Nets start Dëmin, Ellis, MPJ, Randle, Sharpe

Dëmin’s absence could mean some spot starts for Keon Ellis, who started the first three games of the season and started the second half of Tuesday’s game after

Dëmin was injured. Nolan Traore could remain in the starting lineup and join Ellis there.

Dëmin suffered a right leg contusion during the second quarter of Tuesday’s game and returned to the locker room shortly thereafter. He’s now done for the night, with Keon Ellis entering the lineup to begin the third quarter.

One game removed from recording 17 points and five assists, Traoré has been rewarded with his first start of the season. He replaces Keon Ellis, who will come off the bench. The change also means that Dëmin will spend more time off the ball, which could help him get going after a slow start to the season.

Coming off of a 22-point effort in Saturday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Dëmin shot 1-of-6 from the field on Sunday. He’s been inconsistent thus far, with the stellar showing against Cleveland sandwiched between poor efforts against the Horners and Pacers. In those two contests, Dëmin shot a combined 3-of-16 from the field and recorded four assists and five turnovers. He’ll look to bounce back on Tuesday against the Celtics.

After struggling in the season opener, Dëmin was more productive in this outing. He had five 20-point games during his rookie year, but he was already able to add his first one of this season just two games in. Dëmin was taken at the end of fantasy drafts this season, and while he wasn’t great against the Hornets on Wednesday, this type of performance will make him worth the late-round swing.

Egor Dёmin looks to capitalize on his summer league performances and has done so in preseason. He’s been able to get by players more effectively which has helped unlock more of the passing. While he won’t be a full-time point guard in the NBA, he should still be one of the favorites to have a breakout season in the NBA. While its important to not over index on single game +/-, he was a 0 which led all starters.

Dëmin said during the offseason that he hopes to have the ball in his hands more this season, and he’s started at point guard in both of Brooklyn’s preseason games. Through two games, the second-year guard has totaled 10 assists and three turnovers. Adding Julius Randle (14 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals) to the rotation should help Dëmin as a playmaker and raise his fantasy ceiling. His ADP of 118 makes sense, but don’t be surprised if it creeps up some between now and the start of the regular season.

Thursday’s defeat likely ended the Nets’ chances of earning a spot in the Summer League semifinals, so this may have been the last action that Dëmin will see in Las Vegas. Like many of his teammates, the second-year guard got off to a slow start before helping the Nets mount a rally early in the fourth quarter. Dëmin shot 5-of-16 from deep against the Rockets, but the increased comfort with the perimeter shot makes him a player worth grabbing in the latter rounds of drafts in the fall. Of the four 2025 first-round picks who were active for the Nets this summer, Dëmin was the best performer by a significant distance.

Dëmin and the Nets moved to 2-1 in Las Vegas with a 115-83 victory on Tuesday, and he had another stellar showing. The second-year guard scored 20 points in the first half alone, helping Brooklyn eliminate any drama in the second half. Of the five players the Nets selected in the first round of last year’s draft, Dëmin is the one who has performed the best, both last season and this summer. While he wasn’t much of a fantasy asset as a rookie, the 6-foot-9 guard will be worth selecting in the late rounds of redraft leagues.

Dëmin played well during the California Classic and carried that into the Nets’ first game in Las Vegas on Friday. Heading into his second NBA season, the 6-foot-9 guard has scored 20 points or more in each of his last three summer appearances. While there is a significant difference between summer league and the regular season, Dëmin has shown signs of progress as a scorer. He’s been both aggressive and efficient, a balance some young players struggle with. We’re approaching the point where it would be fair to ask whether the Nets plan to shut Dëmin down.