For the second season in a row, they know exactly who they are, staying focused on development, not wins, with a young, raw roster that's intentionally rebuilding. Brooklyn's roster reflects that approach. It is inexperienced, high-upside, and built for growth rather than immediate success. That is not a criticism, it's the plan. Brooklyn's front office has made an organizational commitment to be bad this year, understanding that the surest way to accelerate a rebuild is to hit the bottom first.
"I'm still not over it," Reznick, 89, told the Daily News. "I was there for 26 hours, and I felt like I was there for a week. You have no idea what they did for us and how they treated us. All the stars were there. It was unbelievable, absolutely wonderful."
Nolan Traore showed the burst and change of pace that made him one of the most intriguing prospects in his class, pushing the tempo and attacking the paint with confidence. Ben Saraf brought steadiness to the floor, highlighted by an 11-assist performance in his latest outing, orchestrating the offense with poise and finding teammates in rhythm. And Drake Powell, despite joining training camp late, made his mark defensively by forcing turnovers, jumping passing lanes and showcasing the athleticism and energy that define his game.
"Just something I wanted to do," Thomas said. "My last two years, I wanted to put on a little more weight, try the strong, bulky route. I mean, it was cool. I never liked how I looked, honestly. But the results were still good. At the end of the day, it's about how you look and how you feel, so I feel like I look better and I feel better. We'll see how it goes this year."
He's yet to suit up after sitting out Summer League with what the team called a minor left knee tendinopathy. At Media Day, general manager Sean Marks said Powell had not yet been cleared for 5-on-5 and would continue ramping up through training camp, with hopes of playing in the preseason. Powell later told reporters his knee "felt good" and expressed confidence in the return-to-play plan set by Brooklyn's medical staff.
I'm not a doctor, so it's hard for me to even tell what's going on with it," Demin said. "So, for me, it's just important to stay present and I'm trying to focus on whatever plan I have from the physicians, right, and whatever timing I have from them.
The Nets recently waived Tosan Evbuomwan, a two-way forward who showed promise in limited playing time last season. After playing for the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies as an undrafted rookie, the Newcastle, England native joined Brooklyn in January. The decision to waive Tosan Evbuomwan was unexpected. Despite appearing in only 28 games last season, he performed admirably when given the opportunity, averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.8 minutes per game, demonstrating toughness and versatility on both ends of the court.