Noah Clowney’s Bench Role Could Define His Nets Future

Noah Clowney’s move back to the bench could end up being one of the more important storylines to watch for the Brooklyn Nets this season.

Clowney is coming off the best season of his young NBA career. The 22-year-old started 60 of the 66 games he played in 2025-26, averaging career highs across the board with 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 27.0 minutes per game.

Now, however, his role is expected to change.

The biggest reason is obvious. Brooklyn traded for Julius Randle this offseason, giving the Nets an established veteran and former All-Star to lead a young roster. Randle is expected to take over as the starting power forward, pushing Clowney into a reserve role.

Clowney already understands what that means.

“I probably won’t shoot as much as I did last year,” he said at Media Day. “But I’m going to shoot better shots, keep the offense flowing and just make the most of my opportunities.”

That could be a major adjustment for a player who had plenty of freedom last season.

Clowney averaged 9.6 field-goal attempts per game in 2025-26, including 5.9 attempts from three-point range. Those numbers are unlikely to remain the same coming off the bench, particularly with Randle now taking on a major offensive role and other young forwards such as Danny Wolf and Joshua Jefferson also competing for minutes.

That makes efficiency and consistency even more important.

Clowney shot just 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from three last season. He also averaged only 4.1 rebounds despite standing 6-foot-10, while his flashes as a shot blocker and defender were not always consistent.

Those are areas where Clowney can still take a significant step forward.

His comments at Media Day suggest he knows that. Rather than focusing on replacing his previous offensive production, Clowney said his biggest priority this offseason was becoming a better defender.

“If you want to get the minutes, do what you do better than the others,” Clowney said.

That mindset could go a long way toward determining what happens next for him.

There is still plenty to like about Clowney. He is only entering his fourth NBA season; he has shown that he can stretch the floor, and last season gave him valuable experience in a larger role. But the Nets also have to figure out exactly what he can become.

That’s what makes this season so interesting.

If Clowney can come off the bench, score somewhere around 10-12 points per game, improve his three-point efficiency, become a more consistent rebounder, and make a bigger impact defensively, the change in role could actually benefit him.

On the other hand, if his production falls significantly once his minutes and shot attempts decrease, Brooklyn may have to start asking tougher questions about his long-term fit.

The Nets needed a player like Randle. They needed an experienced scorer, veteran presence, and someone capable of taking pressure off their younger players.

But bringing in Randle also means Clowney has less room for error.

Brooklyn now has Randle, Wolf and Jefferson competing for frontcourt minutes alongside Clowney, and that could eventually make him an interesting trade piece if the Nets decide another roster move is necessary.

For now, though, Clowney has an opportunity to prove that last season was not simply the result of increased playing time.

He may not get 27 minutes or nearly 10 shots every night anymore. He may not be starting.

But if Clowney can become more efficient, defend with greater consistency, and make an impact in a smaller role, the Nets could learn a lot about what he can ultimately become.

And that might be more important to his future in Brooklyn than simply putting up another 12-point season.