The Brooklyn Nets are moving on from another member of their previous young core. Former Summer League MVP Jalen Wilson has signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks after spending his first three NBA seasons in Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Nets are saying goodbye to another member of their previous young core.
Former Nets forward Jalen Wilson has agreed to a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, giving the 25-year-old a fresh opportunity after spending the first three seasons of his NBA career in Brooklyn.
Wilson became an unrestricted free agent earlier this offseason when the Nets declined to extend him a qualifying offer. The decision wasn't much of a surprise after Brooklyn spent the offseason reshaping its roster, adding established veterans while continuing to prioritize the development of its recent draft classes.
Selected with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Kansas, Wilson entered the league on a two-way contract after helping lead the Jayhawks to a national championship in 2022 and earning consensus First Team All-American honors the following season. The Nets converted his two-way deal into a standard NBA contract during his rookie campaign, a reward for the progress he showed early in his career.
Selected with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Kansas, Wilson entered the league on a two-way contract after helping lead the Jayhawks to a national championship in 2022 and earning consensus First Team All-American honors the following season. The Nets converted his two-way deal into a standard NBA contract during his rookie campaign, and he later earned NBA 2K25 Summer League MVP honors in 2025 after averaging 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists while leading Brooklyn to the Summer League semifinals.
Wilson appeared in 176 games over three seasons in Brooklyn, making 27 starts while averaging 7.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He quickly earned a reputation as a high-energy wing willing to do the little things, whether it was crashing the glass, defending multiple positions or providing a spark off the bench.
His biggest opportunity came during the 2024-25 season. With Brooklyn beginning its rebuild and placing a greater emphasis on player development, Wilson carved out the largest role of his career. He appeared in 79 games, including 22 starts, and averaged career highs of 9.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists while logging more than 25 minutes per game. Although his shooting percentages left room for improvement, he became one of the team's more reliable rotational players because of his versatility and consistent effort.
That role changed significantly last season. Wilson appeared in 54 games and averaged 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in just 15.9 minutes per contest. He knocked down a career-best 35.5 percent of his three-point attempts but found himself playing fewer minutes as Brooklyn's rotation became increasingly crowded throughout the season.
The Nets have transformed their roster over the past two offseasons, adding seven first-round picks in Egor Dëmin, Danny Wolf, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, Mikel Brown Jr. and Joshua Jefferson while also acquiring veterans Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, Keon Ellis and Moritz Wagner. With Brooklyn balancing veteran additions alongside a growing collection of young prospects, Wilson ultimately became one of the roster casualties.
He'll now head to Atlanta looking to earn his way back onto a standard NBA contract. While the Hawks already have plenty of depth on the wing, Wilson brings valuable NBA experience despite being on a two-way deal, giving him a chance to compete for minutes and continue his development with a new organization.
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