Brooklyn Nets Continue to Prioritize G League Affiliate Through Recent Addition

Patrick Gardner will suit up for the Long Island Nets in consecutive seasons.

Feb 9, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks addresses the media prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Amid a full-blown rebuild, the Brooklyn Nets are emphasizing bulking up their G League affiliate.

Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto on X, the franchise agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Egyptian National Team member Patrick Gardner. He was a member of the Long Island Nets in 2023-24 and will now return to Brooklyn's affiliate with hopes of converting his Exhibit 10 deal into a two-way.

Gardner becomes the fifth new addition before training camp, which is slated for Oct. 1 in Southern California. The philosophy behind improving Long Island resonates with the main reason Jordi Fernandez was brought in as the Nets head coach. Developing in-house talent should prove to be Brooklyn's primary source of production, a stark contrast from the organization's past mistakes.

As more quality pieces are added to Long Island's roster, Brooklyn boosts their chances of finding a raw gem waiting to be refined. Though rare, the likes of Rudy Gobert, Fred Vanvleet and Pascal Siakam prove G Leaguers can develop enough to become key contributors on contending rosters.

With so many unknowns outside of Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and Brooklyn's 2023 NBA Draft selections, the idea that one of the Nets' recent additions will emerge as a reliable rotational player is not far-fetched. Carrying a league-low projected win total of 19.5, the Nets are in dire need of some difference-makers.

Stashing unpolished talent through their G League affiliate is just the latest forward-thinking move from Sean Marks, a general manager who continues to stay ahead of the curve.

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