Nets Remain Static Post-Trade Deadline
The Nets didn’t change their lineup after the trade deadline, and unfortunately, their outcome mirrored this stagnation.
Brooklyn faced a tough loss, finishing the day with a 118-98 defeat against the Magic at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. It’s, well, frustrating because they went through the deadline without making any significant moves—no trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and no release of leading scorer Michael Porter Jr.
They did waive backup guard Cam Thomas, but other than that, things remained pretty much the same.
And the momentum? It’s definitely not in their favor. The Nets, currently at 13-37, have lost 10 of their last 11 games and 15 of 17. Yet, amidst these struggles, there’s a small silver lining: the rookies have been performing decently.
Back in June, Brooklyn made history by having five first-round draft picks. On Thursday, the entire rookie class finally took the court together for the first time this season, albeit for just five minutes. Ironically, this happened on the same night they let go of Thomas, their former first-round pick.
This felt like a moment of transition, one that highlights a new path forward.
The young backcourt has shown promise. Egor Demin stood out, scoring a career-high 26 points with a remarkable six three-pointers, matching a rookie record for the team. Nolan Traore also shined, netting 21 points, with 17 of those coming in the second half. His speed was evident as he drove towards the basket and racked up seven assists.
Still, Brooklyn couldn’t shake off a sluggish start that put them in a 26-point deficit—a hole far too deep to get out of.
In the game’s final minutes, Giare Williams received a technical foul for hitting a post in frustration after not receiving the ball, and Noah Clowney also got called for a technical at 7:05 left.
The team’s shooting from long-range hovered at 41.5 percent, hitting just 12 of 39 attempts. Porter, averaging over 25 points, only managed 9 on 2-of-13 shooting. It’s challenging to win when the shots aren’t falling, particularly against a team like the Magic, who now stand at 26-24.
For Orlando, Desmond Bane led the score with 23 points, while Paolo Banchero contributed 22, and Jalen Suggs had a solid game with 15 points, 11 assists, and three steals, often targeting Demin and Traore.
As for the Nets, they’re currently in fourth place in the lottery race, just half a game behind Indiana. Depending on the Wizards’ performances, they may also find themselves trailing fifth-place Washington by a single game.
