Jalen Wilson
Getty
The Nets had to make a decision on Jalen Wilson's contract.
The Brooklyn Nets are outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, and they are showing no signs of making their way in. The Nets have been in the middle of trade conversations surrounding their best player, Michael Porter Jr. If Brooklyn decides to trade MPJ, the role players on the team will become much more important. With that in mind, January 7th is the deadline to fully guarantee contracts for those who do not have one.
Neither Jalen Wilson nor Tyrese Martin had a fully guaranteed contract for the 2025/26 season. The Nets had to make a decision on the two role players before the 5:00 pm deadline. Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Brooklyn has decided to guarantee the contracts of both men.
Michael Scotto
The Brooklyn Nets will fully guarantee the contracts of Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin for the rest of the season, league sources told @hoopshype. Wilson has averaged 7.4 points through three seasons with the Nets. Martin has averaged 8.3 points through two seasons with Brooklyn.
This means both Wilson and Martin will remain on the team for the remainder of the season, or they will at least get paid their full salary. Had the decision been opposite, the Nets could have released or traded them without much financial responsibility.
Jalen Wilson’s Impact on the Nets
Jalen Wilson
GettyThe Nets have fully guaranteed Jalen Wilson’s contract for the remainder of the season.
Wilson made much more of an impact last season for Brooklyn. During that year, the former second-round pick played 79 games and started 22 of them. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per game.
This year has not been as successful for Wilson. He has not made any starts, and he has appeared in just 23 of the Nets’ 33 games. In those games, he is shooting a career-low 36.8% from the floor, but he is making a career-high 35.5% of his shots from beyond the arc. Additionally, his free-throw percentage, rebounds, and assists have all gone down.
The reason for keeping his contract comes down to cost. The 6-foot-6 forward is now owed just over $2 million this season. With Brooklyn willing to trade Porter Jr, the Nets will need someone who can play his position to pick up some minutes. Now, Wilson is not likely to become a starter in MPJ’s absence, but he could see an increase in playing time.
Brooklyn could also decide to trade Wilson, considering he is a restricted free agent at the end of the year. Nonetheless, his contract is now fully guaranteed.
Tyrese Martin’s Impact on the Nets
Tyrese Martin
GettyTyrese Martin will have his contract fully guaranteed.
Martin has been more valuable than Wilson this year. He has played in 29 games, while starting six of them. He is also averaging 19.5 minutes, 7.4 points, 2.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game.
Along with those stats, Martin is 10th on the Nets with a 107.7 offensive rating. Among the players with regular playing time, Martin ranks eighth in that category.
Martin, a former second-round pick, will be owed a little over $2 million this year. His contract being fully guaranteed means he will see all of that money. Similar to Wilson, Martin is a restricted free agent at the end of the year. He plays the same position as Wilson, as well.
With the two playing the same or similar positions, the Nets made the decision to keep both. If the team decides to trade Porter Jr or even Cam Thomas, both men could see an increase in minutes. Martin could also see a few more starts in those scenarios.