Trendon Watford has gone from forgotten man to sixth man.
On a Nets crew that hasn’t loved many vibrant spots over the course of a disappointing season, Watford has been one of many valuable few.
He had 21 factors in Monday’s loss at Indiana on stable 8-of-11 taking pictures.
The younger level ahead started the yr with no position on this roster, and has carved out one as not solely a secondary ball-handler and level ahead but in addition as a dependable bench piece that interim Kevin Ollie can depend on.
“T-Wat did an excellent job attending to the rim,” Ollie mentioned.
“I simply make the most of the work I’ve been placing in at nighttime,” Watford mentioned of his emergence over the previous week. “And I felt like even early within the yr after I felt like I ought to have been taking part in, even after I wasn’t, I used to be nonetheless simply placing within the work, figuring out alternatives had been going to come back.
“So, now it’s simply displaying. And simply attempting to get wins on high of it; that’s an important factor, is attempting to complete off this season with as many wins as we are able to.”
For the Nets, these wins have been all too few and much between. Monday’s loss — together with Atlanta’s win at Chicago — noticed the Nets’ tragic quantity minimize to 1. However Watford is benefiting from his alternatives.
“He’s simply coming in being actually aggressive, benefiting from the minutes that he’s getting,” Nic Claxton mentioned. “He’s taking part in a giant position these previous couple of video games, and he’s been actually stable coming off the bench.
“He’s at all times prepared. He’s at all times actual optimistic each time he’s on the bench or whether or not he’s on the court docket simply giving us good vitality. And also you see now he’s getting his alternative and he’s making the very best of his reps.”
Watford is averaging 15.6 factors over his final 5 video games, taking pictures 67 p.c total and 50 p.c from 3.
At 23, he’s truly youthful than rookie Jalen Wilson, and in addition a pending free agent.
Taking part in on a $2 million minimal contract, the Nets can lengthen him a qualifying provide to make him a restricted free agent. Would possibly they even give him a part of the mid-level exception? These are the calls GM Sean Marks has to make.
Cam Johnson stayed again in Brooklyn for harm upkeep of his left huge toe sprain. Dennis Smith Jr. awoke with proper hip soreness and sat out.
Requested if the latter may nag the remainder of the season, Ollie mentioned: “I’m not for certain. We’ve received to lean on our docs and medical crew. However with irritation, it comes and goes. There’s various things that you must work by with the ejection, and hopefully we are able to get him again. If not, we’re going to ensure we take excellent care of him and get him prepared for the offseason.”
