Egor Dëmin's Promising Rookie Season Cut Short

The Nets announced that rookie guard Egor Dëmin is set to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

The rookie guard has been dealing with the issue for some time and has missed some games as the Nets attempted to manage the pain in his foot. However, after some tests, the Nets medical staff has decided that the best course of action is to simply sit the guard out for the remainder of the year to ensure that the injury does not get any worse.

For the Nets, it is not as big an issue as it could be because they are a rebuilding franchise and need to focus on the development of their young players, especially the rookies.

However, it is the end of what has been arguably the best rookie year by a Nets player in some years. Before his injury ended his season early, Dëmin was making a big impression in Brooklyn. He was the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and played 52 games, starting in 45 of them. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, and made almost 39% of his three-point shots. His shooting became one of the Nets’ most reliable options.

Dëmin made 124 three-pointers, the second-most among all rookies this year. He also set a Nets rookie record by making seven threes in a single game. For 34 games in a row, he hit at least one three-pointer. That’s a strong streak.

People around the league noticed his play. He was chosen to play in the NBA Rising Stars event during All-Star Weekend, which is a special honor for a rookie.

For a rebuilding team focused on young players, Dëmin has been one of the best surprises of the season. Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said that they are resting their rookie to ensure his long-term well-being. They saw his injury and knew that if Dëmin played with his plantar fasciitis, it could also impact him next season. By stopping his season now, the Nets hope that Dëmin will heal well and come back stronger next season.

"First of all, [Demin's] always been a kid that wants to play, wants to be out there, wants to develop; and nothing better than playing real games to get better at this level," Fernandez said of Demin prior to Monday's matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.

"Obviously, when you have discomfort and it doesn't allow you to play at that level, we had to find solutions," Fernandez continued. "Like we said, we were trying to find the best way. At the end of the day, the good thing is it's non-surgical procedure. [We'll] see what the timetable is. Obviously, the summer and getting him to work and get better throughout the process and having a summer is important."

Fernández also commended Dëmin for working hard all season despite his injury.

Nolan Traoré Beginning to Turn Heads

Dëmin’s injury leaves the Nets with one less young guard, but there’s some good news: Nolan Traoré is starting to stand out.

Traoré is only 19, but he’s quickly becoming one of Brooklyn’s most promising young players. He struggled at first with the speed and toughness of the NBA, and the team sent him to the Long Island Nets to help him learn how to run the offense and handle pressure.

Since returning, Traoré looks much better. He seems more comfortable on the court, pushing the pace, setting up teammates, and running the offense well. His progress is clear. Now, people around the league are beginning to notice him.

As a rookie, he’s averaging 13.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He looks more confident each game, he attacks defenders and sets up plays for himself and his teammates. He’s especially good at creating his own shots.

In February, Traoré had 67 assists. That’s more than any other rookie or player in the Eastern Conference by a big margin. These stats show he has great court vision, which makes sense since he was highly rated as an international prospect before the draft.

If he keeps playing like this, the Nets may have found a core player for the future; even Coach Jordi Fernandez agrees

”I think Nolan is doing it on his own. He works with Corey [Vinson, an Nets assistant]. Does a great job. He’s helped him learn how the NBA works with his teammates.

“Going through the games. He’s always believed that he belongs. He always fights back. He’s getting to be the voice and the presence that we believe he is. He’s not there yet because we also believe his ceiling is much higher. These last 23 games are huge for him.”

Michael Porter Jr.'s Looming Free Agency Decision

The Brooklyn team is still learning how to play together. They are young and figuring things out, but Michael Porter Jr. is their main player. This season, he has really improved. Porter Jr. scores about 25 points each game and gets over seven rebounds. He looks confident scoring from anywhere on the court.

He is the leader of this rebuilding team. The Nets have a lot of new players, but Porter Jr.'s skills help them stay competitive, even against top teams. He brings calmness and control that is rare for a team this young.

People are already wondering if he will stay with the team for a long time. Right now, though, he is the main reason the Nets are doing well. Even if he is only with Brooklyn for a short time, he is giving fans something to cheer for.

“I’m enjoying my time here,” Porter Jr. said on The Emily Austin Show. It’s obviously different than Denver, but um, you know, I’m 27 now. And to have this time of my life to embrace this different opportunity. I’m all about it. So, I’m excited for not only the remainder of this year, but going forward hopefully with Brooklyn.”

When the Nets acquired Porter in the offseason via trade, they took on his five-year $179.2 million contract. After finishing his $35.8 million season with the Nuggets in 2024-2025, Porter was slated to make $38.3 million this season. The Nets will on the hook for another $40.8 million next year unless they cut ties in the summer or before the 2027 trade deadline. Porter has a chance to get a big contract extension this offseason, and it could really affect the Nets’ future. If other teams show interest and the talks get serious, he might get offers over $200 million.

Porter says he likes being in Brooklyn, but the main issue is whether the Nets want to spend that much money on him. The team isn’t known for handing out huge contracts. Most people think his new deal will be around $150 to $160 million, which would be a middle ground for both sides after they talk things over.

However it ends up, this contract situation will be a major story for the Nets this offseason.

Brooklyn’s Final Stretch

As the regular season is coming to a close for the Nets, Brooklyn is shifting their focus to growth and long-term plans with Danny Wolf, Noah Clowney, Day’Ron Sharpe, Nolan Traore, MPJ, Nic Claxton, Ziare Williams, Ochai Agbaji, and Terance Mann.

The Nets still have 18 games left in the regular season and are out of playoff contention and play-in talks. Brooklyn is looking for the younger players to gain valuable minutes and experience in hopes of the lottery balls to play in their favor.

Currently, Brooklyn would have the fourth-best chance, according to Tankathon, at securing the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft, which shows how much growth is a part of this team’s long-term plan.

Egor Dëmin is expected to be a key player for this team in the near future when he’s healthy next season. Nolan Traoré’s rapid growth is only fueling more optimism for this young Nets core. And on top of all this, Michael Porter Jr.'s contract extension could determine whether or not this team is more focused on growing a franchise player or younger guys in this organization.

As a team still searching for their next contender era, the next few weeks will be crucial for this franchise as they progress to the end of the season.If Brooklyn can continue growing this young core and make more long-term decisions for this franchise, they could be laying the groundwork for a contender in the near future.