Day’Ron Sharpe, Mo Wagner Embrace Nets Frontcourt Role

The Brooklyn Nets are entering the 2026-27 season with a different look in the frontcourt, and Day’Ron Sharpe and Mo Wagner already seem to be embracing what that change could mean for the team.

With Nic Claxton no longer in Brooklyn, Sharpe is heading into the season as one of the Nets’ longest-tenured players and could be in line for a significantly larger role. The 24-year-old center said Monday at Nets Media Day that he is not concerned about whether he starts or comes off the bench, focusing instead on making the most of whatever opportunities come his way.

“I’m just going to do my thing,” Sharpe said. “Going out there, playing hard, producing and trying to help us win as many games as possible.”

Sharpe is coming off a career-high in minutes and expects that number to potentially increase again this season. He acknowledged that playing more minutes will require him to learn how to pace himself, avoid foul trouble, and pick his spots, but his approach remains the same.

“I’m just going to play hard until the wheels fall off,” Sharpe said.

Sharpe is also entering a different stage of his career. He revealed that he got married over the summer, calling it the highlight of his offseason, and joked that Wagner went through the same experience.

The two big men also spent part of Media Day discussing what it has been like going from opponents to teammates.

Wagner, who signed with Brooklyn during free agency, admitted that he used to dread seeing Sharpe enter games when the two played against each other. The reason was simple: Sharpe’s physicality and rebounding ability made for a difficult matchup.

“I was always every time I played against him, I would be so mad when he gets into the game because I knew I would struggle on the boards,” Wagner said.

Now, instead of battling Sharpe on opposing teams, Wagner has been competing with him during Brooklyn’s offseason workouts.

Sharpe had similar feelings about Wagner, describing him as a versatile player who could hurt opponents in a variety of ways. He also joked about Wagner’s tendency to get under opponents’ skin and use his emotions to his advantage.

Wagner did not exactly deny it.

He explained that his emotional style has always been part of who he is, but he has learned throughout his career how to use that energy without allowing it to become a distraction. His time with the Orlando Magic over the past several seasons helped him better understand when that intensity can benefit his teammates.

The Nets are expecting both players to contribute to a defensive system that may look different without Claxton. Sharpe said the team plans to emphasize defending ball screens at the level and controlling the ball as a group rather than relying solely on one traditional rim protector.

“It’s more of a team effort,” Sharpe said.

For Wagner, the transition to Brooklyn has been made easier by the competitiveness he has seen throughout the organization, particularly from the Nets’ young players. He said this summer has been the hardest he has worked with an organization, with the younger players helping set the tone.

At 29, Wagner joked about being considered one of the older players on a young Nets roster. He said the timing of joining Brooklyn feels right following his injury, giving him an opportunity to challenge himself physically while helping the team build toward winning.

He has also quickly found some familiar faces in Brooklyn, including fellow Michigan players Danny Wolf and Juwan Howard.

While Wagner has spent plenty of time in New York already, he joked that Sharpe may need to introduce him to the subway. Wagner said Brooklyn reminds him of Berlin and that he has already used the subway frequently, while Sharpe admitted he has never taken it.

That exchange offered a glimpse of the personality the Nets could have in their frontcourt this season.

Sharpe and Wagner may have spent years trying to make life difficult for each other as opponents. Now, they will have the chance to do it together.