Net depth could be problem for Kurucs JUST ROLE WITH IT
LeVert says he’s cool with whatever way Nets want to use him
Third-year Nets forward Rodions Kurucs could be another casualty of roster depth. Kurucs, a lanky, Latvian forward, had some bright moments in the Orlando bubble and improved his three-point efficiency more than five percentage points year-over-year, but does not project to see too much time on the floor while the Nets compete for a championship this season.
Nets coach Steve Nash said he sees Kurucs more on the developmental side than as a player who can make an impact.
“He’s a versatile athlete, plays hard, has good speed and mobility for a four or five even, but can play multiple positions. So he’s still a really talented, nice player but with the depth on our team, you know, I wouldn’t want to put too much on it,” Nash said Tuesday. “I think he’s still a player that’s developing and learning his craft adapting to the NBA game, developing his shooting and trying to become a guy that can crack into the rotation.
“But I think right now he’s just working his butt off playing hard every day, learning, improving his shooting and he has a future for sure.”
Kurucs played in the Nets’ first preseason game and registered five points, one rebound and one assists in seven minutes, converting on one of his two three-point attempts. He will battle for minutes at both the four and five, where Kevin Durant, DeAndre Jordan, Jarrett Allen, Jeff Green, Taurean Prince, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and rookie Reggie Perry each project to compete for playing time.
Three-point sniper Joe Harris took only five shots in the preseason victory over Washington on Sunday. He was 0-of-2 from three-point range, the part of his game that helped him earn a four-year, $75 million contract.
Harris is one of many Nets whose touches and shot attempts could decline drastically with a healthy Kyrie Irving and Durant on the floor this season.
“Those guys are our focal point offensively. That’s how we’re going to play our best basketball. That’s how we’re going to be most productive. And I think across the board, a lot of other guys are going to have to adapt,” he said. “Some games, we’re probably going to get a lot of looks when guys are collapsing on them. Other games, maybe not so much. That’s sort of how it’s probably going to be. But at the end of the day, for us to win and have the most success, our offense is going to go through those two guys, and then kind of go down from there.”
Harris said his main offensive assignment in the Durant-Irving era will be to get to the corners and create space for the team’s two lethal scorers, while also cutting off the ball to make sure he’s occupying defenders on the weak side.
The Nets selected big man Reggie Perry out of Mississippi State 57th in this year’s draft, but he’s already playing first-round pick minutes.
In the Nets’ first preseason game, Perry scored five points, with seven rebounds and one block in 16 minutes on the floor. He even hoisted up a three that didn’t drop.
“Reggie’s done great. He deserved some minutes and some early minutes. He gives us a different profile at the center position. He’s more skilled and mobile than the traditional five for the most part, so he’s able to put the ball on the floor, make plays for his teammates,” Nash said.
“He has a great feel defensively for where he’s supposed to be. He’s a different profile. So it was nice to see that, what that lineup looks like a little bit. Where his gap is in adjusting to the NBA game, and we wanted to see him against someone else, and he earned those minutes and I thought he did pretty well.”
Caris LeVert says he’ll start, come off bench or do whatever Nets want as long as it helps the team win.
CHere’s what helps the Nets mos t : Figuring out which players best complement their two superstar offensive talents. Last season, the Lakers won a championship around LeBron James and Anthony Davis by filling out the roster with role players and specialists.
Those same Lakers transformed their roster during the offseason, signing two of the league’s premier sixth men — reigning award winner Montrezl Harrell from the Clippers, and former Hawks and Thunder point guard Dennis Schroder. A once top-heavy championship contender now has one of the league’s deepest pools of talent.
Now, so do the Nets, and if LeVert is coming off the bench, throw his name into Sixth Man of the Year conversations, too. The Nets have 16 players on the roster who can command legitimate playing time on any other team. It’s a good problem to have. eVert is a crafty playmaker who can get his own bucket, a clear-cut starter being asked to come off the bench. For LeVert and others on this Nets roster, nothing has changed: Everyone is buying-in to what it will take to win big.
“I feel like it’s just a mindset, a mentality. Whether you’re starting or coming off the bench, I feel like my game is very versatile, so I can do both things,” he said. “For me, it’s whatever happens, happens. I’m just excited to play basketball. It’s a blessing.”