Nets Prodigy Could Join Starting Lineup

The Brooklyn Nets could make a switch in their starting lineup.

Oct 18, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) dribbles the ball past Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets' current rotation won't be this way forever. Ultimately, some younger players will be given more minutes in order to develop them further.

One of the younger players who could become a starter soon is second-year forward Noah Clowney.

"This early in a rebuild, no one on the roster is truly untouchable. But second-year big man Noah Clowney might come closest," Bleacher Report contributor Grant Hughes writes. "The 20-year-old played just 23 games in Brooklyn last year but averaged 12.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes while also hitting a tantalizing 36.4 percent of his threes. Every one of those numbers is suspect given the sample size, but Clowney has a combination of athleticism, size and skill that projects well. Though perhaps not a cornerstone, he's easy to imagine as part of the next successful era of Nets basketball. When Brooklyn trades away the likes of Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, Bojan Bogdanovic and others, Clowney will find himself among the starters."

Clowney had his best game of the season against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 13 points off the bench in 21 minutes, both highs for the first three games of the year.

If Clowney continues to show improvement, coach Jordi Fernandez may have to give him more minutes in the future.

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