Trevor Booker becoming a key piece for the Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA. They play the game in a fun and entertaining way. There are several reasons why, but chief among them is the elevated play of Trevor Booker.

Before this season started, Trevor Booker was merely more than a bench player with an expiring contract. Clearly, he was a rotation piece for this season. The Brooklyn Nets lack big men and can use any help they can get.

His future with the team was anything but clear though.

Three games into the season it is clear that Booker is one of the main reasons the Nets are currently above .500. He is no longer an expendable expiring deal the Nets could use to trade for bad contracts and absorb draft picks. Booker is the most important big man on the team.

More from Nothin' But Nets

So far, Booker plays the third most amount of minutes on the team. As a bench player, that shows that he has earned his minutes by playing winning basketball in the minutes he is given.

His scoring has been eye-opening. 17 points per game is currently second on the team, not counting the injured Jeremy Lin. His nine rebounds per game is also vital with the team’s lack of depth.

Most notably among his stats, though, are his assist numbers and PER. Booker has been effective so far as a pick-and-roll big, setting screens and receiving passes and attacking off the dribble. In such situations, he has been able to find the open man for a corner 3-pointer.

Twice against the Hawks, Booker was able to find the open man on a pick-and-roll. On his first drive, he was able to find Allen Crabbe, who notched three of his 20 points for the game. He later did the same thing, but instead found an open Joe Harris to hit the open trey.

Booker has been a revelation this season. At just $9 million per year, he is also a bargain for Brooklyn. With the team emphasizing culture, Booker’s hustle and grit has been the perfect ingredient for the Nets’ high octane style of play.

Booker has proven that he is not trade bait. He sure isn’t just an expiring contract either. At this rate, Booker is carving out a role to be on the Nets for the long haul. Fans should delightfully embrace that fact.