The Brooklyn Nets open preseason action Tuesday in San Diego against the Los Angeles Clippers. After trading Mikal Bridges and pivoting to a rebuild, the team enters the 2024-25 campaign on a new timeline. While several rotation pieces are returning, the Nets welcomed first-time head coach Jordi Fernandez and numerous offseason acquisitions.

Here are three Nets storylines to monitor during this preseason.

How are frontcourt minutes divided between Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney?

Simmons enters the 2024-25 campaign after two straight seasons cut short by back injuries. Despite his injury struggles and Brooklyn's new direction, Fernandez has made it clear that the Nets intend to feature the three-time All-Star as a focal point of the rotation. However, with Simmons, Claxton, Clowney and Day'Ron Sharpe returning, Brooklyn has a crowded frontcourt featuring three non-shooters.

Fernandez was spared from difficult rotation decisions after the Nets announced Sharpe would miss at least six weeks with a hamstring strain. Claxton will also miss Tuesday's preseason opener due to hamstring soreness. However, once his starting center returns, the head coach's lineups could offer a glimpse into his philosophy.

Simmons and Claxton posted poor numbers together last season, albeit in a small sample size (99.04 offensive rating and a -22.76 net rating in 100 minutes). Despite this, Fernandez said he wouldn't shy away from experimenting with the pairing. While Simmons can still impact the game as a transition ball-handler and facilitator alongside Claxton, the duo's lack of shooting puts a glaring strain on Brooklyn's halfcourt offense.

Meanwhile, Clowney offers a far better fit alongside Claxton as Brooklyn's power forward of the future. The duo showed great promise defensively last season, combining for 12 blocks in a win over the Toronto Raptors.

Clowney's floor-spacing potential should allow him to play alongside a traditional center. He converted 36.4 percent of his threes as a rookie. His stroke looked even better at this year's Summer League, as he shot 39.3 percent on 5.6 attempts per game.

With Claxton sidelined against the Clippers, Simmons will start in a dual-point guard lineup alongside Dennis Schroder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. The five-out lineup offers an optimal fit around the former No. 1 pick, allowing him to act as a ball-handler in transition but a screener and roller in the halfcourt.

With Sharpe sidelined, Simmons could captain Brooklyn's second unit in the point-center role. How much Fernandez plays Simmons in the five-out look compared to pairing him with Claxton will be a story to monitor.

How often is Cam Thomas handling the ball in Jordi Fernandez's offense?

After cracking Brooklyn's rotation for the first time last season, Thomas enters 2024-25 as the team's top scorer. While the 22-year-old will undoubtedly lead the Nets in shot attempts, it's worth monitoring where those shots come from within the offense.

Thomas played extended stretches at point guard late last season under interim head coach Kevin Ollie. He improved as a playmaker in the role, averaging 4.0 assists over a two-month stretch.

Thomas also improved as a pick-and-roll ball-handler with added reps. While Brooklyn scored 0.91 points per possession on his pick-and-rolls last season (33rd among 50 players who averaged five or more per game), he and Nic Claxton flashed growing chemistry late in the year.

But Thomas also impressed while playing off the ball early last season. He averaged 28.7 points on 48 percent shooting over his first eight games, making quick decisions off the catch in the flow of Brooklyn's offense. Fernandez alluded to this during training camp, noting that Thomas ranks toward the top of the league in scoring efficiency when taking 1-2 dribbles.

The LSU product also shot a career-high 43.6 percent on catch-and-shoot threes last season, a positive sign for long-term positional versatility. With Simmons and Schroder expected to garner significant minutes at point guard, how often will Thomas initiate possessions for Brooklyn's halfcourt offense?

“I don't really know; it just depends on how the game is going,” Thomas said. “Obviously, I am who I am. I play [on and off the ball]. I can do both. So whenever Jordi needs me to do both, I'm capable. I think that's the beauty of my game. I can do both. I'm not really one-dimensional.”

“So whenever he needs me to play off the ball or, at some points in the game, get in a role of playing on the ball and getting guys involved, I can do that as well. So I think it's just finding that balance throughout the game and picking my spots.”

Who stakes their claim to the final Nets roster spot?

Keon Johnson is the favorite to secure Brooklyn's final roster spot. The shooting guard flashed his capabilities in the G League while playing on a two-way contract last season, averaging 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals on 47/37/79 shooting splits. Johnson signed a two-year, standard contract after an impressive showing at this year's Summer League.

However, only $250,000 of his 2024-25 salary is guaranteed, opening the door for another offseason signing to claim the Nets' final spot.

Killian Hayes is a candidate after signing an Exhibit 10 contract. The former No. 7 pick in the 2020 draft joins Brooklyn after four seasons with the Detroit Pistons, where he averaged 8.1 points and 5.2 assists on 38/28/78 shooting splits over 210 appearances (145 starts). At 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, Hayes offers solid size and defense at point guard but has yet to develop his outside shot.

The 23-year-old isn't eligible for a two-way contract, having played over three NBA seasons.

Amari Bailey joined the Nets at point guard on an Exhibit 10 deal. The former top-five recruit in the Class of 2022 could not carve out a role with the Charlotte Hornets last season after they selected him 41st in the 2023 draft. Bailey spent most of his time in the G-League with the Greensboro Storm, averaging 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 steals on 45/36/71 shooting splits over 36 appearances.

After playing for Brooklyn at Summer League, Tyrese Martin joined Bailey and Hayes on a training camp tryout. The 6-foot-6 wing spent last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves' G-League affiliate, averaging 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 45/32/83 shooting splits over 39 games.

After signing Jaylen Martin and Yongxi “Jackie” Cui, the Nets have one two-way spot open. Bailey and Martin are eligible to sign a two-way contract if they cannot secure a standard spot.