The Brooklyn Nets have spent the early part of the season fighting the same problem over and over: too many empty possessions. At 2-8, they’ve got new talent on the roster, but the results haven’t followed, and the ball security issues are a big reason why.
Brooklyn is sitting near the bottom of the league in turnover numbers, coughing it up 18.1 times per game, which ranks No. 28 in the NBA. That lack of care with the ball has gone hand in hand with shaky offensive flow, since the Nets also rank No. 28 in assists per game at 23.4.
The mess showed up again Sunday night in Dallas. The Nets turned it over 16 times, shot just 39% from the field and got blown out 130-93 in their biggest loss of the season. It was another night where the offense never found a rhythm and the game got away fast.
ClutchPoints reporter Erik Slater pointed directly at Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. after the loss.
"The Nets need Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. to do a better job taking care of the ball. Randle and MPJ had nine turnovers in last night’s loss [to the Atlanta Hawks],” Slater wrote. “They’ve combined for 57 assists and 56 turnovers this season.”
Porter isn’t expected to be a major playmaking engine, but the giveaways are still fueling the kind of scoring droughts that let opponents seize control. Randle’s situation is tougher.
Brooklyn brought him in just before night one of the draft, and he still hasn’t settled in. His 4.1 turnovers per game would be the worst mark of his career by a wide margin, and his efficiency and 3-point shooting have also been issues.
Randle has had stretches like this before, but the Nets need his chemistry with Porter to keep developing as the season goes on.
Even with those struggles, both players remain names to watch in trade conversations, especially since the Nets have reportedly already started listening on their biggest contracts.
In Other News...
Nets Frontcourt Need Could Push Them Into A Huge Sabonis Swing
Brooklyns frontcourt has been a talking point for a while, and the latest trade chatter points to a major swing if the Nets decide they need a proven anchor in the middle. Domantas Sabonis has emerged as the name to watch, with league buzz suggesting Sacramento could at least listen if the right deal materializes. For a Nets team trying to firm up its interior presence, the appeal is obvious: Sabonis is an established All-Star center who would instantly change the look of the rotation.
The intrigue is coming from Sacramento, where Sabonis role has reportedly shifted enough to make people around the league wonder how settled he feels in the current setup. Any deal would have to make sense for the Kings as well, and that is where the conversation gets complicated, with experienced pieces being floated as part of the framework. Nothing has been confirmed, but this is the kind of frontcourt possibility that can linger because it fits a need on one side and raises questions on the other. [Read more 🡒]
Day'Ron Sharpe May Have Given The Nets A New Identity
DayRon Sharpe has been doing more than cleaning up the glass for Brooklyn lately, and his latest outing hinted at a bigger shift. In a 124-121 loss to the Hawks, he put together a rare all-around night with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, a sign that his passing has become a real part of the Nets offense rather than just an occasional wrinkle.
Brooklyn still let a winnable game slip away after giving up 38 points in the fourth quarter, but Sharpes growing role as a facilitator is the kind of development that can change how this team looks going forward. For a roster searching for identity, having a big man who can rebound, score and keep the ball moving gives the Nets a different kind of pressure point to build around. [Read more 🡒]
Jordi Fernandez Just Sent Noah Clowney A Clear Nets Message
Noah Clowneys night against Dallas ended almost as quickly as it started, and it left Brooklyn with a familiar kind of frustration. The Nets forward was whistled out after just 7:47, finishing with two points and no rebounds or assists in a loss that underscored how thin the margin can be for a young player trying to carve out a bigger role.
Jordi Fernandez did not sugarcoat the fouling, but he also made clear that the issue is not effort. The Nets coach pointed to Clowneys competitiveness and importance to the group, a reminder that Brooklyn still sees value in the 20-year-old even when the box score is empty. It also came on a night when Josh Minott, despite barely seeing the floor this season, flashed with 10 points in garbage time, a small but notable snapshot of the rosters depth and the opportunities waiting for someone to seize them. [Read more 🡒]