The Brooklyn Nets (1-0) entered training camp with the goal of having a better season than many around the NBA are expecting from them, especially in the midst of their rebuild. Brooklyn's first test of how the revamped roster will look came on Tuesday at the Charlotte Hornets (0-1) and the Nets took care of business while everyone got to show what they're made of in the preseason opener.
The Nets beat the Hornets 124-90 thanks to a complete team effort, especially with Brooklyn's best players looking like they have good chemistry so early in the preseason. Forward Michael Porter Jr. picked up where he left of last season as he finished the game with 16 points and five rebounds while new addition Julius Randle had 13 points and three assists.
It could be something and it could be nothing, but it looked like head coach Jordi Fernandez has a good idea of what he wants his rotation to be given who played the majority of the minutes in the first half. The Nets are looking to "shock the world" and that starts in the preseason. Here are the player grades for Brooklyn following Tuesday's win over the Hornets in their preseason opener:
Egor Demin: B
With Mikel Brown Jr. out for this game due to an ankle injury, Demin became the starting point guard and he showed that he was ready to go on the offensive end of the floor. Demin's defense still needs some work as he picked up four fouls in 18 minutes, but his scoring and passing ability was great to see, especially if Brown isn't able to take the floor to begin the season.
Keon Ellis: B
With Demin sliding up to the starting point guard spot, Ellis entered the starting lineup as the shooting guard and he did a good job of playing to his role for this team. Ellis did a good job of scoring the ball at all three levels and more importantly, he showed his impact as a point-of-attack defender from the first possession of the game as he defended Dennis Schroder.
Michael Porter Jr.: A
Porter had the best season of his career last year because of his ability to shoot the ball with virtually limitless range along with expanding his scoring game outside of his shooting. Even with the addition of Julius Randle, Porter still looked like the primary offensive option as he got to his sweet spots on the floor and showed that he's ready to play that role once again.
Julius Randle: A
In his first official game with the Nets, Randle looked like he was trying to get his teammates more than he normally would in the middle of the season and figuring out that chemistry will be important for everyone. Randle eventually displayed his ability to get whatever shot he wanted on the floor while also showing that he can be a physical presence for the team on both ends of the court.
Day'Ron Sharpe: A
Sharpe was the starting center for the Nets in this one and he looked like he belonged as he took his time with his offensive possessions and never looked sped up at any point. Sharpe will be assuming plenty of responsibility on the defensive end as he'll have to find a way to protect the rim and rebound, but so far, he looks like he's ready to be the man in the middle.
Noah Clowney: B
Clowney will likely have better shooting games than he did against the Hornets, but he seemed to find his rhythm once he got some sweat going and got into the game. Clowney will likely be coming off the bench this season so the goal for him will be to remain efficient on the offensive end while getting less shots and less chances to experiment with his offensive game.
Chaney Johnson: B
Johnson had a great showing this summer during the summer circuit, especially as he showed his ability to play across the frontline to provide some depth in that manner. Johnson did a great job of scoring around the rim and he played his part in the rebounding phase of the game as he likely prepares to spend the majority of this season in the G League.
Mo Wagner: B+
Wagner will likely assume a huge role for the Nets this season as he'll probably be the backup center to Day'Ron Sharpe and the German looked like he has for the past few seasons in terms of his style. Wagner played hard on both ends of the floor and while that resulted in some unnecessary foul trouble, he also showed how his skillset can be pivotal to Brooklyn's rotation.
Terance Mann: B
Mann has been a steady veteran presence for the Nets since coming to the team last offseason and given that he played a significant amount in this game, it seems like he'll be part of the rotation on opening night. Mann did a good job of shooting the ball from three-point land and he made some nice plays on the defensive end of the floor like the playoff-tested player he is.
Ben Saraf: B
In an interesting development, Saraf was the backup point guard to Demin instead of Nolan Traore and that could be an indication of how Saraf has performed in training camp thus far. Saraf did a good job of scoring the ball all over the floor and he took care of the basketball while finding his teammates for good looks when they were open within the flow of the offense.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets player grades after 124-90 preseason opener win over Hornets
