Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

Brooklyn Nets’ Young Guns Deserve More Playing Time

By Matthew Pisani

Dec 10, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Caris LeVert (22) shoots the ball past San Antonio Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon (3, right) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Caris LeVert (22) shoots the ball past San Antonio Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon (3, right) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 8
Next

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was a draft day pickup from the Portland Trailblazers. Brooklyn sent Mason Plumlee and Pat Connaughton to Portland in exchange for Steve Blake and the 23rd pick, which was Hollis-Jefferson.

Hollis-Jefferson was considered one of the best defenders in college basketball while he was at Arizona. Brooklyn was trying to get younger with an aging and no longer effective Deron Williams and Joe Johnson on hand. RHJ provided the youth, the energy, and the defense Brooklyn was looking for.

Hollis-Jefferson has a solid start to the 2015-2016 campaign until he got injured and missed the rest of the year. He only played in 29 games his rookie season. This season, Hollis-Jefferson has come back and has had an up-and-down season.

Hollis-Jefferson started off ice cold, especially from inside the paint. There was a time where Hollis-Jefferson was at the bottom of the league in field goal percentage inside the restricted area. Then, come January, there were rumors that Brooklyn was making him available. At that time, Hollis-Jefferson started to tear it up.

MUST READ: Improved Facilitator Would Help Nets in Second Half

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is scoring double digit points, or getting close, and grabbing over six rebounds almost every game since January 15th against the Houston Rockets. Hollis-Jefferson even notched a double-double last week against the Washington Wizards.

While Hollis-Jefferson got off to a slow start, which should have been expected, he has shown Brooklyn he can still make baskets from close range and he can still be a shut down defender. Hollis-Jefferson has seen his minutes increase as the starting power forward, where he has played well.

Hollis-Jefferson is an integral part of Brooklyn’s future and he deserves to play and develop as much as he can. He is a great personality and brings the energy and the fun to the team both on the floor and in the locker room.