Moritz Wagner’s arrival in Brooklyn gives the Nets something they’ve been missing in their second unit: a proven veteran with real bite.
Brooklyn spent free agency building out its bench instead of swinging for a headline-grabbing addition, and the result is a deeper roster for head coach Jordi Fernández to work with. Keon Ellis and Wagner are both expected to give the group a steadier voice, especially with the Nets leaning on a young, inexperienced second unit.
Ellis is projected to start the opening stretch of the regular season, which should give rookie point guard Mikel Brown Jr. more time to get fully healthy and settle in. Wagner’s role looks more immediate and more chaotic in the best way possible. He’s set to bring scoring punch off the bench while also taking pressure off Day'Ron Sharpe in Sharpe’s first season as a full-time starter.
Wagner’s path to Brooklyn has been a winding one, but he found stability in Orlando, where he played alongside his brother Franz for five seasons. Leaving that behind wasn’t easy, and Franz made clear he understood the move.
"He was really happy about his deal in Brooklyn. I knew it was a great situation for him," Wagner said. "I know he loves New York… We’re both a little sad his time here has come to an end… But he’s in a great spot."
So far, the fit looks smooth. In Brooklyn’s final preseason game, Wagner put up 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting in a bench role. He got rolling early in that stint too, scoring 10 points and hitting two 3-pointers in the first half.
That outside shooting is a big part of why Brooklyn wanted him. Wagner is a career 32.3%-shooter from deep, and he’s already looked comfortable launching from distance during the preseason. The Nets haven’t had that kind of floor-spacing presence in a while.
He brings more than shooting, though. Wagner plays with plenty of energy and has built a reputation as an agitator, the kind of guy who can talk, scrap and get under an opponent’s skin. That edge has been missing in Brooklyn, and the front office clearly sees him as another veteran voice who can help shape the young talent coming through.
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He described Brooklyn as a second home, a feeling tied to how it reminds him of Berlin, and he sounded genuinely eager to settle in as a backup center. On the other side of the family equation, Franz Wagner made clear the departure carried a bittersweet edge, even as he reflected on the time the brothers spent sharing the floor. For the Nets, the emotional backdrop is secondary to the basketball fit, but it still makes Wagner an arrival worth watching as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]