The Brooklyn Nets will start Ben Simmons and Dennis Schroder when they play the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday.
On Saturday, Jordi Fernandez revealed that he intends to play both of the Brooklyn Nets leading point guard candidates, Ben Simmons and Dennis Schroder, together on Tuesday vs. the San Diego Clippers in the teams’ preseason opener.
“We’re going to go into the first game of the preseason playing with two point guards,” said Fernandez. “They played together. And we’re going to go into the first game of the preseason playing with two point guards,
“It’s something that it gives us a different look, playing with size, but not a true big and a lot of playmaking and shooting. So it’s going to be fun to give it a look.”
On Media Day, Schroder said the two had played together — and well — in scrimmages.
“Even when I got traded here, I wanted — because I thought he was healthy — to play with him more minutes on the court. And in mini-camp, we had a whole week where we played together, and it looked great,” said Schroder who like Simmons is on expiring deal. “So I’m really excited about him being healthy, And all the all the noise and social media, what everybody was saying about him, I’m really looking forward for him to shut everybody up.”
Teammates said they looked forward to it.
“It’s been good, man. They’re both so fast, both so electric when they play. Both looking to find guys running the floor,” said Jalen Wilson. “It’s good for me, because I want to run the floor, get to the corner, get open shots. And I’ve got two guys pushing more trying to find us.”
“I haven’t seen it in action yet, so it’s hard for me to say [how it’ll look],” admitted Noah Clowney. “But in having both of them, they can be able to play off the ball and to be on it. It can be unique in the ways we can use that.”
The only other natural PG on the 20-man roster is Exhibit 10 Killian Hayes, who played nearly 5,500 minutes over four years at the point in Detroit before he was cut mid-season last year.
“I just feel good here,” Hayes said of his experience so far in Brooklyn. “I feel like it’s a good system and a good start for me because it’s kind of a rebuild, and I’m trying to rebuild myself as well.”
Meanwhile, a day after Nic Claxton was ruled out of the preseason opener, the Nets announced that two other players, Trendon Watford and Day’Ron Sharpe, not only won’t play Tuesday. but remained in Brooklyn where they’re being treated by team doctors, also for hamstring issues.
As Brian Lewis reported Saturday afternoon….
Day’Ron Sharpe and Trendon Watford have not made the trip to California with the #Nets as they started training camp in San Diego. They’re back home in Brooklyn being evaluated by the medical staff, and will have an update shortly.
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 5, 2024
Like the decision to rest Claxton for the Clippers game, the decision to treat Watford and Sharpe is seen as precautionary. After Friday’s practice, new head coach Jordi Fernandez said the decisions followed some intense practices.
“Obviously, today’s a big recovery day after three days of working really hard,” Fernandez said before the team left Brooklyn on Friday. “Now, we’re just trying to recover today, long flight [ahead], which is also going to impact their bodies, and that we’ll have a good practice once we get there the next day.”
More than one Nets player has called Fernandez’s practices the most intense they’ve experienced in their careers. He has said he wants the Nets to be the best conditioned in the NBA.
The Nets will not practice Sunday, then will be back on the court Monday at the University of San Diego, the day before the Clippers game at Frontwave Arena, the Clips new G-League arena, also in San Diego.
- Nets have unique first solution to Ben Simmons-Dennis Schroder point guard battle – Brian Lewis – New York Post