The kids are improving.
Ben Saraf may be sidelined by an ankle injury, but fellow rookies Egor Demin and Drake Powell look sharper every time they suit up for the Nets. Danny Wolf has been dominant in his limited G League run, and now Nolan Traore, the 19th overall pick, is beginning to make his presence felt on Long Island as well.
Traore finished with 28 points on 11-for-20 shooting, adding five rebounds, nine assists and just three turnovers in Long Island’s 128–113 win over the Greensboro Swarm on Saturday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. He went 6-for-9 from 3-point range, delivering one of the best outside-shooting nights of his young career and his most complete performance as a pro.
Long Island has given Traore a clear runway to run the offense, something he is unlikely to get in Brooklyn this season. The staff has empowered him to push the pace, initiate pick-and-rolls and make live reads in space, which mirrors how the Nets want their guards to play at the NBA level. Saturday’s matchup against Greensboro was a good example of what Traore can be when he settles in.
“I think we did a great job. It was a great team win, great team effort,” Traore told reporters after the game. “If we keep doing this, we’re going to be pretty good.”
Among the Nets’ five first-round selections, early preseason play suggested Traore, 19, would need the most time to develop, which is often the case with smaller guards. He has made only four appearances for Brooklyn, averaging 8.8 minutes with no meaningful counting stats. He is buried on the depth chart behind veteran guards and even fellow rookies Demin and Powell. He needs to stack as many reps as possible, which is why every minute he gets on Long Island matters more for him than most.
The good news for Traore is that the messaging around his development is consistent no matter where he is. The Nets run the same system in Brooklyn and on Long Island, and the coaching staffs stay aligned on terminology, reads and expectations. For a young guard trying to build confidence and rhythm, that continuity matters.
“They kind of do the same thing in Brooklyn and Long Island,” Traore said. “So, it’s easier for me, and also for Danny and Ben. They do a great job. They’re great coaches. Me, I just try and do my best and be the best that I can be.”
Traore is a natural playmaker with blazing speed in the open floor. At times he plays too fast for his own good, and his body reacts before he fully processes the read, which leads to careless turnovers. He still needs to add strength to handle NBA physicality on both ends, but his quickness gives him real two-way potential once he does. If he becomes a consistent threat from deep, the court can open up for him in every direction.
“I work on it every day,” Traore said of his improving jumper. “I’m happy to see it [paying off] and I’ll just keep going.”
