The Brooklyn Nets have plenty of young talent to develop as they progress in their rebuild. There are obvious standouts like Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton, but fans cannot forget about second-year forward Jalen Wilson. Wilson has shown high promise as a reliable scorer, but head coach Jordi Fernandez wants to see more.
Wilson entered the 2024-25 NBA season with an increased role due to the potential he showed with the Nets down the stretch of 2023-24. Furthermore, his 2024 NBA Summer League MVP showing enticed Brooklyn.
Through the first two games of 2024-25, Wilson averages 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He scored a stout 16 points in 34 minutes during Brooklyn's season opener against the Atlanta Hawks. However, he played just 13 minutes against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 25.
Jordi Fernandez revealed insight behind his decision to play Wilson fewer minutes in the matchup, issuing a request for Wilson to improve in one key area:
“I want to see more defense from him, and I want him to understand the challenge. It’s not just that you’re gonna go out there and score 16 [points] and have a great game offensively. A basketball game is a game that you gotta play on both ends, and that’s what I need from him," Fernandez said after the Magic loss, per Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.
Fernandez wants Wilson to dial up his intensity defensively. Some may view the head coach's decision to play Wilson less minutes as harsh, but Fernandez is actually helping the second-year forward in a major way.
Fans can expect more out of Wilson
It is great to see that Jordi Fernandez holds high expectations for Jalen Wilson. As Fernandez elaborated, basketball requires high-level effort on both ends of the floor, and if Wilson wants to help the Nets win, he needs to be stronger defensively.
Wilson totaled one steal in Friday's Magic loss, but that is clearly not convincing enough for Fernandez. It will take some extra effort and hustle on Wilson's part to reach the level Fernandez and the Nets need him to be at. At 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, Wilson certainly has the physical tools to be disruptive on the defensive end.
The former Summer League MVP has already proved he has what it takes to be a strong scorer. He averaged 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and shot a blazing 55.0 percent on his three-pointers during his MVP run. If he can combine his shooting ability with consistent defense, he could become the best two-way player on the Nets' roster.
The important thing to remember is that there is time for Wilson to work through the kinks. This is only his second year, and the Nets are only two games into the season. Still, there is no greater time than the present for Wilson to get his hands dirty and show Jordi Fernandez that he belongs in the borough.