NBA Notes: Nets, Tanking, Pacers, Rick Carlisle, Darryn Peterson

Nets

According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Nets coach Jordi Fernandez appears increasingly focused on evaluating young players rather than chasing wins during the final stretch of the season.

That approach was on display Saturday against the 76ers.

With rotation players such as Noah Clowney, Terance Mann and Ziaire Williams sitting out the fourth quarter, Brooklyn nearly erased a 21-point deficit before falling to its third straight loss.

Fernandez said the goal is to see what the younger group can do in meaningful minutes.

“It was great,” he said. “We have young guys, rookies playing in the fourth quarter and getting a lot of experience. Playing competitive minutes is way better than just playing minutes.”

Rookie big man Danny Wolf posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Josh Minott, two-way players E.J. Liddell and Chaney Johnson, and newly signed guard Malachi Smith helped fuel the rally.

Pacers

Coach Rick Carlisle said the Pacers have been in regular contact with the NBA regarding player availability as injuries pile up, according to Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.

Indiana was fined $100,000 last month for violating the league’s player participation policy, something Carlisle clearly wants to avoid repeating.

With the Pacers facing five games in seven days, Carlisle said those conversations with the league have been ongoing since mid-January.

NBA Draft

Early buzz around the next NBA draft is beginning to take shape.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, two prospects have separated themselves as the early favorites to go No. 1 overall — as Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa are widely viewed by scouts and executives as the top candidates.

“Talent-wise, he’s clearly No. 1,” one Eastern Conference scout said of Peterson.

Others around the league lean toward Dybantsa.

“I think Dybantsa is the easy No. 1,” an East executive said. “He’s special.”

Behind them, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson are generally viewed as the next tier of prospects, though some evaluators believe Boozer still deserves consideration for the top spot.