Can this Rookie Be Brooklyn's Floor General of the Future?

It may take some time for them to develop, but the Brooklyn Nets appear to have placed the future of the franchise in the hands of their NBA-record five first-round draft picks.

Of those five rookies, three bring extended experience as primary ball handlers, with two even playing point guard at the professional level.

Despite a tough showing in NBA Summer League, Nets rookie point guard Nolan Traore stands out as a player with the athleticism and tools to potentially develop into Brooklyn's floor general of the future.

Through three Summer League games, Traore averaged 7.3 points, 2.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just 30.4% from the field and 14.3% from beyond the arc.

While the efficiency rates may be concerning, it's important to remember that this is an incredibly small sample size.

While playing with Saint-Quentin of France's LNB Pro A league, Traore was named theFIBA Champions League Best Young Player after averaging 13.4 points, a team-leading 5.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 31.4% from beyond the arc.

While testing at the 2025 NBA Combine, Traore finished with the third-fastest agility shuttle time among all guards.

His speed helped him a great deal while playing for Saint Quentin, and it’s already being viewed as an incredibly helpful strength by some of the minds in Brooklyn’s front office.

“His ability to just get by guys, it stood out to me. Elite first step. He touched the paint whenever he wanted, and he had vision,” the scouts said. “His ability to attack the rim, with NBA space, that’s going to be better for him.

And the Nets front office aren't the only people being optimistic about Traore’s explosive traits. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor viewed Traore as the fastest player in the 2025 NBA Draft.

"He’s the fastest player in this draft class. He’s able to go coast-to-coast with a flash, and he could thrive getting downhill in the pick-and-roll to draw defenses and activate his playmaking,” O’Connor said. “He makes some beautiful passes. He clearly knows how to use his speed to manipulate defenders."

During his first and only year in France’s top professional league, Traore set records for most points in a game by a player under 18 (25 points) and under 21 (27 points).

While his speed allowed him to simply blow past perimeter defenders in France, he will be facing much quicker, peskier guards at the NBA level. Luckily for Traore, he won't immediately be thrust into the position of being Brooklyn's top distributor. However, if his explosiveness and playmaking ability translate to the NBA, the Nets could have a future star on their hands.