The Brooklyn Nets (3-0) had been playing well throughout the preseason as they have been able to see forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle play well together so early in their partnership. Brooklyn had a tough task to begin the week as they visited Trae Young and the Washington Wizards (2-1) on Monday, but the Nets were able to come out on top after a breakthrough third quarter.
The Nets beat the Wizards 131-122 on Monday thanks to Porter leading the Nets in scoring with 22 points and four rebounds while guard Nolan Traore came off the bench to drop 17 points and two assists. Randle finished the contest with a near double-double as he had 14 points and nine assists and he was a big part of Brooklyn holding Washington to just 22 points in the third period.
Kyshawn George led the Wizards in scoring with 21 points and four assists while forward Bilal Coulibaly came off the bench to drop 19 points and three steals to keep Washington in it for as long as possible. Forward AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, had 14 points and four rebounds while Young had 11 points and 11 assists in his 28 minutes.
Here are the Nets player grades following Monday's win over the Wizards to keep their preseason record perfect through three games:
Egor Demin: C+
Demin was aggressive on the offensive end of the floor, but he struggled mightily with his shot, especially shooting the ball from behind the three-point line. While Demin didn't shoot the ball that well, he did a good job of organizing the offense when the ball was in his hands and he limited his amount of turnovers despite Washington's defensive pressure.
Keon Ellis: B+
Even with Michael Porter Jr. and Day'Ron Sharpe returning for this game, Ellis remained in the starting lineup and it's easy to see why given how he played against the Wizards. Ellis did a great job of scoring the ball from all over the floor and while he didn't necessarily fill up the stat sheet, he was solid on the defensive end to couple with his offensive outburst.
Michael Porter Jr.: A
Porter missed Brooklyn's win over the Philadelphia 76ers due to left wrist soreness, but with the way he played against Washington, it seemed like his wrist wasn't bothering him that much. Even though Porter struggled with his shooting touch from three-point land, he was able to score everywhere else on the floor and he was also making plays on the defensive end of the court.
Julius Randle: A
Randle showed what he could do without Porter in the lineup in the Nets' win over the 76ers, but this game against the Wizards showed arguably the biggest reason that the Nets traded for him. Randle did a good job of scoring the ball from all over the floor at an efficient clip, but his biggest asset on the floor was his passing as he seemingly set up every one of his teammates over the course of his minutes.
Day'Ron Sharpe: B-
Sharpe missed Brooklyn's win over Philadelphia due to left shoulder soreness, but it looked like he was able to compete on both ends of the floor despite the soreness. Sharpe wasn't particularly involved on the offensive end of the floor or in the rebounding phase of the game, but he did a good job of passing the ball and being active on the defensive end as well.
Noah Clowney: A
Clowney had arguably his best game of the preseason as he basically couldn't miss on the offensive end as he scored at all three levels regardless of who was guarding him. Clowney was solid with his rebounding and his passing and in addition to his offensive output, he was also active on the defensive end, especially getting into the passing lanes.
Chaney Johnson: C+
Johnson has had splashier games than he did against the Wizards, but it was good to see him do what he did as one of the main players coming off the bench for the Nets. Johnson was efficient with his offensive touches and while he didn't fill up the stat sheet like he has done at times, he was active on both ends of the floor and constantly used his athleticism to his advantage.
Mo Wagner: A
Wagner was likely heading into the season as the backup center to Sharpe, but his performance during the preseason is likely going to give him more minutes. Wagner did a good job of scoring the ball and getting to the free-throw line, he rebounded the ball well, and his activity on the defensive end was felt throughout the game during his time on the floor.
Drake Powell: D
Powell did not make much of an impact on either end of the floor in this one despite this game being as high-scoring as it was, but it looked like he was focused more on doing the little things. Powell has been heralded by plenty of his teammates as one of the best defenders on the team and while that is usually on full display, he also has to bring some offensive punch as well.
Nolan Traore: B+
Traore seemingly couldn't miss from anywhere on the floor as he was able to use his speed to his advantage on virtually every play, including getting to the rim against this Wizards defense. Traore struggled to be efficient as a playmaker as he finished the game with more turnovers than assists, but head coach Jordi Fernandez will likely take Traore's offensive success as the biggest takeaway.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets player grades for 131-122 preseason win over Trae Young, Wizards