Egor Dëmin showed plenty of promise as a rookie, but his second NBA season could determine the trajectory of the Brooklyn Nets' rebuild. Here's why his development remains the franchise's biggest priority.
The Brooklyn Nets have no shortage of storylines entering the 2026-27 season. Julius Randle is set to make his debut in Brooklyn, Michael Porter Jr.'s long-term future remains uncertain, and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. will begin his NBA career with plenty of expectations.
But despite all of those questions, the most important one facing the franchise centers around a player already on the roster: Egor Dëmin.
NBA.com's John Schuhmann recently identified Dëmin as Brooklyn's biggest question entering next season: "How good is Egor Dëmin?" It's hard to argue with that assessment. While wins and losses will matter, the Nets' rebuild ultimately depends on whether their young core develops into legitimate building blocks, and Dëmin sits right at the center of that group.
The former BYU standout put together an encouraging rookie season after being selected in the lottery during the 2025 NBA Draft. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting an impressive 38.5% from three-point range. That outside shooting was especially encouraging considering it was viewed as one of the biggest question marks in his game after he connected on just 27.3% of his three-pointers in college.
He carried that momentum into Summer League, where he looked like one of the best players on the floor every time he stepped onto the court. Across three games in Las Vegas, he averaged 21.0 points and 4.3 assists while playing with noticeably more confidence than he showed at times during his rookie season.
Even with those flashes, there's still another level Dëmin can reach.
One thing to watch is how he balances his perimeter shooting with his playmaking. During Summer League, he and Brown combined to take 60% of their shots from beyond the arc. Dëmin has already proven he can knock down open threes, but his size, vision, and feel for the game suggest he can impact games in far more ways than simply spacing the floor.
The addition of Randle should also create cleaner opportunities for Dëmin. With opposing defenses forced to account for another proven scorer, he'll have more room to attack closeouts, operate as a secondary playmaker and continue expanding his offensive game. Having players capable of creating their own offense around him should allow Dëmin to pick his spots instead of feeling like he has to force the action.
Brooklyn doesn't need Dëmin to become an All-Star overnight. The Nets just need to see another step forward after an already promising rookie campaign. If he builds on what he showed during Summer League and becomes a more complete offensive player, Brooklyn will feel much more confident that it has found one of the cornerstones of its rebuild.
For a team still focused on the future, no individual development may be more important than Dëmin's. If he takes that next step this season, the Nets' rebuild will feel a lot further along than it did just a year ago.
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