As the Nets rebuild, they have acquired several young players looking for fresh starts, such as Ziare Williams and Killian Hayes.
Jordi Fernandes is hoping to make the most of his second chance.
“A fresh start is good, but at the end of the day you need consistency, because you can't keep having a fresh start,” Fernandes said. “You can't say, 'Oh, I'm done here, I'm going somewhere else.' When you get punched in the mouth, you look at yourself in the mirror after you recover and say, 'Oh, I'm done here, I'm going somewhere else.' Sometimes it's good to think, “What did I do wrong?''
“You can't control the situation or other people, but you can control what you can do. And a fresh start, I'm fine with that, but from what I see every day… And it's not just one day, it's not just two days, it's a series of days.”
That's what Williams did, and he looked good in his open run before the start of camp on Tuesday.
The No. 10 pick in 2021 averaged 8.1 points as a rookie, but needed development and was lost in the shuffle with potential prospects before the Nets traded him.
“I feel like a bird finally let out of its cage,” said Williams, 23. “There were days when I felt like I was trapped. I definitely feel more free. Masu [here]. …It is definitely a blessing in disguise. ”
The forward is now in a place where he has room to grow.
“I don't know what happened in Memphis, and the reality is I don't care,” Fernandez said. “This is my start with him and my relationship with him, so all I can do is build my relationship with him, talking to him every day and challenging him like everyone else.”
Hayes, the No. 7 pick in 2020, has a lot more to prove.
He averaged 8.1 points and 5.2 assists in 210 games with Detroit, but was released.
The Nets trained him and enrolled him in Exhibit 10, essentially an invite to camp.
“This is a rebuild and I'm trying to rebuild myself, so I feel like this is a good start for me, which is great for me,” said Hayes, 23. “We have a chip on our shoulder because we are not the favorites, so we have to work that much harder to get where we want to go.”
Hayes is not eligible for a two-way contract due to his work hours, so he will have to sign a standard contract or no contract at all. The long-armed defender, who will be in the top 10 in stolen bases in 2023, is working on his shot and conditioning to capitalize on this second chance.
“[I’m] Attack the days. You have to stay focused every day and be ready for anything,” Hayes said. “This is a big opportunity for me, so I can't afford to make any mistakes.”
