The Brooklyn Nets are providing fans with an early look at their potential future backcourt duo, with lottery picks Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. scheduled to play in Tuesday's summer league game against the Sacramento Kings.
Both 20-year-olds were held out of the Nets' previous game against Atlanta, and Brown had also missed the first two contests of the California Classic. Their participation against Sacramento offers a key opportunity for the team to evaluate their chemistry and potential together on the floor. "That's the goal," Nets summer league coach Dutch Gaitley said regarding the players appearing together. "The goal is a nice off-day … get some work in on Monday, and then we're ready to play the Kings and, hopefully, avenge our first loss of summer league."
Mikel Brown Jr., selected No. 6 overall in the recent NBA draft, had a strong performance in a prior summer league game against the New York Knicks, scoring 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. In contrast, Darius Acuff Jr., who went one spot later to Sacramento, is averaging 19.5 points and 4.5 assists but has also struggled with turnovers and defense. Another prospect, Ben Saraf, has shown an aggressive downhill game but is facing shooting challenges, converting only 27.3 percent of his field goal attempts.
Gaitley highlighted the importance of reads for players like Saraf, stating, "It's now that read of, ‘Is it time for me to be aggressive in score? Is it time for me to spray?’ Sometimes, he gets a little deep, and he's like, ‘I'm going to score. I'm going to score,’ and then the read is to pass. And then other times, he's like ‘All right, I'm going to pass; I'm going to pass,’ and the read is to score." He also noted the need to help Saraf avoid predetermined plays and improve his footwork in the paint to reduce turnovers.
Meanwhile, forward Danny Wolf has added approximately 10 pounds of muscle, aiming to enhance his finishing ability through improved physicality and interior footwork. "It's just my physicality and just playing a little bit bigger," Wolf said about his development. "Then within that, just as the game slows down, making better reads, being better with the ball, and then just playing simpler, and then continuing to find consistency in the 3-point shot."
Other players, Nolan Traore and Grant Nelson, are not participating in summer league action. Traore is recovering from knee surgery, while Nelson is focusing on his training. Traore has joined the team in Las Vegas and has been seen taking stationary shots during practice.