The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed restricted Trendon Watford free agent on a one-year qualifying offer bringing the intriguing 23-year-old forward back into the fold. Watford, who played for the Nets last season after signing a non-guaranteed minimum contract, will now look to fill a bigger role as the team no longer looks to thread the needle between rebuilding and contending.
Last season, Watford played in 63 games, starting just two, while playing just 13.6 minutes per contest. In that limited run, though he both exhilarated and frustrated fans with his unique playing style and tantalizing skills. That all made him a favorite to bring back in free agency this offseason.
What does Trendon Watford bring to the table?
Standing 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and weighing 240 pounds Watford has prototypical size and length for the power forward position. That’s a good thing for the Nets who have had trouble finding real power forwards in recent years instead opting to play wings at the four with mixed results.
While he played sparingly last season, he made an impact when he was on the court. Averaging 6.9 points to go along with 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 52.7% from the floor and 39.7% from downtown. While Watford has the size of a prototypical power forward he doesn’t play like one.
With the ball in his hands, he’s a surprisingly adept ball handler capable of creating shots for himself or others. That being said, while he’s completely comfortable bringing the ball up the court and initiating the offense, he can sometimes play out of control and get into trouble. Beyond that, he is a real catch-and-shoot threat from beyond the arc and can utilize his driving skills to attack closeouts and score on his own or create a shot for a teammate.
Defensively, Watford’s size and length make him a pest. He’s strong enough to defend bigger power forwards and centers down low, while also athletic enough to guard wings on the perimeter. This athleticism and versatility give him switchability that fits nicely with some of the Nets’ other premium defensive players like Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney.
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This season is a try-out for Watford
After going undrafted and being cut by Portland after just two seasons, last year was his opportunity to resurrect his career. Now, the fourth-year player will be auditioning for a role as a piece of Brooklyn’s future. There were some who were encouraged enough by his performance last season to want the Nets to sign Watford to a multi-year deal.
Sean Marks and the front office felt otherwise and now put the onus on Watford to prove that he can keep up his scoring efficiency, playmaking, and defensive versatility over a larger role. If he can, he’ll be a key player to lock up long-term next offseason. If not, he’ll most likely be looking for employment elsewhere.
If Watford proves that, in a bigger role, he can actually run an offense like a point forward while being an efficient scorer, versatile defender, and sniper from beyond the arc, he’ll wind up being much more expensive than he would’ve been on a multi-year deal this year. And, while Marks and company might kick themselves for being a year late with the multi-year extension, they should be happy because they’d have found a key building block for the future.
