Brooklyn Nets 2015-16 Season Preview: Markel Brown

Name: Markel Brown

Height/weight (per Basketball-Reference.com): 6-3, 190 pounds

Career/2014-15 stats: 47 G, .362 FG%/.266 3FG%/.825 FT%, 4.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 95 offensive rating, 107 defensive rating

How he was acquired: Drafted by the Timberwolves on June 26th, 2014 in the 2014 NBA Draft with the 44th overall pick and subsequently traded to the Nets for cash

2014-15 season recap: Brown, whose more prominent teammate at Oklahoma State, Marcus Smart, overshadowed him during his rookie year, came out of college much like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson did: as a defense-first athlete whose offensive game needed a lot of work to be competent in the pros. For the most part, that evaluation turned out to be accurate for Markel in his debut NBA campaign, as he really struggled to find a consistent shot–outside of explosive dunks–but was an enormous pest on defense who excelled in forcing turnovers.

The shooting numbers are pretty unsightly (see above) but the Nets never really needed much scoring from the rookie, so they aren’t wholly surprising. They’re much worse than they were in college–Brown posted a career .439/.347/.733 in Stillwater–but much of the decline can be attributed to the tough college-to-NBA jump that Markel had a problem with at times. What’s known for sure is that he can jump out (Markel-evation!) of the gym and make big plays here and there.

Expected role: Markel, who got some run at point guard last season, will be thrown into the backup mix at the 1 along with Donald Sloan, Shane Larkin and Ryan Boatright but is also an option at shooting guard behind Joe Johnson. However, since he’s so undersized, he could only play the 2 in an extreme small-ball lineup, which is one that Lionel Hollins utilized some times in 2014-15 when he pushed Joe Johnson to small forward. Regardless of how he’s used, though, Brown will be a key mix of the rotation for his defensive prowess but could earn a lot more playing time if he develops his jumper further.

Best-case scenario: Since it’s unlikely for his athleticism and ability to steal the ball (as well as occasionally block shots) will diminish, Brown can only get better in his sophomore season. Mostly, this improvement could be made in the realm of shooting, which was a major bugaboo for him and led to his decreased playing time as the season went on. He was an offensive handicap for Brooklyn, which unfortunately took his defense out of the lineup more than Lionel Hollins would have liked. Just making 40-42 percent of his field goals–and even 30-32 percent of threes–would bode well for Markel and the Nets.

Worst-case scenario: For as good as he was overall in man-on-man defense, Brown was prone to mental lapses that led to him leaving his man open for an easy layup or jumper. All rookies, it can be said, go through those non-physical struggles but the Louisiana native seemed to make more than Hollins would like from him. Normally, the positives he brings to the table on that side of the ball more than make up for the occasional mistake, but if they continue–and his shot doesn’t get better–Brown may see a repeat of his rookie year in 2015-16.

General thoughts: Most teams in the league would love to have a guy like Markel Brown on their roster, as young, athletic, explosive and defensively capable guards don’t grow on trees. He’s a piece the Nets want to have for awhile but in order to justify their commitment to him, he’ll have to limit the mental errors and become a league-replacement jumpshooter. Should he put those components together, who knows how much of his potential he can fulfill.