Brooklyn Nets forward Chaney Johnson has had an impressive summer thus far as he showed his ability to affect the game in multiple ways during the summer league circuit. Johnson has already spoken on his goal to fight for NBA minutes next season and to earn a standard contract, but he also took some time to discuss the growth he has seen from guard Nolan Traore this offseason.
"I'm gonna have to say Nolan. I feel like Nolan, he's a different guy now. I feel like now, he's put on some mass, [he's got] a sleeveless hoodie on, lifting, looking at the the biceps," Johnson said of Traore during his appearance on "The Brooklyn Boys" podcast with NetsDaily's Connor Long. Traore is going to be one of the players on the roster that the Nets will be looking at closely
as the team is trying to get out of this rebuild as soon as possible.
While Traore had a solid stretch to end last season, a portion of the season where Johnson saw the majority of his minutes, the French point guard wasn't able to play in the summer league this offseason due to a scope on his right knee. When general manager Sean Marks addressed Traore's scope earlier this summer, he said that Traore should be fully ready to go when training camp comes around in the fall, but that he wouldn't be playing.
Traore, 20, ended his rookie season last year with averages of 8.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 38.0% from the field and 31.8% from behind the three-point line. In the 31 games that Traore started from Jan. 29 to Apr. 5, he averaged 11.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 39.2% from the floor and 32.5% from deep.
The standout part of Traore's game is his speed all over the court with the ball in his hands, especially when he attacks the rim in the pick-and-roll or one-on-one against his defender. Part of his struggles to finish around the rim came from his lack of strength against NBA athletes, but with his getting stronger during the summer, it seems like Johnson is anticipating more good basketball from Traore heading into his second season.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Chaney Johnson discusses Nolan Traore's growth this offseason
