Nets' Drew Timme At Risk of Being Cut Despite Impressive NBA Tenure

The NBA tends to favor age above all other aspects of players, especially on rebuilding teams. A prospect who stays all four years in college, likely showcasing more talent, is put at a disadvantage compared to one-and-done players. It's tougher to carve out time in the league if you aren't good enough.

Brooklyn Nets big man and former Gonzaga superstar Drew Timme has managed to impress at every level despite not being highly regarded as an NBA prospect coming out of college. After spending four years with the Bulldogs in the NCAA, racking up awards, he went undrafted in 2023 and then joined the G League.

In the NBA's minor league, Timme impressed for a while. Last season, he averaged a stellar 23.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists with the Long Island Nets before being called up to the NBA late in the season. In Brooklyn, he continued to show why he belongs in the league despite his age in his first season.

In nine games, the 6-foot-10 forward averaged 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists on a solid 44.1% shooting from the field. Nothing extraordinary, but the production looks good enough for him to stay in the league. After a dominant NBA Summer League stretch back in July, the consensus should be that he deserves a full-time roster spot, but that's at risk heading into training camp.

The Nets currently have 15 players signed on standard contracts, but have yet to re-sign Day'Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams after ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the two agreed to new deals.

It was also reported that Ricky Council IV will sign a one-year deal with Brooklyn, and given that star guard Cam Thomas is expected to return on the qualifying offer, the Nets will have to cut four players before the start of the season.

That leaves several players at risk of being released leading up to opening night. Unfortunately, Timme is one of them despite being productive for the team and exceeding expectations for his entire professional career.

While the four players mentioned above are expected to join the team on standard contracts, the five first-round picks Brooklyn drafted in June bring that number up to nine, who don't have a risk of being cut. Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton, Haywood Highsmith and Terance Mann are all veterans also expected to stay.

That leaves Timme in a pool of five or six players who have a legitimate shot of getting cut. Given his late addition to the roster and age, the Nets may be more likely to let him go than a player like Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson, or Keon Johnson.