Taurean Prince is supposed to be the Nets’ X-factor.
At least, that’s what coach Kenny Atkinson expects of the first-year Net, who was acquired from the Hawks in July along with draft picks in exchange for Allen Crabbe. But the extended absences of Caris LeVert (thumb surgery) and Kyrie Irving (shoulder impingement) opened a gaping hole in the Nets’ offense, one that Prince has struggled to help his teammates fill.
“I think he’s going through a cold spell,” Atkinson said after practice Friday. “I said it last night, it’s like a hitter in baseball, he’s going through a stretch here. I told him today, he’s a 40 percent career 3-point shooter, he’s got to keep shooting. Just watching his overall game, his overall game was good, made some really good passes, his decision making was quick. Shots didn’t go in, they’ll go in.”
Prince, a small forward, was expected to provide shooting at a position from which the Nets didn’t get much offensive production from last season. The Nets shipped Crabbe to Atlanta after he went from averaging 13.2 points per game in 2017-18 to 9.6 points per game last year. The hope was that Prince would make up for that loss of offensive production and then some.
But it has been a streaky season for the 25-year-old, who has posted his career-worst field-goal percentage (37.3 percent) through 30 games. Prince is averaging the most minutes per game of his career since his second season with the Hawks, but isn’t generating nearly the same amount of offensive production as he did in Atlanta.
Prince went 1-for-10 in the Nets’ embarrassing loss to the Knicks at home Thursday. In his past eight games, he’s shooting just 25 percent from the field and 22 percent from 3-point range. For comparison, Prince shot a career-high 39 percent from behind the arc in his final season with the Hawks.
This month has been particularly stagnant for Prince. He has recorded fewer than 10 points in seven of the 11 games the Nets have played in December, including two three-point performances against the Pelicans and Knicks.
“In December I’ve been pretty bad shooting the ball,” Prince admitted Friday. “But [I’m] sticking to my principles and my routine and trusting the work. I’m a shooter so I know I’ll be able to get that going soon.”
Prince said he’s going to continue to take his shot and accept the looks his teammates give him, adding that he thinks he needs to “let your shot find you.” Having at least one made shot against the Knicks on Thursday was considered a positive by Prince.
“I mean, I made one last night so it gives me hope,” he said. “I didn’t leave the game with zero made 3s.”
With no foreseeable return for Irving and a hazy timetable for LeVert, Prince’s continued lack of offensive production could hurt the Nets’ playoff chances as they continue to struggle on offense.
“He works too hard, he’s too good of a player,” Atkinson said of Prince. “Obviously we need him to get back on track.”