also come and gone since Marks deconstructed his two-superstar system, which also included James Harden for a while before he was swapped for future considerations.

The names on the backs of those Brooklyn jerseys these days lack the notability or selling power of the ones who graced them just a few short years ago, when this franchise was chasing its first-ever NBA title.

Now that the Nets are admittedly “Building the Brooklyn Way” in 2025-26, it will be up to Marks and Fernández to evaluate who will be part of this renovation project in Downtown Brooklyn.

“It’s not perfect,” Fernández admitted of his cast of irregulars. “(But) it’s great to see they try to play the right way.”

Tip-off vs. the Hawks at Barclays Thursday is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Maxwell Lewis and the rest of Brooklyn’s youth movement should see more action Thursday night vs. Atlanta in Downtown Brooklyn. AP Photo by Heather Khalifa

NOTHING BUT NET: Watford scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting Tuesday in just his third start of the year. He put up a career-high 26 off the bench at Indiana on March 22. … After hosting the Hawks, the Nets will head to Minnesota for their road finale Friday night before hosting the Knicks here in Brooklyn Sunday at 1 p.m. … The co-tenant and defending WNBA champion New York Liberty will take over the Barclays hardwood on May 9 vs. Connecticut in their preseason opener. The Liberty will also participate in the April 14 WNBA Draft at Hudson Yards in Manhattan. New York will have the seventh and eighth picks in the opening round.