Brooklyn Nets: Grading every player through first chunk of 2020-21 season

After a sluggish start, Steve Nash and the Brooklyn Nets have turned things around, as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden have been playing some high-level basketball.

The Nets are second in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game behind the Philadelphia 76ers. Their trio of superstars have been the main catalyst for their success, as all three players are averaging at least 24.9 points per game, a mark that has never been accomplished in NBA history over a full season.

The Nets are clearly leaning on their star trio, as the bench was depleted by the Harden trade. While this philosophy made wins hard to come by early in the season, the Nets have rebounded and played less individual basketball of late.

That depth was exhibited during a dominant win over the Orlando Magic, as even players at the very end of the bench were getting in on the scoring fun.

While there have been some stinkers, plenty of Nets are having breakout seasons in 2020-21. It’s time to take stock of the roster and figure out which players are excelling and which are disappointing.

Which Brooklyn Nets players have excelled in 2020-21?

Kevin Durant

Durant hasn’t always been in the lineup due to injuries, rest, or COVID-19 protocols. However, when he’s been on the floor, he looks exactly like the MVP and future Hall of Famer that everyone expected he would be. Durant is averaging 29.0 points per game, numbers he hasn’t touched since his Oklahoma City days, to go along with 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest.

Durant’s efficiency is what stands out, as he is making 52% of his shots overall on the year and 43% of his 3-point attempts. KD came into this season with some questions surrounding him, but he appears to have silenced the doubters and put together a truly remarkable campaign to this point. While the lack of games might hurt him, he is firmly in the MVP discussion.

Grade: A

Kyrie Irving

Irving’s decision to leave in the middle of the season raised some eyebrows, but he has returned to the Nets and looks ready to dominate. Irving has long been one of the best offensive players in the NBA, but what he’s done under Nash and Mike D’Antoni this season has proven what an efficient scorer he can be.

Not only is Irving averaging 27.4 points per game, but he’s doing so while shooting 52% from the field and 40% from three. While he has conceded touches to Harden, that has done little to dull his effectiveness. Irving has been rock-solid on the offensive end, as some struggles on defense are swiftly forgotten when Uncle Drew snatches another pair of ankles.

Grade: A-

James Harden

Harden arriving in Brooklyn was a move that was full of controversy. Not only would the Nets be completely out of depth, but they planned to add the most ball-dominant player in the league to a team with two superstar players in Durant and Irving. Harden has done more than just tread water in his new role as Brooklyn’s facilitator. He’s thrived.

Harden is still putting the ball in the basket and draining some clutch shots, but his ability to distribute is really astonishing, as Harden is leading the entire NBA in assists per game. While there were some questions about his fit on this roster alongside the two superstars, Harden has proven to be a lethal scorer, excellent defender, and master distributor.

Grade: A

DeAndre Jordan

Jordan has taken his fair share of lumps for some inconsistent play on the defensive end, but he is the one bastion of rugged, physical play in the paint on this Nets team. While he was almost unplayable early in the season, he’s picked up a few double-doubles of late, showing that there is a little bit of the player who was an All-Star with the Clippers left in him.

Grade: C+

Joe Harris

We all knew Harris could shoot, but what he’s doing this season almost defies logic. While players like Kyle Korver and Steve Kerr have topped 50% from three, none of them did so while averaging 6.7 attempts per game like Harris. A quality finisher near the rim, Harris is the ideal tertiary gunner that can help lead Brooklyn to wins when one of the three stars is on the bench.

Grade: A-

Jeff Green

Green has been willing to play in a variety of roles for the Nets, and he’s filled them all with aplomb. Green has been a winger that sits in the corner, a traditional power forward, and a small-ball center, all the while shooting 50% from the field and 42% from three. Green is the veteran glue guy the Nets need, and he could be in for a big second half.

Grade: B+

Bruce Brown

Not much was expected of Brown, acquired for Dzanan Musa, in this season, but the 6-4 point guard/power forward has proven to be the defensive stopper the Nets need. With expert perimeter defense a given, his outburst against the Sacramento Kings proved he can fill it up when needed. Brown went from unplayable to undroppable in a matter of months.

Grade: A-

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot

TLC was supposed to be a prototypical 3-and-D wing, but he isn’t providing much of either at the moment. He is making just 37% of his threes, and the Nets give up 115 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor. Luwawu-Cabarrot has a role in this rotation, but he needs to be more consistent.

Grade: C

Landry Shamet

If there’s one player that has genuinely disappointed this season, it’s Shamet, who was traded for a first-round pick this offseason. While Saddiq Bey morphs into a quality role player in Detroit, Shamet is averaging career-lows in points per game (7.7), shooting percentage (38%), and 3-point percentage (36%). Shamet needs to start turning things around quickly.

Grade: C-

Tyler Johnson

Johnson’s grade has improved noticeably in the last few weeks. A career 10.2 points per game scorer, Johnson is starting to take playing time away from Luwawu-Cabarrot and Shamet given his ability to handle the ball and shoot the 3-pointer at a 42% rate. He’s quickly become a vital part of Nash’s rotation.

Grade: B

Reggie Perry

Perry, a rookie out of Mississippi State, was sent to the Long Island Nets after a brief stint as Brooklyn’s backup center. Perry just wasn’t far enough along on the defensive end to warrant playing time. Still, his skills on offense make him worth keeping around.

Grade: C+

Chris Chiozza

Choizza is only in the game when the Nets are far ahead or far behind, so playing time has been hard to come by. However, the diminutive point guard has shown enough of the offensive skill that earned him a contract with Brooklyn last year.

Grade: B-