Embrace the Brooklyn Nets' Future of Whitehead, Hollis-Jefferson, and LeVert
Jan 21, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) looks to pass as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
For the Brooklyn Nets, their lack of draft picks may make it seem like they have no future. However, that’s not the case. Thanks to Isaiah Whitehead, Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, things are starting to look up.
For the Brooklyn Nets, it seems things are looking as bleak as ever. No control of their own draft picks, they currently own the worst record in the NBA and to top it all off, their starting point guard, Jeremy Lin, is injured for the second time this season.
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With not much to look forward to for the time being, there have been some silver linings for the NBA’s worst team. One thing that particularly sticks out is the play of the young guys on the roster, specifically Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and rookies Isaiah Whitehead and Caris LeVert.
These guys have all had very different paths on their way to their current home, and that is the Brooklyn Nets.
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Whitehead, a 6-foot-4 guard out of Seton Hall, was particularly known for being great offensively, yet not ready for the NBA just yet, as another year or two with the Pirates would’ve done him some good. However, Whitehead went with the decision to declare for the NBA Draft, and ended up right where he started, back in his hometown of Brooklyn.
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Nobody expected Whitehead to be in the situation he is currently in after what the Nets did this offseason. The Nets brought in both Greivis Vasquez and Jeremy Lin to help their horrid point guard situation. Now, halfway through the season, Vasquez was cut after suffering another injury, and Lin suffered his second hamstring injury this season in a December 26th win against the Charlotte Hornets.
Now, Whitehead is averaging nearly seven points per game to go along with a 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. With all the NBA exposure Whitehead is getting, he can possibly be at his highest level of play in the next year or so, which is very exciting news for Nets fans.
Jan 13, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (24) controls a ball as Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) tries to defend during the third quarter in a game at Air Canada Centre.The Toronto Raptors won 132-113. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Caris LeVert
With the 23rd pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. The 6-foot-7 swingman out of the University of Arizona was then traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Mason Plumlee and Notre Dame’s Pat Connaughton. Hollis-Jefferson immediately brought something Brooklyn had been missing since their days in New Jersey, a gritty, defensive-minded wing player.
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Since then, Hollis-Jefferson has been highly regarded by many in the league, but suffered a major injury early into the 2015-16 season, which led to him missing 50+ games. He has had some big performances since then, but still needs to work a little bit harder on his offensive game and finding a shot that works for him. Until then, he still can affect the game with his defense and never-give-up mentality. After all, that’s what the Nets need if they don’t want to end the season as the NBA’s worst defensive team.
On March 22, 2016, Caris LeVert found himself in New York City, not for a workout with either the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets, not even for basketball or anything related to that matter. For the third time in 22 months, LeVert had another surgical procedure done to his left foot. This dropped his draft stock exponentially.
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At the time, he was projected as second round pick shortly after the injury and surgery occurred. Brooklyn ended up selecting him with the 20th pick of the NBA Draft, but it was unclear how far exactly LeVert would drop due to his history of injuries he had suffered while at the University of Michigan.
10 months later, we’ve seen LeVert playing exceptionally well, and LeVert is beginning to gain a bigger role. On Friday, January 20, in a 143-114 road win in New Orleans, LeVert had arguably his best game in a Brooklyn Nets uniform, scoring 17 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes of play.
The Michigan product also shot a remarkable 100 percent from the field, behind the arc, and the free-throw line. Without a doubt, this was a performance that excited Nets fans for what is to come from someone the Nets consider the future of their franchise.
Jan 17, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Caris LeVert (22) drives past Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan (10) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Nets’ Future
While on the topic of the future, the Nets’ future is the one thing that is a silver lining. The Nets are getting a shot to see if Isaiah Whitehead is their point guard of the future while they develop him. Meanwhile, “The Swing Brothers,” a term coined by Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily for LeVert and Hollis-Jefferson, is a fitting name for the two swingmen who the Nets feel are two of their most prized possessions.
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“The Swing Brothers” have embraced one another and shown that they enjoy playing with each other. From high fives and hugs on the court, to a social media bromance, both guys have been very active defensively for the Nets and seem to be developing nicely and playing at their highest level as of late, both offensively and defensively.
From a 29-point victory over the Pelicans to a close loss against the Charlotte Hornets after trailing by as much as 17, this previous weekend treated the Nets and their fans a lot nicer than it has in the previous few weeks. With not many positives for the Brooklyn Nets this season, it’s the little things such as moments like this weekend that open the eyes of fans and add some excitement to a rather dead season.
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For the Nets, things become all about embracing the future and making sure to just stay patient and positive. With three young guys who look primed to be game changers in a few seasons, as well as other young players such as Yogi Ferrell and Chris McCullough playing in the D-League, the Nets future’ may not be a bleak as many think. The once win-now mentality is completely out the window, and the Nets don’t seem to care at all about their record, which is the worst in the league.
Will the Nets make trades at the deadline to acquire draft picks? Will the Nets trade for young talent? Will the Nets try once more to sign a young restricted free agent this summer such as Otto Porter Jr? All of those things are unknown, but what is known is that the Brooklyn Nets will do one thing, and that is simply, embrace the future.
