Breaking Down the Brooklyn Nets’ New Signings

The Brooklyn Nets announced some important roster moves before the start of training camp.

Feb 7, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) celebrates with team mates after a time out was called during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

With less than two weeks to go until training camp, the Brooklyn Nets announced a new batch of signings on Friday in Yongxi Cui, Tyrese Martin and Killian Hayes. 

Cui’s deal was announced as a two-way contract by the Nets, whereas it has been widely reported that Martin and Hayes are joining the organization on Exhibit 10 deals — basically, to compete for a roster spot in training camp and, if not, subsequently report to the Long Island Nets. It was also first reported by HoopsHype on Friday that former Charlotte Hornets guard Amari Bailey and Egyptian center Patrick Gardner would be getting Exhibit 10s.

Let's take a look at each of these prospects.

Yongxi Cui

Cui, also known as “Jacky,” is a 6-foot-8 sharpshooting wing who can also play a bit as a 2-guard. The Chinese prospect went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he is widely considered to be among the best upcoming names in his country.

Cui has prior experience as a pro with the Chinese league's Guangzhou Loong Lions, where he averaged 14.1 points over 99 total games. He has also played for China internationally, most recently in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers. 

Cui appears ready — at least for now — to skew a secure and comfortable roster spot in China in order to fight for his NBA dreams. His strong positional size and shooting ability can separate him from the pack, and it is already a positive sign that he is on a two-way rather than a training camp deal.

Tyrese Martin

Tyrese Martin was a college standout at UConn and the no. 51 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Martin was drafted by the Golden State Warriors, but he never suited up for the Bay Area team; rather, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, where he spent one season alternating between the main team and the Hawks' College Park affiliate in the G League.

Martin has a similar story and goals to other Nets prospects, not just the ones on Exhibit 10 or two-way contracts. After getting waived by the Hawks, he then played for the Iowa Wolves — Minnesota's G League team — last season, averaging about 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes per game.

The 25-year-old produces on the court, but he is a bit of a funky fit for many organizations as a do-it-all undersized wing. Martin likely needs to keep scaling his game down if he is to find a permanent NBA home, but currently, it appears like the Nets are prioritizing him for their Long Island team.

Killian Hayes

Killian Hayes’ story is well documented by now. The former no. 7 pick was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2020 and, in the eyes of many, has fallen short in his NBA career so far. 

Even though Hayes failed to produce as expected, particularly early on in his four seasons with Detroit, the truth is that he was also thrust into a poor situation. The Pistons, in a vacuum, have drafted top-ranked prospects but haven’t put together a real team. 

Of all the players competing for a roster spot in Brooklyn, Hayes is the one with the most NBA reps to date. He’s shown signs as a playmaker and, to a lesser degree, as a shooter over the last two seasons. If he can build on those flashes and display more consistency, Hayes might reap the benefits of the Nets’ potential “buy low” policy.

Amari Bailey

Amari Bailey was once ranked as the best player in high school basketball. He then had a very decent freshman season at UCLA that peaked at the right time. Last season, he put up numbers in the G League with the Charlotte Hornets’ affiliate. 

However, it feels like Bailey’s career has been interrupted quite a bit in recent times. An injury in high school dropped him in the rankings. In Westwood, he had some foot and leg issues. With the Hornets, he never got much of an NBA look, even once LaMelo Ball got injured. 

Brooklyn provides a fresh context for Bailey, who remains a very talented guard. The 20-year-old can pass out of the pick-and-roll, pull up from three and has enough off-ball versatility not to be a one-trick pony. There’s an NBA-level guard somewhere in Bailey, depending on how he and his team tap into his potential.

Patrick Gardner

Patrick Gardner is a Long Island native who plays for Egypt internationally (his mother is Egyptian). Gardner received an Exhibit 10 contract, seemingly to incentivize him to stay with the Long Island Nets after the conclusion of training camp. This is his second E-10 with Brooklyn, having gone through the same process last season after going undrafted out of Marist College.

Gardner has an easy story to root for. He started his college career at Nassau Community College, an atypical spot for a FIBA-level center who is getting NBA looks. The 25-year-old Merrick native already played for Long Island last season, averaging about eight points and five rebounds in 15 minutes per game. 

He gives Long Island some roster continuity and rostering him makes sense when thinking about the array of guards the Nets’ G League team might have at its disposal.

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