Exhibit 10 Deal for Fanbo Zeng Feels Like Low Risk, High Reward for Nets

The pressure weighing on Fanbo Zeng's shoulders to make the Brooklyn Nets' final roster just got a whole lot lighter.

On Sunday afternoon, NetsDaily took to X to reveal that Brooklyn had signed Zeng to an Exhibit 10 deal rather than the two-way contract the sides had agreed to earlier in the summer.

Zeng, 22, went undrafted in 2022 after a one-year stint with the G League Ignite. He opted to suit up for the Ignite instead of attending Gonzaga, where he was initially committed, alongside fellow Net Drew Timme.

Before he blossomed into a star in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Zeng joined the Indiana Pacers' summer league squad back in 2022 but hasn't received an opportunity in the NBA outside of that.

The agreement with Brooklyn was meant to be his "big break," yet his spot on the roster won't be as safe as it was initially thought to be. While the shift is likely due to the Nets wanting to maintain personnel flexibility going forward, it does make Zeng more of an expendable player.

Entering training camp, he is somewhat of an anomaly. Zeng didn't average less than 10.3 points per game across three seasons with the Beijing Ducks, and shot a staggering 53% from the field in 2024-25. That also happened to be the season that presented the highest scoring mark of Zeng's career in China, as the 6-foot-11 big averaged nearly 15 points per game.

Zeng's greatest attribute that he can bring to Brooklyn's frontcourt is his uniqueness. While Nic Claxton and Day'Ron Sharpe are both high-quality centers, they're each somewhat one-dimensional. Neither possesses a real ability to stretch the floor or bury shots from beyond the arc, something that can't be said about Zeng, who shot 40% from deep last season.

Ultimately, he's a project. Jordi Fernandez and the rest of the staff will have to prioritize Zeng in player development sessions in hopes of him adjusting to the NBA level, and if he needs more in-depth work, the Long Island Nets could always be an option.

Regardless of the outcome, it seems that Brooklyn has a plan for Zeng—which is really all that the fanbase can ask for. Otherwise, it'll be forced to wait on training camp clips and preseason highlights to determine whether Zeng will be worth the low-risk commitment.