The Brooklyn Nets’ tank appears to be successful. The Nets are one of the worst teams in the NBA and are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the most first-round future first-round picks with 16.

Nets Have Upcoming Decision on Rookie 7-Footer, Is He Worth Continuing to Invest In?

While the majority of the league is still jockeying for postseason position, Brooklyn will continue to evaluate the players on their 18-man roster to see who fits and who doesn’t for next season. So, while the Nets can’t sign any more players to two-way deals, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are finished making moves.

In fact, the Nets have a decision to make following their Saturday contest against the Detroit Pistons as Grant Nelson’s 10-day contract expires on March 8. Should the Nets sign the rookie 7-footer to another 10-day deal or a rest of the season contract? Or should the Nets keep a revolving door over the next month?

Nelson has appeared in all four of Brooklyn‘s games since signing his $73, 153 short-term deal. While his minutes have fluctuated greatly, Nelson has been productive. The 23-year-old averages 4.3 points on 55.6% shooting from the field in 8.8 minutes of action. He also grabs 1.5 rebounds, doles out 1.3 assists, and blocks 1.3 shots.

Granted, those numbers are not eye-popping. But Nelson has only seen four minutes in his last two outings. Nelson recorded three points, four assists, and two blocks in 10 minutes of garbage time in his NBA debut on February 27. He then totaled 11 points, three rebounds, and four blocks in 20 minutes against Cleveland on March 1.

“[Nelson]  was everywhere for Brooklyn, posing as a legitimate disruptor and even scoring off the dribble in an instance,” Jed Katz of the Brooklyn Nets on Sports Illustrated said about Nelson’s performance against the Cavaliers. “He did it all in 20 minutes, looking extremely comfortable.” 

What Kind Of Player Is Grant Nelson?

Nelson is known for his motor, versatility, and connectivity. Nelson loves to get out in transition and thrives in hitting in the glass while also being a legit shot-blocker. He is a capable playmaker from the high-post and can make reads in transition or on short rolls.

“Given his height and seven-foot wingspan, plus good athleticism, he brings a mix of experience and two-way potential to Brooklyn, Katz continued. “He can fit into the role of a scrappy defender and rebounder, but he also showed that he can score iethically”

Nelson went undrafted in 2025 after spending two seasons with Alabama. Before transferring to Alabama, Nelson played for three years at North Dakota State. He did play for the Nets during the 2025 Summer League in Las Vegas, but he didn’t get an NBA contract until the end of training camp when he inked an Exhibit 10 deal.

The Nets assigned Nelson to their G-League team in Long Island after officially waived. Nelson was highly efficient with the LI Nets before getting promoted, compiling 11.1 points and 5.9 boards (2.3 offensive) in 19 minutes over 23 appearances. He scored in double figures 14 times and produced one double-double during this stretch.

Nets Still Have Lots Of Flexibility

Brooklyn, tied with Indiana for the third-worst record in the league at 15-47 after 10 straight losses, is relatively healthy, with rookie Egor Demin the only player dealing with an injury. Demin will miss his fourth consecutive game after being ruled out against Detroit with a foot injury.  So, the Nets don’t really have any specific need at this point.

Saying that the Nets have plenty of roster flexibility, if they want to try out several players. The Nets have used 19 players this season and still have over $4 million in cap space available. In comparison, 24 players appeared in a game for the Nets a season ago.

Expect the Nets to give Nelson at least another 10-day contract, though it wouldn’t be surprising if they chose to sign him to an end-of-season contract. If the Nets sign Nelson to a rest of the season deal, they could still give other players a chance before the end of the season by waiving Josh Minott. Ochai Agbaji, or Jalen Wilson. None of the trio players has much of a role with the team currently, and they don’t project to be members of the organization next season. Agbaji and Wilson could be restricted free agents while Agbaji holds a team option.