Trendon Watford’s Future With The Nets

The Brooklyn Nets hold a 24-51 record, placing 12th in the Eastern Conference, and they are no longer playoff contenders. Although the team is clearly rebuilding, the organization has not made its future direction known. It is uncertain who will be on next season’s roster. For example, forward Trendon Watford’s future with the Nets is unclear.

Trendon Watford’s Future With The Nets

Watford, 24, is in his fourth NBA season and his second with the Nets. He is averaging 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. In July 2024, he signed a one-year qualifying offer with the Nets for $2,726,603. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

During the 2023-24 season, Watford played 63 games. However, hamstring and ankle injuries have restricted him to 37 games this season. Despite this, Watford has contributed strongly as a bench player, logging significant minutes.

After the Nets 116-89 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, Watford spoke out about the team’s rebuild and the players not wanting to lose games. “Even though we sit here at 23-50, we understand what we’re trying to build, and what we’re trying to work towards. And it ain’t gonna happen overnight,” Watford said. “Obviously we don’t want to be this team that gets smashed by 30. But we know what we’ve got to do. And we don’t want to be this team. So we’ve just gotta lock in these next nine games and work towards what we’re trying to do. We’ve been a team that formed an identity all season, so we can’t let that slip just because we got nine games left. “So we’ve just got to be who we’ve been this whole season and win or lose we can’t go out like we went.”

The Nets Future

This offseason, the Nets will be active in the trade market, draft week, and pursuing free agents. They hold 31 draft picks over the next seven drafts and possess cap space. They must decide whether to re-sign guard Cam Thomas or trade center Nic Claxton, who has been rumored as a potential trade candidate. The team has faced trade rumors throughout this season. However, coverage has largely overlooked players like Watford, who has contributed this season alongside Cam Johnson and Dennis Schroder prior to Schroder’s trade.

Nets general manager Sean Marks has not disclosed the team’s rebuild plans. Yet, the team’s losing record has positioned them well for the upcoming draft. Depending on their draft position, the Nets could possibly land Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the consensus top overall pick. Flagg has been the most talked about name in college basketball.

Trendon Watford’s Future with The Nets

The Nets have a bright future, with control over their draft picks and salary cap. Re-signing Cam Thomas should be a priority. Drafted by the organization, he leads the team in scoring this season with 24.0 points per game. Additionally, he continues to show growth and improvement as a player.

Although Trendon Watford’s future with the Nets is unclear, the team should not overlook his contributions. He has impressed during his playing minutes, consistently bringing defense, rebounds, and hustle to the court. However, we must wait to see if the Nets re-sign him and include him in their rebuild plans.