Nets DayRon Sharpe looks to pace himself while…
Finally a starter for the first time, Day’Ron Sharpe goes to face more first-stringers and log more minutes than ever.
The Nets heart is aware of he’s going to have to pace himself. But pacing doesn’t imply passive. Sharpe only is aware of a method to play: all out.
“I feel like I played against starters last year as well,” Sharpe said. “Sometimes, when I might come in the sport, they might put the more bodily man in the sport to deal with me. So just do my factor, just keep enjoying exhausting.
Day’Ron Sharpe is all smiles during Nets during Media Day at HSS Training Center on Sept. 28, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
“And even if it’s double the minutes, learn how to pace myself during the game, learning what opportunities to take [to avoid] getting in foul trouble, saving myself for later on in the game. But I’m just going to play hard until the wheels fall off. That’s all I can do.”
How a lot can those wheels take?
Sharpe, 24, logged a profession high in minutes last season, though it was just 1,160. He might be requested to practically double that with longtime starter Nic Claxton in Chicago after a four-team commerce this summer season.
As a high-energy bully on the boards — enjoying more durable and more aggressive than most foes — it begs the query of whether or not Sharpe can be ready to keep that benefit despite scaling up his minutes.
“I just think that’s me, bro,” Sharpe said. “I don’t really look at it how many minutes I’m playing. I look at it more so just stints. So I probably get more stints of me getting in the game. Last year, it was two stints coming off the bench where I play 10 minutes at a time. So I really don’t look at it like that. I’m just trying to win. So when the whistle starts, when the game starts and it’s time to play, I’m playing. When the game’s over, game over.”
Over his profession, Sharpe has averaged 18.7 rebounds per 100 possessions, including a staggering 8.3 on the offensive end. The latter determine would rank second best in league historical past, per Basketball Reference.
Day’Ron Sharpe looks on during Nets follow follow at HSS Training Center on Sept. 29, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
How a lot, though, will Sharpe’s edge drop off when having to log more prolonged enjoying time? The same holds true to an extent for newcomer Moritz Wagner, presumably introduced in to be Sharpe’s major backup.
“It’s a challenge because the minutes are going to go up,” Jordi Fernández admitted. “But I need them to combat for a beginning spot. So proper now, whether or not it’s Day’Ron or Mo, they’ve never been at beginning minutes. I see it more like a group that works effectively together. They problem but embrace each other. It might be different guys ending video games, different guys beginning video games.
“Also, to me, their health and their bodies are very important and I have to be cautious with how much I do to them. So their intentions, their intensity, everything, it’s been amazing. … It’s good for me to see how they compete now, what different things we try. But I don’t think minutes are going to be an issue.”
Seeing how the middle platoon works might be why the Nets signed Sharpe to a $10 million group option for next season and Wagner a $9.7 million mutual option.
With virtually 4,000 heart minutes out there, Wagner also will see his enjoying time spike. A torn left ACL in late December 2024 restricted him to just 564 minutes two years in the past and 427 last season.
Wagner’s profession high is 1,415. With no other true facilities on the Nets — they’ve only forwards Julius Randle, Chaney Johnson, Danny Wolf and Grant Nelson — Wagner also can be requested to exceed that career-best whole.
Sharpe has struggled with foul hassle, but he appropriately notes that often is due to transferring screens more than protection. He’s assured his cardio will maintain up but has labored on mobility and flexibility.
“I’m going to get used to recovery. I’ve been pushing on that more, stretching, trying to be more flexible,” Sharpe said. “So I’ve been doing that a lot and I realized doing mobility helps me a lot when it comes to recovery. So just keep doing those things, and I should be OK.”
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