Inside The Nets

Royce O’Neale no love lost for Brooklyn amid struggles

As he readies himself to help the Suns’ title chase, the former Net will always hold fond memories of his time in Brooklyn.

Peter Sunjic

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In the past one and a half seasons, the Brooklyn Nets enjoyed the well-rounded presence and reliability of Royce O’Neale. The 29-year-old boldly assumed one of the team’s perimeter defender roles and leadership voices, and his average of 8.3 points, 4.3 boards, 3.4 assists and 38.0 percent three-point shooting have solidly highlighted his time as a Net.

But as they faced uncertainty about their future partnership and were urged to make necessary moves, the Nets took a hard pill to swallow by shipping Royce away from the past February trade deadline. The veteran is now on the Phoenix Suns and has reunited with ex-Brooklyn superstar Kevin Durant.

Love the Brooklyn way

Royce won’t deny the roller coaster experience he dealt with throughout his Brooklyn tenure. But despite the injuries, roster moves, adjustments and the general struggle that he saw, he got nothing but love about his brief partnership with the Nets.

“I mean, yeah. Last year at the trade deadline, we kind of got a whole new team. So, yeah, of course, it was tough. Everybody figuring out their roles and stuff. And then this season, it was still a little tough. Especially rotation-wise, guys in and out. It varied in different games. But my time there was good. Learned a lot, especially from first coming in to the guys playing with a new team and still being a leader and everything this past year when I was there,” O’Neale told Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Thankful for the new opportunity in the Valley

As he acknowledged the hardship of his midseason team shift, Royce stands honored and blessed as he landed on a Phoenix team that holds a lofty championship aspiration.

Like what he brought to the Nets on a nightly basis, the Suns expect him to provide versatility and a vital role in their ongoing title chasse

“It’s a big adjustment. Especially just being traded midseason. You go from one team to a whole different one and might have to learn a whole new concept. But coming into a contending team, you know it’s an honor to be traded and take pride in it. But just coming in, affecting the game any way you can, being yourself. And then just showing up every day and being happy.”

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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