Nets Return Home Looking for Stability as Rotation Nears Full Strength
After a tough three-game road swing that saw the Brooklyn Nets come up empty against the Grizzlies, Mavericks, and Pelicans, the team is finally heading back to Barclays Center-looking to reset, regroup, and hopefully regain some rhythm. Injuries played a role in the recent skid, but there’s a silver lining: the Nets’ rotation is nearly back to full strength heading into Friday’s matchup with the Chicago Bulls.
One player who won’t be suiting up just yet is forward Ziaire Williams. The 24-year-old remains out as he works through conditioning following an illness that sidelined him for the entirety of the road trip.
The Nets are taking a cautious approach, ensuring Williams is physically ready before throwing him back into game action. It’s a smart move, especially for a player whose game hinges on energy and defensive disruption.
Williams has appeared in 29 games this season, averaging 9.1 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 40.7% from the field and 31.3% from deep. Those numbers are a step back from his career-best campaign last year, but his role under head coach Jordi Fernandez has been fluid-largely dependent on the health of the roster and nightly matchups.
To his credit, Williams has maintained a team-first mindset. “Just staying ready, being the hardest worker out there, doing what I do best on the defensive end, causing havoc, getting deflections, and just shoot it when I’m open,” he said last month when asked about his approach.
That mentality served him well during a strong December stretch, but consistency has been elusive. In three of his last seven games, Williams didn’t see the floor-not due to injury, but due to coaching decisions as Fernandez leaned on other options in the rotation.
The only other player ruled out for Friday is rookie guard Ben Saraf, who remains on assignment with the G League. With Egor Demin and Nolan Traore showing flashes at the point guard spot, there’s no rush to bring Saraf back into the NBA mix just yet. His time will come, especially if the Nets find themselves thin in the backcourt again.
As the team returns home, the focus shifts to building some momentum and finding lineup combinations that can deliver consistency. With most of the roster now healthy, Friday’s game offers a chance to get back on track-and to see who steps up in a crowded rotation.