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Brooklyn Nets: Reggie Perry shines in G League action

By Aaron Notis

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 05: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Reggie Perry #14 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 05: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Reggie Perry #14 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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The G League has taken over Disney World, and now we can watch the development of a good chunk of this year’s draft class as they show off in the new Bubble.

For the Nets, big man Reggie Perry is proving that he belongs in the NBA, showing us what he can do.

Through five games, Perry is averaging a double-double with 20.2 points per game (13th in G League) and 10.2 rebounds per game (tied for 15th in G-League). He’s doing this on 50.7% shooting from the field and 38.5% from three on 2.6 attempts per game.

On February 17th, Perry posted his third double-double of the season, dropping 25 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes of action.

Nets rookie Reggie Perry is heating up in the Bubble.

He’s been able to flash the full arsenal of his game in Florida. Playing alongside the G League’s high-profile guards like Elie Okobo and Jeremiah Martin, you would assume Perry wouldn’t have to be such a ball-dominant player. Yet, there he was on Wednesday, grabbing the ball off the backboard, running the floor, and making the pass to Jeremiah Martin for the easy lay-in.

You don’t see many 6-foot-8, 250-pound rookies doing this.

Like Nic Claxton last year, Perry is being given this short time in the Bubble to show his abilities and adjust them to the big stage. In Steve Nash’s small-ball, run-and-gun offense, Perry could be the ideal center, someone who can hold down the middle and stretch the floor on the offensive side.

I don’t think the problem with Perry is his effectiveness. He’s a talented enough player to be able to have an impact on both ends of the floor. But do we need to develop Reggie Perry? Will Reggie Perry impact this two-year window we have to win a championship?

The Long Island Nets are currently 2-3. The G League Bubble ends at the beginning of March for all but the eight teams in the single-elimination playoffs. As of right now, it doesn’t seem as though Long Island will be pushing for one of those eight spots. This means Perry should be back with Brooklyn come early March.

Will he slide into the rotation? Probably not, especially if the Nets are able to make a move for a veteran center a la JaVale McGee or Andre Drummond. So, what do the Nets do with Perry to maximize his potential with the organization?

The best thing to do might be to juice up his stock right before the March 25 trade deadline. There are plenty of teams heading for rebuilds that could take a chance on Perry and mold him into a solid piece of their franchise. The Raptors could be an interesting look for Perry. Currently sitting at 13-15, Toronto is having a tough time without Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol and might want to blow it up. While the Nets don’t need and don’t have the money for Kyle Lowry, they could look to Aron Baynes as an established rebounding big who could stretch the floor rather than taking a chance on Perry.

Ultimately, Perry has the chops to succeed in the NBA. We’re currently being treated to his talent in the G League Bubble, but he should go much farther than the G League.

Early in the season, Perry was attacked on defense, which is typical of most rookies. Ultimately, the Nets will have to determine whether developing Perry is worth the effort and whether he will add value to a potential Nets playoff-bound team.