With the trade deadline officially in the rearview, the Brooklyn Nets introduced two fresh faces at Barclays Center on Saturday: Ochai Agbaji and Josh Minott. The two wings didn’t suit up against the Washington Wizards, but their presence still marked a turning point for a team in transition. Brooklyn snapped a three-game skid with a 127-113 win, moving to 14-37 on the season, and while the scoreboard told one story, the roster turnover told another.
To make room for the new additions, the Nets waived Cam Thomas, Haywood Highsmith, and Tyrese Martin. Hunter Tyson, who briefly passed through Brooklyn following a deal with Denver, was also out before he ever settled in. It’s been that kind of stretch for the Nets - a flurry of moves aimed at reshaping the roster and reestablishing an identity.
Head coach Jordi Fernández made it clear: Agbaji and Minott aren’t just here to fill jerseys. They’re part of a longer-term vision.
“We know they’re very good players, that’s why they’re here,” Fernández said. “They’re good people and good players, so they fit what we’re trying to build.
For me, it’s about getting to know them and giving them the opportunity without putting limitations on who I think they are. Show me what you can bring to the group, and if you can be part of this group, you can be a future Net.”
That opportunity starts with defense - and both players are bringing it with them.
Agbaji, 25, comes over from Toronto, where he appeared in 42 games this season. His numbers - 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game - don’t jump off the page, and his three-point percentage has taken a dip, down to 18.5% on 65 attempts after hitting nearly 40% last year. But Brooklyn sees the potential to get him back to form, especially as a 3-and-D wing who can stretch the floor and guard multiple positions.
Agbaji, for his part, is focused on rediscovering the player he knows he can be.
“The conversations have been good, brief,” he said. “There’s been a lot going on, but [Jordi] told me he wants me here, that he sees a lot more in me and what I can bring to this team.
For me it’s about getting back to myself and who I know I can be. That’s super important in this league and it’s what I work for and what I’m trying to show again.”
There’s also a familiar face waiting for him in Brooklyn: Jalen Wilson, his former Kansas teammate during the Jayhawks’ national championship run. That kind of chemistry doesn’t hurt when you’re trying to find your footing in a new locker room.
“We played three years together and went through ups and downs, and we ended my career there winning a national championship, which was great,” Agbaji said. “I actually knew him before he came to Kansas.
I hosted him on his recruiting visit. I’ve known him a long time and seen him grow.
Ending up teammates with him again is great.”
For Minott, the path to Brooklyn came by way of Boston, where he appeared in 33 games and averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds. He describes his NBA journey as one fueled by “hunger” and “desperation” - qualities that tend to travel well, no matter the uniform. The 23-year-old already sees a defensive identity in Brooklyn that mirrors his own mindset.
“Ball pressure is our first staple,” Fernández said. “Every time you can apply ball pressure, full court or half court, you can create turnovers and deflections and make the other team uncomfortable and late in the clock. We believe those guys can do that and I’m excited to watch them play.”
Minott also pointed to the growth in his shooting, saying he trusts his jumper now and is focused on taking the right looks - open, in rhythm, and within the flow of the offense. But his foundation remains the same: effort, defense, and staying true to the habits he’s built since entering the league.
“For me it’s about staying true to the values I’ve learned over my three and a half years in the league, especially the work ethic,” Minott said. “I’ve been around some winning organizations. Understanding what we did right and what it takes to make those playoff pushes, it’s about bringing that over.”
Neither Agbaji nor Minott played against the Wizards, but the Nets didn’t need them to handle a depleted Washington squad. The Wizards came in with just eight available players and a long list of absences, including Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Whitmore, and Tre Johnson.
Brooklyn came out firing, dropping 46 points in the first quarter - their highest-scoring quarter since 2003 - and putting up 80 in the first half, their best mark since 2022. The lead ballooned to as much as 34 before the Wizards made a late push, cutting the deficit to 12 with just over two minutes left. But the damage had already been done.
For the Nets, the win was a much-needed breather. But more importantly, Saturday felt like the beginning of a new chapter.
Agbaji and Minott represent more than just roster depth - they’re pieces of a puzzle Brooklyn is still putting together. And if the Nets are serious about building a defensive identity, these two wings might be exactly the kind of players who can help shape it.