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Five Players Who Can Fill the Brooklyn Nets’ Open Roster Spot

By Sean Costello

Feb 19, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets new general manager Sean Marks speaks to the media during a press conference before a game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets new general manager Sean Marks speaks to the media during a press conference before a game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 17, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Tigers forward Trahson Burrell (0) goes to the basket against UCF Knights guard Daiquan Walker (4) during the second half at FedExForum. Memphis Tigers defeated UCF Knights 76-53. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Tigers forward Trahson Burrell (0) goes to the basket against UCF Knights guard Daiquan Walker (4) during the second half at FedExForum. Memphis Tigers defeated UCF Knights 76-53. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /

Trahson Burrell

Trahson Burrell is one of the most interesting players on the Long Island Nets’ roster. He is a 6-foot-7 forward who plays with a plethora of emotion. Burrell makes his presence felt when on the floor, screaming while blocking and contesting shots, as well as throwing down vicious slam dunks. It’s safe to say for a Long Island team that has seen plenty of faces come and go this season, that Burrell is a clear leader when on the floor.

Burrell has been a player that I have followed for a few years and kept my eyes on. When the Nets’ D-League team acquired him before the start of the season, I was excited to see what he was able to bring. The forward had a strange path, as he took a path less traveled. He went through two years of junior college before attending the University of Memphis for his junior and senior seasons.

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Burrell is a player who is similar to Jonathon Simmons, on and off the court. They have similar size and build, as well as stories. Both attended multiple colleges and went undrafted in their respective drafts. Simmons, a very athletic and talented slasher for the San Antonio Spurs, can be a good influence on the path of Burrell, as Simmons has turned into a formidable rotation player for the Spurs. The Spurs are the team the Nets are trying to replicate, thanks to former Spurs Assistant GM, Sean Marks, now running the show in Brooklyn.

It doesn’t look like Burrell will get called up from a statistical standpoint, as he is only averaging 12.8 points to go along with 7.1 rebounds and three assists per game. However, it’s clear that the potential is there. Despite his low average in the scoring column, he has a Player Impact Estimate of 11.2 per game.

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The Player Impact Estimate is a stat used in the D-League to show just how much of the game’s events a specific player attributed to. With that said, it shows how much of an impact Burrell has in each game for Long Island, and that can be enough for the Nets to call up Burrell to the main roster to “throw him into the wolves,” so to speak.

Even if the Nets don’t call up Burrell by the end of this season, Nets fans should still keep an eye on him. Don’t be surprised if he finds himself playing alongside the rest of the Nets’ youngsters come the NBA Summer League in July.