The Brooklyn Nets are already on vacation, as they just ended a disappointing 2023-24 NBA campaign. They did not even perform well enough to make the Play-in Tournament, finishing just 10th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 32-50 record — a big regression from their 45-37 slate a season before.
Despite the ugly season they just had, the Nets saw some promise in the team . Take for example rookie Noah Clowney, who turned plenty of heads during the final month of the regular season. He is someone many believe could and should be part of the future of the Nets.
Noah Clowney had a heck of an end to the season for the Nets, and he’s been called the golden child I’ve heard from a few people. The Nets view Clowney as a power forward and a small ball five alongside Nic Claxton, I’m told, said Michael Scotto on the HoopsHype podcast.
Will the Brooklyn Nets Make a Move on Dorian Finney-Smith or Day’Ron Sharpe to Give Way for Noah Clowney’s Development?
Here’s what Brian Lewis of the New York Post said about Clowney and a possible outlook for Sharpe and Finney Smith:
“He’ll be in Vegas playing Summer League. I’m interested in how Clowney impacts their plans for other people. You have Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Day’Ron Sharpe. Before, you had two guys splitting the power forward spot and a backup center before Noah forced his way into the rotation. Day’Ron is a young and cheap asset. Dorian is a 30-year-old who’s good in the locker room, tough, and can make winning plays. He’s under contract next year and has a player option after that. That’s the kind of guy that belongs on a contender and who you’d think would give you something for him. I’m interested in seeing whether Noah’s rapid development forces them to take a look at one of those three guys and move one of them to make room for him.
According to Basketball Reference, Clowney spent 31 percent of his minutes playing the small forward position, 44 percent at the power forward slot, and 25 percent as a center. Those number shows great versatility for Clowney, who was taken off the board by the Nets in the first round (21st overall) of the 2023 NBA Draft.
He averaged only 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game in his first year in the league while posting a 60.2 effective field goal percentage. But in April, Clowney averaged 12.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks through nine games while shooting 60.4 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from behind the arc (1.1/2.4).
The Nets may have something in Clowney, and they could find out about that in the offseason and in his sophomore campaign in the NBA. If he sustains his momentum into the next season and emerges as one of the true up-and-comers in the league, the Nets may have to make some big trade decisions on Sharpe or DFS.
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