[jwplayer kBav5MVx]
The 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets are going to look much different from the 2019-20 team with Kevin Durant returning to the floor, Kyrie Irving being his No. 2 and Steve Nash being the rookie who’ll run the show.
But that doesn’t mean — for all the weird things the franchise experienced — 2019-20 was a throwaway year for Brooklyn.
Nets Wire is looking at the good and bad from 2019-20 nd handing out some end of the season grades. Let’s look at the wing who quickly became a team leader in his first year with the Nets:
Garrett Temple
STATS: 10.3 PPG | 106.9 DEF RTG
Temple went above and beyond what should’ve been required of him. In a bizarre year, he was a steady presence and voice, handling the role of eldest veteran well.
For the first time in his career, Temple averaged double-digit points per game over the duration of an entire season. However, he logged his worst field goal percentage (37.8%) and 3-point percentage (32.9) since 2013-14.
Temple provided the Nets with solid defense in a year where they struggled in that aspect. As he’s expected to do less on offense, Temple should be able to make even more of an impact on that end of the floor.
Also, something unrelated to his work off the floor or as a VP of the NBPA: Temple made the most of the NBA’s hiatus by studying for the LSAT.