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Nets trade acquisition turns heads against former team during debut
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Josh Minott played extended minutes with the Brooklyn Nets for the first time on Friday. While the Nets were thoroughly embarrassed during a 148-111 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics , Minott turned heads with his play against his former team.
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The trade deadline acquisition was among Brooklyn's lone bright spots, posting nine points and two rebounds on 4-of-7 shooting in 16 minutes off the bench.
"It's just me trying to play basketball to the best of my ability," Minott said postgame. "I know somewhat about quote-on-quote enemy tactics from being here, but overall it's just me trying to play as hard as I can for my team, my coaches, and trying to play the Brooklyn way."
Minott flashed his athleticism and two-way versatility against his former teammates. The 6-foot-8 forward was comfortable creating off the dribble, breaking down Boston's defense on a pair of possessions leading to easy Brooklyn buckets. He also threw down a poster dunk over Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez in transition early in the game.
Minott impressed for the Celtics earlier this season.
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Josh Minott impresses during first extended minutes with Nets after trade from Celtics
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The 23-year-old averaged 6.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals in 18.5 minutes per game over his first 27 appearances with Boston. He shot 50.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three on 7.1 attempts per 100 possessions during that span.
However, he fell out of Boston's rotation as the team got healthy. The Celtics salary-dumped Minott to the Nets in exchange for $110,000 at the deadline to duck under the luxury tax.
Minott played in three games with Brooklyn's G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, before being called up on Thursday. Jordi Fernandez hinted that the fourth-year forward could be in line for an extended NBA audition.
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"He played in Long Island, did a great job. We needed him to be in game shape, and I think he took advantage of those minutes, and now he's ready to play here. So, very happy with him and trying to help him develop and see what we got," Fernandez said. "[Josh is a] great personality. You could say that he's been a teammate in the group for a long time, the way he's just blended in right away. He knew what we were about. I sat down with him in my office, and sometimes you feel like it's going to be a quick conversation, and all of a sudden, we're talking for like 20-30 minutes, and it was good to get to know these guys. The reality of the NBA, sometimes there are trades, and it may be weird, but it's part of it. And he's done a great job just trying to be part of it [here] right away."
With the Nets tanking, Minott should continue to see heavier minutes as the season progresses. He has a $2.6 million team option for 2026-27.
Related: Nets' Michael Porter Jr. reveals what critics don't understand about his brutal 18.2% 3-point slump
