Nets: Checking in on Jaylen Hands One Year After 2019 NBA Draft

Let’s see how rookie Jaylen Hands is doing for the Brooklyn Nets.

With the 56th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets took Jaylen Hands, a point guard from UCLA. It’s been a whole year, but fans have yet to see Hands in action.

Hands was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school. The 6-foot-3 athletic guard showed significant growth in his first season as a full-time starter. He was a vital, powerful player for UCLA and was the team’s primary shot creator. He had notable games as a scorer and as a playmaker during his college tenure.

Hands shared the court with Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Holiday, which ultimately limited his touches and impacted his stats. He averaged 9.9 points, 2.6 assists, and 4 rebounds per game.

Without Holliday, Hands upped most of those averages in his second year, turning in 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. He displayed elite leadership, scoring, and speed at the college level, which no doubt helped him get drafted. The Nets used a domestic stash on Hands in order to keep him in the G-League but retain him for the 2020-21 season.

With the Long Island Nets, Hands averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 22.6 minutes per game. He also shot 35.2% from deep and 41.8% overall while starting 19 of the 41 games he played. Hands’ highest-scoring game came in a competition with the Westchester Knicks on Dec. 11, in which he scored 28 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

Overall, Hands shined in his season with Long Island. He took the skills he came into the league with and improved upon them. These highlights from his game against Westchester demonstrate his prowess as a scorer in the NBA.

Hands knows he has work to do. In an interview with Chris Milholen of SB Nation, he stated:

"“‘Yes, I’ve been lifting six days a week. I’ve put a lot of focus on my lower body. I’ve been focusing on my balance. I’ve incorporated sand workouts, running, yoga, and plyometrics (jump training) along with weights. I’ve gained good weight and have reached 190 pounds for the first time in my life. I love the direction I’m heading and I’m feeling great.’”"

If Hands puts in the work, he could add layers to the Nets. He could split time with Dinwiddie off the bench, giving the Nets two playmakers on the floor. If they have the opportunity to share the floor, the offense would be reminiscent of the offense that Dinwiddie ran with D’Angelo Russell in 2018-2019 — two primary ball handlers making good offense out of isolation and pick-and-rolls.

The Nets have a chance to use Hands extremely effectively in the lineup. As the franchise’s first domestic stash, the rookie had no pressure to deal with in the G-League because everyone forgot about him. Now, Hands has the chance to make a splash during the 2020-2021 NBA season. He’s ready, so don’t be surprised if he’s scoring buckets in the NBA next year.