Brooklyn Nets: Evaluating The Second Unit For Next Season

The Brooklyn Nets enter the final stretch of the regular season as they turn to full player evaluation mode. What can the worst team in the NBA learn from its second unit and how can they make an impact on the team moving forward?

As we wind down for the final 13 regular-season games for the Brooklyn Nets, head coach Kenny Atkinson and general manager Sean Marks have some decisions to make.

Heading into a crucial offseason for the team, which includes having an estimated $29 million to $33 million in cap space, the head coach-GM tandem has to look at this final stretch of the season as a way to evaluate talent.

While the team has been stripped of future assets after its 2013 trade with the Boston Celtics, Marks got crafty, making a deadline-day deal with the Washington Wizards, sending Bojan Bogdanovic and Chris McCullough to D.C. in exchange for a 2017 first-round pick and Andrew Nicholson.

Yet, as the team looks to head into offseason mode in the near future, Atkinson and Marks must be in full player evaluation mode, as there are quite a handful of guys the Nets will have to make decisions on.

Quincy Acy: $1,709,538 non-guaranteed for 2017-18

After being waived Nov. 17 by the Dallas Mavericks to make room for point guard depth, the Nets scooped up the 26-year-old forward, seeing a gritty passion for the game, proving to have some value in today’s NBA.

With Atkinson’s eye toward development, he worked with Quincy Acy to expand his game. Once known for being a big body down low, chasing after loose balls and filling up the “non-box score” stats, Acy has proven to be a valuable diamond-in-the-rough find for the Nets.

Working with Acy on his top-of-the-key three-pointer has been the most impressive development by Atkinson’s staff.

Previously shooting 38.8 percent from three-point range during the 2015-16 season with the Sacramento Kings, Acy has improved to shoot a whopping 48.6 percent from three in 23 games with the Nets.

Atkinson has been crafty in his use of Acy, getting more out of his game than previously thought, showcasing once again his commitment to development within the organization.

What does this mean for Acy moving forward?

His 2017-18 contract of $1.7 million is non-guaranteed, but look for the Nets to bring Acy back as a high-motor off-the-bench 4 that can body down low when necessary, as well as bring his defender out to the perimeter to guard his improved three-point shot.

Justin Hamilton: $3 million guaranteed

After playing the 2015-16 season overseas for Valencia, one of Spain’s top teams, 7-footer Justin Hamilton signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Nets.

Earning valuable experience on the bench for the Miami Heat‘s deep playoff runs in 2013-14 and 2014-15, Hamilton went to refine his game in a competitive European league.

Brooklyn Nets /

Brooklyn Nets

Working on a being a non-traditional stretch-5, Hamilton came back to the Nets looking to make an impact as a unique scorer, bringing bigs out on the perimeter to guard his sharp shooting stroke.

Early on in the year, Hamilton was deadly, putting up a career high 21 points on 5-of-7 from three in an early November game against the New York Knicks. But, as the season carried on, Hamilton lost his touch, shooting an atrocious 3-for-29 (10.3 percent) from three in the month of December.

Since then, Hamilton hasn’t been playing much, only appearing in eight games in the month of February netting an average plus-minus of minus-12.6 in those appearances.

So, what do the Nets do with Hamilton headed into the offseason? For starters, his $3 million cap hit is fairly minimal as it’s only projected to be 2.9 percent (projected cap at $102 million).

However, the Nets could package Hamilton’s expiring contract in a trade on draft day, especially if a team is looking for an end of the bench shooter with the potential to catch fire in some games.

For the Nets, however, Hamilton doesn’t provide much value moving forward. Despite being only being 26, the Nets are looking for a center that can rebound, defend and be an athletic presence around the rim.

With Brook Lopez‘s new found three-point touch, Hamilton should become fairly expendable for Marks this offseason.

K.J. McDaniels: $3,476,874 team option

Acquired at the trade deadline, K.J. McDaniels is currently in the second year of a three-year, $10 million deal signed as a restricted free agent with the Houston Rockets. The high-flying small forward has been intriguing so far in his 10 games with the Nets.

More from Hoops Habit

Despite barely playing his first seven games, McDaniels has done quite well recently, playing 18, 18, and 15 minutes in his last three games.

The final stretch for the Nets season will be a telling one for McDaniels’ future, as the Nets have a $3.4 million team option they could exercise if they see McDaniels as a good fit moving forward.

Working on his shooting stroke with Nets director of player development and assistant coach Adam Harrington, McDaniels looks to have more confidence in his shot, something Atkinson is looking to instill in the still 24-year-old swingman.

So, what does the future hold with McDaniels and the Nets? Right now, it may be too early to tell, as the final 13 games of the regular season may be a good opportunity for McDaniels to show what he’s capable of.

As his minutes increase due to the hamstring injury suffered to Nets guard Sean Kilpatrick, McDaniels will now have an opportunity to show he could be an athletic three-and-D type player for the young Nets squad.

Next: 25 Worst Individual Seasons in NBA History

The Nets will have many options this offseason, having control of some of their promising young bench players. I’ll be back later in the week with Part II of the series, breaking down Joe Harris, Sean Kilpatrick and Andrew Nicholson.

Home/Brooklyn Nets

Evaluating The Second Unit For Next Season: Part I

By Christopher Lavinio | Mar 21, 2017