Brooklyn Nets 2017-2018 Player Preview: Quincy Acy

Quincy Acy is a player who exemplified the Brooklyn Nets’ team mantra for last season, #BrooklynGrit. His never-give-up style of play is exactly what the Nets needed then, and they’ll need more of it this season.

Stats 2016-2017 (with Nets): 6.5 PPG, 3.3 TRB, 0.6 APG, 42.5% FG%, 43.4% 3FG%, 32 Games

If you’re looking for the story of a true NBA journeyman, then look no further than Quincy Acy. In five seasons, Acy’s been on five teams, but he may have found a place he can call home, Brooklyn. His skills may not be starter caliber, but his tenacious play is exactly what a young team like the Nets will need.

Coming out of Baylor in 2012, Acy was drafted by the Toronto Raptors, where he was used sparingly. He spent time in the D-League and was a non-factor on the team. Early in his second season he was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

Acy finished out the season with the Kings and was traded the following offseason to the New York Knicks. It was on the Knicks that we got a glimpse of the player that we currently see on the Nets’ roster. Acy logged career highs in points, rebounds, assists, minutes and games played in New York, showcasing his trademark tough play.

But same song and dance, he was discarded by the Knicks at the end of the season and became a free agent. He returned to the Kings in the 2015 offseason and had a second consecutive productive season off the bench. The deal with the Kings was only for a single season and Acy found himself a free agent yet again.

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He signed with the following offseason Dallas Mavericks, but was waived after only appearing in six games. He then bounced around the D-League, being picked up by the Los Angeles D-Fenders, but traded right away to the Texas Legends. It was here that he piqued the interest of Nets’ General Manager Sean Marks.

Averaging 17.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 2.1 BPG in 31.9 minutes per game for the Legends, Marks saw something he liked in the way Acy played. Acy was signed to a 10-day contract with the Nets on January 10, 2017 and a second 10-day contract on January 20, 2017.

Acy was a spark off the bench, showing off his three-point range and hustle during the 20-day stint. This play was enough to earn him a multi-year contract with the Nets at the end of the 20 days.

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Now Acy didn’t just get paid and fade away, no, quite the opposite. He continued to get better with the team as he found chemistry with his new teammates. Whether he was on the floor or not, he was the heart and soul of the team.

His energy was contagious, be it cheering for a teammate that hit a clutch shot or crashing into the first few rows while saving a ball. It was this energy that he brought every single night, and what endeared him to the fans.

Coming into the 2017-2018 season fans hope that they can get more of the same. Acy is not expected to get heavy minutes in the rotation, but when he does play he needs to continue to bring the range and energy.

Being an undersized big, his hustle and tenacity are what allow him to pull down boards over bigger players. But on a team that is shallow in the frontcourt, Acy may be able to get more minutes than originally anticipated.

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Acy will not be the best player on the Nets this season, but its his intangibles that the team needs. As long as he brings his high motor and shooting ability to the court this year, there is no doubt that he’ll be an asset off the bench.