Nets’ level guard plan stays murky forward season opener

The preseason is over for the Nets, however for his or her three rookie level guards, a lot has but to be decided.

It’s unsure who will begin the regular-season opener towards the Hornets, who will function the backup and who should wait his flip.

Coach Jordi Fernández declined to disclose a depth chart for Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf after follow Sunday. Anyway, it may possibly change recreation to recreation. Nothing is ready in stone.

“I’m very pleased with all three,” Fernández mentioned. “All three have performed in preseason, all three have carried out good issues, and all three have issues to work on.

“If they’ll reap the benefits of their minutes, they’re going to outlive with their roles, whether or not they’re beginning or at backup. If someone can not maintain manufacturing or what we’re asking [from them], then [it will create an] alternative for one more one, and that’s why I would like that wholesome competitors to work on our workforce, the place they’re all pushing one another and so they all have minutes and expertise and so they can develop.”

Within the workforce’s 4 exhibition video games, Saraf and Traore began twice apiece. However that was partly as a consequence of Dëmin, the very best choose of the three, solely being out there for the ultimate contest as a consequence of a plantar fascia tear relationship again to the spring.

Saraf averaged 6.3 factors and 5.5 assists in 20.3 minutes, whereas Traore produced 4.5 factors and 1.8 assists in 14.7 minutes. Each gamers struggled with turnovers, combining for five.5 per recreation within the preseason.

The 6-foot-8 Dëmin was spectacular in his debut, producing 14 factors and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench with two turnovers.

“He did an amazing job. He appeared composed. He helped us,” Fernández mentioned. “It’s good that you simply see the ball go in, however basketball isn’t just about seeing the ball go in. He made the easy play. We didn’t flip it over as a lot [with him]. He obtained his teammates concerned, and he had excellent positional defensive possessions, the place he was the low man, he went vertical, he protected the rim. These issues are excellent to see at this level, however we’re going to ask him to maintain getting higher as a result of we consider the sky is the restrict for him and for the opposite two level guards, as effectively. Very thrilling going into his first recreation.”

The three rookies all know each other from their time within the EuroLeague, and whereas they’re battling each other for minutes, the three are all going by the identical course of collectively.

“I believe all people is making an attempt to get higher and all people is making an attempt to assist all people to get higher,” Dëmin, the eighth choose on this 12 months’s draft, mentioned. “I believe that’s the place we’re going to achieve success this 12 months. Each follow, there’s going to be competitors. It’s not about simply me, Nolan and Ben. It’s about every little thing. As quickly as we step off the courtroom, we’re finest pals. I believe that’s the way it ought to be.”