Nolan Traore spent last season as a waifish rookie, one too slight and skinny to finish at the rim.
The young point guard returned to the Nets bigger and brawnier.
It remains to be seen if he’s better.
“He’s a year older, and maturity is important — presence, confidence, all that. And you can see him with his sleeveless, and how much [bigger he is],” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said. “It’s great. He’s put the work in. You watch him move around and play. It’s a second-year player, now he knows a little bit more about what is the NBA, and I’m excited to watch him play.”
Anybody who watched Traore at the start of camp saw a more muscular version — because he was wearing a sleeveless hoodie to show off his newfound physique, earned through hours of lifting over the offseason.
Though Traore missed summer league — recovering from June arthroscopic surgery — he clearly hit the weight room.
“My knee is completely fine now, so there’s no concern,” Traore, 20, said. “For me, [the offseason] was more the physical aspect. Obviously the shooting, too. I worked a lot on it and I feel good now. Changed a few things, too.
“Offseason was a lot of [time in the] gym. That was the main thing. Focusing on just getting better as a player, watching clips from the playoffs or watching reads. Working on my shot, too.”
While Traore did focus on more repeatable shot mechanics, more important might be the 10 pounds of good weight he packed on. After being a lithe 180 pounds coming into training camp as a rookie, he tipped the scales at a more solid 190 this year.
Part of that is the help of sports and performance dietitian Sarah Wenig, and the Nets training staff, and more from his own weight room diligence.
The Nets hope it will help what was arguably league-worst finishing.
Of every player who attempted at least 100 layups, his 44.4 percent was dead last. He’s expecting his added muscle to help.
“Yeah, for sure. Now instead of going around players like I was doing, maybe I’ll go through them a little bit more, and I’ll be able to absorb contact way more than last year. So of course it’s going to help me,” said Traore, adding finishing is part muscle and part mentality. “You’ve got to have both, but it’s easier when you’re stronger.”
Although the Nets drafted Mikel Brown Jr. sixth overall at point guard, Traore’s development is vital. Of their record five first-round rookies last year, only lottery pick Egor Dëmin was taken higher than Traore. That makes the latter’s development vital, with Fernández showing faith in the guard’s promise.
“I think he’s a good finisher,” Fernández said. “Once again, you guys are judging a rookie going into the NBA, a 19-year-old at the time. He’s 20 now. So I don’t see any problems in his finishing.”
