Jalen Wilson's Nets Tenure Ends After Three-Year Stint

Wilson has found a new NBA home after spending three years in Brooklyn.

Jan 25, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) moves the ball against Los Angeles Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser (14) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the NBA season just a few months away, the final dominoes in free agency are starting to fall. That rings especially true for one Brooklyn Net from last season.

Jalen Wilson has found a new NBA home. The former Kansas Jayhawk inked a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. His departure marks the end of an interesting tenure in Brooklyn.

The Nets drafted Wilson in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. He was coming off a great season at Kansas and seemed like a steal at the 51st pick. In college, Wilson flashed elite scoring ability and managed to hold his own defensively. Nets fans would see some of that over the next few years.

The 6-foot-6 forward would go on to appear in 176 games across three seasons in Brooklyn, making 27 starts. His best season with the Nets came in 2024-25, when he played in 79 games. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, but struggled with his scoring efficiency. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, it was make-or-break time for Wilson. Things didn’t go according to plan.  

Last season, he played in just 54 games and averaged 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds a night. His efficiency didn’t improve, leading to him spending plenty of time on the bench and playing in garbage time. He quickly found himself outside of Jordi Fernandez's circle of trust. It became apparent that his time in Brooklyn had run its course.

The Nets added a lot of frontcourt and wing depth this offseason. Julius Randle and Mo Wagner were acquired and figure to play big roles next season. Throw in the return of Michael Porter Jr., Danny Wolf, Chaney Johnson, Noah Clowney, and Josh Minott, and the minutes just weren’t there for Wilson. The Nets will have Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau on two-way deals already. There's just not enough roster spots for Wilson.

Wilson's career in Brooklyn is hard to grade. As a second-round pick, one could argue he exceeded expectations, especially in that breakout second season. But he also left a lot of meat on the bone that the Nets couldn't get out of him.

At just 25 years old, there's still plenty of time for Wilson to turn his career around. Atlanta is a great place to develop, even on a two-way deal. He'll look to make the Nets regret letting him walk in free agency.