Brooklyn Nets
Keon Ellis – Ellis will start at shooting guard beside Egor Demin early in the year. He should eventually be supplanted by rookie Mikel Brown Jr. Regardless of where he starts the game, the Net should be a high-end steals streamer who also helps from deep. He’s a decent end-of-the-bench option in deeper leagues.
Mikel Brown Jr. – We only saw Brown once in preseason. He played 18 minutes against the Heat and put up 15 points, two threes, three assists, and two steals. He should eventually be the team’s starting point guard and could develop into a standard league punt FG% asset. For now, he’s more of a watch in 12-team leagues than a must-grab. He should be rostered in deeper settings.
Egor Demin – Demin had a big Summer League but followed it up with a very underwhelming preseason where he shot just 36.8 percent from the field. His dimes were up, but he only played beside Mikel Brown Jr. once. Once Brown moves into the starting lineup, Demin’s assists could disappear. If he starts slow, he should not be considered a must-hold. He’s not a high-upside option, and his touches will likely be somewhat limited as long as Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle are active.
Josh Minott – Minott is a per-minute stud who has flopped whenever he has been given big minutes. Players like Minott are usually traps but can work out on bottom-tier teams that can afford to play low-impact players. If Minott plays minutes in the low 20s, he could be a solid boards and defensive categories streamer.
26/27 Players To Watch in Week 1 – Eastern Conference
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