Brooklyn Nets: examining a Joe Ingles fit

Free agency is just weeks away. All teams are seeking improvement to their respective rosters with an eye on dethroning champions Golden State Warriors. The Brooklyn Nets are continuing its rebuild and are scouring through the NBA for talent that fit. Is Joe Ingles a good fit for the Nets?

Joe Ingles is an Australian veteran with many years experience playing professional basketball. Though some may question his age (29), Ingles played in Europe for four seasons with F.C Barcelona, and then Maccabi Tel Aviv. At Maccabi, Ingles won the Euroleague Championship in 2014. Ingles’ move to the NBA in 2014 was unheralded when he initially signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers waived him after one month. The Utah Jazz claimed him and thus began Ingles’ NBA career.

Ingles continues a growing trend of Australians playing in the NBA. Starting with legendary players like Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal, Ingles is part of an Aussie NBA renaissance. Players like Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Patty Mills, Dante Exum, Thon Maker, Aron Baynes and Ben Simmons are all Aussies that ply their trade in the NBA. Even Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Kyrie Irving was born in Australia.

Ingles was the third in the NBA in three-point accuracy last season making a remarkably efficient 44 percent (0.441) of his shots. In his three seasons in Utah, the improvement was clearly evident, with his shooting accuracy numbers going up each season. His shooting numbers in general improved each season. Ingles also proved durable as well. He played in all 82 games last season after missing a single game in 2016.

On defense, Ingles is tenacious. Not the quickest or fastest player on the court by a longshot, Ingles style of defense is crafty and aggressive. At times during the playoff series versus the LA Clippers, Ingles was tasked to guard floor general, Chris Paul. Paul is a perennial All-NBA player and an impossible matchup for his contemporaries on most nights. Ingles never waivered, and help Paul in check for extended periods. This is a testament to Ingles tenacity, guile, and overall competitive drive.

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Providing intangibles and often overlooked things are a specialty of Ingles. This was never so evident than in Game 1 of the series versus the Clippers. Everyone remembers ex-Net “Iso” Joe Johnson scoring the game winner there, but it was a screen from Ingles that created the mismatch of Johnson on Jamal Crawford. Always a team-first player, Ingles even had a game with eleven assists.

Though primarily the team’s sixth man, Ingles was the only Jazz to appear in all 82 regular season games last season. Ingles along with All-Star Gordon Hayward were the only Jazz members to start each playoff game as well. During the playoffs, Ingles played the second most minutes for the Jazz. He also played the third most minutes during the regular season behind Hayward and Rudy Gobert. Ingles’ improvement raised eyebrows throughout the league. Jazz General Manager praised Ingles saying, “Joe is a connector. And we love his humor, but we love even more that he’s banging 44 percent of his threes, and makes people play him so Gordon has more space to do his thing.”

These attributes make Ingles a highly sort after free agent. However, Ingles is a Restricted Free Agent meaning the Jazz can match any offer he receives. The Nets led by Sean Marks showed a propensity to go after Restricted Free-Agents last season, and no doubt will go after “a mate from Down Under”.

Just remember Ingles is an Aussie. Australian sportsmen and women are renowned for their competitive nature. In tennis, greats like Patrick Rafter, Pat Cash, and Lleyton Hewitt were legendary for their fiery disposition. Cricket and soccer are no different.

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In the NBA, just look at the play of Dellavedova, Bogut, and Baynes. They all bring an intensity that is often unmatched which makes up for weaknesses their game has. Ingles is no different in that regard.

Ingles fits in perfectly with the “Brooklyn Grit” mentality. Tenacious play and deadly accurate shooting aside, Ingles consistent improvement throughout his tenure with the Utah Jazz is a proof that his work ethic and professionalism is top notch.

The question is, can Marks and the Nets pry him from the Jazz?