Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore struggled in their first real test as high-usage ball-handlers for the Brooklyn Nets during the team’s 132-127 overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Oct. 10. Neither guard found success against the Suns’ perimeter defense, in what will be a concerning showing for Jordi Fernandez and his coaching staff. Saraf and Traore project to have sizeable ball-handling roles this season due to the Nets’ lack of a genuine point guard.
During his post-game news conference, Fernandez shared his thoughts on how the two rookie guards handled the defensive pressure Phoenix sent their way. The Nets’ head coach noted that he hopes the experience will serve as a learning opportunity for the young duo.
“I thought Nolan and Ben, as point guards, they felt real NBA pressure, and that’s a good thing,” Fernandez said. “That’s a learning opportunity when you feel the real pressure of a good defensive team. That’s a good experience. Hopefully, moving forward, they can get better and handle that better, because [committing] 34 turnovers for 42 points is not good enough. You’re not going to win many games in the NBA [that way].”
Brooklyn is fortunate enough to have the time and lack of expectations to give both Saraf and Traore time and scope to develop their games on the fly. The hope will be that they quickly adjust to the pressures of facing an NBA-level defense and figure out how their games can be used to unlock the team’s offense, especially in the half-court.
Cam Thomas is also on the roster and should be a valuable presence in the Nets’ guard rotation. And, while Thomas is primarily a scorer, he does have the talent and playmaking upside for him to emerge as a key piece of the Nets’ shot creation as the season wears on. Nevertheless, Saraf and Traore face a steep learning curve, and the quicker they begin to adjust, the better it will be for the Nets.