The Nets Have a Terance Mann Problem

The Brooklyn Nets are opting for a youth movement next season. Outside of a few veterans like Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, Brooklyn will rely on young players to sink or swim in the coming years.

That's why it's baffling that Terance Mann is still on the roster.

The 29-year-old guard did not meet expectations last season. Many thought he could be a dynamo scorer for the second unit, mentoring the youth in the process. Instead, he started 51 games before finding himself glued to the bench and out of the rotation. He didn't see action down the stretch due to some subpar play early in the season.

Mann averaged 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists a night, playing 24.3 minutes a game. His 45.7/36.4/78.8% shooting splits weren't horrible, but Mann failed to make a significant impact in most games. And now he's returning to Brooklyn for another season on a bad contract.

The veteran is set to make $15.5 million this season and $16 million next season. For a guy who doesn't fit the Nets' plans, that's a tough contract to work around. And it could cause Jordi Fernandez and the coaching staff to do something they might not want to do.

There's a chance that because of his contract and the front office's need to boost his trade value, Mann steals minutes from the other guards. Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. will start, but Ben Saraf and Drake Powell will compete with Mann for playing time. While that duo struggled in Summer League, it would still behoove Brooklyn to find out what they have in them. Mann being on the roster could complicate that.

The Nets can't afford to leave questions dangling about Saraf and Powell. They need to know what those guys can bring to the table this season to determine if they're part of the plans. Mann taking minutes from them won't help answer those questions. Fernandez and the coaching staff may need to make the difficult decision to bench the veteran entirely and focus on the young core.

That may lead to the organization having to eat his money and buy him out at some point. It's not ideal in the moment, but could be the best decision for the franchise in the long run.

Not every move a front office makes is going to pan out. The difference between the good and bad front offices is how they handle those mistakes. The Mann acquisition hasn't worked out. The Nets should cut bait, admit their mistake, and move forward with their young core.