Brooklyn Waives Nuggets Center’s Cousin: What It Means and Tyrese Martin’s Training Camp Prospects

The Brooklyn Nets have signed G-League guard Tyson Etienne to an Exhibit 10 contract, as reported by Evan Barnes of Newsday. This signing comes as the roster is currently full, indicating that further similar agreements are likely ahead of training camp.

Etienne’s addition isn’t unexpected, given that the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, recently acquired the 6-foot-2 point guard from the College Park Skyhawks for Kaiser Gates. A product of Wichita State, Etienne has spent his entire career in the G League after going undrafted in 2022. He is also related to NBA players Deandre Jordan and Marcus Camby.

Etienne’s Profile and Impact

Etienne is known for his athleticism and solid skills as a shooter, playmaker, and defender. His performance improved in his second season with the Skyhawks, where he averaged 10.5 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game, along with shooting splits of 44.0% from the field, 35.9% from three, and 77.8% from the free-throw line.

With his signing, Brooklyn’s training camp roster now includes 20 players. Although the team has one player on a two-way deal, there are rumors that Chinese guard Yongxi Cui may fill one of the remaining two spots. Additionally, Jaylen Martin, who was retained from last season, is on a minor-league contract.

Recent Roster Moves

However, just today, Keith Smith of Sportac reported that the Nets waived Etienne. This trend of roster adjustments is expected to continue over the coming month, primarily to facilitate placements on G League teams. Notably, Etienne is now eligible for a $77,500 bonus if he stays with Long Island for at least 60 days.

Current Training Camp Roster Overview

As it stands, Brooklyn has 16 players on standard contracts. To comply with roster regulations before the regular season, the Nets will likely need to make a cut unless a trade occurs. Throughout the summer, players like Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic, Ben Simmons, and Dennis Schroder have been rumored to be available for trade.

If no trades materialize, Keon Johnson, Killian Hayes, and Jalen Wilson will likely compete for the last two roster spots. Johnson and Wilson both have minimal guaranteed contracts, with Wilson, a second-round pick in 2023, showing promise during his rookie season. He averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists across 43 games.

In contrast, Johnson has faced challenges since being drafted in 2021 but recently had his best summer performance, though he’s yet to fully realize his potential in the NBA. Hayes, on the other hand, excels as a distributor and defender but has struggled with shooting consistency.

Potential for Tyrese Martin

Tyrese Martin stands out as a likely candidate for a training camp deal. Like Etienne, Martin’s G-League rights were acquired by Long Island last week when they traded their first and second-round picks in next year’s G-League draft to Iowa. Given this investment, it would be surprising if Martin didn’t receive at least a training camp offer.

With 16 games of NBA experience under his belt and a strong showing during the summer league, Martin could potentially earn a two-way contract if he impresses in training camp. Last season with the Iowa Wolves, he averaged 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, achieving 12 double-doubles with shooting splits of 44.9% from the field, 32.2% from three, and 83.1% from the free-throw line.

Source: https://lastwordonsports.com/basketball/2024/09/11/brooklyn-waives-cousin-of-nuggets-center-what-does-it-mean-and-nets-targeting-tyrese-martin/