Nolan Traore is the last of the Brooklyn Nets' five rookies yet to receive an extended NBA audition. After a stellar G League stretch over the last month, Traore appeared in line for an opportunity last week. However, the 19-year-old played only 18 total minutes across two games during his NBA call-up.
Jordi Fernandez said Traore can still benefit from that time with Brooklyn despite his limited minutes.
“Real minutes mean a lot. So I know that eight to ten minutes may not seem a lot, but you can really help a team win a game in nine or ten minutes,” Fenrandez said. “Nolan deserved to play because he's done so well with Long Island. He's gotten better every single game, not just the numbers, but how he was playing. He was playing the same way we want him to play here: confident, shooting the ball, great assist-to-turnover ratio, all that stuff about pressuring the ball.
“He came here, he had the opportunity, he played. Competed in Dallas all the way through, played here the other day. And now we know that there's a stretch of games where the most important thing is consistent minutes. Consistent minutes and games played. That exposure to this environment is very important… The reason for all this is to keep developing, keep getting better, keep challenging yourself. And I think he's doing it. He's embracing it.”
Jordi Fernandez on Nolan Traore's limited minutes during his NBA call-up last week:
"I know that eight to ten minutes may not seem a lot, but you can really help a team win a game in nine or ten minutes. Nolan deserved to play because he's done so well with Long Island. He's… pic.twitter.com/Y2Wtr8AVgH
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 21, 2025
After struggling during the preseason and his first G League games, Traore has emerged as Long Island's top player over the last month.
Will Nolan Traore receive extended NBA minutes during the coming week?
The French floor general averaged 20.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.9 turnovers on 53/53/79 shooting splits over nine G League appearances before his most recent NBA call-up. Brooklyn sent him back down to Long Island following Sunday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks, during which he played nine minutes in garbage time.
Traore turned in another positive performance at the G League showcase in Orlando on Saturday. He posted 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 4-of-6 shooting during a 111-102 loss to the Mexico City Capitanes.
An injury to Nets rookie Drake Powell could put Traore back in the mix in Brooklyn's rotation this week. After Powell sprained his ankle during Friday's loss to the Miami Heat, the Nets ruled him out for Sunday's home matchup with the Toronto Raptors. Brooklyn called Traore up from the G League ahead of the Raptors tilt.
