Evaluating Jalen Wilson in his Third Season With the Nets

Under-the-radar would be an understatement when describing Jalen Wilson's presence with the Brooklyn Nets this season –– it's more like off the map. The former 2023 NBA Summer League MVP hasn't shown enough improvement to be deemed worthy of developmental minutes on a rebuilding team.

Wilson went from a solid rookie season in which he played 43 games and shot a career-best field goal percentage, to a sophomore season in which he played in all but three games, averaging 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on 33.7% from three-point range. Then, enter five first-round picks from the 2025 NBA Draft and two more offseason additions going into year three.

His role has been severely diminished to around the 10th man in the rotation, and he sometimes doesn't see minutes at all. Wilson has appeared in 37 of the Nets' 50 games this season.

Playing a career-low 14.5 minutes per game, he has struggled to find rhythm. The lone positive from this season is that Wilson has shown great improvement as a spot-up three-point shooter. He's shooting a career-best 35.9% from deep.

On the negative side, he's shooting a career-worst 36.7% from the field, only cashing in on 38.1% of his two-point attempts. Wilson has also regressed as a rebounder and lacks any growth as a defender.

The 25-year-old is competing with players like Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, Terance Mann and even new addition Ochai Agbaji for minutes. He's a forward with a guard's height, and he isn't strong enough to make up for it, leaving him in a weird position. Add on the fact that he'll be a restricted free agent this coming offseason, and a return to Brooklyn seems unlikely.

Of the 347 players who have played at least 30 games this season, Wilson ranks 345th in offensive rating with a 101.1 score. If he isn't open on the three-point line, he struggles to create other offense for himself or others.

Wilson hasn't been much better on the defensive side.

He's serviceable with a 114.1 defensive rating, which ranks fourth on the team, but that score has gotten worse each season of his career. His long arms allow him to get deflections against smaller opponents, but his on-ball defense leaves more to be desired.

Wilson's time in the league is likely far from over, but his time with the Nets seems to be ticking down with every passing game. He'll get more consistent playing time down the stretch to audition himself for teams come this offseason. How much more improvement he has in the tank is a mystery, as Wilson has experienced a season of regression in many ways.