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Brooklyn Nets: Breaking down Summer League roster

By Phil Watson

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Caris LeVert #22 of the Brooklyn Nets drives against Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 115-106. 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. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Caris LeVert #22 of the Brooklyn Nets drives against Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 115-106. 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. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets, NBA Summer League
BARCELONA, SPAIN – MARCH 09: Rodions Kurucs, #17 of FC Barcelona Lassa in action during the 2017/2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 25 game between FC Barcelona Lassa and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade at Palau Blaugrana on March 9, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Rodolfo Molina/EB via Getty Images) /

Rodions Kurucs, SF (2017-18 team: FC Barcelona, Spain)

Rodions Kurucs was the Brooklyn Nets’ second-round pick on June 21, going in the No. 40 overall slot after four professional seasons in his native Latvia and Spain.

Knee problems limited Kurucs to 26 games last season, 10 with FC Barcelona’s top squad in Spain’s ACB and in Euroleague play and 16 with their second team in the Spanish LEB Gold league.

He averaged 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 15.1 minutes per game across all levels, shooting .441/.328/.769.

Kurucs is another young stretchy wing who needs to get stronger to survive at the NBA level. He was initially in the 2017 NBA Draft, but withdrew and re-entered this year.

Kurucs withdrew from this weekend’s European FIBA World Cup qualifying matches for Latvia in order to prepare for Summer League play. Latvia has already advanced from the round of 32 to the round of 24.

Caris LeVert, SG-SF (2017-18 team: Brooklyn Nets)

Caris LeVert returns to Las Vegas for his second straight summer league after making significant strides in his second NBA season.

His 3-point shooting heated up significantly after the All-Star break, as he shot 37.3 percent from deep in 21 games after hitting 33.5 percent in 50 games prior to the break.

Primarily a bench player for the Nets last season, LeVert started 10 games of the 71 he played, including only one start after the All-Star break.

But his numbers improved over the second half to 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 26.5 minutes per game on .451/.373/.760 shooting. Before the break, he played 26.1 minutes a night and put up 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists on a .428/.336/.693 slash.

Last season marked the first time LeVert had been fully healthy since his sophomore year at Michigan in 2013-14. Foot injuries limited him to 33 games over his final two seasons and cost him 25 games as a rookie in 2016-17.

LeVert played small forward, shooting guard and even ran some point last season as his versatility began to bloom.

He was Sean Marks’ first big move as general manager in 2016, with the Nets sending Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers for the rights to LeVert and a future second-round pick that will remain 45-60 protected through 2022.