Is Terance Mann a Long-Term Piece for Brooklyn Nets?

The Brooklyn Nets are still in a rebuild, but they might have a perfect role player for the future.

Over the offseason, the Nets were more than willing to make some big moves. From sending out Cam Johnson for Michael Porter Jr. to drafting five players in the NBA Draft, the Nets were among the busiest teams of the summer.

One of the more under-the-radar moves in Brooklyn was Sean Marks’ willingness to help the Boston Celtics send Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. As part of that deal, the Nets landed Terance Mann from the Hawks.

After spending the first five and a half seasons of his career with the LA Clippers, Mann was dealt twice in a six-month span and now calls Brooklyn home again after growing up there. Throughout his career, Mann has averaged 8.1 points and shot 37.2% from beyond the arc, making him an often-overlooked role player around the league, and a potentially perfect fit for Brooklyn’s next contender. 

As with any competitive team, the Nets will need to have some mature players who can lead some of the younger guys and help them develop faster. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Nets need a player who is over 35 and won championships. Set to be 29 when this season starts, Mann could be exactly who Brooklyn needs when winning basketball comes back to Barclays Center.

While those players are certainly useful and can play a significant role in the locker room, the Nets might be wise to look for similar qualities in someone who can give legitimate contributions on the floor and lead by example. Of course, the chances of Mann fitting into that category could depend solely on how long it takes the Nets to come out on the other side of their rebuild.

The best-case scenario would be for Brooklyn to tank this season while seeing strides from at least some members of the rookie class and secure a franchise player in the draft. With the Nets’ 2027 pick belonging to Houston via swap, there might not be many other avenues for the Nets to explore outside of star hunting.

Of course, Mann could still be a valuable role player for the Nets if they choose to go that direction. With experience playing alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Trae Young, Mann is no stranger to fitting in alongside some of the league’s biggest names. 

While a lengthy rebuild could certainly result in Mann on another squad, any relatively quick road to contention could keep him in Brooklyn for the foreseeable future.