As players begin to return to the HSS Training Facility for pick-up games and workouts prior to to the opening of training camp at the next of next month, it’s typically a time when word begins to trickle out about how each has developed throughout the offseason … who’s looking good, who will surprise.
That intrigue becomes even more prevalent when a player didn’t appear in Summer League, as was the case with Nolan Traoré, who enters his second season in Brooklyn after an up-and-down rookie year as the league’s sixth youngest player.
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Nets two-way forward Chaney Johnson has had an up-close look at his teammates in recent weeks and he’s excited about the French guard’s progress since the last time they took the court together back in mid-April.
In an exclusive conversation with “The Brooklyn Boys Show,” Johnson cited Traorè as the Flatbush 5 (sans Egor Dëmin) member he’s seen grow the most.
“Honestly, I’m going to have to say Nolan,” Johnson told me when asked about what he’s seen . “All the guys have improved, but I feel like Nolan … he’s a different guy now. He done put on some mass. He’s walking around with a sleeveless hoodie on, looking at the biceps, you know what I’m saying? He done put on some strength.”
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Traoré didn’t play in Summer League, recovering from a knee scope, although he is expected to make a full return for training camp. While he wasn’t active on the floor, he’s has still been active in the gym and the weight room all offseason long, evidenced by Johnson’s comments.
We got only a brief look at him in Las Vegas when the Nets opened up the gym to the media …
After a rookie season in which he looked skinny playing against NBA competition, a bulk-up is expected to help Traoré’s game as he looks to take a Year 2 leap. Traoré finished the year on a high note, indicating he has plenty of upside and room for growth. Over the past month and half of the season (31 games), Traore averaged better than 11 points a game along with four assists, putting up individual games of 23 points, 12 assists and five 3-pointers. Even before that, in February, Traore led the 2025 rookie class in assists with 67.
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Johnson had good things to say about the other members of the Flatbush 5 as well.
“All the guys have improved,” he added. “Drake has gotten stronger. Danny has gotten stronger. He’s gotten a lot more mobile. He’s moving a whole lot better. I can just tell the confidence that he’s [showing] in his workouts and the way that he’s operating. Ben has gotten stronger.”
Johnson spoke as well of the two veterans, Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, who he said will bring needed “grit” aka physicality
“You know, I got to be around MPJ a solid bit toward the end of the season last year, and then just getting to meet Julius Randle and being around him a lot more. Julius Randle, for sure, just brings a grit that I’m not going to say we don’t have, but just a grit that we need,” he said.
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“He brings — like, Jordi is a hard-nosed, dive-on-the-floor, play-hard, but at the same time make sure we take care of the basics type of coach. I feel like Julius brings that. He just brings an added benefit on top of what Jordi already wants out of his players.
“He’s a cool dude. I feel like he’s a lot bigger in person — pause. But muscle-wise, this man is, like, [unclear], man. He just brings strength. He brings a toughness that I feel like is going to pay off this year.”
Johnson experienced an encouraging offseason of his own. The 24-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and a Summer League-leading 3.3 steals per game in Las Vegas as he continues to strengthen his case for an expanded role with Brooklyn.
Currently on a two-way contract, Johnson is looking to earn a standard NBA deal with the team, and his Summer League showing was certainly a step towards accomplishing that.
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“I just wanted to go out there and have fun,” Johnson said of his own performance. “Of course, we wanted to win it all, but we fell short. The camaraderie that we had, we just enjoyed it. I feel like that kind of showed on the court.”
That alone didn’t leave him satisfied, though. Since returning to Brooklyn, he has continued working to round out his game ahead of training camp.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger, a lot more athletic,” Johnson told me. “My touch has improved. I feel like my shot has improved a good bit since last year.”
One of Johnson’s biggest offseason priorities has been developing his shooting game. He has worked closely with Nets shooting consultant Dave Love to fine-tune his mechanics.
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“I’ve been getting a lot of reps in,” Johnson said. “I’ve been working with Coach Dave Love, just working on loading my wrist, getting my hand under the ball and making sure my balance and everything is keyed in. My confidence with shooting has come a long way.”
Despite standing at only 6’7″, Johnson spent significant time at the 5 throughout Summer League games in Sacramento and Las Vegas, and despite being undersized for the position, he believes the way Brooklyn uses the center spot fits him.
“I feel like it suits my strengths,” said Johnson regarding the way Brooklyn utilizes the five. “Playing at the 5, driving on DHOs, you just can’t be loose with it. You’ve got to make sure you’re getting below the defender so you can make the handoff easier and make the guy coming off the DHO open for three or for the attack.”
Given that he is undersized, he’s faced challenges defensively, but Johnson has learned to lean on his athleticism and instincts as much as possible.
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“Since I am shorter than the average NBA center, I just use my athleticism as much as I can, use my quickness and try to use my mind to get every advantage,” Johnson said of his 40+” vertical. “One thing you can’t get is height, so I’m just trying to use all my strengths — my strength, my quickness and my athleticism — to my best advantage.”
At the end of the day, though, Johnson’s goal is to see the NBA floor as much as possible. After signing with the team in December on a two-way contract, he knows exactly what it takes to battle for recognition.
He had to make his mark with the Nets’ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, before earning an NBA chance. Prior to that, he was with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ G League team.
Johnson played in 24 games for Long Island (four starts), averaging 14.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 26.9 minutes while shooting 56.1% from the field.
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His journey began, though, in the Division II ranks at the University of Alabama at Huntsville before transferring to Auburn, where he helped lead the team on a Final Four run in 2025.
“I’m just attacking every single day, attacking every weight-room lift, attacking recovery and trying not to take any days for granted,” Johnson said. “If I get the opportunity, I’m going to go out and play hard. I’m not leaving anything on the court.”
Johnson can’t control how many minutes will be available when the season begins. For now, he remains focused on making sure he is ready to give 110% whenever his name is called.
At the end of the day, his path for minutes won’t be easy. Brooklyn has eight players on rookie contracts, not counting second-round rookie, 6’9″ shooter Tyler Bilodeau, who is also on a two-way deal.
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There will be no shortage of competition for playing time, but Johnson has already shown he will put in the work and make the most of whatever comes his way.
Bottom line, Johnson said he and his teammates want “to win every game” after last year’s 20-win season which he described at “terrible.”
“I just feel like we’re hungry,” he said. “They know — we realize how terrible of a team we were last year, or how terrible we did. I know ‘terrible’ is a strong word, so I don’t want to — but we weren’t the best team last year. So I feel like we’ve got that chip on our shoulder now, and we’re ready to prove some people wrong.”
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