Joshua Jefferson is set to make his professional debut Saturday night as the Brooklyn Nets try to keep their Summer League surge rolling against the Atlanta Hawks at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Brooklyn opened with a statement, rolling past the New York Knicks 91-65 on Friday. Egor Demin set the tone with 20 points and kept flashing the all-around game that made him a lottery pick.
Mikel Brown Jr. matched him with 20 of his own, turning in his best showing of the summer and giving the Nets another look at the scoring pop and offensive creativity they’re so high on. Chaney Johnson also made his presence felt again, bringing energy, hustle and winning plays on both ends.
The Nets may not look exactly the same against Atlanta. Sunday’s game is the second half of a back-to-back, and Brooklyn took a cautious approach during the California Classic by sitting several players in that spot. With Summer League centered on development, not the standings, it would not be a surprise if the Nets again manage minutes or hold out a few bodies.
Even with that possibility, Jefferson is expected to be on the floor. The rookie forward sat out Friday’s opener, but now he’s in line for his first run in a Nets uniform. His versatility, defensive instincts and ability to affect the game at both ends make him one of the more intriguing young names in Brooklyn’s group.
Atlanta arrives with momentum of its own after a 93-66 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. The Hawks spread the scoring around in a big way, with seven players finishing in double figures. It was a clean example of ball movement and balance, not a night built around one go-to scorer.
That makes this a different kind of test for Brooklyn. Against New York, the Nets built their edge on defense, holding the Knicks to 65 points by contesting shots, forcing tough looks and controlling the glass. They’ll need that same edge for all 40 minutes against an Atlanta team that can get points from plenty of places.
However Brooklyn chooses to line up, this is another useful checkpoint for its young core. Jefferson gets his debut, Demin and Brown Jr. get a chance to build on strong starts, and the Nets have a shot to back up their opener with another defensive showing against one of Summer League’s deeper offensive teams.
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Nets Loss Still Left One Summer League Debate Wide Open
Brooklyns fifth game of Summer League in Las Vegas brought another look at a roster still sorting out roles, and the 83-76 loss to Atlanta offered plenty of individual flashes even in defeat. Chaney Johnson and Danny Wolf each finished with 20 points, giving the Nets a pair of productive scoring nights to evaluate as the summer schedule moves along, while the team continued to cycle through different combinations and opportunities.
Joshua Jefferson also made his Summer League debut, a meaningful checkpoint for a player trying to carve out his place in the mix. Brooklyns next game against Sacramento now carries a little extra intrigue, too, because the matchup could add another layer to the evaluation process if the anticipated backcourt storyline comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Just Sacrificed A Young Piece For More Roster Flexibility
The Nets kept reshaping their roster after the four-team Julius Randle trade, and the latest move was a small but meaningful one for the front office. Brooklyn waived guard Malachi Smith, a young player on a non-guaranteed deal, as part of a broader effort to create more flexibility while the team continues sorting through the fallout of the trade and the rest of its summer business.
For Sean Marks, the point of the move is clear enough: open up a little more room to work with and stay active in the market. Brooklyn is still trying to bolster its frontcourt, with center help now a priority after the roster changes, and the extra cap room could give the Nets a better shot at adding another free agent or making a trade to address that need. [Read more 🡒]