When the Nets tipped off their preseason Tuesday night in Charlotte, a strong offseason by Egor Dëmin had buoyed hopes of a potential sophomore leap.
Brooklyn’s young guard said he’s not the player he was in summer league.
He’s better.
“Yeah, my goal is to translate not just a part of what I did in summer league, but even more, right?” said Dëmin, who has worked to improve his driving and shore up his Achilles’ heel. “Obviously I had some more time after summer league, and I kept working on that stuff. And I think I’m even better right now than I was in summer league.”
The Nets can only hope so. That would give them a leg up in their rebuild.
Dëmin starting the Nets’ 124-90 preseason-opening win over the Hornets was hardly a surprise, but his getting the nod at point guard was noteworthy. And encouraging.
Dëmin’s playing time was limited, though his 18:26 led all the starters.
He hit 2-of-3 from 3-point range (six points), but his repeated paint touches unlocked his passing. He handed out a game high-tying five assists, including a second-quarter drive down the lane and behind-the-back pass to Day’Ron Sharpe for a dunk.
“Yeah, you see him with five assists in the first group; so he leads that group in assists, which is great,” said Jordi Fernández. “Egor was good. I want him aggressive to shoot or to touch the paint, and he’s done it the whole summer. He’s worked at it, he’s stronger, and now he’s very comfortable getting there. So, it’s great. He’s got to keep doing it, got to keep finding his teammates or getting good shots.”
It showed not only the Nets’ faith that he was more capable of handling on-ball duties, but that they were less intent on force-feeding minutes to their sophomore point guards — regardless of struggles — and more intent on playing the best available, and winning.
After two years of tanking, it will be a welcome sight for fans.
Brooklyn tanked through two arduous seasons to get consecutive lottery picks that became first Dëmin and then Mikel Brown Jr.
Dëmin taking a quantum leap would let the Nets advance their rebuild and exceed expectations.
“To win as many games as possible,” Dëmin said. “Our process is oriented now on getting there each day, at least a little bit, but getting there, no matter whether it’s a game day, practice day, or an update.”
Dëmin would have to be a big part of that.
He wasn’t merely an ineffective driver but an unwilling one. Billed as a point guard, he was turned too often at the point of attack and kept out of the paint.
But his progress this summer was encouraging.
Work with head strength and conditioning coach Alvin Dike has let Dëmin get bigger and stronger, and his downhill game benefited. After having gone just 1-for-4 inside the arc during his rookie summer league, this time Dëmin showed far more downhill juice in going 22-for-29.
“I’m excited to play with Egor,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “He’s a phenomenal shooter and scorer, but also a great passer. So he can do a lot of things on the court, rebound, push the break, shoot the ball. And now that he’s getting in the paint and finishing around the rim, he’ll make a humongous jump.”
The preseason opener was his first chance to show it against NBA competition.
With Brown still working his way back from a rolled ankle, the Nets needed a lead guard.
Coach Jordi Fernández went with veteran Keon Ellis at off guard and put Dëmin on the ball rather than Nolan Traore or Ben Saraf.
It was an acknowledgment of how much Brooklyn needs Ellis’ point-of-attack defense, but also a show of faith in how real they believe Dëmin’s improved driving is. It would let the Nets stagger him and Brown going forward, and in turn leverage the defense of Ellis and/or Terance Mann.
“Yeah, I can’t rave on Egor enough in terms of the work he’s put in, the difference that I’m seeing with him playing,” Porter said. “And Egor was a dude who already last year had such big flashes. He showed a lot of clutch performances. He showed his fearlessness, his shooting ability. And working with [Dike] in the weight room, [he looks] better and different.
“Egor is a lot more comfortable with the ball in his hands as a point guard. Guys aren’t able to crowd him and be physical around him. He’s very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s also, as a scorer, touching the paint more, getting downhill more, looks very comfortable finishing around the rim. So Egor is very comfortable playing the point guard position or the shooting guard position. He definitely has physically matured enough to play the point guard if that’s needed, because guys aren’t bothering him when he’s pressured.”
