Getty DeAndre Bembry, Nets (right)
One of the surprising aspects of this season for the Brooklyn Nets—and there have been many—as been the play of the team’s defense, which has held opponents to 104.7 points per 100 possessions, sixth in the NBA. That’s made up for a decidedly so-so offensive performance from the team. The Nets rank 11th in the NBA in offensive rating, at 109.1.
Last year, the Nets’ defense was unsightly for a contending team, allowing 113.1 points per 100 possessions, 22nd in the league. The offense was a juggernaut, though, with a rating of 117.3, first in the NBA.
Credit for the improvement is in part coming from an unexpected place—star point guard James Harden, who has been more engaged this season than he typically is on the defensive end. And credit for Harden’s defensive improvement just might go to reserve wing DeAndre Bembry.
Just ask Bembry and he’ll tell you.
“If you want to win it’s always for the bigger picture,” Bembry said, per the New York Post’s Brian Lewis. “So I came in talking to James about certain stuff, really defensively just trying to chirp at him just to try to get him play a little more defense. And it’s been working.”
Bembry Signed by Nets This Summer
Bembry came to the Nets on a partially guaranteed veteran minimum contract in August after he was waived by the Raptors at the outset of free agency. He was a first-round draft pick of the Hawks in 2016 and established a reputation as a very good wing defender and a prototypical 3-and-D guy. Problem was, the “3” part of that equation never really translated with Bembry, who shot 26.8% from the arc in his first four NBA seasons.
He has shot well on 3s for the Nets this year, making 41.4%, though that is only on 17 attempts on the season. But the Nets have found him to be a solid utility guy who has helped the team withstand a number of injuries, including most recently when a bad ankle kept Bruce Brown out of the starting 5 and Bembry filled in for three games.
“He’s good with the ball,” coach Steve Nash said, per the Post. “He can push it in transition. He can draw and kick. He’s a good cutter. He really makes a lot of good decisions offensively for a guy that’s not a primary target. You add it all up, and he does a lot for the team.”
Bembry’s Contract Guaranteed on December 15
Bembry needs to do enough for Nash and the team over the next 18 days to make the Nets feel he’s worth keeping for the duration of the season. That’s because, as of now, only $750,000 of his contract is guaranteed. On December 15, the remainder of Bembry’s $1.94 million becomes guaranteed.
Making solid contributions defensively, and pushing Harden to do the same, will go a long way toward earning a longer spot and bigger role for Bembry. But Harden and star forward Kevin Durant have a lot of work to offensively—it’s up to role players like Bembry, Brown, patty Mills and James Johnson to hold up the Nets’ defense.
“Yeah, a few guys have came in and asserted ourselves,” Bembry said. “Obviously Bruce Brown, he’s been [out] a couple of games; but he’s been very active in that starting lineup, so him starting off like that, Kevin [Durant], James [Harden] locking in, I think there’s just a start for us. Then we have guys like myself, James Johnson, Patty coming in being aggressive.
“So it’s just more so of us being assertive, and being aggressive. Obviously that’s one of the keys they wanted to bring in this past summer was some defensive guys and being aggressive. So it’s some of the guys already here and some of the new guys [coming] together and just being more assertive.”