Nets get bit of everything from Graham
Treveon Graham’s short track record says he will hit 3-pointers, and Nets coach Kenny Atkinson says the same. But when that shot isn’t falling, Graham has to find other ways to contribute. That’s what he did in the preseason opener against the Knicks.
A Nets team in need of outside shooting gladly scooped up Graham, whose career 43.8 percent mark from 3-point range would top all active players if he had enough attempts to qualify. He shot just 4-of-12 and missed all five 3-pointers in his Nets debut, but he still had 11 points, a teamhigh nine rebounds and three assists. He also didn’t have a single turnover. He finished a plus-10, secondbest on the team.
“We have a pretty deep team and there are going to be games where I’m not able to get those shots,” Graham told The Post. “There are going to be games where they’re not falling and there are going to be games where they are. But when they’re not or I’m not getting those shots, I have to bring something else to the table.
“I’d say rebounding and defense is something that I’ve been doing well in my career so if my shot isn’t falling I always have something to fall back on. Because that’s my go-to, defense and rebounding.”
It’s an auspicious sign for when the shots start to fall, which Atkinson is convinced will happen for the free-agent signee who spent his first two seasons in Charlotte. The 6-foot-5, 225pounder guarded three different positions, had five defensive rebounds a steal and a solid all-around night.
“He’s shown from the first day of camp he’s first and foremost a defender with nice physicality to him,” Atkinson said. “He can definitely play 2, 3, he played some 4, too, if you really want to go smallball, because he’s got nice girth and nice size. And then offensively, he kind of is an efficient player. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands.
“He finds the right spots on the floor. He didn’t make shots the other night, but he’s made shots all camp. When he’s open and he’s got time and he’s got his feet set, I’m confident that he’s going to be a good shooter for us. I would say another pleasant surprise. Good job by Sean [Marks, general manager] and Trajan [Langdon, assis- tant GM] to find him, kind of undervalued.”
They took advantage of a numbers crunch in Charlotte to get Graham on a two-year minimum deal. The Nets are deep on the wing, but being able to guard anywhere from offguard to power forwards can only help in his uphill battle to crack the rotation.
“It just depends on who we’re playing, the personnel. Are we playing small? I can play the 4. If we’re playing big, I can play the 3 or the 2,” Graham said. “It really depends on personnel. In practice I play a mixture of all three, so really it’s the personnel and who we’re playing.”
Graham moved well with- out the ball, and drove when he saw his shot wasn’t falling on Wednesday. Granted, much of it came against reserves in the fourth quarter, but he’s fighting to make the rotation himself. So far his boardwork is putting him in good stead.
“I’d put [Graham] into that mix,” Atkinson said of his rebounders. “That was one of the things that revealed itself. He’s got a big body and will go get offensive boards. He gives us some girth and strength. That balances out maybe some of our less experienced rebounders.”