Danny Wolf’s growth has become easier to spot when the minutes are there. The forward has spent much of his rookie season adapting to different roles, learning when to attack and when to move the ball along, when to trust the read and when to slow himself down.
With Michael Porter Jr. sidelined, that opportunity returned Monday, when Wolf drew his eighth start of the season against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center.
Through 37 games, Wolf’s averaging 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 40.1/31.8/78.0 shooting splits. But when he clears the 20-minute mark, the production looks different. In the 15 games in which he’s reached that threshold entering Monday, he’s put up 11.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists while knocking down 1.6 3-pointers per night.
Give him time, and nights like Saturday can happen. In the Nets’ win over the Washington Wizards, Wolf turned in his most complete performance in months: 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds, six assists and a 73 true shooting percentage in just under 20 minutes. He got downhill, made plays for others and finished possessions. The game came to him, and when it did, he didn’t hesitate.
“When you have the ball more, it’s easier to find a rhythm,” Wolf said. “Reads look easier and quicker. You know the shots you want, and you can pass on the ones you don’t. The last month or two has been a lot of learning. I was playing off the ball and everything felt sped up. There will be games where that’s my role, and when coach gives me the ball and trusts me, it’s on me to make the right play. I know I’m a work in progress, especially off the ball. There’s a lot to improve.”
That push and pull between aggression and care sits at the center of his development. The Nets want him in the paint, collapsing the defense, kicking out to shooters. They also want efficiency, the kind that builds trust and keeps a young player in rhythm. Head coach Jordi Fernández has watched the strides pile up.
“The most important thing is his approach, and it’s been the same, to get the best out of each game and keep learning and growing,” Fernández said. “His assist-to-turnover ratio is two to one, which is very good. He’s always been a good passer, but maybe not always an efficient playmaker, and now he’s gotten there pretty quickly. That’s development. He’s working on his finishing, letting it fly. Defensively I’m very happy, not just keeping guys in front but going vertical and rebounding. Very happy with Danny. He’s very steady, and his approach is the most important thing.”
Fernández liked the intent against the Wizards as much as the box score.
“He was aggressive getting into the paint and spraying the ball,” Fernández said. “Seven for 11, that line looks great, but seven rebounds is also very, very good. Danny was a big part of that group playing so well. And for what it’s worth, plus-minus can show when a group plays together and has an impact, and definitely that first-to-second group was a big difference.”
There’ve been bumps, too. Wolf’s been honest about the shooting slump that settled in over the past few weeks, and about the mental battle that can follow a few misses. Fernández believes the path through it’s clear.
“There are habits we have to break, but he’s doing a great job,” the coach said. “He wants to understand why we’re doing certain things, he buys into it and he’s very smart. Right now, he’s getting the rhythm of what a good shot is and how he can create. We want his assist-to-turnover ratio to be elite because he’s a good passer, a good rebounder and we know he’s a good shooter. It’s not just playing by instinct or going to the rim for no reason and passing up an open three. Sometimes you don’t see the ball go in. That’s what basketball is about. You’ll see it go in because you’re a very good player. You just have to keep shooting.”
And Wolf doesn’t duck that reality. He leans into it.
“It’s obvious I’ve been in a slump the last few weeks,” Wolf said. “The coaching staff is big on shooting it every time the team creates a look for you. Whether you think it’s a good shot or not, you’ve got to take it. It’s a learning curve I’m trying to get over. I know how well I can shoot. You ask anyone in the league, the only way out is to shoot through it. I trust my work, I have confidence in my shot, my coaches have confidence too. They’re going to fall. Tonight went two for four. It’s a step in the right direction, but you’ve got to keep shooting.”
