Brooklyn has every reason to like what it got from Egor Demin in his rookie year. The No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft looked like a real NBA player right away, and the biggest reason was simple: the shot translated.
Demin averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in the 2025-26 season, while shooting 39.9% from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range. He also posted a solid assist-to-turnover ratio, and for a young guard with shooting questions coming into the league, that kind of production matters.
Still, the next step for Demin may be less about making more 3s and more about doing something other than hunting them. Zach Kram of ESPN pointed to that exact issue when he chose one stat for each NBA team that could shape its season.
“Egor Demin was by far the best of the Nets' rookies last season, averaging 10.3 points per game and a solid assist-to-turnover ratio while making 38.5% of his 3-pointers,” Kram wrote.
He added: “That latter statistic is especially encouraging for a player with shooting questions entering the NBA,” Kram continued. “But Demin didn't find many ways to score other than 3-pointers, as 72% of his shot attempts last season were 3s. That was the 16th-highest rate out of 279 players with at least 1,000 minutes last season -- the three players immediately ahead of him were shooting specialists Klay Thompson, Gary Trent Jr. and Landry Shamet.
The numbers back that up. Demin took 6.2 3s per game, but only 2.4 shots inside the arc, where he shot 43.3%. He also got to the line just 1.3 times per game, which left a pretty narrow scoring profile for a 20-year-old guard with obvious skill.
That could be where this season starts to shift. In summer league, Demin showed more willingness to attack the rim, and that showed up in the numbers with 3.4 free-throw attempts per game. Now he’s set to share the floor with Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, which should give him room to expand his offense and show more than just the long ball.
In Other News...
Brook Lopez Reunion Would Put One Big Nets Question Front And Center
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Any reunion would not just be a feel-good nod to the past. It would also put a bigger question squarely in front of the organization: what kind of role, if any, does Brooklyn want to carve out for an older center at this stage, especially one whose value would be measured as much by experience and fit as by production? For now, though, it remains only a speculative idea, with no concrete plans or announcements from either side. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Face A Big Call On Mikel Brown Jr. This Camp
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Training camp is where this will get sorted out, and that is what makes Brown such a fascinating piece of the puzzle. He looks like a strong candidate to claim the job, but the Nets are not treating the spot as a formality, and he could begin the season coming off the bench if the staff decides that is the best fit. For a team still shaping its backcourt identity, the choice at point guard will say a lot about how quickly Brooklyn wants to lean into its young talent. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Rebuild May Ride On One Young Backcourt Taking Off
The Nets offseason has been less about quick fixes and more about finding pieces that can grow together, and that puts Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dmin at the center of the conversation. Brooklyn landed both as lottery picks, and the early signs have only sharpened the idea that the franchise may be trying to build its next core through the backcourt, especially after a disappointing last season left plenty of room for a reset.
Dmins summer has been about showing he can move forward after an injury, and he reportedly looked better as the offseason progressed into summer league. Brown, meanwhile, flashed the kind of two-way potential teams love to see from a young guard, giving Brooklyn a reason to believe these two can become more than just long-term projects. For a team still sorting out its direction, the real intrigue is whether this pair can take off fast enough to shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]