Despite a 116-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night, the game was one that showed promise for the Brooklyn Nets because of how their rookies performed.
Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf and Drake Powell all played over 20 minutes off the bench. Egor Demin did not join in on the fun, as he was still managing his left plantar fascia tear that he suffered before the season began, and Nolan Traoré was still on G League assignment.
Michael Porter Jr. was also out for his second straight game, dealing with lower back tightness, which cleared room to get the rookies some more minutes.
Wolf led the way with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes. Saraf looked poised in his 29 minutes, scoring 10 points and dishing out seven assists. While Powell only put up three points, two rebounds and a block, he had the best plus/minus of the rookies at +7.
Even with strong performances from the Nets’ ladder three rookies in terms of draft position, it’s likely that they won’t be consistently in the rotation from here on out.
It’s important to note that Wolf and Saraf were on G League assignment for most of November. Powell has been firmly in the rotation for the past 10 games and should be the only one guaranteed to stay in the lineup once players return from injury.
Time in Long Island has clearly helped them get more comfortable, showing that they don’t need to be in the main rotation for them to get development. Wolf and Saraf may get more frequent call-ups, but their time in the G League is not over.
The injuries to Demin and Porter Jr. aren’t likely to keep them out for a long period, and the two players they replace could likely be Wolf and Saraf.
Jalen Wilson, Tyrese Martin and Ziaire Williams could see their minutes eaten into by the rookies, but it’s not something that should happen in the near future.
It seems that Brooklyn’s current goal is to increase the trade value of everyone on the roster outside of its rookies. The front office hasn’t announced any player as untouchable, and they could look to increase their amount of draft capital as they pursue a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
If the Nets’ activity in the offseason trade market was any indication, they should not be shy about making a plethora of deals as we get close to the deadline. Post-trade deadline is when the rookies will truly get consistent opportunities with Brooklyn.