WASHINGTON — After starting 60 games last season for the Nets, Noah Clowney is about to lose that power forward job to Julius Randle.
But rather than sulk, Clowney has put together a solid preseason to stake his claim to rotation minutes in a crowded forward competition behind the All-Star. After an understated opener, Clowney has logged consecutive solid outings.
Starting in a victory over Jaylen Brown and the Sixers, Clowney had 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting and 2-for-3 from deep to finish plus-12. And in Monday’s win in Washington, he followed up with 15 points on 5-for-8 from the floor and 4-for-6 from behind the arc.
Clowney added four assists and a steal without a turnover.
“Just steady,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “He’s been consistent so far. The whole training camp, the whole, all these preseason games. Very proud of him. You see him with 15 points.
“[We] challenge him. We’re challenging him to rebound. But yet four assists to zero turnovers, that’s pretty impressive. He’s just been very good — not too high, not too low. He’s always ready. And that’s the Noah Clowney that we need, because we know that he makes a lot of winning plays.”
The Nets close out the preseason Wednesday in Miami.
Clowney is eligible for a rookie scale extension, with the deadline coming Oct. 19, a day before the regular season starts. Brooklyn isn’t expected to give him one, meaning Clowney would become a restricted free agent next summer.
Rookie Mikel Brown Jr. is slated to make his delayed preseason debut against the Heat. The No. 6 pick, Brown has been sidelined after rolling his ankle three weeks ago.
But the 20-year-old Orlando native practiced fully over the weekend and participated in 5-on-5 on Monday morning. He expects to have roughly 20 family and friends in attendance at Miami.
“[I’ve been doing] just the normal stuff: strength work, getting the strength in the ankle back, strengthening the muscles around it. I’ve been attacking it every single day,” Brown told The Post. “Just to be able to go out there and play basketball again, it’s going to mean the world, especially back in Florida. I’m basically back home, so I’m going to enjoy it.”
Brown, who played in just 19 games as a freshman at Louisville due to a back injury, will be on a minutes limit against the Heat. But barring any setbacks, he should be ready to go in the Oct. 21 regular-season opener at home against the Hornets.
Josh Minott, who inked a two-year extension with Brooklyn this offseason, was the last player off the bench Monday, and his 7:15 logged was the least of any Net that saw action. Danny Wolf — also vying with Minott, Clowney and Chaney Johnson for rotation spots — got just 8:51.
The more than 575 names across the Nets’ dedicated court to be debuted Opening Night represent every player to make an official appearance for the team.
