Nolan Traoré has spent the preseason forcing the Brooklyn Nets to take a closer look.
In four exhibition games, the second-year guard has piled up 51 points in only 68 minutes, while knocking down 56.3% of his shots from the field. For a player who spent much of his rookie year adjusting to the NBA, that kind of production is hard to ignore.
His best stretch came across a run of increasingly strong outings. Traoré opened against the Charlotte Hornets with 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting in 10 minutes, then followed with 12 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Against the Washington Wizards, he delivered his top performance of the preseason: 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, with two three-pointers. He finished by scoring 12 more against the Miami Heat.
What stands out most is how composed he’s looked. Traoré has been attacking defenders with more confidence, changing speeds to create separation and getting into the paint without looking hurried. Around the rim, he’s shown better control too, which matters for any young guard trying to finish through the size and length that comes with NBA defenses.
The jumper is part of the story as well. Traoré made improving his shot a priority over the offseason, and he’s been willing to let it fly from deep. Four preseason games don’t prove the shot has taken a major leap, but the early signs are encouraging.
That matters in Brooklyn because the backcourt is still sorting itself out. Egor Dëmin and Keon Ellis have started the team’s preseason games in the backcourt, while Mikel Brown Jr. is also in the mix once he returns from an ankle injury.
With that kind of competition, Traoré can’t afford to fade. Still, he has put himself on the coaching staff’s radar and added another option to the rotation conversation.
He’s also younger than Dëmin and Brown at just 20 years old, which makes the numbers even more notable. There’s still plenty of development ahead, but the preseason performance suggests he may be ready for more than he was asked to handle during his first NBA season.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a starting job is waiting. Traoré could end up being most valuable as a bench guard, where he can handle the ball, organize the offense and give Brooklyn scoring off the second unit.
Even so, the Nets shouldn’t treat that as his ceiling. If he keeps producing, he has earned the right to push for more minutes, not just settle into whatever role is easiest to assign.
Brooklyn has several young guards to sort through, and the fit won’t be settled overnight. Brown’s upside, Dëmin’s growth and Ellis’ defense all matter in the equation. Traoré has made sure he’s part of it too.
The real test comes when the regular season starts and the margin for error tightens. Opposing defenses will have more film, and the minutes will matter more. Preseason numbers don’t guarantee anything, but they do give Traoré a platform.
For now, he’s done exactly what he needed to do. He’s made shots, played with confidence and given the Nets a real reason to think bigger about his role. How much of a role that becomes remains to be seen, but Brooklyn has gotten the message: Traoré belongs in the conversation.
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