Every team that improves drastically from one season to the next needs a surprise story. They need a guy that flys under the radar entering the year and ends the season as a household name. The Brooklyn Nets are in desperate need of someone like that. And they might have him on the roster.
All of the offseason talk in Brooklyn has revolved around the Julius Randle trade, drafting Mikel Brown Jr., and whether or not Michael Porter Jr. will sign an extension. But very quietly, Sean Marks and the front office made a smart play by bringing back forward Josh Minott .
Minott and the Nets agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal in the offseason. The multi-year contract represents the faith the organization has in the 23-year-old to elevate his game. There were small signs last season of a Minott breakout, and the Nets are banking on that trend to continue.
He appeared in 16 games for the Nets late last season after a midseason trade from Boston . The former second-round pick impressed in limited action , scoring 10.8 points per game in just under 20 minutes a night. In those 16 games, Minott shot 49.1% from the field and 39.5% from behind the arc. He also displayed the defensive instincts that scouts fell in love with a few years ago.
Standing at 6-foot-8, with a 7-foot wingspan, Minott is a disruptive defensive player with a high ceiling. His length can cause a lot of issues for opposing forwards, and he's displayed a high IQ for the game. Combining the defensive side of his game with a blossoming offensive skill set has turned Minott into a potential secret weapon for the Nets next season.
Brooklyn is looking for consistent depth at forward behind Randle and Porter. The newly signed Moe Wagner will help with that, but the Nets need more than just him. Minott will compete with guys like Danny Wolf and Chaney Johnson for bench minutes. While those two players have their merits, they don't have the potential and upside that Minott does.
Minott fits the Nets' timeline very well, as he's only a few years older than Brown and Egor Demin . Locking him in as a forward option next to that backcourt duo would be huge for the Nets' future.
Before any talk of being a franchise cornerstone can be had, Minott needs to prove himself next season. Brooklyn is looking to take a step forward and will hope that Minott can be the secret weapon they need to do just that. With his skill set on both ends of the court, there's no reason to believe he can't be.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/nets/onsi as Josh Minott Could Be The Nets' Secret Weapon Next Season .
