Out of 540 available roster spots in the NBA, 539 are currently filled. That lone open spot belongs to the Brooklyn Nets, the only team yet to fill all three of their two-way slots.
From the outside looking in, the decision to hold off on adding another player might seem a little strange. The Nets don’t have much to lose by taking a flyer on an unproven prospect, and they’d probably welcome any kind of help they can get right now.
Then again, Brooklyn’s developmental staff already has its hands full
as they shuttle rookies back and forth between the NBA and the G League. Indeed, what insiders will tell you is that there’s no rush. The development crunch is one issue and the front office is all about flexibility, even at the two-way roster level. Finally, they want to see who might fit, the “right guy.” Indeed a second league source told ND that high character remains a top priority. Finally, there’s no rush. Teams can sign two-ways up to March 4.
As the youngest team in the league, and one of the five youngest in NBA history, there’s still plenty of improvements to be made before the Flatbush Five become dependable NBA contributors. It’s certainly one reason that the Nets just want to focus on the players they already have, instead of tossing another project into the mix. Of course, development is not limited to the five first rounders. Noah Clowney has two years remaining on his rookie contract.
That said, there are a few intriguing options both within and outside the organization that the Nets could look to for that final two-way slot.
Internal Options
Grant Nelson
For a team that’s struggled to show consistent effort, and often seems to fumble the little, unquantifiable details that decide games, adding a player like Nelson would do a lot more good than harm.
And it’s not like he’s lacking interest. The Alabama product clearly wants to be here, he even turned down the chance to be drafted just so he could sign with the Nets as a free agent.
“I really like the coaching staff,” Nelson told NetsDaily’s Scott Mitchell. “I like the plan they had. There’s a lot that goes into it. My agent knows a lot more than me, so I just really trusted his plan, and I feel like this is a great spot to be. I like my teammates, coaches, and the system.”
During his final season at Alabama, the 7-footer averaged 11.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while helping lead the Crimson Tide to the Elite Eight. He also impressed during his time at North Dakota State, where he earned First team All-Summit league honors after averaging 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 52.1% from the field as a junior.
He joined the Nets during the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging six points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 57.9% from the field. So far on Long Island — two games — he’s averaging 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks including three last night in 18.5 minutes.
This team needs hustlers, players focused on making an impact, not filling up a box score. Brooklyn currently owns the lowest defensive rating in the NBA, and could use a high-energy, selfless player cut from Nelson’s cloth.
“That’s just part of my game. I value all of those things. It’s what I picked up from every coach that I’ve played for. I think it’s all those little things that will ultimately win the game,” Nelson told NetsDaily. “Screening, getting rebounds, playing defense, those are all small things that you can’t see unless you watch the game.”
Yuri Collins
Beyond their defensive issues, Brooklyn’s lack of a true distributor remains one of the team’s most glaring weaknesses.
A season ago, Collins orchestrated one of the best playmaking campaigns that the G League has ever seen. While playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s affiliate, he dished out a league-leading 10.8 assists per game, the highest mark in the G League since 2009–10.
He also added 14.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 41.2% from the field and 26.4% from three, proving he could both create and contribute offensively.
Collins’ assist numbers from last season weren’t just a fluke or the byproduct of a friendly system. He led the NCAA in assists twice (2021 and 2022) during his time at Saint Louis University. And while running point for the Phoenix Suns’ Las Vegas Summer League team this summer, he finished among the event’s top ten passers while averaging six assists per game.
According to Rob Ford, Collins’ head coach at Saint Louis, the point guard’s unique feel for the game often puts him in advantageous positions to produce.
“Everybody wants to score. And if he wanted to, Yuri could average 20 points per game. He can get to his spots so easy and he can score the ball,” Ford said. “What I love about him is he gets a feel for the game as the game is going on, which games he needs to score, which games he needs to run the offense and set everybody up. And it’s usually all based on how teams are playing him.”
At 6 feet and 190 pounds, his size could make him a defensive concern. That said, it’s not like the Nets’ current options have been very helpful on that end either. Last season, Collins led the Warriors with 1.4 steals per game (minimum 20 appearances), using his lateral quickness and sturdy lower body to stay in front of ball-handlers and make life difficult for opposing guards.
Outside Options
Tyler Smith
Viewed as one of the top players in the G League last season, Smith could add some needed depth and versatility to Brooklyn or Long Island’s front-court.
The 6’11”, 224-pound power forward was recently recently signed with the Capital City Go-Go where he’s averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 boards after four games. He had an impressive season with the Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League affiliate, but got caught in the Bucks numbers crunch.
Last season, after being taken at No. 33 in the 2025 Draft, Smith averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Herd. He also appeared in 23 games with the Bucks, averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 43.3% from beyond the arc.
The former five-star recruit is still just 21 years old, and probably would’ve benefited from the extra seasoning that comes with college ball instead of the now-infamous G League Ignite experiment.
His talent is undeniable though, and with a developmental staff as hands-on as Brooklyn’s, it might not take much to unlock it.
Keon Brooks Jr.
As another player with brief NBA experience, Brooks Jr. has flashed some intriguing scoring ability throughout his brief professional career.
While appearing in 14 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, the Washington product averaged a respectable 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc.
During his time with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, Brooks Jr. averaged 18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
While Brooklyn’s starting unit has a few reliable scorers, the 25-year-old sharpshooter could provide some valuable offensive depth while coming off of the bench.
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Looking at the Nets recent history of two-ways, they’ve focused on players in two categories: players who were either second rounders like Kessler Edwards or Jalen Wilson or undrafted college stars like David Duke Jr. or somewhat older projects like Tyrese Martin. Martin now part of Brooklyn’s rotation didn’t play a minute in Long Island last season after signing his two way. In each case, Sean Marks & co. has rewarded the player with a standard NBA contract by season’s end. But that was then before using all five of their first round picks — and trading their sole second rounder.
