There weren’t many positives for the Brooklyn Nets in their 136-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but second-year guard Nolan Traore gave a glimmer of light.
The 20-year-old tallied a team-high 17 points (6-11 FG, 2-3 3-point) with two rebounds, five assists, two turnovers, two blocks and one steal over 25 minutes.
He also finished with a -2 plus/minus.
Traore was efficient on a night when Brooklyn only shot 41% from the field (33% 3-point), and he played more minutes than he did combined over the first two games (21).
After going 20-62 last season, the Nets (0-3) are miles away from contending.
However, this year is a chance for the young core to take another step forward..
Traore was one of five players that the organization drafted in the first round in 2025, and he averaged 7.7 points on 38% shooting (31.8% 3-point) with 3.8 assists and 2.3 turnovers across 22.2 minutes (56 games) as a rookie.
The France native must put together a more efficient sophomore campaign, and Sunday was a step in the right direction.
Nolan Traore must excel to stand out in crowded Nets guard stable
Evan Bernstein / Stringer
Although this is another developmental season for Brooklyn, its young players aren’t all guaranteed consistent playing time.
No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr. is on a minutes restriction as he heals from a sprained ankle, while Traore is behind 2025 No. 8 overall pick Egor Demin and veteran shooting guard Keon Ellis in the backcourt pecking order.
Fellow 2025 draftees Drake Powell and Ben Saraf, who each made their season debuts on Sunday, are also in the mix.
Minutes will be even harder to come by once Brown is off his restriction, so Traore must take advantage of the current situation.
The next step is to be productive in a more competitive game against a contender, similar to Demin on Saturday.
The 6-foot-8, 200-pounder notched 22 points (5-10 FG, 5-10 3-point) with four rebounds, six assists and one turnover across 31 minutes in a 125-121 road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He also had a +7 plus/minus.
An outing like that against a squad that made the conference finals last year shows promise in a young player.
Luckily for Traore, the Nets are playing the Boston Celtics on the road on Tuesday, who make the playoffs annually.
The game tips off at 7.30pm ET on DAZN.
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