Nets two-way signing draws Jordi Fernandez praise after career-best performance

Tosan Evbuomwan was an unknown among the Brooklyn Nets fanbase when he joined the team two weeks ago. However, the two-way signing has made the most of an extended opportunity amid a series of injuries.

Evbuomwan nearly willed the Nets to a come-from-behind victory on Sunday against the Jazz. The Englishman and Princeton product scored a career-high 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting in 24 minutes during a 112-111 overtime loss.

“[He was] amazing,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “He's always under control and looks like a guy who has been there before. He's 23 with the experience he has. I'm very happy to see him [play], keep working with him, keep developing him. He's doing his job, and that’s what we’re asking of all of our players is to keep working, keep getting better, and to go out there and compete and fight.”

Tosan Evbuomwan had a near-perfect night! The @BrooklynNets two-way signee erupted for a career-high 22 points on 88% shooting in 24 minutes off the bench, leading the Nets in scoring. 💪 pic.twitter.com/4dG2YHf8ch

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 13, 2025

With the Nets down Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson and D'Angelo Russell, Evbuomwan saw his number called in several clutch moments against the Jazz.

Tosan Evbuomwan making the most of opportunity with Nets

Brooklyn Nets forward Tosan Evbuomwan (12) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) during the second quarter at Delta Center. — Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Evbuomwan scored five of Brooklyn's nine points in overtime. Down one with 12 seconds remaining, the team turned to the 23-year-old for a potential go-ahead bucket. He drove left on Utah's Isaiah Collier, drew a foul, and knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Nets the lead.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.

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However, Collier would split a double team and score on the other end to put the Jazz back in front. With 2.4 seconds left, Brooklyn called Evbuomwan's number again, but he couldn't get a shot off amidst a sea of Utah defenders, sealing the Nets loss.

“We need to get a shot up in that scenario. I fumbled it, I didn't get a shot up… We can't go out like that with a turnover… Need to execute better as a group,” Evbuomwan said of the play.

Final: Jazz 112, Nets 111

Utah somehow escapes with the win in a game where it felt like they did everything they could to lose. pic.twitter.com/JJa6va8qaN

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 13, 2025

Evbuomwan, the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year, has averaged 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists on 57/36/61 shooting splits in 24.0 minutes per game over five appearances with Brooklyn. The 6-foot-8 wing joined the Nets after beginning the season with the Los Angeles Clippers G League affiliate. He made 17 NBA appearances as a rookie in 2023-24 while splitting the year between the Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons.

The Nets are expected to continue a roster teardown as they angle for a top pick in next June's draft. Brooklyn's tanking direction should give Evbuomwan an extended runway to showcase himself to the team's front office during the second half of 2024-25.

“We have a great group. I'm really blessed to be here and be around the guys. The coaching staff is great. The camaraderie is there. We just need to bring it together on the court for the whole game,” Evbuomwan said. “I love being here; I love being part of the group. Those guys are super encouraging. Everyone, whether playing or not. They've been super helpful with me getting comfortable playing here and learning all the new stuff.”