Nets Cautiously Manage Rookie Pairings Amid Early Season Struggles
Brooklyn's foundational rookies Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. have seen minimal court time together as the team navigates an 0-3 start.
The Brooklyn Nets are intentionally limiting the playing time of rookie tandem Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr., a strategy that has seen the pair share the court for only four minutes through the first three games of the season. Their limited joint appearance occurred during a road game in Cleveland.
Mikel Brown Jr. was sidelined for Sunday's game against the Pacers due to a minutes restriction, a precaution related to a previous back injury. He is cleared to return for Tuesday's matchup in Boston, though still under a minutes limit. With the Nets holding a winless 0-3 record heading into their game against the Celtics, fans are eager for any sign of the team's future, which heavily features Dëmin and Brown.
Coach Jordi Fernández indicated that integrating the two players is a strategic decision influenced by game dynamics rather than a pre-determined lineup adjustment. "We have all this preparation, the coaches do a great job putting all these pages and film," Fernández stated. "But then at the end of the day, you have to react to a lot of things that are not controllable. Would I like to play them together? Yes. But if I’m just thinking about playing them together, I may not do what’s best for the group at the moment."
The cautious approach to Brown's minutes is also tied to his injury history. He played only 19 games at Louisville, missing the latter half of his final season due to a back injury. While a rolled ankle sidelined him for the preseason, the team is exercising extra care regarding his back.
"Correct. There’s not a new injury," Fernández confirmed. "We’re required to say … So he’s good. He’s doing great. Then after this game, he’ll be ready to go."
In their brief four-minute stint together against the Cavaliers, Dëmin and Brown registered a plus-5 rating. Other rookies have seen increased opportunities. Josh Minott contributed 15 points, eight rebounds, and two steals in 21 minutes on Sunday. First-round picks Danny Wolf, Drake Powell, and Ben Saraf made their season debuts against Indiana, and rookie Joshua Jefferson logged 3:38 in his NBA debut.