Nolan Traoré won’t take the floor in Summer League after undergoing a minor right knee procedure, removing an important early test for the second-year guard. The Nets expect him back well before training camp, but the timing still cuts into key development reps.
The Brooklyn Nets will be without Nolan Traoré this summer after the second-year guard recently underwent a minor procedure on his right knee.
General manager Sean Marks confirmed Monday that Traoré had an arthroscopic procedure to address lingering soreness from last season and will not participate in the NBA Summer League. The expectation, however, is that he’ll be back on the court well before training camp.
It’s a precaution more than anything, but it does take away an important stretch for a young player still trying to carve out his role in Brooklyn’s backcourt and build momentum heading into Year 2.
Traoré showed real flashes during his rookie season after being selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. In 56 games (31 starts), he averaged 8.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game. The efficiency wasn’t always there as he shot 38 percent from the field, but the Nets saw enough in his playmaking to keep him in the rotation for most of the year and trust him with real on-ball reps.
At his best, Traoré looked like a guard who could eventually run an offense. He created for others, pushed tempo, and had stretches where his passing stood out as his clearest NBA skill. Defensively, he also showed steady progress as the season went on, using his quick hands and activity to stay disruptive on the ball and pressure opposing guards.
Summer League would’ve been another step in that development. Not a defining moment, but a chance to get more reps, tighten up his decision-making, and build on what he showed as a rookie. Instead, he’ll spend the next few weeks rehabbing with an eye toward training camp and a larger role next season.
The timing is at least mildly notable given Brooklyn’s crowded young backcourt. The Nets used the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Mikel Brown Jr., adding another high-level ball handler into the mix. That doesn’t necessarily change Traoré’s outlook, but it does raise the level of competition for minutes moving forward and makes every opportunity matter a little more.
For now, though, the focus is simple: get healthy, get back on the floor, and pick up where he left off once camp opens in the fall.
Brooklyn is still expected to have plenty of its 2025 draft class available in Las Vegas, including Egor Dēmin, Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, and Ben Saraf when Summer League tips off later this month against the Sacramento Kings. Traoré will be the notable absence, but only for the summer, not anything longer-term.
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