Jordi Fernandez's High Paced Vision for the Nets Isn't Going According to Plan

The best teams in the NBA have recently adopted fast-paced mentalities, centered around dictating game tempo and testing opponents' conditioning. For example, both NBA Finals teams last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, ranked in the top half of the league for pace and fastbreak points per game.

Following suit, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez wanted his young roster to run a high-paced offense coming into this season. Those goals haven't come to fruition early on.

Through 26 games, the Nets rank last in the NBA for fastbreak points per game. The ball sticks too often instead of moving to the open man. Their combination of youth and the lack of a true playmaker has caused many mistakes in transition.

Given some injuries and the coaching staff figuring out rotations this season, it's likely that Fernandez's initial high-paced vision changed to fit the mold of his best players.

Starting center Nic Claxton leads the team in assists with 4.5 per game, which works well in the half-court offense, going inside and out, but it does not translate to fastbreak scenarios.

The root of a poor fastbreak offense starts on the defensive end. Brooklyn forces the 21st most turnovers per game and is 23rd in the league for points per game off turnovers. Despite having the youngest roster in the NBA, that hasn't translated to high energy in transition.

Even though the Nets' 2025 NBA Draft had a theme of talented playmaking across all five of their picks, many of those rookies play at a slow pace. Along with them, Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann tend to have the ball stick in their hands when they get outlet passes.

Porter Jr. has been the focal point of the offense since Cam Thomas went down with a hamstring strain in early November. He has a 30% usage rate –– easily the highest of his career –– and is most effective as a half-court scorer compared to forcing the issue in fastbreak opportunities.

Another reason why the fast-paced mentality has been a non-factor is that Brooklyn is ranked last in the league in defensive rebounds per game. More activity on the defensive glass is going to lead to more quick outlet passes up the court, but the Nets only have two players hauling in more than five defensive rebounds per game.

This isn't a problem that can be simply fixed, but it relies heavily on effort and game planning. As their young core continues to grow together, pushing the pace should only get easier and that play style could lead to more success overall.