Nets assign pair of rookie first-round picks to G League amid rotation crunch

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Nets assign pair of rookie first-round picks to G League amid rotation crunch

Erik Slater, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Oct 28, 2025 ·

3 min read

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The post Nets assign pair of rookie first-round picks to G League amid rotation crunch appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The Brooklyn Nets assigned rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf to their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, on Monday. Both players are recovering from ankle injuries. Powell injured his ankle during the Nets' season-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets , while Wolf hurt himself the same day during the team's shootaround.

The rookie duo will practice with Long Island this week as the team begins training camp. While the G League assignment comes amid injuries, Powell and Wolf could spend an extended period in Long Island.

Both players have several veterans ahead of them in Brooklyn's rotation.

What is Nets' plan for Drake Powell Danny Wolf's rookie campaigns?

Powell saw playing time in the season opener, posting two points and two rebounds in seven minutes. However, Jordi Fernandez only subbed the rookie in during the third quarter amid the team's embarrassing defensive struggles.

Terance Mann , Ziaire Williams , Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson have seen minutes on the wing through Brooklyn's first four games. While Powell is a superior athlete to all of those players, his offensive skill set is extremely raw.

Meanwhile, Wolf played power forward and center throughout training camp. However, the Nets have Michael Porter Jr. , Noah Clowney , Nic Claxton and Day'Ron Sharpe occupying the starting and backup roles at both frontcourt spots.

It's unclear which position Wolf will spend the majority of his time playing. The G League will act as a tool to help the Nets answer that question. Brooklyn played Clowney in Long Island for most of his rookie campaign, using the sample size to determine he's best-suited to play power forward.

While Powell and Wolf are likely to spend an extended stretch in Long Island, Fernandez said both will receive NBA opportunities at some point.

"We're gonna go through the process. We gotta use all our resources, the G League, if needed," the coach said during training camp. "All our resources are NBA minutes, Long Island minutes, all the development with the coaches. That goes for all five rookies. And I think, following the proper steps, we believe each one of them will find minutes in the NBA at some point. They just gotta be ready."

There's a case for those NBA minutes coming sooner rather than later. The Nets have allowed 522 points through four games, the most in franchise history. They've looked overmatched defensively at the point of attack and around the rim. Powell's elite athleticism could provide a boost in both regards.

Meanwhile, Wolf (21) is the oldest of Brooklyn's rookies. The 6-foot-11 big man flashed NBA-level skills during the Nets' pair of preseason matchups against the Phoenix Suns . He averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 from three in 13.0 minutes per game.

Clowney has struggled at power forward to open the season, averaging 4.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.0 minutes per game. The third-year forward has shot 6-of-24 from the field (25 percent) and 4-of-17 from three (23.5 percent) while continuing to look uncomfortable creating off the dribble. Defensively, he's failed to block a shot.

If Clowney fails to improve as the season progresses, the Nets could opt to give Wolf an early look in the frontcourt.

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