The NBA Cup should carry a little extra significance for the Brooklyn Nets, perhaps more than it does for any other team in the league.
Why? Brooklyn has the NBA’s lowest team payroll, with eight players on rookie contracts and another three on two-way deals. For a young roster earning relatively modest salaries, the tournament offers an opportunity to bring home some meaningful extra money.
The payouts increase with each round of the NBA Cup. Players on teams eliminated in the quarterfinals receive
$60,499 apiece, while those eliminated in the semifinals earn $120,997. Reaching the championship game guarantees $241,994 per player for the runner-up, and the winning team takes home $604,985 for every player on its roster.
Oh yeah, there’s also the matter of winning a basketball game. Brooklyn is 0-4, one of two winless teams remaining in the NBA. The Cup offers an added financial incentive, but getting that first win won’t be easy. Detroit has won four of its first five games.
Game Info & How to Watch
- Matchup: Detroit Pistons (4-1) at Brooklyn Nets (0-4)
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
- TV/Streaming: YES Network and DAZN
Nets-Pistons Injury Report
Brooklyn Nets
- OUT: Egor Dëmin (right leg bone bruise)
- OUT: Tyler Bilodeau (G League assignment)
- OUT: Joshua Jefferson (G League assignment)
- OUT: Grant Nelson (G League assignment)
- OUT: Ben Saraf (G League assignment)
- QUESTIONABLE: Noah Clowney (Illness)
- QUESTIONABLE: Drake Powell (G League assignment)
Detroit Pistons
- OUT: Jalen Duren (hamstring)
- OUT: Ugonna Onyenso (G League assignment)
- QUESTIONABLE: Elijah Harkless (G League assignment)
- QUESTIONABLE: Isaiah Joe (hip)
- QUESTIONABLE: Isaac Jones (G League assignment)
The Game
Brooklyn’s loss to Boston had its share of highs before ending in a familiar low.
Mikel Brown Jr. stepped up in the fourth quarter and scored 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from three, including a game-tying three with .2 left. The Nets had reason to believe a win was within reach, but Brown Jr.’s fourth-quarter performance was encouraging in its own right. The sixth overall pick looked increasingly comfortable on the NBA stage.
Unfortunately for him and the Nets, the momentum ran out — Brown Jr. attempted an ill-advised layup when he could’ve dribbled the ball out or taken the intentional foul. Jayson Tatum won the game on the other end. Brown Jr.’s performance was encouraging, but Brooklyn is still searching for its first win as the losses continue to pile up.
Friday poses a new challenge against a 4-1 Detroit team who enters Brooklyn following a 97-89 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Cade Cunningham led the way with 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists, while Paul Reed contributed 16 points and four rebounds in place of the injured Jalen Duren (hamstring).
Others continue to step up for Detroit — more on that below.
Player to Watch: Daniss Jenkins
Daniss Jenkins continues to make a name for himself after going undrafted in 2024. The former college standout was a favorite of Rick Pitino’s at both Iona and St. John’s before working his way up from the G League during his rookie season. He’s since developed into an important two-way contributor for a Detroit team with championship aspirations.
Of course, scrappy players like Jenkins step up most when backs are against the wall. In this case, Jenkins has stepped up for the Pistons when they’ve needed him in the early portion of the 2026-27 season.
“He has never shied away from being who he is,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on Wednesday. “And it doesn’t matter who the competition is, who the opponent is in front of him. DJ’s gonna be DJ. He’s gonna talk sh*t, he’s gonna bump, he’s going to grind, he’s going to go at you, he’s gonna compete at a high level. And you know he has no fear. That’s why he’s special and that’s why we love him.”
Jenkins has carried some of the scoring burden off Cunningham’s back since Duren got injured, averaging 14 points on 43% shooting from three in the three games Duren’s been out. Jenkins has been a steady force for Detroit, providing a versatile presence in the backcourt. He can crash the boards, create opportunities for teammates and push the pace in transition.
Expect Jenkins to draw some important assignments against a Nets backcourt that will rely on Mikel Brown Jr. and Nolan Traore to dictate the pace. His defensive pressure and physicality could make life difficult for Brooklyn’s young guards, particularly if they struggle to protect the basketball. They’ll be off and speeding to the races in Motor City if that’s the case.
Brooklyn averages the fifth-most turnovers in the NBA at 17.5 per game, while Detroit forces approximately 16 turnovers per contest, ranking 12th in the league. With Jenkins and Cunningham leading the Pistons’ backcourt, protecting the basketball will be especially important for Brooklyn.
From The Vault
The Nets aren’t playing on Halloween this year, but should we expect some spooky festivities in Brooklyn this Saturday night? It wouldn’t be the first time. Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane…
Let’s bring it back to 2013 — The Brooklyn Knight sighting!
Fast forward to 2o15 with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Jared Sullinger, Jarrett Jack, Brook Lopez and Markel Brown:
And of course, the Nets athletic staff in 2021 dressed up as The Beard. Perfect.
