Chaney Johnson Flashes Considerable Upside in Nets' Loss to Trail Blazers

Jordi Fernandez believes Chaney Johnson might get overlooked.

Mar 16, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Chaney Johnson (31) warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets have been running thin in recent games, with several of their key players out due to various injuries.

The Nets found a spark late in their 104-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, with E.J. Liddell, Tyson Etienne, and Malachi Smith being thrust into rare fourth-quarter minutes to help Brooklyn tack on 41 points in the final 12 minutes of the game to nearly escape with a win in the City of Brotherly Love.

However, the Nets failed to find that same luck back in their own building, falling to the Portland Trail Blazers 114-95 on Monday.

Etienne, for his part, picked up right where he left off, finishing with 15 points on 3-of-7 shooting. Chaney Johnson led all Nets scorers with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting and nine rebounds. Ben Saraf added 15 points.

"I mean, 17 and 9 is pretty elite," Nets coach Jordi Fernández said of Johnson. "He plays bigger than what he is, his length. He may get overlooked because nobody knows him very well, but he can guard almost everybody. He's super active, super athletic. He can shoot the three. He does everything well. He doesn't try to do too much, and I think that always helps. You see that every time he's been on the court, it's positive."

The Nets have been able to find success from some of the deeper members of their rotation, largely due to the time some of them spent with their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

"I learn about them every day, how they react to certain situations and how competitive they are and if they can push through adversity, all those things," Fernández said. "I get it, the game goes pretty fast for them and when it starts slowing down, you start seeing execution. Their heart is in the right place. These guys have been amazing. They work really hard."

It was an off night for first-time All-Star Deni Avdija, who by far drew the loudest cheers in front of a packed Barclays Center. He finished with 18 points on an underwhelming 4-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, and five assists, though his gravity appeared to open up plenty of scoring opportunities for his other teammates.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder set to visit Brooklyn on Wednesday, this young Nets team will have a golden opportunity to get realtime reps against the defending champions.