Brooklyn Nets: Analyzing the team’s four new additions

The Brooklyn Nets have four key additions to the 2020-21 roster. What impact can Jeff Green, Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown and Reggie Perry make this season?

While Tennessee’s Jordan Bowden and Kentucky’s Nate Sestina are two fresh faces on the Brooklyn Nets’ 20-man training camp roster, there are only four newcomers that have a realistic chance of seeing playing time this season.

This quartet doesn’t include 2013-14 MVP Kevin Durant, who’s reportedly looked strong coming back from the torn Achilles that’s sidelined him for a year-and-a-half. It also doesn’t include Tyler Johnson, who signed with the Brooklyn Nets before the Orlando bubble, averaged 12.0 points in eight seeding games and was re-signed on a veteran’s minimum deal this offseason. Lastly, it doesn’t include Steve Nash, who will be the franchise’s new head coach (not a player), although the 46-year-old might get some reps in from time to time during practice.

Brooklyn signed one of the four (Jeff Green) in free agency, while the other three (Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown and Reggie Perry) were acquired in a three-team deal involving the Nets, Detroit Pistons and LA Clippers. Brooklyn acquired Shamet and the 57th pick of the 2020 draft (Perry) from LA, while Brown came from Detroit. In exchange, the Nets traded the 19th pick (Saddiq Bey), Dzanan Musa, Jaylen Hands and the Toronto Raptors’ 2021 2nd round pick to the Pistons and sent the 55th pick (Jay Scrubb) to the Clippers.

A few more moving pieces between Detroit and LA (notably Luke Kennard) were included as well to round out the deal. None of Green, Shamet, Brown nor Perry are likely to be anything more than role players this upcoming season for the Brooklyn Nets, but what sort of contributions might be expected? Given none of the four will be asked to handle too much ball-handling or playmaking (already have Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert), it makes sense to focus on their 3-point shooting and defensive capabilities.

Jeff Green

The 34-year-old, 12-year veteran is a career 33.4 percent 3-point shooter that hit 33.9 percent from downtown on 3.8 attempts per game last season with the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets. His long-range shooting improved notably in the playoffs, where he hit 23-54 threes (42.6 percent). The 6’8″, 235 lbs Green made 35.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in the regular season and 40.4 percent in the postseason. He isn’t an elite defender but has the height and strength to compete against most small forwards and power forwards across the league.

Landry Shamet

The 23-year-old is a career 40.2 percent 3-point shooter that hit 37.5 percent from downtown on 5.6 attempts per game last season with the Clippers. Shamet’s long-range shooting fell off slightly in the playoffs, where he hit 15-42 threes (35.7 percent). The 6’4″, 190 lbs Shamet made 38.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in the regular season and 34.1 percent in the postseason. Defensively, he’ll be overmatched by the strength and athleticism of some guards, but he’s capable off-the-ball and has the reputation of someone who competes on this end of the floor.

Bruce Brown

The 24-year-old guard is a career 30.2 percent 3-point shooter that hit 34.4 percent from downtown on 1.4 attempts per game last season with the Pistons (made 35.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot attempts). The 6’4″, 202 lbs Brown offers more playmaking than Green and Shamet, averaging 4.0 assists last season (compared to 1.0 and 1.9 for Green and Shamet respectively). Although the same height as Shamet, Brown has a strength advantage that would allow him to fare better against someone like James Harden (6’5″, 220 lbs). He’s even had some success defending the Rockets guard in the past.

Reggie Perry

The 6’10” forward averaged17.4 points and 10.1 rebounds as a sophomore last season with Mississippi State. He converted 54.2 percent of his 2-pointers (70.0 percent at rim) and hit 32.4 percent of his threes on 2.4 attempts per contest. 91.3 percent of his 3-pointers were assisted last season, so his percentage wasn’t weighed down by tough off-the-dribble attempts. Perry’s 76.8 percent free throw percentage provides some reason for optimism with regards to his shooting. Defensively, he’s versatile enough to switch on to some guards and has shown some flashes as a shot blocker.