Netbook Notebook: Drake Powell’s long-term starting spot isn’t guaranteed, but his opportunity is real

ballervisions 2026年1月17日

Nets coach Jordi Fernández hasn’t chalked up Drake Powell’s recent move to the starting lineup as a reward as much as an experiment, and that theme informed his pregame thoughts ahead of Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center.

The rookie wing started his third straight game against Chicago and made the most of his past two, averaging 13 points and three rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game while converting 81.8% of his two-point attempts. The production was clean, efficient and impactful, the kind of stretch that reinforces why Brooklyn directed Powell as a long-term piece rather than a short-term project.

But Fernández made it clear that the first role is still up for grabs.

“Beginning is not a guarantee,” said Fernández. “He’s going to have to keep trying hard, and from there we’ll take it one game at a time.”

That line fits with the broad way Fernández has handled roles throughout the season, often testing players in different positions to see what translates when the game speeds up and the stakes grow. In Powell’s case, the coach is not happy with what he has given Brooklyn so far. He’s clearly pushing for more, believing Powell’s ceiling is more than a “spinning wing.”

“Drake did an amazing job last game,” Fernández said. “We believe that he will not only be a good player but a two-way player.”

Fernández solved the checklist that makes Powell so interesting, describing him as a shooter and a player who can be used on the second side of actions, handle the transition and guard the opponent’s best threat. It’s a rare combination for a rookie, which is why Powell looks more comfortable each time his role expands. His athleticism, Fernández added, “is at the top of the NBA at his position.”

The question now is compatibility.

THE NEXT STEP

Egor Dëmin looks very comfortable with the game, and Fernández said the biggest sign is that the rookie is no longer playing fast. The read comes in clean, the shot comes in rhythm, and the Russian guard was able to knock down three pointers without forcing the offense around him.

“I think his ability to shoot the ball in the flow of the game has been impressive so far,” said Fernández, noting that Dëmin can reach it “with or without the dribble.”

But as the season heads into its second half, Fernández wants that comfort to turn to anger. The coach said Dëmin’s next step is not just to shoot, but to use his size and ability to touch the paint regularly, finish with balance and make good plays that don’t depend on falling jumpers.

“When he touches the paint hard… I think that’s where he makes the difference and takes the next step,” Fernández said.

WASH AND REPEAT

The Nets have dropped five straight going into Friday’s game, and the standings don’t leave much room for optimism right now. But Fernández insists that the way he will do it will not be to carry the last result to the next one, although he admits that he does not give up that easily.

“As a team, we believed that the next game is the most important game,” said Fernández.

For him, moving forward does not mean forgetting. It means learning. Fernández said the shutouts have become ongoing lessons, from timing to late-game decision-making, and he treats each one as a note the next time the Nets are in that situation. He called that experience “very important,” not only for the program, but also for the coaching staff, because there’s rarely a single correct answer to tough times in the NBA.

The best, he said, is connecting when the limit is low, staying consistent, and trusting the system without second-guessing. That’s the challenge for a young team trying to grow from a loss: keep the urgency, keep the belief and make sure the lessons are learned before the next game turns to the same fate.

“You’re right there, but you don’t win,” said Fernández. “And those lessons are very important for us, it’s very important that you understand the NBA. Games keep coming and whenever it’s fast, it’s fast, but there’s no moral victory, we have to go out there and believe that those little things will help us get the next one.”