Jordi Fernandez issues warning to egomaniac after Mavs loss

The The Brooklyn Nets are trying to develop a rookie with five NBA records first round picks this season. Early on in that process, Jordi Fernandez made it clear that rookie minutes would be earned, not given. That goes not only for Brooklyn’s late first-round picks, but for Egor Deminthe team’s starting quarterback and first lottery pick in 15 years.

Demin turned around in a big way after breaking into Brooklyn’s starting lineup in early November. However, he has struggled in recent games and turned in one of his worst performances of the season on Friday. The 19-year-old scored three points on 1-of-7 shooting with one assist and two turnovers in 18 minutes during the Nets’ 119-111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

“I think he was trying to fix mistakes by trying to make things happen, and that’s not the way you want to do things,” Fernandez said. “I need him to play with better fitness and better physicality, and this is not the way the team is supposed to play. So he has to be better. Otherwise, the minutes will drop and someone else will take them. I know he cares. He’s always responded and fought back. He’s much better than the way he performed tonight.”

Demin shot just 1 of 4 from three and struggled to find his rhythm as a driver. He was blocked on multiple drives to the rim and had a couple of reckless turnovers in the second half.

Egor Demin receives a challenge from Jordi Fernandes after being benched during the defeat

Fernandez kept Demin on the bench for most of the fourth quarter, and it was Danny Wolf at the end. Wolff had another high-level performance, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 from three.

After a slow start, Demin turned the corner after stepping in as Brooklyn’s starting quarterback. Entering Friday’s game, he was averaging 10.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists on .394/.363/.900 shooting in 14 games as a starter. Demin and Derrick Quinn were the only NBA rookies to average 10 points, three rebounds and four assists during that span.

Demin’s received praise from Fernandez because of his balance as a playmaker and increased aggressiveness as a driver. The Russian general’s floor ratio of 2.05 ast/to ranks third among the nine rookie guards who play over 20 minutes per game this season. After he failed the two-point attempt through his first five games as a starter, Demin shot 44.7 percent on 3.4 two-point attempts per game before Friday’s loss.

However, Demin deviated from that composure in Dallas. Novak will have a chance to get back on track when the Nets host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at the Barclays Center.