T.J. Warren's effect on the Brooklyn Nets heading into this season was a bit of an unknown. Having missed the last two years due to a stress fracture in his left foot, it was unclear whether Warren's microwave scoring ability would return at the same level after joining Brooklyn for the minimum.
Ten games into his 2022-23 campaign, Warren already has the look of one of the top value signings of the offseason. The forward is averaging 10.3 points on 50.3 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from deep while offering a versatile defensive presence on the wing. Warren has posted a 124.3 offensive rating in 182 minutes this season.
“Just staying aggressive,” Warren said of his success following Brooklyn's 125-117 win over Cleveland Monday. “My teammates have done a good job finding me in rhythm. Just picking my spots and knowing where to be aggressive. Overall, just being a threat when I’m out there.”
And a threat he was Monday. Warren dropped a season-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting off the bench. The 28-year-old's three-level scoring ability offers a lethal complement next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
“He just has a knack for scoring the basketball, it’s amazing,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said postgame.
Brooklyn has cleverly used Warren as a screener for both stars to utilize his scoring ability. If teams double or shade heavily to Durant or Irving, Warren can make them pay using his three-point shot or array of moves in the mid-range.
If teams choose to switch actions between Warren and Durant or Irving, the forward has the size and offensive repertoire to punish mismatches, as he does here against Darius Garland and Jevon Carter.
While Warren's injury put his future into serious question, it should be no surprise the former lottery pick can provide a scoring punch when healthy.
The North Carolina State product poured in 19.8 points per game on 40.3 percent shooting from 3-point range in his last full season with the Indiana Pacers. Warren was one of the league’s top performers during the 2020 bubble in Orlando, averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 10 games, including a 53-point outburst on 9-of-12 shooting from three against Philadelphia.
However, Warren's impact with Brooklyn thus far has encompassed far more than his scoring. The 6'8″ forward has added a versatile defender on the wing, challenging scorers using his 6'10” wingspan on the perimeter and in the post.
Following Brooklyn's win over Milwaukee Friday, Durant said Warren's high-level defense caught him by surprise upon his return.
“We all know he can score with the best of them, but I think what’s surprising was how good he is deflecting the basketball on defense, sliding his feet,” Durant said. “Scorers like him really don’t get that rep on defense, but I think he’s someone we can rely on to guard up and make an impact on that end.”
Warren has not been known for his defensive prowess during his six-year career. And the veteran questioned the narrative that he can't defend when speaking at Nets practice last week.
“I’m fully confident in myself. I know what I can provide for a team,” he said. “Just being a two-way player, locking in on defense. I feel like a lot of people didn’t think I can play defense. I don’t know where that narrative came from, but I’ve been improving on that end as well as being a scorer. Just being aggressive when I’m locked in.”
Warren has also made his presence felt on the glass, registering five or more rebounds in each of his last three games. Brooklyn's added size on defense and the boards has become a strength during its recent hot stretch. The Nets possess a noticeably longer and more athletic rotation than in years past with the additions of Warren, Ben Simmons, Royce O’Neale, Yuta Watanabe and Edmond Sumner. Brooklyn’s top-10 rotation players post an average height of 6’7″ with an average wingspan of 6’10”.
The most impressive aspect of Warren's play through his first 10 games is that it's apparent he is still working himself into condition. The first-year Net had not played in a game since December 2020 before this season, something he alluded to when speaking last week.
“Yeah, my foot was good. It’s getting better every game,” Warren said. “Every time I’m out there, I feel like starting to feel that myself more and more and more, definitely… Being out two years and coming back, I feel like I’ve been adjusting pretty well. I’m still getting my legs under me. So it’s getting more and more comfortable out there.”
General manager Sean Marks found three minimum signings this summer in Warren, Watanabe and Sumner who have transformed Brooklyn's rotation. Watanabe is leading the league in three-point shooting at 54.0 percent while providing another versatile defender on the wing. Sumner has provided a much-needed defensive option in the backcourt using his 6'8″ frame while creating in spurts offensively as a transition scorer and halfcourt slasher.
Monday's win marks the Nets' ninth straight, the team’s longest streak since moving to Brooklyn. After a 2-7 start, the Nets sit just a half game back of the Milwaukee Bucks for second in the Eastern Conference and two games back of Boston for first.
“We gotta have the approach to every game the same way, same mentality, same unity,” Warren said postgame Monday. “Everybody coming in together and just playing hard for each other, and we’ll continue this streak.”
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