Brooklyn Nets: Three Preseason Storylines to Watch

The Brooklyn Nets began training camp on Oct. 1 and have their first preseason game scheduled for Oct. 8.

Sep 30, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks (left) speaks to head coach Jordi Fernandez (right) during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets are on their way to Southern California for their second stage of training camp as the team prepares to face the LA Clippers in San Diego on Oct. 8. 

The NBA season is close to getting in full swing, and there is plenty for Brooklyn’s players and new head coach Jordi Fernández to do this year. The Nets are favored to have among the worst records in the NBA; however, a big part of that might also have to do with the team’s ongoing rebuild.

Fernández and Nets general manager Sean Marks have been coy on early season specifics and, as the Spanish head coach has said, he will let training camp and preseason dictate some of his early choices. With two days before Brooklyn’s first preseason contest, here are three storylines to watch before the start of the regular season: 

The Point Guard

Ben Simmons and Dennis Schröder will start together in the Nets’ first preseason game against the Clippers, but the rotation for the upcoming year still seems wide open. 

One of the early questions headed into media day and the preseason was what Fernández would elect to do at point guard. Simmons is a three-time NBA All-Star but hasn’t remained healthy during his stint in Brooklyn and seemingly fell out of favor at times strictly in terms of playing time. People around the Nets organization, including his teammates, have been raving about Simmons early on this season. 

Schröder is coming off an impactful summer with Germany, having played in the Olympics and being named to the tournament’s all-star five. The 31-year-old guard is a proven commodity at the NBA level and, although he might not fit the Nets’ longer-term plans, Schröder has taken on an important locker room role and can be expected to produce on the court.

Fernández’s point guard “battle” was likely made easier by Nic Claxton’s absence from at least the first preseason game. The Nets’ center will not play due to hamstring soreness. 

“It’s something that gives us a different look right now, playing with size, but not a true big and a lot of playmaking and shooting,” Fernández said about lining up with Simmons and Schröder, per The New York Post’s Brian Lewis. “It’s going to be very fun to give it a look.”

The Frontcourt

Claxton’s absence from the Nets’ first preseason contest will make Brooklyn fans wait for a more concrete answer to this question, but this remains something to monitor closely. 

For all intents and purposes, Claxton is being primed to be the, or at least a, future leader of this Nets organization. The former Georgia big signed a four-year, $100 million contract this summer ahead of what appears to be a total rebuild, which perhaps gives Claxton the long-term security that other Nets might not have yet.

It’s still incredibly early in the NBA calendar, but the questions surrounding Claxton — outside of how he will fare in a more expansive offensive role — are mostly about who will surround him on the court. Fernández has hinted at once again experimenting with Claxton alongside Simmons, but there should also be looks that feature Noah Clowney alongside Claxton. 

Day’Ron Sharpe is also being evaluated for any potential injuries, but the Nets’ big man is entering his fourth NBA season now. He's never averaged more than 15.1 minutes per game, and the opportunity might exist for a bigger role consolidation.

Trendon Watford, who like Claxton and Sharpe is also being checked on by Nets medical, should also figure into the equation. Watford entered the league as more of a 5-man but has since downscaled to playing the 4 and even the 3. He’s a grab-and-go threat in transition and a versatile offensive tool.

The Second Chances

The Nets are taking a shot on low-risk, high-reward players who are looking for a second chance to prove their value around the league. The early returns appear to be positive. 

Ziaire Williams, traded to Brooklyn this summer, has the opportunity to rebuild his stock after an intermittent stint in Memphis. Killian Hayes, for the first time out of Detroit, is looking at his opportunity with the Nets as a rebuild for himself. Amari Bailey, after only one season in Charlotte, said that his experience so far is “the most fun he's ever had since playing basketball.”

GM Sean Marks raved about Williams in his first media appearance of the season, for example. Hayes has a lot to play for, given that he’s on an Exhibit-10 contract for training camp and is then ineligible for a two-way deal given how long he has already been in the league. Bailey is a former five-star recruit once considered by many to be the best player in high school basketball. All three young prospects still have time on their side, and they also have an opportunity.

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