The Nets know what the score is — or more accurately, what the standings are. They haven’t been eliminated yet, but they’ve reached the point of this season where they need to start planning for next season.
It’s time to play the kids.
It just so happens that in the Nets’ case, playing the kids doesn’t have to equal raising the white flag. Or lowering expectations.
That didn’t mean benching all their starters in Wednesday’s 122-119 overtime win in Washington, and it won’t mean tanking in a year they don’t even have their own first-round draft pick. But it does mean a dose of youngster Trendon Watford, and a sprinkling of rookies Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney.
And giving both the front office and interim coach Kevin Ollie — or whoever is in charge of this team next season — a chance to see what they have.
Or don’t have.
“Our young guys, [we’ve] got a bright future with our young guys,” Ollie said before Wednesday’s win. “They’re coming up, stepping up and playing very, very well with Noah and J-Will, and T-Wat played very well the last game. And just execution down the stretch was great.
“So I’m just gonna keep learning about them and they’re learning about me and the things that I want from this team and it’s always a learning evolution with anything, with life and in basketball. So, learning about them each and every day.”
Sadly, this season has gone from winning to reconnoitering. But yes, the Nets — from Ollie to GM Sean Marks — absolutely need to learn about their youth.
The Nets are still 5 ½ games behind Atlanta for the last play-in spot with just nine dates left on their schedule, and a tragic number is down to five. It’s clearly evaluation time, admit it or not.
Leading scorer Cam Thomas is just 22. Starting center Nic Claxton is 24, but an unrestricted free agent.
Day’Ron Sharpe, 22, has proven a viable backup. But what is Clowney, at just 19?
Clowney was a plus-6 — second-best on the team — with four rebounds against the Wizards in just 10:36. And two nights earlier he’d logged nine minutes alongside Claxton in Toronto during which Brooklyn had a stellar 52.6 net rating. The pair shot 11 of 15, grabbed 11 boards and outscored the Raptors by 13.
“It was great that they trusted me with the minutes,” said Clowney, who has spent much of the season in the G-League. “My first goal is to guard. I don’t like when people score and I’m on the floor and I feel like I could’ve helped it. So yeah, that was my first mindset, and offensively just playing confident, free, not being nervous or scared. Just hooping.
“I played the 4 in college, so I’m in familiar territory. Now, it has been a while since I’ve done that, like navigating screens, things like that; I ain’t done that in a long time. But as far as playing with them, it opened up a lot of different opportunities for me. … So, just hooping.”
Wilson got just his second start Monday, with 12 points and five boards in 30 minutes (plus-8). In those starts he averaged double-digit scoring and .429 shooting from deep. But both rookies are under contract for next season; Watford isn’t.
Still just 23, Watford is intriguing. He backed up seasons-highs of 19 points and seven boards in Toronto with a 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting Wednesday.
In eight games logging at least 20 minutes, he’s averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 boards and .520/.400/.852 splits. A free agent on a minimum deal, Watford’s playing time has waxed and waned. Now should be more of the former.
“[I love] his energy. He’s always in attack mode. Very confident basketball player,” Ollie said. “He’s more like a point forward. I can play on that point, I can play him all over the court which gives us a lot of options.”
Options the Nets need to spend these final weeks weighing.