The Call of Brooklyn! Mann s Road to Home!

Terence Mann, the Brooklyn-born defender, is now at an important turning point in his career.

Mann was born on October 18, 1996 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Denia, was a high school assistant. Now that Mann is wearing a Nets jersey, it is a symbolic journey home for him.

As the second round pick in 2019, when he first entered the NBA, Mann spent most of his time in the Development League, averaging only 2.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. After coming to the 2020-21 season, he gradually rose to the bench, with his number of games increasing to 67, including 10 starts, and his average playing time per game of 18.9 minutes.

During this period, Mann gradually became the stable seventh and eighth rotation, averaging 7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, and his three-point shooting percentage increased to 41.8%, becoming the main scoring output on the Clippers' bench.

2021–22 season, Mann played 81 games, including 33 starts, with averaging 28.6 minutes per game, and was fully promoted to the rotation core. The best single-season statistics with 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Especially in the sixth game of the playoffs, he scored 39 points in a crazy way, helping the Clippers to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time. In the 2022-23 season, the number of games played still remained at 81 games, with 36 starts, and the average time dropped to about 23 minutes. The score dropped to 8.8 points, but the offensive efficiency was still excellent, with a shooting percentage of 51.9% and a three-point shooting percentage of 38.9%. With a stable performance, he gradually became a substitute rotation.

2023–24 season, 75 games were played and 71 starts. But even if the starting chances increase, the score remains at 8.8 points. The three-point shooting dropped to 34.8%, and the efficiency declined slightly. The coaching team gradually identified him as the most reliable dual-sports guard choice outside the main force and began to become the main force of the team's starting wing.

2024-25 season, the first half of the Clippers played 37 games, started 12 games, and their personal data was 6 points and 2.9 rebounds; before the February trading deadline, the Clippers packaged Mann, Hyland and some draft picks to the Hawks in exchange for scorer Bogdan.

This transaction announced the end of the six years of Mann's Clippers and also opened a new chapter for him. For the Hawks, this deal is not just for a stable 3D, but also a panacea player with leadership temperament and playoff experience.

After joining the Hawks, Mann quickly adapted to the new environment and gradually showed his maturity and efficiency in the Clippers' era. The Hawks played 30 games, with only one starting game, and their average playing time increased to 22.7 minutes, and they handed in 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. It is particularly noteworthy that his shooting percentage is as high as 54.1% and his three-point shooting percentage is also 38.6%, which is enough to show his advantages under the new system, and his overall offensive efficiency is significantly better than that of the Clippers during the period.

For the Hawks, Mann mainly serves as the end point of the counterattack in the second team, especially when Trae Young is off the court, Mann is often responsible for leading the bench to maintain the offensive and defensive rhythm. His ball handling ability and his maturity in reading games can play a role similar to the second-point guard in a short period of time. Even though he is not a traditional point guard, he can use offensive decisions and non-stick ball style to keep the team offensive smoothly on the court.

In addition, Mann was also arranged to partner with new stars Jaylen Johnson, AJ Griffin and others to support the team's substitute. Thanks to defensive rotation and defense change awareness, the Hawks have added a layer of defensive insurance. Mann's role stabilizes the defensive efficiency of the Hawks bench and is an ideal versatile wing in the modern NBA system.

Although he did not become a star player in the Hawks and did not have the same exposure as Los Angeles, his positioning and importance in the team have increased significantly. Although he was relegated from the start of the Clippers to a substitute, he was able to regain opportunities in another team with higher efficiency and higher value.

And when the Nets chose to make up for Mann, it was not only to strengthen the rotational combat power, but also a reinforcement full of system value.

Mann's joining not only represents the arrival of senior players, but also a balance between the present and the future. He is the kind of player who can make steady contributions whether the team is in the reconstruction period or the competition period. From the Clippers to the Hawks, Mann has always been famous for not stealing the limelight and always doing the right thing, and this is the type of offense that the Nets urgently need at present. In addition to the offense, Mann also has a very advantage in defense. He is not good at single defense oppression, but based on reading rotation awareness. Able to quickly adapt to different opponents, from point guard one to small forward three can handle it. This defensive elasticity is a key reinforcement for the Nets, a young team with a slightly insufficient backcourt experience and a fragile defense system.

In particular, the Nets recruit many rookies to join. Mann can not only play the role of the opponent's deputy attacker, reducing the pressure on the main force, but also allow these rookies to have a better defensive concept and allow the Nets to establish a complete defensive system. At the same time, he can also make up for loopholes in the substitute defense and become the most trusted defensive core in the Nets' substitute group.

Although not the core of the ball, Mann is a very valuable second-level ball holding point. He can play the role of creating space after receiving the ball, launching pick-and-roll, and conducting tandem in half-court offense. Especially with his nearly 50% shooting percentage and stable three-point outside line, Mann can bring a lot of offensive system energy without taking the ball.

This also fits the offensive concept advocated by Nets coach Fernandez. Without clear main control, Mann's basketball IQ and simple style are enough to make him a catalyst on the court. He won't slow down the offensive pace, nor do he take the initiative, and always do things that are just right but are extremely important to the game..

In addition to the value on the court, Mann's image on the court is also in line with the value needed by the young Nets. He does not compete for merit or creates momentum. He is regarded as good teammates by his coaches and teammates by his coaches and teammates. Such traits are particularly important in the context of the team experiencing turmoil and coach replacement.

Looking back at the tripartite deal in the summer of 2025, Mann was sent to the Nets by the Hawks, paired with 22nd pick rookie Derek Powell as his core asset.

This deal is of great significance to the Nets. They not only gained a wing-on-fighting power, but also introduced a senior player who can provide stability at the cultural system and tactical level. Mann has 6 years of NBA experience, with a career shooting percentage of over 50% and a three-point shooting percentage of stable at nearly 40%. He is a standard 3D player.

For the Nets, which are currently in the early stages of reconstruction and have five first-round rookies, Mann's existence is not only a filling of combat power, but also a cultural stability force. In an interview with coach Fernandez, Mann was seen as a bridge figure among mature players and a key mentor to help young players adapt to the NBA rhythm.

As for Mann, he said in his personal statement:

"It is a responsibility to return to his hometown. I came back not for myself, but to push the team in the right direction."

For Mann, returning to the Nets has never been just a transfer. He was a college rookie when he left Brooklyn last time. After a few years of competition, he has returned to his hometown as a mature veteran. He not only shoulders responsibility for winning on the court, but also needs to set an example for young players and inject new blood into the city.

As he said when he participated in the show: "I don't need 20 points in every game, I just want to do things that can help the team win."

For the Nets, they are building a brand new team with no superstars in the team, but with a group of rookies with full potential, and Mann is the most important link among them. He can communicate on-field tactics and off-field culture, connect young players and coaching teams, and communicate Brooklyn's past and future.

In his hometown city, he is no longer a young man who plays ball to prove himself, but a veteran fighter who focuses on trust and responsibility. For the Nets, this is not only a personnel change, but also the beginning of a cultural turning point. And the story between him and Brooklyn is about to begin.