Brooklyn Nets: Starting lineup locks, fringe and potential break-ins

Potential break-ins: Bruce Brown, Nicolas Claxton, Tyler Johnson

Bruce Brown

The Nets acquired Bruce Brown via trade this offseason from the Detroit Pistons. The former Pistons guard will probably be able to produce what he did for Detroit in Brooklyn. He was signed to bring in depth at the backcourt, but he’s going to do more given his height at 6’4″ and his ability to score inside and out.

Brown has offensive and defensive abilities, so he can contribute easily to the Nets when he is in. This can be a potential breakout season for Brown as he finds a role alongside Irving, Dinwiddie, and Shamet in Brooklyn. It helps that he can shoot so this naturally makes Brown a shooting guard and he is desperately needed in that aspect for the Nets.

Nicolas Claxton

Nicolas Claxton came to Brooklyn via Georgia. Last year, he was a rookie who saw action in only a few games. In those games, the big man was active on the boards and on offense. This year could be a breakout season for the young big, as he competes for minutes in the frontcourt with Jordan and Allen.

There are others in the frontcourt, such as Rodion Kurucs, Reggie Perry and Jeff Green. Claxton seems like the frontrunner for a breakout season. Claxton deserves the playing time anyway if it’s between these players. Claxton will acclimate himself quicker into what the Nets are doing with their rebuilt squad, and he can use the skills he learned at Georgia to further help KD and Kyrie and the Nets win.

Tyler Johnson

Tyler Johnson has been around the league a minute since 2014. He can have a breakout season with the Nets seeing as they signed him before the bubble to help while Kyrie was injured and he did.

Johnson can have a good, even great, season with the Nets if Nash is willing to manage his minutes and spread his PG knowledge to all of his backcourt, which will be lifted by Johnson if given the opportunity. Johnson can shoot and handle the ball, so he will help carry some of the backcourt load in case of injury or on nights where someone else is having a bad shooting night.