Noah Clowney is about to find out what he can do with less.
After starting 60 games last season, the 22-year-old is headed back to the bench for the Brooklyn Nets, and that shift could become one of the biggest things to watch for this team. Clowney just put together the best season of his young NBA career, but the arrival of Julius Randle changes the whole frontcourt picture.
Randle came to Brooklyn this offseason and is expected to step in as the starting power forward, giving the Nets a proven veteran and former All-Star to anchor a roster still built around a lot of young pieces. That leaves Clowney in a reserve role, where the opportunities will look very different from the ones he had a year ago.
Clowney knows the adjustment is coming.
“I probably won’t shoot as much as I did last year,” he said at Media Day. “But I’m going to shoot better shots, keep the offense flowing and just make the most of my opportunities.”
That’s a real shift for a player who had plenty of freedom in 2025-26. Clowney averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 27.0 minutes per game, all career highs. He played in 66 games and started 60 of them, leaning heavily into a bigger offensive load than he’s likely to see now.
His shot volume reflected that role. Clowney took 9.6 field-goal attempts per game last season, with 5.9 of those coming from beyond the arc. Coming off the bench, those numbers figure to come down, especially with Randle handling a major share of the offense and other young forwards like Danny Wolf and Joshua Jefferson also fighting for minutes.
That means Clowney’s value will have to show up in other ways.
The numbers from last season point to the areas Brooklyn wants to see more from him. He shot 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from three, while his 4.1 rebounds per game stood out for a 6-foot-10 player. His defensive flashes were there at times, but not on a consistent enough basis.
Clowney said at Media Day that his top offseason goal was improving on defense.
“If you want to get the minutes, do what you do better than the others,” Clowney said.
That kind of focus matters now more than ever. He’s entering his fourth NBA season, still young enough to keep changing the conversation around his game. He has already shown he can stretch the floor, and last season gave him a chance to handle real responsibility for the first time.
The Nets now have to decide what that production means when the usage drops. If Clowney can come off the bench and still put up around 10-12 points per game, shoot the ball more efficiently, rebound better and provide a steadier defensive presence, this role change could work in his favor.
If not, Brooklyn may have a tougher evaluation on its hands.
The Nets brought in Randle because they needed him: an experienced scorer, veteran presence and someone who could ease the burden on the team’s younger players. But that move also tightens the margins for Clowney.
With Randle, Wolf and Jefferson all in the mix for frontcourt minutes, Clowney’s spot is far from locked in. That also makes him the kind of player that could draw trade interest if Brooklyn decides to make another move down the line.
For now, though, this is about proving last season wasn’t just a product of more minutes and more shots.
Clowney may not start. He may not get 27 minutes or nearly 10 attempts every night. But if he can be more efficient, defend more reliably and make his presence felt in a smaller role, the Nets could end up learning plenty about his future.
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