Just like their NBA counterparts, the Long Island Nets are in rebuild mode. Of course, in the G League, teams are always in rebuild mode. Here’s what’s been going on.
The Nets’ organization has added another international prospect to its development pipeline as the Long Island Nets have selected French guard Tidjiane Dioumassi with the 13th overall pick in the G League’s International Draft, a source told NetsDaily.
Dioumassi went undrafted in June NBA Draft, prompting him to enter the pool for the G League’s International Draft, where Long Island swooped him up at No. 13 overall.
Long Island now owns Dioumassi’s G League rights if he elects to play in the league this season. A league source told ND that he will participate in training camp with Long Island and that he is expected to make the roster.
MacDonald in line for chief scout?
I’m told the decision to select Dioumassi was made by Long Island’s front office rather than Brooklyn’s. That office is spearheaded by Long Island GM Matt Macdonald and assistant GMs Kory Jones and Kyle Hines. who have good reputations around the NBA, particularly MacDonald.
All three are praised for their high character, while Jones and Hines are commonly referred to as fast risers in the front-office realm.
As we’ve reported, Macdonald’s name has circulated as a candidate for the Nets’ chief scout role, which has been vacant since Acie Law IV left the organization in May for Chicago. Based on what we’re hearing, I would tab him to be the favorite to earn that role.
Building a roster
It’s important to keep in mind that a lot can change before Long Island finalizes its final roster, including will the Nets find any players at team’s local tryout next month. Players they have rostered following the local tryout route include Terry Roberts, who has spent three years with the team; Patrick Gardner, a 7-footer on Egypt’s National Team; Jordan Minor, who had a rotational role during the 2024-25 season, and Craig Randall II, the league’s Most Improved Player in 2021-22.
We’re also told that Long Island utilized “practice players” last season. Players who didn’t earn roster spots but would practice with the team at the “Yes We Can Center” in Westbury. One of those players, James Montgomery, had first been discovered at the team’s local tryout last year, according to one source. So the local workouts can help the franchise and get locals an alternate route to pro ball.
The Newest Guy
Dioumassi, a 24=year-old French national who stands at 6’5” and 200 pounds, last played at Western Carolina University in the 2025 NCAA season. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 36.4% from three in 29 games.
Prior to that, he spent two seasons at Southern University following two years in the JUCO ranks. Overall, he spent five seasons in the NCAA, putting him on the older side for a draft-eligible player.
Following training camp, Dioumassi and his independent representative, Stacey Leawood, will evaluate their options to see if it’s worth sticking around on Long Island or pursuing a career overseas.
Core emerging?
Beyond Dioumassi, Long Island’s core this season is beginning to become clearer.
Second-round rookie Tyler Bilodeau is expected to spend significant time with Long Island. Bilodeau signed a two-way contract right after being selected.
Chaney Johnson the other two-way, was excellent in Summer League, averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game leading the 2026 NBA Summer League in that final category. He — and Bilodeau — can only be active for 50 NBA games before the team has to decide whether a standard deal with Brooklyn is in order.
The Nets still have one two-way spot vacant. Based on what we’re hearing, Grant Nelson appears the favorite to earn that contract. While he continues to recover from patellar tendinitis, also known as “jumper’s knee,” the Alabama product couldn’t participate in Summer League although he traveled with the team and was on their roster.
Dain Dainja has also emerged as a name worth monitoring. A Summer League invitee for Brooklyn, he popped in Sacramento and Vegas, the only non-contract player in the team’s rotation. He averaged 6.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) while flashing his physicality at 6’9” and 260 pounds along with a whopping 7’6” wingspan.
The 24-year-old spent last season with the Sioux Skyforce in the G League, the Miami Heat’s affiliate.
Beyond that, Long Island is expected to have multiple players on Exhibit 10 contracts, as has been the case in recent seasons. Three other players on the Summer League roster: 6’4” guard Dion Brown out of St Louis, 6’10” big man Duke Brennan from Villanova, and 6’9” forward Ben Humrichous a shooting specialist who player at Illinois.
All three had their moments in Summer League, although Humrichous showed the most scoring-wise and Dion Brown appeared to be a defensive sparkplug. He also finished Summer League with a triple-double.
Under the NBA’s current CBA, teams can carry up to six Exhibit 10 players into training camp. Exhibit 10 contracts include a bonus worth up to $85,000 if a player is waived and spends the required time with the organization’s G League affiliate. Sources told ND that the Nets are one of only a handful of organizations that fully guarantee every Exhibit 10 they sign, making Brooklyn an especially attractive landing spot for players who fit that mold.
Multiple agents have also told us they view E10 contracts as more player-friendly than two-way deals in certain situations. While two-way contracts pay way more (half of the league’s minimum every year), some teams can use them to build fences around players and rarely promote them to the NBA, which limits other teams from poaching them.
E10 players, though, remain NBA free agents. They can continue developing in the G League while remaining eligible to sign a two-way or standard NBA contract with any franchise at any point during the season. Over the past few years, Long Island has established a reputation as one of the best development systems in the league.
Big Question
Last year, with a record five first rounders, Brooklyn shuttled four of them to Long Island and back multiple times to help get minutes needed for development. Ben Saraf logged the most – 15 games. Will any of the players not named Egor Demin find themselves playing at Nassau Coliseum again? The same question can be posed about Joshua Jefferson.
Coaching changes
While Mfon Udofia, former LI head coach and a huge part of that, is now an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, the organization promoted from within to land their next HC, Shawn Swords, who was Udofia’s No. 2 for the past three seasons.
Long Island also lost an assistant coach, Steven Kaner. He is now assistant video coordinator for the Atlanta Hawks.
Home Opener
Long Island’s home opener is Friday, November 13, at Nassau Coliseum.
