National Basketball Association

Brooklyn Nets Exercise Options on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris McCullough

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Brooklyn Nets have reportedly exercised team options on two of their young forwards for the 2017-18 season.

The Brooklyn Nets will keep two of their young forwards, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Chris McCullough, for the 2017-18 season, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

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The Nets, in what ultimately was an easy decision, opted to exercise their team options on both Hollis-Jefferson and McCullough for the 2017-18 season.

Hollis-Jefferson, acquired via the Portland Trail Blazers in a draft day trade, was selected No. 23 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. Hollis-Jefferson played in just 29 games in his rookie season after fracturing his right ankle. Hollis-Jefferson excels on defense, often drawing the toughest matchups on a given night. His offensive ability hasn’t quite caught up to his defensive prowess, but Hollis-Jefferson is just 21 years-old and has time to develop.

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Hollis-Jefferson is already entrenched as one of the Nets starters, so exercising his option for the 2017-18 season was a mere formality. He is part of the young core that Brooklyn is trying to build, and the Nets are counting on his continued development.

As for McCullough, his scenario is a bit different. McCullough, the 29th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, is more of a project. He played in 24 games last season, averaging 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He certainly has talent, but McCullough needs more seasoning. The Nets have already suggested that McCullough will be among the players to spend time in the D-League with the Long Island Nets this season.

It remains to be seen when McCullough will get sent to the D-League this season, but doing so won’t be a knock on the second-year forward. Instead, it will be a chance for McCullough to gain more playing time. As of now, he doesn’t figure to play a large role in the Nets’ rotation, but there will be minutes for him in the D-League.

The Nets exercising 2017-18 options on Hollis-Jefferson and McCullough makes sense for multiple reasons. Hollis-Jefferson is trying to become a young fixture in Brooklyn. As for McCullough, it will give him another year to try to develop into the player the Nets hope he can be.

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