National Basketball Association

Brooklyn Nets: What to Watch For in Preseason

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

foxsports

Sep 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin (7) being interviewed by Nets host Ally Love during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets tip off the preseason on Thursday. In a new era of Nets basketball, there are several things to look out for when the Nets hit the floor.

The Brooklyn Nets tip off the preseason on Thursday, in a game that will include many first’s. It will be the first time Jeremy Lin takes the floor as a member of the Nets. It will be the first time Kenny Atkinson coaches the Nets in a non-Summer League game. And it will also give Nets’ fans their first look at the 2016-17 roster.

The preseason slate is always interesting. It can be easy to get too high or too low based on results, but it’s important to remember that teams won’t necessarily show all of their cards in the preseason.

Want your voice heard? Join the Nothin' But Nets team!

Nevertheless, there will be a lot for Nets’ fans to see during the preseason.

From the starting lineup, to the second unit, to Atkinson himself, the Nets will have a feel for how their roster has come together. The starters may not play a ton of minutes, especially early on in the preseason, but we will get a glimpse of Lin, Brook Lopez, and others.

Elsewhere, there are a few position battles to watch. The Nets have capable players at each position, and it will be interesting to see the lineups that Atkinson decides to use. With all of that in mind, here are a few things to watch for, not just on Thursday, but throughout the entirety of the preseason.

Sep 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin (7) poses for a portrait during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

What to Watch For: Jeremy Lin Running the Point

The single-most aspect that many Nets fans are excited about is seeing Jeremy Lin take the floor in a Brooklyn Nets uniform. Lin will be Kenny Atkinson’s starting point guard, and will of course run with Brook Lopez and the other starters.

It remains to be seen how many minutes Lin will be allotted in the preseason opener, but Brooklyn will get their first look at their new point guard.

Lin came to the Nets in search of a starting role, and he found it. Brooklyn expects to run their offense through Lin, as he will set the tone with his playmaking ability.

On the defensive side of the ball, Lin is also expected to lead by example. Lin is not just a one-way player, and he will be worth watching on both sides of the ball.

It will be interesting to see Lin work in Kenny Atkinson’s offense. Atkinson and Lin spent time together with the New York Knicks, and are now reunited in Brooklyn. The Nets seemingly should be able to use Lin and Lopez effectively in pick-and-roll scenarios.

Lin won’t be the only new player to hit the floor during the preseason, but he will certainly garner the most attention. He is a polarizing figure, and even more so in New York. The Nets are happy to have Lin and by all accounts he is happy to be here. He will get his first shot to run the point for Brooklyn on Thursday.

Mar 15, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) celebrates his basket with guard Sean Kilpatrick (6) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Brooklyn Nets won 131-114. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Bojan Bogdanovic or Sean Kilpatrick?

The Brooklyn Nets have a few options at shooting guard. Bojan Bogdanovic likely has the inside track to start, but Brooklyn also has Sean Kilpatrick as well.

It may be telling to see who Kenny Atkinson trots out as the starter in the first preseason game. Either way, though, both Bogdanovic and Kilpatrick will get a shot. Of course, both will contribute regardless of who starts, but it’s still a storyline worth watching.

What makes it even more interesting is both players are versatile. Kilpatrick could run both guard spots, and Bogdanovic could play small forward. However, the Nets are set at point guard with Lin and Greivis Vasquez, and small forward should be occupied by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. This likely leaves Bogdanovic and Kilpatrick fighting for time at shooting guard.

The Nets will rely on both of these players this season. Many people believe Bogdanovic is set to have a breakout season, and Brooklyn was high enough on Kilpatrick to give him a three-year deal.

The good news for the Nets is they should be in pretty good shape at both starting and backup shooting guard.

May 16, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets new head coach Kenny Atkinson answers questions from the media during press conference at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Brooklyn Should Be Aggressive on Defense

One of the things to watch for as it pertains to Kenny Atkinson is his coaching philosophy. Atkinson is a defensive-minded head coach, and will instill a defensive mentality in the Nets.

It will be interesting to see how the Nets respond on the defensive end. Hollis-Jefferson, Lin, Lopez, Kilpatrick, and others will all be worth watching on defense. The Nets will want to play lockdown defense. They will want to get in passing lanes and create turnovers which lead to fast breaks. They will want to communicate, and play team defense.

On Wednesday, Jeremy Lin called Brooklyn’s defense, “a great defense,” and said it’s the type of defense he hates playing against. As for Atkinson, he said he is expecting a high level of competition from the Nets, and the new head coach is treating it like a regular season game.

If the Nets can play effective team defense, rebound the ball well, and create turnovers, it would go a long way towards creating easy looks on offense. The Nets, under Atkinson, will take defense seriously, and it’ll be worth watching to see how they play as a unit.

May 16, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks introduces new head coach Kenny Atkinson at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

How Will the Nets Operate as a Team?

The preseason, as a whole, will give us a good look at how the Nets operate. How does the first unit gel on offense? Can they play effective team defense? Can Greivis Vasquez, Luis Scola, Randy Foye or another veteran emerge to as a leader for the second unit?