Nets' Egor Demin Projected to Have Breakout Season

Egor Demin quelled one of his biggest concerns heading into his first season with the Brooklyn Nets.

Jan 25, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) shoots against Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Egor Demin quelled one of his biggest concerns heading into his first season with the Brooklyn Nets last season, drilling nearly 40% of his 3-point shot attempts.

However, there were times he appeared hesitant to attack the rim and didn't always appear comfortable handling the ball.

A lot of that changed during the Summer League, where he was using his bigger frame against opposing defenders and showcasing bounce many fans didn't realize he even had.

With Demin likely to operate primarily in an off-ball role next to Mikel Brown Jr., there's a good chance he could be in for a breakout season, Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz writes.

"At 6'8", Demin can essentially play either guard position," Swartz wrote. "He made 40.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes. That was while playing with no true point guard and sharing the backcourt with a ball-dominant Cam Thomas. Now, with Brown and Julius Randle beside him, Demin should get more frequent and more open looks."

If Demin could improve his ability to cut off the ball to the rim, Brown and Randle could also find him find success in those situations.

Defensively, Demin has proven he can hang in there due to his positional size and length, but he doesn't have the lateral quickness to stay in front of smaller, shiftier guards.

Like most players, Demin has his flaws, but the self-awareness he showed at 19 years old is not always common, as he has demonstrated a strong understanding of certain things he needs to work on.

He has also shown incredible leadership skills, often hyping his teammates up on the bench and taking over as the team's emotional leader.

One potential hurdle Demin will have to clear this season is the plantar fasciitis he's had to deal with over the last year and change, which hindered his ability to effectively prepare for his rookie season.

Demin found ways to work around that, such as shooting while sitting down on a chair, but he'll ultimately need to be able to handle more minutes and games on the court if he wants to perform up to his fullest potential.

With Randle and Michael Porter Jr. in the fold, the Nets won't need Demin to emerge as one of their top two options just yet, but if he can show meaningful improvements in his driving and playmaking game, that'll go a long way in his long-term development.