Two days after Jordi Fernandez praised his 10-day performance, Grant Nelson is longer with the Brooklyn Nets. The 27-year-old 7-footer had signed a 10-day contract on February 27. Under league rules, a team can extend the player an additional 10 days, but when the opportunity came on Monday, they declined in a surprise. The move leaves the Nets with an open roster spot. It’s uncertain if Nelson’s exit is related to the other roster news of the day: the decision to shut Egor Demin down for the rest
of the season.
Nelson who went undrafted out of Alabama last June had seemed to acquit himself well in the four games he played. In 35 minutes over those games, Nelson finished his contract with 17 points, six rebounds, six assists and three blocks while shooting 55.6% (5-of-9) overall. He did not attempt a three. Prior to that, after a seven-week layoff to correct some long-standing knee issues, Nelson had played well for Long Island. Saddled with minutes restrictions, he started 15 games and put up per-36 numbers of 24 points and 12 rebounds.
When signed, Nelson became the team’s sixth rookie, an apparent record. Two days ago, Jordi Fernandez had this to say about how Nelson had played.
“[He’s] a very good basketball player. Everything he does, he does it well,” Fernández said before the game. “He doesn’t over-dribble or try to do too much. Everything is efficient. His size is great. He’s a multi-positional defender, very good playmaker, fast. All of those things have been very good. It translates to this level. Obviously right now we have one more game and then after that we’ll have to discuss and see what the next move going forward is.”
With a roster spot open and the Nets two players, it’s possible the Nets realized they had a new need for the final 19 games of the season. No word on who the Nets might be interested in. They could convert one of their three two-ways — Tyson Etienne, E.J. Liddell and Chaney Johnson — to a standard deal as they have at the end of past years. However, if they do that, they will not be able to fill the resulting two-way opening. The deadline for signing two ways was last week.
The Nets will retain Nelson’s G League rights but they no longer hold any NBA rights. Should another team want to sign Nelson, the Nets would have no matching rights and the other team could sign him outright. There’s nothing to stop the Nets from renewing interest in Nelson should their roster spot remain open.
