Nets’ Egor Demin reveals ‘deep’ revelation following Summer League debut

Demin finished with eight points, four rebounds and zero assists on 2-of-5 shooting. All of his attempts were three-pointers.

Meanwhile, Traore orchestrated the offense for most of the game, finishing with 13 points and three assists on 3-of-5 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. The French point guard was dynamic with the ball in his hands, using his blazing speed to penetrate the paint at will.

Egor Demin opens up on positional outlook following Nets Summer League debut

A zero-assist stat line was surprising after many labeled Egor Demin as the best passer in this year’s draft. The Russian floor general was a bystander on offense for most of the game, rarely handling the ball or touching the paint. After dominating the ball-handling responsibilities at BYU, the rhythm of playing alongside other primary ball-handlers will take some getting used to.

“It’s a game plan, and how can we really find this connection between me and [Nolan] being on the floor at the same time? It’s one ball, and we can’t both be on it,” Demin said. “We can alternate, we can switch. And for me, obviously, I can make this role look like a point guard, too, if I get the rebound and I just push it. It’s just about the game plan and looking for something we can accomplish with this combination… How can I be playing different roles and doing whatever it takes to be efficient? Really being able to adjust myself and my game.”

At 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Demin has the size to play the wing. His ability to thrive off the ball will hinge on his development as an outside shooter. The No. 8 pick looked confident in that area during his debut, knocking down two deep threes off the catch. He was also solid defensively, using his length and hustle to disrupt multiple plays.

On the surface, it would be puzzling for the Nets to draft a player whose elite skill is passing, then move him off the ball. However, the NBA is increasingly embracing positionless basketball. For Brooklyn, that means multiple ball-handlers who can move on and off the ball within the flow of the game.

“We have a free-flowing offense,” said Nets Summer League coach Steve Hetzel. “Whoever takes it out, Egor Demin can bring it up, Nolan can bring it up, Ben is kind of like a point guard, too. We’ve got a lot of ball-handlers on this team, so we don’t designate anyone in particular.”

But will the presence of so many ball-handlers hurt Demin’s development?

“I don’t believe so,” Hetzel said. “This is the way our roster is constructed. The league is now multiple ball-handlers, multiple attackers. If you look at the team that just won the championship, they’ve got Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can both put the ball in the paint. We feel like the more people that we can have attacking and making plays, the better we are.”

“Egor’s biggest strength is his passing. Something that doesn’t get recognized as much is the simple kick ahead. We want to play fast. He gets the outlet, he kicks it ahead to Danny, Ben, or Nolan, and now we’re attacking. And he is very, very good at that. His passing, I think, will be his biggest strength, and then as he grows and gets stronger, he’ll be able to get more downhill and into the paint.”

Fans should take Summer League action with a grain of salt. Teams have little time to practice together before taking the floor. Hetzel said the games are about instilling the core principles of how Brooklyn wants to play.

“We don’t view the Summer League as featuring certain players. We want to establish a way to play, how we play as a Brooklyn Nets team,” he said. “We try to adhere to our staples as much as we can: pace and space, paint touches, and ball reversals. We want everyone to have that mindset.”

Yet, Thursday’s game offered a glimpse into how the Nets’ historic rookie class could fit together. For Demin, it was the first step in a journey he had been dreaming about his entire life.

“It was a dream come true,” Demin said. “It was a special moment of accomplishing the dreams of these little kids who were trying to get here. It’s a great experience, obviously. Some things went how we wanted them to go, some things didn’t. It’s a great time for learning.”