Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: James Webb offers size, defense on the wing

By Phil Watson

DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 7: James Webb III #0 of the Brooklyn Nets boxes out Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the game between the two teams on February 7, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 7: James Webb III #0 of the Brooklyn Nets boxes out Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the game between the two teams on February 7, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Brooklyn Nets might be intrigued enough by the wing potential of restricted free agent James Webb to keep him around.

The Brooklyn Nets head into the offseason with seven potential free agents, the last of whom is small forward James Webb.

Webb played a season-plus the the G League’s Delaware 87ers after failing to make the cut in the preseason with the Philadelphia 76ers each of the last two seasons before the Brooklyn Nets signed him to a two-way deal in January.

The rest of the Brooklyn Nets free agents

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Webb is the sort of big wing teams crave in the modern NBA, a 6-foot-9 player who can defend and (at least in the G League) shoot the 3 fairly well.

The South Carolina native was undrafted out of Boise State in 2016 and signed with the 76ers in July 2016, playing for Philly’s Summer League entries in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas before getting 89 preseason minutes.

He re-signed with the 76ers in October 2017, but didn’t last — he was basically signed and waived the same day so he could stay with the 87ers.

Webb is rail thin at 202 pounds, but shows some defensive chops, putting up 3.3 defensive win shares in his two G League seasons.

In 19 games with the Long Island Nets after signing his two-way deal, Webb averaged 14.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 30.2 minutes per game on a slash line of .406/.374/.872. with 163 of his 217 total shot attempts coming from behind the arc.

He also got 10 games with the big club in Brooklyn, including nine consecutive appearances between Jan. 27 and Feb. 12 while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was on the shelf with a groin injury.

Webb returned for the season finale in Boston. He did not shoot particularly well with the Nets (putting it mildly), hitting 6-of-24 overall and going 4-for-19 from 3-point range. In 120 minutes, he had 16 points, 24 rebounds and four assists.

Webb will be 25 in August — on the old side for a two-year pro — and still needs to get stronger.  But he has the potential to be the sort of tall, athletic stretchy 3-and-D wing that teams crave in the position-less NBA.

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If he returns to the Nets, it will be on some sort of make-good, non-guaranteed deal for at or close to the minimum. But he is an intriguing enough project to either put on a two-way or try to stash in Uniondale.