Brooklyn’s New Glue Guy: How Terance Mann Elevates the Nets’ Young Core

As the Nets enter a new phase of a rebuild that is centered around the development of young players, they’ll also be leaning heavily on their veterans to help keep things on track.

One of those veterans expected to play a key role both on and off the court is Terance Mann, who was acquired by Brooklyn on July 7 along with the draft rights to Drake Powell. During the Las Vegas Summer League, Spotrac NBA insider Keith Smith spoke with a Nets front office executive who, while remaining anonymous, emphasized the value Mann is expected to bring to this young roster.

"We’re transitioning our roster, of course. We’re going to play a lot of young players. But we need some vets to balance that. And, of course, we need to score some points,” the front office executive said. “Terance will help with everything. He’s such a good connector. He’s going to help our young ballhandlers a ton with learning the NBA.”

While splitting last season between the Clippers and Hawks, Mann averaged 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, shooting an efficient 49.6% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc

After spending four and a half seasons with the Clippers, Mann was traded to the Hawks on Feb. 6. With several years of NBA experience under his belt, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder praised Mann for bringing an admirable level of professionalism to the locker room.

"He's a pro. He’s smart, he understands what’s going on, he’s got pride, he works. You see it on the court when you’re playing against somebody, and then you get to see him in other ways and it manifests itself on the court," Snyder said. "I think he has some enthusiasm for continuing to embrace getting better, and that’s been good to see."

Brooklyn may not be a playoff contender just yet, but if they keep Mann around, his postseason experience could prove valuable down the line. In 2021, he played a pivotal role in the Clippers' run to the Western Conference Finals, dropping a career-high 39 points in a closeout win over the Utah Jazz in the semifinals.

For now, Mann should serve as a valuable veteran presence for a team full of players that could use all the mentorship that they could get.